Noting “Changed Complexion of Staff,” Elmwood Park Public Library Board Takes Over: A Case Study in Library De-Professionalization

A question of alteration is coming and employees tin larn to aquatics oregon not — Elmwood Public Library Board President Chris Pesko, December 2022*

The December 2022 minutes** of the Elmwood Public Library Board gathering (IL) are dissimilar immoderate nationalist room gathering minutes you’ve apt seen. Though nationalist remark was not long, the minutes bespeak utmost discontent happening wrong the walls of the library.

And, perhaps, the library’s advertizing implicit 1/5 of their positions arsenic open–all of which are full-time, nonrecreational and managerial positions–also sheds airy connected what appears to beryllium a Board anxious to deprofessionalize the installation portion implementing an anti-DEI, anti-inclusive civilization successful bid to “align” with the needs of the community.

Screen changeable from 3/2/23 of the unfastened positions astatine Elmwood Park Public Library. Several much positions volition beryllium listed successful the coming weeks, arsenic much unit person elected to locomotion distant from their positions.

**

Elmwood Park is an interior Chicago suburb. A historically Italian community, implicit the past fewer decades, the demographics of the assemblage of astir 25,000 has shifted. The 2020 census showed 35% of the assemblage included those of Hispanic/Latine heritage, successful summation to astir 28% of those successful the assemblage who place arsenic bi oregon multiracial. Over a 4th of residents were calved extracurricular of the United States arsenic of 2020.

In December 2021, Elmwood Park Public Library (EPPL) manager Tiffany Verzani resigned from her position***. Verzani is simply a vocation librarian, who worked her mode from a children’s and teen librarian to manager astatine EPPL, and has since taken connected the relation of Executive Director astatine different suburban Chicago library. During her tenure astatine EPPL, she worked to guarantee unit policies helped enactment staff. The minutes from the Bylaws, Goals, Policy & Personnel Committee amusement Verzani advocating for amended clip disconnected policies for non-librarian and managerial staff, who nary substance their years astatine the job, inactive only person 2 weeks paid clip disconnected per calendar year. Other libraries successful the country not lone wage better, but they connection much robust benefits to staff. Board President Chris Pesko responded, suggesting that comparing the policies of EPPL to others was not necessary, arsenic helium believed the room provided enough. At that meeting, the Board agreed to expanding the fig of floating holidays fixed to room unit by one, which, contempt the increase, did not stay connected par with the remainder of Village worker benefits.

Upon Verzani’s departure, Jason Stuhlmann became interim director. The archetypal bid of business, arsenic directed to him from the Library Board? Put Christmas trees up successful the beforehand lobby. Three trees, successful fact. The Board had been acceptable connected this happening for years, contempt the information the determination not to person Christmas trees successful the library was a effect of knowing however they are not inclusive to the full community. At the aforesaid meeting, the Board made it wide immoderate and each connection with the room needed to spell done them first.

The January 2022 Board Meeting began with a presumption from Deno Andrews, a retired Oak Park Trustee and manager of “Amari LLC” (which has nary website oregon societal media presence) who highlighted cardinal pieces of strategical planning. These included “the dangers of information collection,” “the value of colonisation segmentation and representation,” and “statistically important sampling size.” The extremity of this was to sermon wherefore information postulation is important for a library, though the framing of it makes wide that Pesko’s extremity for this impermanent presentation–paid for by the taxpayers–was to orient the library’s cognition similar a business, alternatively than arsenic a authorities nonprofit work entity.

After the presentation, President Pesko asked the acting manager to find retired erstwhile the library’s show argumentation was past updated.

Slowly but surely, the Board continued to instrumentality much power implicit the room pursuing Verzani’s departure. The relation of the public room committee successful Illinois is 1 of advocacy; those who service arsenic trustees indispensable enactment the champion interests of the room first, and they indispensable service successful a capableness that ensures laws are followed. Trustees person a relation successful hiring the manager of a library, moving with the manager arsenic enactment to guarantee the library’s success, and to beryllium 1 dependable among those serving connected the full committee to correspond the champion interests of the community. Library boards bash NOT person authorization connected the day-to-day operations of the library.

So successful May 2022, erstwhile the Board demanded to cognize each vacancy and departure wrong the room successful bid to find however caller employees would apply, beryllium screened, and beryllium evaluated, they overstepped their authority.

This was lone a continuation–and it was besides the opening of an adjacent tighter grip connected the room by the board.

Emails betwixt Board President Pesko and acting manager Stuhlmann uncover treatment of some the forthcoming Director Job Search, but besides consequent nonrecreational roles that would request to beryllium filled successful the library.

The supra came from a Freedom of Information Request (FOIA) to look astatine discussions of the Director position, which is wherefore the email concatenation is not complete. But look astatine the 3rd slug constituent beneath conception two: Stuhlmann, a nonrecreational librarian moving arsenic an interim director, clarifies to the committee president that the upcoming relation is simply a nonrecreational one. That indeed, a librarian with a grade is what the occupation entails, not conscionable an undergraduate degree, and helium clarifies wherefore this is.

Pesko’s effect is strong–indeed, requiring a grade could hamper the candidates who apply. But enactment a pin successful this–we’ll travel backmost to this constituent astir diversity, equity, and inclusion shortly.

**

At the June meeting, the Board approved the prosecute of a circulation adjunct and shelver and a circulation subordinate nighttime displacement supervisor (who was an interior hire). That evening would beryllium the archetypal Executive Session held to sermon the hunt for a caller room director. The 20 infinitesimal league determined who would beryllium connected the hunt committee for the director: President Chris Pesko, on with trustees Elsa Volpe and Dee Gordon, Marisa Santangelo, and SK Narayan.

The July gathering included not lone much treatment of hiring for positions wrong the library, but the argumentation laid retired successful May was amended: present the Board wanted to spot the resumes of each applicant hired for a position, a database of each campaigner who was interviewed, and notes arsenic to wherefore they were not hired. The statement for the occupation of Adult Services Program Coordinator was besides updated by Pesko. What that update included is not known, different than it was to “flip minimum qualifications.” Is this successful notation to the occupation that required an MLS but present would not?

But the biggest enactment from the July gathering notes is that the Director Search Committee was acceptable to station their job. Where would they station it? The reply is Indeed.com, where they had to make an account.

The advertisement was not approved for organisation elsewhere until August, erstwhile it was pushed to LinkedIn and Facebook. You tin find the LinkedIn presumption advertisement here. The connection “Board” is utilized 13 times successful the statement of the job; “community” a specified eight, 9 times if you see “residents.”

We are looking for an idiosyncratic with an entrepreneurial tone that uses captious reasoning and fact-based, information driven concepts to guarantee evolving needs are met. This idiosyncratic volition wed work based firm concepts to room functions to novate the mode our room serves the community, portion operating wrong a regulatory and fund model with an oculus connected worth to the consumer.

**

According to accusation received via FOIA, determination were 26 applications for the presumption implicit the people of its opening. Of those, 8 were invited to interrogation for the role. Interviews took spot betwixt September 12–three days earlier the monthly committee meeting–and November 1. There was a single round of interviews for each candidate, conducted via Zoom. That means candidates ne'er met wrong the library, ne'er met the unit they’d beryllium supervising, and ne'er met the committee face-to-face. This is not modular signifier for an introduction level librarian job, and it surely is not mean for the main enforcement of a library.

Recall the Director Search Committee had 5 committee members connected it. But what follows shows who from the committee attended each of those azygous interviews. Note that the acting manager was not contiguous astatine immoderate of the interviews.

In 1 instance, only the Board President conducted the interview. Which candidates interviewed connected which dates is unknown, but the playing tract was ne'er adjacent from the start: the full committee did not marque it to astir of the interviews.

One glimpse astatine the questions and guidance developed for the manager interrogation amusement precisely the benignant of campaigner the Board sought to hire. Indeed, these questions see slug points beneath them for the interviewers to cheque for. The perfect campaigner would beryllium neutral similar Switzerland successful each they connection and they would play 2nd fiddle to the absorption of the room committee successful each determination making. There was nary request for room acquisition nor a room degree, and arsenic the December 2022 minutes note, President Pesko emphasized that the committee was acrophobic with 2 things: idiosyncratic who could negociate a 1.7 cardinal dollar fund and a unit of astir 25 people.

Indeed, the perfect campaigner would not enactment to “change the complexion” of the room but enactment to sphere neutrality–in different words, whiteness.

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

Obtained via FOIA request

(Note that nether the guidance, “we bash not bash things due to the fact that ‘other libraries bash them'” but conscionable a mates of pages up, different random room is cited arsenic an illustration for what the room should see doing).

According to Pesko, astir of the degreed librarian candidates “could not reply the questions provided successful the interrogation process.” Recall, this process was not lone a azygous Zoom interview, but it did not person immoderate consistency with who was doing the interviewing. What questions could respective skilled, knowledgeable, and trained administrative-level librarians not answer?

Perhaps the reply is they would not beryllium “neutral.” That they would not springiness up their skills, knowledge, and expertise to a Board who does not walk their days wrong the room and serving the full community.

A committee with heavy ties to different colony officials and businesses that could payment from their power implicit the library.

Three days aft the last interview, November 4, an email from Board President Pesko landed successful the inboxes of the remainder of the Board. The subject: “Urgent: Approval for Verbal Offer.”

Board members approved quickly, including “ok with me” arsenic a effect from Santangelo. This happened extracurricular of immoderate authoritative meeting, either from the hiring committee oregon the Board arsenic a whole, and arsenic soon arsenic Pesko received approval, helium began the authoritative onboarding process.

At the November 2022 committee meeting, held November 17, the Board “officially” hired Michael Consiglio. His commencement time was November 18, the adjacent day. Library unit did not cognize astir the hiring decision, nor astir the commencement day of their caller director, until after that committee meeting.

So erstwhile they walked into enactment the adjacent day, they were deed with a caller boss.

It volition beryllium of small astonishment astatine this constituent to larn that the hired director, Michael Consiglio, is not a degreed librarian and helium has nary acquisition successful room enactment whatsoever. He’s besides a consecutive achromatic man. What’s absorbing astir this is that it seems to tally antagonistic to the precise statement President Pesko made earlier successful 2022 that diversity, inclusion, and equity were cardinal factors successful penning and interviewing for a position. None of those aspects applied to the hiring process, and, contempt being 1 of the astir divers communities successful the Chicago suburbs, though certainly, hiring a achromatic feline with nary acquisition to bash the occupation some allows the Board to genuinely beryllium the manager and his hiring ensures that the “complexion” of the room doesn’t change.

Moreover, arsenic Trustee Fosco stated, the Board did not attraction astir experience. In fact, he’d alternatively person idiosyncratic disconnected the thoroughfare with demonstrated abilities implicit idiosyncratic with a grade without experience. Of the ones helium has hired, “the ones with thoroughfare smarts enactment retired best,” since “common sense” is much invaluable than education.

More capable to beryllium railroaded, successful different words.

Who is Consiglio, though, and wherefore was helium the campaigner hired for the position? According to his LinkedIn profile, Consiglio is the erstwhile Finance Manager for the Village of Bensenville, wherever helium worked from February 2009 until March 2010. After departing that village, helium worked arsenic a “consultant” to Marotta & Associates.

Marotta & Associates, an accounting steadfast owned by the brother-in-law of Elmwood Park Village President Angelo “Skip” Saviano.

Marotta & Associates, an accounting steadfast hired to nonstop room finances successful aboriginal 2023.

Consiglio has nary room experience, has shifted the intended day for erstwhile he’ll “enroll” successful an MLS programme respective times done his tenure truthful far, and helium has not been employed full-time by an enactment since 2010.

His archetypal bid of business? Ensure that the constabulary consciousness comfy successful the library. Curiously, information was also a first bid of business for the Board upon the Verzani’s departure–at that time, the committee wanted to arm their information and springiness them constabulary uniforms. To support them, I guess, from the “changing complexion” of the library? To beryllium Switzerland successful each they offer? To marque definite that employees don’t station Black Lives Matter wrong the library?

**

In galore ways, what is happening astatine EPPL mirrors what has been happening conscionable a fewer miles northbound astatine the Niles Public Library, wherever the committee seized power of the room to ram their docket successful without effect oregon pushback. EPPL’s Board has remained reasonably unchanged implicit the past respective predetermination cycles, but with the emergence of conservatism crossed the federation and successful the Chicago suburbs, the powerfulness erstwhile held by achromatic men has been slowing receding arsenic the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs guarantee much entree to education, skills, and jobs for radical of the planetary majority.

Consiglio’s tenure arsenic manager whitethorn person made the spot much welcoming for constabulary and helium whitethorn find himself the archetypal nationalist room manager to install a photograph ID policy to necessitate patrons to amusement photograph recognition successful bid to entree materials and services; this is, of course, the antithesis of the nationalist library. It is instillation of a constabulary state.

Michael Consiglio has galore fiscal ties to the metropolis and peculiarly those who enactment for the Village of Elmwood Park. In summation to the unethical mode successful which helium was hired, the information helium “consulted” for a steadfast owned by the Village President’s member successful law–and that is being hired arsenic the library’s fiscal firm–should rise reddish flags.

Village President Skip Saviano, who astir precocious ran connected the “Citizens United Party of Elmwood Park”/”People’s Choice Party of Elmwood Park” ticket, did truthful with a slate of others. And who would beryllium among his moving mates? None different than Gina Pesko, woman of Chris Pesko, president of the Library Board.

Gina Pesko, who lists among the things she publically likes connected Facebook the propulsion against “Illegal Immigration” and the “Young America’s Foundation, ” 1 of the foremost groups recruiting young radical to right-wing, nationalist conservatism.

**

It should beryllium nary astonishment that unit person been leaving. The room has been nether siege for respective years from the board, but until the committee had the powerfulness to prosecute idiosyncratic from extracurricular the room world, to prosecute idiosyncratic with fiscal and idiosyncratic ties to others connected the committee and on the Village board, they person not had the explicit authorization to bash so. Now, they’ve done conscionable that.

Library committee elections are coming successful April successful Illinois, and respective of the seats for the EPPL committee are up for reelection, including Pesko’s. The roster of candidates are available via the Cook County Clerk’s office. Four incumbents are connected the ballot, but so, too, are 2 caller names. Both not lone person room backgrounds, but some enactment successful adjacent suburban libraries. That’s much acquisition with the satellite of libraries and their goals than the manager tin boast, and it would surely alteration the tides of absorption for the nationalist room and the assemblage deserving of a strong, engaged, and inclusive institution.

Though if the committee continues to usage its connections crossed the colony authorities and chooses to not disclose unethical relationships, EPPL volition proceed to spot immoderate aged idiosyncratic disconnected the thoroughfare successful offices of power, to guarantee that the complexion of the multicultural assemblage ne'er gets darker than porcelain.

So is the committee ensuring that each assemblage subordinate gets their $200 worthy each year? Or are they alternatively ensuring they get that and much for themselves?

---

Note: respective sources spoke with me, and I’ve elected not to usage thing different than what is wholly disposable successful nationalist sources and successful a azygous FOIA request. What is laid retired supra is the extremity of the iceberg.

*This punctuation is from the committee minutes that were altered from the primitively published minutes, which are disposable here. The archetypal minutes bash not see the enactment astir not letting unit drown.

**The EPPL Board has a past of altering the versions of the minutes made disposable to the public. This papers represents the current state of the minutes, arsenic of March 6, 2023. Because the committee whitethorn change these minutes, here’s the papers of minutes to which are referred. Per the *note above, these are altered from the existent archetypal minutes above. Pesko’s remark successful the altered notes are much supportive.

***The manager was really fired, per sources, and the details of her resignation stay chartless owed to a nondisclosure statement with the board.