Emily Compton-Dzak Appointed as New Library Director
The Board of Trustees of the River Forest Public Library is thrilled to announce the appo
intment of Emily Compton-Dzak as the new Director of the Library.
Emily currently works as the Assistant Director and Head of Adult Services at Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District and has 20 years of experience in the library field. The Board believes her experience, her approach to leading a team, and her knowledge of libraries will be a particularly good fit for River Forest Public Library. Her start date will be January 25th.
“Emily’s warm, collaborative style and openness to innovation, while still respecting traditional library services, make her a natural fit for our community. We are very excited to welcome Emily to our Library,” says Board President Deborah Hill.
The Library Board engaged in an extensive director search with the assistance of HR Source. The search task force, under the leadership of Trustees Katherine Bevan and Eleanor Long, reviewed the dossiers of over 25 applicants and interviewed six experienced, talented candidates for the position of Director. The entire Board then interviewed two candidates recommended by the search task force. During this process, it became clear that Emily’s history of steady, reliable dedication to the needs of the library and its staff, and her discerning view of future possibilities within the organization, made her the right choice as our next Director.
Emily earned a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Dominican University and has worked with library patrons of all ages in many different settings. Her experience ranges from processing artifacts for the Chicago Public Library, to creating 3D prints with families in the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library’s makerspace, and finally helping to foster her own children’s love of reading through library collections and programs. When asked what she is most looking forward to in becoming the next Director, Emily responded, “ I am thrilled to be joining the creative and dedicated staff of the River Forest Public Library, and I most look forward to working with them to strengthen our community connections and solidify our place as an essential service.”
The Library Board and staff would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Operations Manager, Joanna Bertucci, and Children’s Services Manager, Amy Grossman, for acting as Interim Co-Directors for the duration of our search for a Director. With their guidance, the Library remained under consistently strong leadership.
The River Forest Public Library Board of Trustees and staff are excited to usher in a new era of serving their community through library services in 2021 and beyond with Emily Compton-Dzak at the helm.
