Board Meeting

Their plan to address the alarming turnover rate.

We're contacting neighboring libraries for their data. We've found that ours outpaces Northbrook and will probably find that Ms. Wolf's analysis is far off. Stay tuned.

Things Come Down from the Top

An insightful comment on what's going on at the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library

An interview with David Seleb, the Library Director from 2008.

Library Board Meeting, Pt 2

Immediately following the first group of public comments, the board approves last month's minutes and discuss finances.

Public Comments: October Library Board Meeting

Things All Come Down from the Top

Insightful comments

Heated Sidewalk

The Board is fixing up the patio at the Winnetka for a total of $250,000. They discuss and approve a heated side walk for $15,000.

Another from the Oct. Library Board Meeting

The Board explains that they're going to have more committees to address the problem of our 51% turnover rate for the last 12 months.

Library patrons remain upset with director’s decisions despite creation of special committee

Retrieved from ttps://www.winnetkacurrent.com/p/news/library-patrons-remain-upset-director’s-decisions-despite-creation-special-committee

Bianca Cseke, Freelance Reporter 6:18 am CDT October 23, 2019

The Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District Board of Trustees created a special committee to review human resources practices and procedures during its Monday night meeting, Oct. 21.

Yet, many members of the community remain upset with the board’s handling of the turnover situation at Northfield Library.

The committee will provide support to library staff and gather data. It will be comprised of two newer trustees in an effort to be more objective about the libraries’ issues.

About a dozen individuals spoke during the public comment periods of Monday’s board meeting to show their disapproval with how the situation has been handled and with what they regard as apathy from board members.

Reasons that were brought up for people leaving the library included: wanting hours reduced, being asked to switch hours to the Winnetka library, being passed over for a position for someone less qualified and wanting to take vacation time like in past years.

In August, members of the community attended sessions to discuss staffing issues and renovation plans for the Northfield branch, and they were concerned about the high turnover rate at Northfield and opposed to the renovations. Winnetka’s library recently underwent $2.1 million in remodeling, and Northfield residents said they did not want the same.

Last month, the trustees approved a plan to address the turnover issue, which included fireside chats, an outside HR consultant and increased presence of the library director and other top-level managers in the library.

Library Director Rebecca Wolf said she spoke with six “sister libraries” to compare data on retention and turnover rates and found that the libraries had an average turnover rate of 38 percent. Meanwhile, the Northfield library had a turnover rate of just 25 percent, she said.

Wolf also mentioned that most of the turnover was occurring due to what she called “positive things,” like receiving better job offers or only being temporary employees. Five employees left involuntarily.

But many community members weren’t satisfied with Wolf’s analysis of the turnover rate.

“Happy employees don’t leave,” Sue Erickson-Kelly told the board.

She told board members that she wondered if they actually read the exit surveys completed by departing library employees.

Trustees insisted that they did take community input seriously.

“I take extreme offense at the idea that we do not care,” Vice President Travis Gosselin said.

Gosselin added the board doesn’t get involved in day-to-day operations, but does rely on input from both the library director and the public.

Board President Jean Paul Ruiz-Funes said the board has done a lot of work to address issues that have been brought up. He mentioned the new HR director at Northfield, the board’s reviews of employee surveys and the creation of the special committee, which is expected to reach a conclusion on the issues by December.

“These are serious matters, serious allegations,” he said. “We are giving them all the time that they need.”

The board will also be meeting Nov. 4 for a study session on what can be done better in terms of processes.

Still, some meeting attendees were not satisfied with the board or the library director’s handling of issues.

“You talk about our goals and values,” Margaret Sullivan said. “We had that already. Why reinvent the wheel when we already had it?”

Ruiz-Funes said the board does not run the libraries, meaning that questions have to be answered by the individuals who run the library, not the board.

“We’re on the right track,” Pat Doherty said. “Now it’s time for some decision-making. It’s clear that one thing needs to be done — and that is to fire Rebecca (Wolf).”

Winnetka-Northfield Library Board Meeting, Pt 1

Public comments from the October 21, 2019 Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District's Board Meeting.

Please excuse the poor camera work and take the content to heart.

You can help the library by signing our petition

Board Meeting Video - Public Comments

Here are a few videos from the October 21, 2019 Winnetka-Northfield Library District Board Meeting. They're rough and rudimentary, but its the content that matters. There will be more to follow.

Hopes for the Next Board Meeting

Next Monday the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District will hold another Board Meeting at its Winnetka location at 7pm. I do hope that all Board Members attend and that they are able to present how they have investigated the personnel problems now that there are at least 93 employee departures since 2013 when its current director, Rebecca Wolf, started. In the last 12 months, at least 21 employees have departed. Has the Board analyzed the Employee Engagement Survey, which was completed and presented to  the staff in June? Have they spoken with current employees? What have they done to make sure that they have a full picture of the director’s leadership?

At the September meeting there were empty seats designated for Board members. I hope all members can attend the October meeting. When they ran for office, they knew their commitment to the community is to attend meetings held on the third Monday of a month. In September four of the seven members attended, which is quite disappointing considering that patrons’ call for improvements. 

The library has had five meetings so far when patrons have expressed their displeasure with the plans for the Northfield branch renovation and the alarming turnover rate, which exceeds that of McDonald’s.

According to reports in The Winnetka Current, when asked about the high turnover, Board President Ruiz-Funes and the Director Wolf have cited the community survey results indicating that the majority of respondents are highly satisfied with the library. This response reminds me of the Korean proverb: The question comes from the East and the answer comes from the West. The leadership was asked about employee turnover, but changes the subject and shares survey results about another aspect of the library’s operations. We’re not fooled.

The board president offered to hold fireside chats for the patrons to meet with the director. The library has already held three Board Meetings and two community “Listening Sessions.” These fireside chats aren’t needed. More chatting and “listening” wastes time. The patrons have clearly stated what they want. It’s time for the Board to act.

Library Hires Media Consultant

We've learned that the Library has hired a Media Consultant in addition to our full time Head of Communications, who's a skilled, capable professional.

Is this expense needed?
How much does this cost?
Who approved this?
What other small libraries have a Media Consultant as well as a Communications staff?

Come to the October 21st Board Meeting to find out what's going on.

The meeting is 7pm at the Winnetka Library.

Library's Community Listening Sessions

Northfield Library's Co... by on Scribd

Reference Bernard, M. (August 2019). "Director urged to return 'Neighborhood feel' to the Northfield Library." The Winnetka Current.

What's Happened to the Books?

September 2019

While it is good practice to weed out damaged books or books that are outdated, many believe cutting this much from a collection is severe.

Help the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District

Our Library's Soul, Collection and Staff Torn to Shreds

The six-year tenure of Rebecca Wolf, the current director, has nearly destroyed a highly skilled, dedicated, caring staff. Our library district has become a toxic workplace.

Have you read the article in the Chicago Tribune's  Winnetka Talk or those in The Winnetka Current?

Are these 91 (up from 88 in just a month) employees just a bunch of complainers?   

Certainly not. Some have left because they went to college or the library was a dead end for their career. But a good many left to flee the toxicity or were unfairly forced out by Ms. Wolf.

What are examples of the toxicity?

• Ms. Wolf doesn't meet deadlines or effectively manage projects.
• Our Strategic Plan for 2020-2023 is far behind the November deadline. As of October 2019 the committee has met once. 
• The subcommittees were not created as of Oct 1, 2019.
• Ms. Wolf insults, swears at and manipulates her staff.
• Behind closed doors, Ms. Wolf intimidates ruthlessly.
• Ms. Wolf and her managers punish open communication. 
• Staff members who've raised concerns about her decisions have received negative performance reviews and have been denied raises for up to 2 years.
• Ms. Wolf has an unusual need to exert power.
• She denied requested office supplies and services like window washing to the Northfield branch.
• Ms Wolf exploits staff with impossible goals and responsibilities, which she capriciously changes.
• She requires Circulation Associates to take on librarian tasks without giving them any time off the desk to complete their presentations and their new collection development duties. 
• Ms. Wolf misleads. 
• In Board Meetings she claims to be concerned and to "hear" the patrons, but the next day she's proclaiming that it's impossible to continue to give each location a dedicated staff or to not renovate the Branch. Fortunately, the Board has seen to it that for the next year Northfield will not be renovated. 
• Ms. Wolf's devastating our collection.
• Although outdated books and materials in bad condition should be taken out to make room for the new, but why are our shelves suddenly so empty? Small libraries shouldn't have so much empty space. 
• Ms. Wolf is whittling our staff down to the bare minimum. 
• Our Technical Services Department had 5 employees a few years ago. Now there's one full timer who's pressured to do the work of 5 with some assistance from colleagues who already have a full workload.
• On weekends the Winnetka desk is often unattended as the 2 staff members are busy helping patrons throughout the adult department.