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• Although outdated books and materials in bad condition should be taken out to make room for the new, but why are our shelves suddenly so empty?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.