Daniel Accepts Post at Baltimore’s Pratt Library

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Heidi Daniel, executive director of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, will depart in mid-July to become CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.

The president of the Youngstown library, Dr. David Ritchie, made the announcement this morning.

Daniel has been executive director of the Youngstown library system since July 18, 2012, coming here from the Houston Public library.

In a prepared statement, Ritchie said, “It’s not surprising that a library the stature of Enoch Pratt would extend an offer to someone as talented as Heidi Daniel, seeing in her the same qualities that our board of trustees recognizes. As much as we would like to hold on to her, we are thrilled to see her advance this way.”

Daniel, the 2015 recipient of the Ohio Librarian of the Year award, oversees 15 libraries throughout Mahoning County. During her nearly five years as executive director, she has worked on several major building projects such as construction of the Canfield, Tri-Lakes and Michael Kusalaba branches and renovation of the Boardman branch.

She initiated new services such as fine-free library cards for students in grade school and teenagers, a pop-up library service in public schools and at off-site locations, and the circulation of mobile Wi-Fi hot spots.

In her prepared statement, Daniel said, “I’ve been so happy to serve a community that continues to say, ‘I love my library!’ It’s been an honor to contribute to this wonderful library system. No matter the challenges, the rewards have been greater.”

The Youngstown library will begin a search for Daniel’s successor Monday, a spokeswoman said, and the search will be national. No search consultant has been contracted yet because of the unanticipated departure and a successor might or might not be in place when Daniel leaves.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.