Aurora library director to greet public at open house

Aurora Public Library patrons can meet the new woman in charge - and catch up on the progress of construction of the city's new library - later this month during an open house.

The event to introduce Aurora Public Library Executive Director Daisy Porter-Reynolds is set for 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the Multipurpose Room on the lower level of the Main Library, 1 E. Benton St.

Porter-Reynolds previously served as deputy director of Arlington Heights Memorial Library. She began her tenure with Aurora Public Library in September, replacing Eva Luckinbill, who retired in the fall but will continue to work in a consulting role through the completion of the new Richard and Gina Santori Public Library of Aurora.

Light refreshments will be served during the open house, which also will feature displays showing progress on the Santori Library.

Porter-Reynolds worked in leadership positions at the San Jose (California) Public Library (2006 to 2012) and in the New Orleans (Louisiana) Public Library (2003 to 2005).

Aurora Public Library Board President John Savage said Porter-Reynolds' track record in the areas of customer service, technology and programming made her the perfect pick for the position.

"She has a strong focus on building partnerships with schools, the business community and various ethnic groups, which are important traits as we go into the next phase of what the Aurora Public Library system will provide to this community going forward," Savage said.

Porter-Reynolds obtained her Master of Library Science Degree in 2003 from the University of Illinois, Champaign. Her undergraduate degree, from Northwestern University in Evanston, is in linguistics and women's studies.

She has presented at library association conferences in Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Porter-Reynolds' book, "Streamlined Library Programming: How to Improve Services and Cut Costs," came out in 2014.

Since 1881, Aurora Public Library has been served by eight directors: Mrs. Thomas H. Clark, James Shaw, Julia Fink, Eleanor Plain, Mary Clark Ormond, Janet Plaza, Eva Luckinbill and Porter-Reynolds.