Palatine Library board announces new director

Palatine Public Library District board of trustees announced the appointment of Jeannie Dilger to the position of executive director, effective Jan. 8.

Professional search consultant John Keister of John Keister & Associates conducted the nationwide search for the board. Dilger was chosen from a number of applicants to fill this leadership role for the library.

Dilger succeeds Director Anthony Auston, who resigned in May. Since that time, the board appointed Melissa Gardner as interim director. Dilger has served as the executive director of the La Grange Public Library for more than nine years. Prior to that, she served as a consultant to Chicago area libraries for the Metropolitan Library System.

Dilger is a former president of the Illinois Library Association and has been named one of Library Journal's "Movers and Shakers." She also served as senior managing librarian for Outreach Services at King County Library System; community outreach manager at Monroe County Public Library; Youth Services department head at Salem Public Library; and Youth Services librarian at St. Louis Public Library.

Board President Bruce Jefferson stated, "The board is happy to welcome Jeannie Dilger as the new executive director of the Palatine Public Library. The search and selection process was extensive, and we thank all of the very qualified candidates that participated.

"We look forward to working with Jeannie and the library staff to continue the great services, books, and materials that the library provides to the community."

A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dilger earned her Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also earned a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management from University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dilger says, "I'm so pleased to join the dedicated staff of such a well-loved library. I look forward to building on the significant accomplishments of the library over the past few years and to continue to enhance, develop, and deliver innovative library services and programs that all residents of Palatine Library District can enjoy."

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