Indian Trails library not accustomed to change at the top

It was a shock for Indian Trails Library District to lose its second director in two years.

Perhaps more so because only two directors had led the district in its previous 36 years.

David Seleb, who recently announced his departure after just 18 months as director, said he is only the fourth director in Indian Trails’ history, which stretches back to the early 1970s.

He’s stepping down to become executive director of the Oak Park Public Library, “an opportunity that I would have regretted if I had not pursued it, and when they offered the job to me, I knew it was the right place.”

Indian Trails dates its history back to 1958 when the Wheeling Women’s Club solicited funds and books. The Wheeling Public Library District, serving most of Wheeling and Buffalo Grove, was formed a year later.

It was 1974 when the district adopted the name Indian Trails and annexed part of the Lake County side of Buffalo Grove.

Kenneth Swanson, who was known as administrative librarian at the time, was its leader then until his retirement in 1996, according to the district’s website, indiantrails.org. Tamiye Meehan succeeded him and served director from 1997 to 2009.

That’s when things got more volatile. Thomas Simiele took the position in 2009, but resigned in 2011 after a successful tax-hike referendum faced legal challenges. Seleb took the job the same year.

Seleb predicted Indian Trails will not have difficulty finding a fifth director.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” he said. “The library is very well supported among the community — the residents of Buffalo Grove, Wheeling and Prospect Heights.”