The head of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County will retire, according to a message sent to library staff today.
Director Kim Fender, a 30-year veteran of the library, will retire effective June 30. She served as director of the library for 19 years. The library has seen a number of accolades in that time — the system is one of the busiest and highest-rated in the country. In 2013, it received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Fender's exit also comes just after voters approved a new levy that will provide the library with more operating funding and avert a deficit. Last year, it had the second-highest circulation of any library system in the country, behind only New York City's.
"Together, we have made the library one of the busiest and best public libraries in the country, with tremendous growth over 20 years, including increases of 50 percent in circulation and more than 20 percent in the number of cardholders," Fender said in the message to staff.
The library has also seen some controversy during Fender's tenure, including a contentious battle over a facilities plan that could have seen the north building of the library's downtown campus sold. Activists decried that possibility and the lack of community engagement on behalf o the library, which had partnered with the Cincinnati City Center Development Corporation to explore the sale of the building. The library earlier this year announced it would keep the building. The battle may not be over, however. Critics of the plan point out that 3CDC head Steven Leeper remarked in an interview with the Cincinnati Business Courier earlier this month that he'd still like to see the building redeveloped as office or residential space.
Fender will be replaced by Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Paula Brehm-Heeger as interim director while the library conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.
