The search for a new director for the Whatcom County Library District has been narrowed to four finalists, including the assistant director of the Bellingham Public Library.
The former director, Joan Airoldi, retired Jan. 4 from her decade-long position as head of the library system.
All of the candidates will appear Feb. 15 at a forum at Meridian High School.
The public is invited to meet the candidates during the event, which runs 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the auditorium at 194 W. Laurel Road.
The finalists are:
-- Maggie Buckholz, director of the Burlington Public Library. Prior to her work at Burlington in Skagit County, Buckholz was a managing librarian with Sno-Isle Libraries.
-- Martina Kominiarek, executive director of the Bucks County Free Library and director of the Bucks County Federated Library System in Pennsylvania. Prior to Bucks County Free Library, Kominiarek was the area coordinator/outreach and branch manager at the Free Library of Philadelphia.
-- Stacey Lunsford, director of the Irvin L. Young Memorial Library in Whitewater, Wis. Prior to Whitewater, Lunsford was director of the Humboldt Public Library in Iowa.
-- Christine Perkins, assistant director of the Bellingham Public Library. Before working for Bellingham, she was director of the Burlington Public Library in Skagit County.
The finalists were narrowed from a list of 39 applicants.
On Feb. 15, they will make presentations and answer audience questions. A reception with refreshments will follow.
The WCLS board of trustees will interview the finalists in executive session Feb. 16.
The board is expected to pick a new director during the following week.
The Whatcom County Library System has 160-plus employees and an annual budget of about $7 million. It provides services through nine branch libraries outside of Bellingham, a bookmobile, homebound services, outreach and its website.
Reach Kie Relyea at 360-715-2234 or kie.relyea@bellinghamherald.com.
