A new director for the Whatcom County Library System could be selected as early as Tuesday, Feb. 19, from among four finalists.

The former director, Joan Airoldi, retired Jan. 4 from her decade-long position as head of the library system.

The finalists met with staff and the public at a forum on Friday, Feb. 15.

They 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.

A search committee and the WCLS board of trustees will interview the finalists Saturday, Feb. 16. A candidate selection and contingent offer is on the board's agenda for its Tuesday meeting.

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.