Journal & Topics Media Group

‘A Dream Come True’: Library Board Picks Joanna Bertucci As New Director


Joanna Bertucci

There was great excitement on both sides on May 5 when, at a special meeting, the Park Ridge Library Board offered the position of library director to Joanna Bertucci, effective June 1.

Bertucci, brings 14 years of library experience, including her post as operations manager at the River Forest Public Library since 2016, and a dual role as interim co-director which she held from October 2020 to January.

However, Park Ridge is special because this is the library where she grew up and learned to love books, and she is excited to see all the improvements and opportunities it now offers its patrons. She and her husband and their two children live in nearby Niles.

She calls it “a dream come true.”

Growing up as Joanna Cecchini, she graduated from Mary, Seat of Wisdom School and Resurrection College Prep High School. She earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree (MLIS) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History, both from Dominican University in River Forest.

Bertucci has held many roles from librarian to administrator with experience in project management, financial planning, crisis recovery and patron relations.

As operations manager and interim co-director, Bertucci led the River Forest library’s COVID-19 response plan from library closure, shift to virtual services, to its reopening to the public, while managing the library’s finances, facility and day-to-day operations. As operations manager, she supervised significant capital projects and strategic initiatives, managed the Materials Services department and was responsible for all human resources functions.

“The board was impressed with Ms. Bertucci’s professionalism and enthusiasm for the role,” said Lauren Rapisand, president of the Park Ridge Library Board.

“Her commitment to collaborative work, her data-driven decision making, her solid financial background, management experience and overall commitment to the library community made us feel confident in our decision.”

Bertucci says she loves the administration at the Park Ridge Library, noting it has delivered “excellent service” for many years, and has its new strategic plan, developed just before the pandemic, to provide direction for four to five years.

Like her predecessor, Heidi Smith, who arrived at the beginning of the first phase of a major building upgrade several years ago, Bertucci will step in as a second phase is underway, which includes installation of increased water capacity for the rest rooms and a new sprinkler system. The staff has learned to move its collection around the building so construction can continue, and begin installing equipment upstairs. Patrons can order books in advance from other parts of the collection.

“The Park Ridge Public Library has been a part of my life for many years,” said Bartucci, who grew up in Park Ridge and now lives in the area. “The opportunity to serve as the Library’s next director is an honor. I look forward to connecting with the community and working with the creative, talented and dedicated Library staff and Board of Trustees.”

The Library Board of Trustees began their new director search in January after  irector, Heidi Smith, resigned in December 2020 to take the director position at her own hometown library.

The board used the firm Bradbury Miller Associates, a search firm focused specifically on libraries, to conduct the search. There were 33 candidates at the beginning of the process. The search was done completely virtually due to COVID-19. Eight individuals were invited to interview with the board. Three finalists gave presentations on how they would work with the Library’s new strategic plan, participated in a question and answer session with the Library’s management team and had final interviews with the board. 

What’s best about books?

“I love that people can find themselves in a book,” Bertucci told the Journal.

She is impressed that Park Ridge has an estimated 70 book clubs, a measure of how active a reading community it is.

Her personal choices are various types of  non-fiction, including history, She admits she has kept up with some of her “reading” with books on tape, while doing the long drives to River Forest.

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