It has been just over three months since Michael Consiglio began working as director of the Elmwood Park Public Library and he already has plans to seek public feedback and collaborate with local businesses and other entities, he said.
“My plans are simple: to identify the needs of the community to create new programs and additional programs. That’s where we were a little stagnant,” Consiglio told Pioneer Press.
He officially started Nov. 21.
Consiglio took over for Jason Stuhlmann, who had been acting library director since Dec. 2021, during the library board’s search for a new library director after Tiffany Verzani resigned.
“You have to give him credit. He was maintaining, doing the best he could, keeping everything together,” Consiglio said about Stuhlmann.
According to Consiglio, Stuhlmann resigned from the library in December.
Stuhlmann started as head of the Warrenville Public Library District in early February, replacing former library director Sandy Whitmer, who retired.
“The main thing is to execute the policies that our trustees want. That is what the position of director is. We have very good trustees that have a clear path of what they want done for the community,” said Consiglio, who earned his Master of Business Administration from Dominican University in River Forest.
Other library board members include Vice President Diana Gordon, Treasurer Peter Fosco, Secretary Marisa Santangelo, and trustees SK Narayan, Elsa Volpe and Alice Balundis.
The board’s announcement of the new library director stated Consiglio spent 28 years as a corporate director of operations and finance.
“It was the challenge of leading something. I’ve come from services. I’ve come from municipality. I spent two years at Guerin Prep so it’s just another challenge. I like improving things,” said Consiglio, who said he plans to get a master of library and information science degree.
“I want the residents to be able to come in and give their ideas and suggestions and criticisms. I’m open to all of them because I want to improve what we have. I believe in collaborating,” said Consiglio.
One partnership he mentioned is his request that Ace Hardware do a series of classes about subjects including how to fix a toilet and lawn care.
He also is building relationships with people such as Elmwood Elementary School Principal Matthew Lerner in order to understand students’ needs, and encourage reading and visiting the library, he said.
“I want a lot of focus on children’s programs. We have puppets coming in and we have outside people coming in for one-day events for children,” said Consiglio, who has two daughters and three grandchildren with his wife, Joanne.
He brought library retirees Mary Moss, former head of circulation services, and Carol Loughnane, back to work part-time with the Kids and Teens department and is looking to fill other vacancies in that department and in Adult Services, which would add to the library’s current 24 employees.
Consiglio said he is also working on emphasizing the technology class series Project Next Generation for third- to 12th-graders, defining policies better, improving safety and fostering working relationships with village entities including the police, fire, public works and recreation departments.
“Let’s get creative. Let’s think out of the box and more or less understand there’s a quality improvement process,” said Consiglio, who plans to work on the library’s next Strategic Plan after reviewing the 2016-2019 plan and surveys completed by residents.
The annual report for fiscal year May 2021 to April 2022 states the library was visited more than 59,800 times; 3,700 people used the study and meeting rooms; 400 people picked up library material through curbside pickup; and there were 1,050 new or renewed library cards.
Other numbers in that annual report included 10,636 uses of the library’s online resources; 154,500 items checked out; 7,420 people enjoying in-person, virtual or take-home programs and activities; and 200 homes visited through the Home Delivery service to deliver more than 900 books, movies and CDs.
“The more people that know about what we’re doing and enjoying the programs, it validates the money that residents are paying in their taxes and that’s important,” said Consiglio, who added that the library provides not only books but all kinds of research and learning resources.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.
