Robert Blechl
CIVIC CENTER -- Less than two weeks after Barbara Pearson left her
post as the city's library services director, City Manager Bud Ovrom
named her successor.
Ovrom announced Thursday that John Fuchs, library director for Carmel
Clay Public Library in Carmel, Ind., will head the city's library system
March 16.
Fuchs, 54, will replace Park and Recreation Department Director Mary
Alvord, who has been handling the library director's duties on an interim
basis.
Citing personal reasons, Pearson resigned Jan. 28 after less than a
year on the job.
In a written statement, Ovrom said Fuchs stood out because of his
interpersonal skills and leadership qualities.
"It was important for me to find a leader for our library who could
work cooperatively with staff and the community to help us evolve into
the library we know we can be," Ovrom said.
Fuchs will oversee the city's three library branches -- the Central
Branch on Glenoaks Boulevard, the Buena Vista Branch on Buena Vista
Street and the Northwest Branch on West Victory Boulevard. The salary for
Burbank library director ranges between $6,761 and $8,214 per month.
Fuchs, who holds a master's degree in Library Science from the
University of Pittsburgh, began his professional library career in 1977
in Colorado. He has served as director of the Carmel Clay Public Library
for more than eight years.
"I plan to come to Burbank to learn and to discuss with staff, city
officials and the community about what they would like to see in their
library," Fuchs said. "It already has the resources that are necessary
for any good library. And we can enhance those resources through the use
of technology, and fine-tune the print collection and services for the
needs of the community."
Fuchs said he chose Burbank because of the library's dedicated staff
and community support.
"I think Burbank has tremendous potential," Fuchs said. "It's a good
library that we can make even better."
