Erie County Public Library Director Karen Pierce resigns

Erie County Public Library Director Karen Pierce has resigned.

Pierce tendered her resignation Friday and stepped down from her post effective immediately, according to Erie County Public Information Officer Chris Carroll.

Carroll declined to comment on the reason for the resignation, citing it as a personnel matter.

The administration Monday released the following statement: "The Davis administration wishes Director Pierce the best and would like to thank her vision and leadership in her role as director of the Erie County Public Library. We wish her well as she moves on to her next endeavor."

Carroll said John Euliano, former Millcreek branch manager, will serve as interim director of the library. A search for a new director will begin immediately, Carroll said.

Pierce was named director by Erie County Executive Brenton Davis in June 2022. In recent months, she's faced a wave of public backlash.

In June, she was criticized for her decision to relocate a Pride Month book display from the entrance of the children’s section in Blasco Memorial Library.

The Davis administration said Pierce moved the display after she received a number of complaints about its prominent location in the children's area.

The decision was widely condemned by LGBTQ+ groups as well as some state and local elected officials, and also led to multiple protests and the resignations of three members of the Library Advisory Board.

More recently, Pierce came under fire for supporting a 25-year lease agreement between the county and Gannon University that will place a more than 3,000-square foot water research and education center inside Blasco Library.

Erie County Council approved the lease agreement in October. However, many in the public continue to protest and object to the center’s potential effect on library services and parking, as well as the county’s lack of public engagement on the matter.

Pierce became the first permanent director of the library system since Blane Dessy stepped down in May 2021. She previously managed the library's Iroquois branch.

A New Jersey native, Pierce spent more than 20 years in the book industry, including as an independent consultant for Usborne Books at Home, a division of Educational Development Corporation, a publishing company that specializes in children's books. Pierce also spent 13 years as director of operations of the Slippery Rock Community Library.

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County Public Library director Karen Pierce resigns