Indianapolis library will name new interim CEO in 2023; community outcry continues

The Indianapolis Public Library Board of Trustees will appoint a new interim CEO early next year and, eventually, a permanent CEO to the impassioned opposition of a standing-room crowd at the board’s meeting Monday night.

Prominent community organizers threw decorum out the door, walking into the middle of the floor to ask questions, erupting in chants, calling for their own impromptu voice votes. At times, board president Jose Salinas threatened to stop the meeting. But the meeting went on, and ended without resolution for the community members in attendance.

Previously:Inside the Indianapolis library board's CEO decision, which left them without a CEO

The crowd of union organizers, library patrons, former employees and community nonprofit leaders wanted to know why the board did not give the top job to Nichelle Hayes, who was the remaining candidate after Gabriel Morley, a New Orleans librarian, turned it down amid community outcry.

"When they say 'we the people,' this is 'we the people,'" Doris Jones said, gesturing to the crowd with her two daughters at her side. "Y'all should be ashamed of yourself."

She then led a by-then familiar chant, "Hire Nichelle Hayes."

Nichelle Hayes served as interim CEO for 8 months

At the time Hayes was a candidate for CEO, she had been serving as interim CEO for the past eight months. Former CEO Jackie Nytes resigned in August 2021 amid controversy after library workers spoke publicly about their experiences with racism and discrimination in the library system. Both Nytes and Salinas have denied the allegations.

Following public outcry, the library undertook a climate study, which found a pervasive lack of trust in leadership and in their efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

After a yearlong search, a divided library board chose Morley, a library director from New Orleans, as its new CEO over Hayes, a longtime library worker. Public backlash was swift in response to the choice of Morley, who is white and faced questions about his short stints at previous libraries, over Hayes, who is Black and has roots in Indianapolis.

Morley declined the job less than 24 hours after the board made the offer.

Salinas previously told IndyStar he rejected the idea that the board's choice was motivated by racism or sexism. The choice was based partly on professional experience, he said in a joint statement with CEO search committee chair Hope Tribble ― Morley had 20 years of administrative experience, whereas Hayes had an eight-month stint as interim CEO.

Hayes' supporters point to her experience leading the library's Center for Black Literature and Culture as well as the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

Library board will vote on a new interim CEO

The board appointed Interim Chief Public Services Officer Gregory Hill active CEO. The board will vote on a new interim CEO from outside the library system early in the new year, Tribble announced Monday night. This new interim leader will not be a candidate for the permanent CEO position, for which the board plans to start a new search.

All previous candidates will be eligible for that new search, the board said in a news release Monday.

For subscribers:Indiana lawmakers to consider 'don't say gay' legislation in 2023

"I’m disappointed that our most recent search process was compromised," Tribble said at the meeting. "Members of this committee are also members of this community. And we share the concerns and desires of our neighbors, family and friends, that we create and sustain a library system that works for everyone. That means both those who’ve been most vocal and most visible in this process, as well as those who’ve voices have not been heard."

The announcement prompted several cries from the audience, from the familiar "Appoint Hayes now" to "Waste of money and time!"

'I’ve never felt so alienated in my life'

A few minutes later, Lionel T. Rush, president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance Of Greater Indianapolis, stood from his seat and walked to the center of the room to address board members directly.

"Is this meeting just for y'all up here, or is this meeting for all these people in this room and the 900,000 people in Indianapolis?" he said. "I’ve never felt so alienated in my life. Why don’t y'all let the people talk to y'all before you decide this stuff? This is wrong!"

Last Monday, more than 100 community members protested outside the Central Library, demanding the board immediately instate Hayes, who they called "the people's choice," as permanent CEO. Speakers viewed the refusal to appoint Hayes as evidence of discrimination.

On Monday night, a group of organizers, led by former library employee Stephen Lane, handed a petition to board members that has gained more than 1,800 signatures calling for Hayes to be named CEO.

'This is not a board that is working in a united way'

Twice during the meeting, board member Khaula Murtadha ― one of two members, including Patricia Payne, who voted for Hayes ― submitted a resolution to appoint Hayes CEO. Both times, the motion to add the resolution to the agenda failed.

"This is not a board that is working in a united way," Murtadha said before introducing her second failed motion.

Several community members questioned why, when the first-choice candidate declined the job offer, the offer didn't go to the next candidate in line, which would have been Hayes. Flanner House CEO Brandon Cosby said he's never seen a job search process have to start over in this scenario, which he said he's overseen hundreds of times.

"You have decided to arbitrarily and capriciously change the rules to undermine, yet again, the value of a Black woman in our community," Cosby said.

Salinas did not address the topic directly during the meeting and could not be reached for comment afterward. In a news release, the board stated that one factor in their decision to start a new search was a "significant breach of confidentiality" that may have led to one candidate withdrawing their name. The trustees believe the leak was made by "a party involved in the search process with the goal of influencing the outcome."

"Based on what the board is hearing from multiple constituencies, we believe the only way to bring about the healing our community needs is to identify and install a new CEO through a fair and untainted process,” Salinas stated in the release.

With their questions unresolved, several community members vowed at Monday's meeting to keep the pressure on the board.

"You think you can wait us out," Wildstyle Paschall said. "We’re not going anywhere."

Kayla Dwyer is a transportation reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17. 

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Public Library board to name new interim CEO in 2023