BOARD INTERVIEWS FOR LIBRARY DIRECTOR; SEARCH PANEL NARROWS LIST FROM MORE THAN 50 APPLICANTS; FOUR WILL BE INTERVIEWED

The Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees is in the process of interviewing candidates for the position of library director.

"We have already interviewed one candidate, and will see three more by Dec. 10," said Patricia Stahly, a member of the board and chairman of a screening committee in the process of selecting a new librarian.

More than 50 applications were received by the library for the director's position, which became open when Terry Risko resigned in June after 18 months as director.

The screening committee narrowed the list to four candidates, all of whom are scheduled for interviews. Other interviews are scheduled Dec. 1, 8 and 10.

Serving on the screening committee are Stahly; board officers Janet Ruopp, president; Dale Gerecke, vice president; Marilyn Ritter, secretary; and Don Zimmer, treasurer. Others on the committee are Bettye Black, assistant librarian; Alice Irvine, president of Friends of the Library; and Phyllis Jackson, administrative assistant at the library.

The entire nine-member Board of Trustees, along with Black, Irvine and Jackson are conducting the interviews.

The board has no target date for a new librarian to start duties.

"We'd like to see a see a new director in before the end of the first quarter of 1993," said Ruopp, "The board hopes to make its decision by the end of the year."

While the search process is under way, operations at the library will remain essentially unchanged.

Black is serving in her same capacity as assistant director, but is responsible for the day-in and day-out duties.