The Park Ridge Library Board of Trustees welcomed two new trustees at its August 12 Committee of the Whole meeting. On August 19, they elected new officers for the coming year. Park Ridge City Clerk Michael Lupo performed the swearing-in ceremony.
Kevin Haggerty, a certified public accountant with more than 10 years of professional experience working with a focus on financial planning and analysis, was one of two new trustees named at the meeting. In his professional capacity, he oversees the budgeting process of a Fortune 500 company, managing a budget of $750 million in revenue. When applying for the Library board, Haggerty explained his family ties to public libraries.
“My late grandmother was a librarian for 30 years, and I grew up in the library, deeply aware of its value and the vital role it plays in enriching lives,” Haggerty wrote in his application to the Mayor’s Advisory Board. Libraries are among the most important places a child, adolescent, or adult can go to learn, grow, and connect. Regarding current challenges, I’ve reviewed the published financial statements and undersand there is both a desire and a need for additional funding for capital improvements.”
Also joining the Board of Trustees is Briana Jarnagin, an operations professional with eight years of experience across mission-driven organizations in the Chicago area. She currently leads business and people operations at EduDream, an education research consulting firm in Chicago. She is also a former employee of the American Library Association.
As a community member and avid Library user, Jarnagin was asked to participate in the Library’s strategic planning retreat this June. “Given the Library’s current strategic planning process, I expect dynamic and challenging work to soon emerge from the multiyear plan and, going forward, the yearly roadmaps,” she said. “I believe the Board will need to further engage in outreach and advocacy within the community to help communicate the findings and action items that emerge from the plan, and support Library staff’s expertise. Board members are also uniquely positioned to advocate for the importance of libraries and equitable access to information, and I believe should prioritize doing so.”
Board officers were elected at the August 19 meeting. Theresa Renaldi was named president, and Danielle Powers was named vice president. Michael Donahue will serve as treasurer, and Josh Keim was named secretary. The officers will serve in their respective roles through June 2026.
The Mayor’s Advisory Board, consisting of four alderpersons, interviews candidates for non-elected city boards and commissions and makes recommendations to the mayor, who presents them to the full city council for a final vote.
