After a nation-wide search, the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) Board of Trustees is extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Stephanie Hall as the next Executive Director. Ms. Hall will succeed Lesley Dieno who, after 25 distinguished years at the helm of the ORL, will be retiring at the end of December 2012.

The search was spearheaded by the Board of Trustees Personnel Committee, led by Ms. Marilyn Harkness, who said, “Ms. Hall brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and passion to the position and the Board looks forward to her endeavors on behalf of the ORL’s future.”

Ms. Hall is currently the Director of Public Library Planning with the Province of Saskatchewan.  She is a graduate of the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto and has 23 years of varied public library, academic library and special library experience.  Prior to her current role, she was the Chief Librarian with Powell River Public Library, and then moved to Saskatchewan to become Director/CEO of the Chinook Regional Library.

Ms. Hall stated, “I’m really looking forward to working with the Board and Staff of the Okanagan Regional Library.  It’s a well-managed organization, and that makes it a great platform for launching new initiatives.  I’m interested to learn about what matters most to Okanagan communities about reading, lifelong learning, and libraries, and eager to start work on those priorities.”  Ms. Hall will assume her new role February 1, 2013.