Director who saw Pierce County libraries as more than a collection of books to retire
Pierce County Library System’s top official is leaving the library system with a renewed sense of what a library is.
Executive director Georgia Lomax has sent in her retirement notice for early 2022, saying that it’s time to pass the baton to new leadership after seven years in the top job and a total of 35 years in libraries.
“We’ve changed, the library needs to change. So a lot of things have been happening,” she told The News Tribune. “This is the right time to make a change, just because the library is in a great position to hand it off to a new person. It’s hard to go.”
Library’s Board of Trustees Chair Pat Jenkins said Lomax has led the library during one of the most challenging times.
“In our latest annual review of her performance, the trustees unanimously praised her communication skills and stewardship of public funds and ability to be consistent in changing needs of the public,” he said.
Lomax oversaw the library system’s $42.5 million budget and 20 locations across Pierce County.
She said her priority has been to meet the needs of the changing community.
Under her leadership, the library system partnered with the Pierce County Elections Office to help people vote. In 2018, the state Legislature passed a law to allow for same day voting. Lomax said she knew the libraries could help.
“Man, I had no idea how much work goes into elections,” she said.
Librarians help voters register and obtain a ballot from the elections office. Voters also can turn in their ballots at library branches.
Libraries also began offering at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.
“Making space available to others who need to reach out and connect to people living in those communities. That’s a great service we can offer. We’ve done it with some testing, and we’ve done it with vaccinations,” Lomax said.
Helping the community was tough during the pandemic, but Lomax said libraries offered curbside assistance, strengthened WiFi to be accessible from the parking lot and offered services like story time on Zoom.
Lomax said the number of e-books checked out in 2021 is on track to double the average with 2 million books checked out virtually.
The pandemic has also left the library system more cautious. Lomax said plans for new libraries in Lakewood and Tilicum have been placed on hold until the new Sumner library building is completed.
“Part of our work is to really talk to our communities and understand how to operate in a post COVID world. Do libraries look differently to people? Do services look different? Do people use the buildings in different ways? Do we need to serve them in new locations?” she said.
Jenkins said the board is supportive of the additional library services.
“People who don’t frequent the library a lot and people don’t realize how much more it is now that just books and periodicals and DVDs,” Jenkins said.
She also said the Board of Trustees decided that asking voters to foot the bill on the new Sumner library was not a solution during the pandemic, so they are looking at fundraising and public-private partnership options. A cost estimate has not been determined yet, library spokesperson Mary Getchell said.
The library system has asked for two levies in its 75-year history, one in 2006 and a second in 2018, when the voters self-imposed a 50 cent per $1,000 property tax. The tax paid for library staffing, an additional 1.5 million e-books and books, computers, WiFi and supporting technology.
Lomax said she accomplished most of her objectives as executive director.
When hired in 2014 to run the county library system, Lomax told The News Tribune she wanted to focus on technology innovation, workforce development, the military population and the Native American community.
The libraries have upped their network capabilities under Lomax, from the ability to hold 20 internet users in a library to 100 since 2014. They have also partnered with the employment agency Workforce Central to offer classes, resources and certifications. Libraries offer technology certifications on programs like Microsoft to soldiers transitioning into civilian life.
“So when they go out, they can interview and take the next step in their careers,” Lomax said.
While the library district works with the Native American tribal school district, Chief Leschi Schools, she wishes the library system was more connected with the Native American community. The library is working on a staff plan to increase diversity hiring and recruiting.
“I think that’s something we need to work on is building relationships,” Lomax said.
The Board of Trustees has started the hiring process to replace Lomax in a national search in hiring a library consulting firm. The board of trustees is committed to finding someone like Lomax.
“She has done a great job,” Jenkins said. “We are confident in our ability to find someone to keep the ball rolling, but she will be missed.”
