The Coplay Public Library Board is placing increasing focus on its employees.

At the Nov. 7 meeting, the board voted unanimously to advertise for a new director.

"We've been looking at procedures and policies for this library," said board member Charles Sodl, adding a specific issue needs to be addressed. "We're going to act on it tonight."

Former Director Anne Morris resigned in December 2009. Her replacement, Julie Hughes, resigned in May 2011 – at about the same time the Whitehall-Coplay School District announced its intention to stop funding both Whitehall and Coplay libraries.

With funding uncertain, the board decided not to spend the money to hire a new director. At its meeting Oct. 13, 2011, the board voted to name Maryrose Farquhar interim director, according to board minutes, which also indicate Farquhar had been serving as the library office manager.

Board members present for the Oct. 13, 2011 meeting include Jane Gillespie, Sharon Kline, Connie Rivers, Faye Schreiner, Karen Shields and Carol Schleder, meeting minutes say.

Sharon Dougherty was named interim codirector at the board's Aug. 9, 2012 meeting, according to library board meeting minutes. Present at that meeting were board members Gillespie, Schreiner, Rivers and Natalie Reichl.

Kline, Rivers, Schleder and Reichl are no longer on the board. Gillespie, Schreiner and Shields now serve on the board with Sodl, Neil Mumma, Joan Witco and board President Janet Eisenhauer.

"I still, to this minute, haven't found anyone to tell me why we have two interim library directors. I don't understand that," Sodl said at last week's board meeting.

"I can explain that if you'd like to hear it," Farquhar said.

Sodl continued to speak without acknowledging Farquhar's comment.

"I would like to make a motion tonight that we advertise for a library director for a position of one," he said.

Library assistant Kimberly Shelly resigned in August and library assistant Betsy Bigley resigned in October, leaving the library with only four employees.

Two of the four are managers, Sodl said.

"That just doesn't make sense," he said.

Although he did not mention them by name, Sodl said Farquhar and Dougherty are welcome to apply for the position.

The board will accept applications until Dec. 16 so the board can take action at its January meeting.

"This does not mean job elimination," said Eisenhauer.

"That's correct," said Sodl. "This means streamlining the library to have one person in charge."

Sodl brought up the issue of the director at the end of the approximately one-hour meeting. The board held a 15-minute executive session for personnel at the beginning of the meeting.

Asking if any board members had any questions, Sodl said, "We pretty much covered this in [executive] session."

In a related matter, the board unanimously agreed to hire a replacement for Bigley, whose resignation was accepted at the meeting. The board decided not to replace Shelley when she resigned over the summer.

After last week's meeting, Sodl clarified one of the two interim directors could move into Bigley's slot. The board won't hire someone for that spot only to inadvertently end up with an extra employee.

Also at the meeting, Eisenhauer said employee performance review forms are completed. Over the past several months, employees were asked to do self-evaluations and to evaluate each other. Eisenhauer compiled those comments into a document for other board members.

"I was typing comments for three and a half hours today," she said.

Board members now have an opportunity to add their comments before Eisenhauer presents the final reviews to individual employees which, hopefully, will take place by the end of December, she said.

The board also continues to seek volunteers. Dougherty said one person put in a volunteer application and another one called.

"We really do need to increase our volunteer list," Eisenhauer said.

For information on volunteering, call the library at 610-262-7351.