Three finalists have been chosen for the Pierce County Library System executive director position: Nate Hill, Georgia Lomax and Jeff Scott. Final interviews take place in Pierce County on Aug. 21-22. The library hopes to make an offer by the end of August and have the new executive director on board before the end of the year. Neel Parikh, the library’s executive director of 20 years, retires Nov. 1, 2014.

Nate Hill

Nate Hill is the deputy director of the Chattanooga Public Library in Chattanooga, Tenn. His recent successes include developing and implementing the “4th Floor” space, a civic laboratory focusing on information, design, technology and applied arts; collaborative partnerships with the mayor’s office and other community agencies; and creating and building project-driven staff teams. Prior to his work in Tennessee, Hill was the web librarian for the San Jose Public Library in San Jose, Calif., and he spent 10 years at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York. Hill’s professional activities include speaking and consulting on a national level and continuing to advise the Architectural League in New York on a branch system redesign visioning project based on his development of an innovative storefront “Outpost” library service model. In 2012, Library Journal honored him as one of its “Movers and Shakers.”

Georgia Lomax

Georgia Lomax is the deputy director of the Pierce County Library System. Lomax’s recent successes include being highly involved in the Pierce County 2030: Facilities Master Plan, her collaborative work with the City of University Place on behalf of the University Place Library, and her commitment and work developing an outward, forward-thinking, customer-focused organizational culture. Prior to her work at Pierce County, Lomax served as cluster manager for the King County Library System, and library director of the Flathead County Library System in Montana. Lomax sits on the Public Library Association (PLA) Board of Directors serving as the National Conference Program Committee Chair (2014) and is active locally with the Tacoma Community House serving as a member of its Executive Board. Lomax is a 2010 Library Journal “Mover and Shaker,” and also won the Allie Beth Martin PLA Award in 2006.

Jeff Scott

Jeff Scott is currently the county librarian in Tulare County, Calif.  Scott’s recent successes include significant facilities work expanding and renovating several of the system’s 15 branches, installing library book machines at two locations, and planning and implementing the fundraising campaign, “Your Library in More Places.” Scott has received several grants and awards for projects-including the California State Association of Cities (CSAC) Challenge Award for 2013 Teen Digital Media Lab and the CSAC Merit Award for “Your Library in More Places.” Scott currently serves on the California Library Association’s Board of Directors. Prior to Tulare County, Scott was the city librarian with the City of Casa Grande Public Library, also in California.

Public forum to be held Aug. 21

The candidates will be on hand at a public forum from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 in the first-floor meeting rooms at the library’s Processing and Administrative Center, 3005 112th St. E, Tacoma, 98446. All are welcome at this free public event. Candidates will introduce themselves, speak on a pre-selected topic, and answer questions from the audience. A short reception follows.

About Pierce County Library System

Established in 1946, Pierce County Library System includes unincorporated Pierce County and 15 annexed cities and towns. Pierce County Library serves more than 564,000 people through 18 branches as well as online services. The system is the fourth largest in the state and lends more than 7.5 million items each year. The library is an independent taxing district reporting to a Board of Trustees. Local taxpayers fund 96 percent of the library’s revenues through property taxes. In 2013, Pierce County Library earned the coveted National Medal for Museum and Library Service award.