BPL to Host 2020 Board Staff and Leadership Training Retreat March 14

Robert Harrington

The Birmingham Public Library is hosting its 2020 Board Staff and Leadership Training Retreat this Saturday, March 14, at the Innovation Depot downtown.

Highlighting the event will be a keynote address by Robert Harrington, board chairman of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library System. Harrington’s message will allow the BPL Board of Trustees, Friends Foundation of BPL Board, and BPL staff leadership to hear about the collaboration that enabled Charlotte, N.C. to proceed with  plans for a new Charlotte Mecklenburg Central Library.

In November 2019, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library released designs for a new $100 million, 115,000-square-foot Central Library being built in Uptown Charlotte.

“A city with a great Central Library is truly a great city,” said BPL Executive Director Floyd Council. "Unlike most cities, Birmingham has the best of both worlds with our beautiful historic Linn Henley Research Library which opened in 1927 and our Central East Library which was connected by a third floor sky-bridge which opened in 1984.”

The Central Library is currently undergoing a $2 million dollar interior redesign project that includes the replacement of the escalators with beautiful new monumental stairs, Council said.

“The amazing stream of natural light from the 4th floor atrium sky dome will make our Central Library a beautiful new reimagined space.” Council said.

The first phase of this project will also include the replacement of flooring and the relocation of the fiction collection to the third floor. Additional renovations are planned when funding is secured. The redesigned first floor will feature a programing area with a community gallery and seating for 500 for our open auditorium programs, Council said.

BPL Board and Friends Foundation  of BPL Board members.

The leadership retreat will begin with the BPL Board of Trustees March 2020 board meeting (open to the public). The board retreat is restricted to confirmed board trustees, Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library and BPL staff leadership.

The Leadership Retreat Agenda is as follows:

• Birmingham Public Library Strategic Plan updates from Floyd Council, Executive Director of BPL

• Jefferson County Leadership update from Tobin Cataldo, Executive Director for Public Libraries in Jefferson County

 • State of Alabama Leadership updates from Dr. Nancy Pack, Director of the Alabama Public Library Service

 • Keynote address from Robert Harrington, Chairman of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library System

Harrington is an attorney and shareholder of Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A, with a practice focus on business disputes. He has held several leadership positions with non-profit and public organizations, including chair of the board of the Levine Museum of the New South and President of the Mecklenburg County Bar. Harrington earned his B.A. and J.D. from Duke University

See more about Harrington and his passion for supporting libraries in this presentation, “Why I Give”