The Seattle Public Library, which has four branches in West Seattle, is looking for a new leader – Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner has announced his departure after a decade. Here’s the SPL announcement:

The Seattle Public Library announced that Executive Director and Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner, who has led the Library since 2011, is accepting a new post as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Librarian for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in Charlotte, N.C.

“I am so grateful and proud to have led a passionate and creative team of people at The Seattle Public Library who deliver library services to one of the greatest cities of literature in the world,” said Turner. “I am confident the Library – with its dedicated board, strong leadership, committed staff and community support – will make a smooth transition, and I personally can’t wait to see how that unfolds. Thank you, Seattle, for the opportunity to be a part of your story.”

In a statement, The Seattle Public Library Board of Trustees president Jay Reich praised Turner’s leadership and accomplishments during his nearly 10 years of service, which he says leaves the Library in an ideal position to make the transition.

“While the Library Board of Trustees is very sad to see Chief Librarian Turner leave, his leadership has created a foundation of excellence that I know will sustain us through this transition and beyond,” said Reich. “Under his watch, the Library has earned national recognition and has underscored and reinforced its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. He leaves the Library well prepared for continued success. We wish him well in his new role.”

Reich said the Library Board will name an interim Chief Librarian very soon and will immediately begin the search for a permanent replacement. View Reich’s complete statement on spl.org.

Turner’s last day at The Seattle Public Library will be Wednesday, March 31. He will begin his new position as CEO and Chief Librarian of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library on Thursday, April 1.

(WSB file photo: Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner during a 2017 visit to High Point Library)

As part of another expansion of pandemic-era services, the Seattle Public Library has just added two more days of curbside service each week at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW). Starting today, that branch will offer curbside service noon-6 pm, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Southwest is one of two branches on the peninsula that offer curbside service; the other is High Point (3411 SW Raymond), which remains on a three-day-a-week curbside schedule, noon-6 pm Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Those two branches also are among the locations where SPL is now providing curbside printing-pickup service. SPL also has added return services at the West Seattle (Admiral) branch (2306 42nd SW) and South Park branch (8604 8th S.); the Delridge branch is now the only branch in our area without either curbside service or return service.