Watts accepts EBR Library job

Advocate staff file photoEast Baton Rouge Parish library director candidate E. Spencer Watts of Mobile, Ala., has officially accepted the position of East Baton Rouge Parish library director, library spokeswoman Sarah Crawford said Friday.

The East Baton Rouge Parish library system has a new director.

Spencer Watts of Mobile, Ala., has officially accepted the position, library spokeswoman Sarah Crawford said Friday.

Watts will begin his new job on Jan. 7, pending passing a detailed background check, drug screening and certification by the Louisiana State Board of Library Examiners.

“I am pleased and excited to accept the offer extended by the Library Board of Control to serve as the library director of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System,” Watts write in his acceptance letter.

The Library Board of Control on Aug. 18 voted 5-0, with two members absent, to offer the job to Watts, who most recently served as director of Mobile Public Library in Mobile, Ala.

Watts had held that position for 11 years and previously worked as director of the Roanoke County and Chesterfield County libraries in Virginia.

“We are delighted that Mr. Watts has accepted the position,” Library Board of Control President Kizzy Payton said in a written statement. “We feel that he will be an excellent fit for the library system and will make a lasting contribution to the community. We are proud that during the search for library director there has been no interruption in service, but we are all eager to have Mr. Watts on board.”

Watts, who has 28 years of library experience, will make an annual salary of $100,202, which is the top possible pay for the position according to city-parish guidelines.

He spent two days in Baton Rouge this past weekend, touring library branches, meeting staff members and interviewing with the Library Board before being offered the job.

“I look forward to working with the Library Board, the staff, local government officials and our citizens,” Watts said in his acceptance letter.

“Together we can build on a well-established tradition of excellence and meet the challenges of the future. … To maintain and to continue to improve the public libraries for the citizens of East Baton Rouge will require a great deal of committed focus, energy and hard work. I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in such an effort, and look forward to working with everyone to maintain and build a strong, responsive, vibrant library system for the community.”

Comments

1) Comment by 8point6 - 25/08/2012

@Bouncer: IMO, my "progressive" friend was taking a snipe at me. Also, my "progressive" friend didn't do well in reading comprehension during his/her public education. He/she needs to read my comment a few more times to see that I did not "take potshots at something else." ...only at Watts...also, my question was never answered.

2) Comment by Bouncer - 25/08/2012

@albemarle52....not sure if you're sniping at me, but if so, let me set you straight about a couple of things, bud. First, I think EBR has a first rate library system, and I use it at least a couple of times a week. (I also frequently use the library at LSU). Next, the person chosen for the position is on record as saying that he finds the salary unsatisfactory but expects for his salary to be upped quite a bit. He took the job because the EBR system is funded much better than the system he is leaving. In short, I made a statement that was critical of the PERSON who took the position and his mercenary motive. I did not criticize the library system, and to read that out of my initial post indicates a serious failure to grasp basic meaning. Perhaps instead of putting words in someone's mouth, you should avail yourself of some library time and brush up on your reading comprehension skills.

3) Comment by albermarle52 - 25/08/2012

Louisiana is at the bottom of most lists. The library system in this parish is an exception to that rule, being one of the best in the country. Take potshots at something else. You've probably haven't set foot in a library since high school.

4) Comment by 8point6 - 24/08/2012

"He spent two days in Baton Rouge this past weekend, touring library branches, meeting staff members and interviewing with the Library Board before being offered the job." Did he pay for this time/place to stay out of his pocket, or did the taxpayers foot the bill?

5) Comment by Bouncer - 24/08/2012

Let's see how long he is in place before he starts whining about how little money he makes. He made clear during the search and selection process that he was expecting a bigger slice of the pie, salary wise, in the future.