Around 30 residents gathered Wednesday evening at City Hall to meet the finalists in the running for the director job at Cortez Public Library, hearing a mix of personal stories, professional experience and visions for expanding the library’s reach in the community.
Originally, four finalists were named, but city officials said Stephanie O’Connor, library director in Alliance, Nebraska, withdrew to prioritize family.
The remaining three candidates are Cullen Dansby, LeRoy Harris and Amanda Peña. They spent the afternoon and evening introducing themselves, answering questions and meeting residents one-on-one.
Candidates share backgrounds, approaches to public engagement
Dansby, circulation and public services manager at Keller Public Library in Texas, said he has worked “many professional job tiers in public libraries” and sees librarianship as community-centered.
“My elevator pitch to sum it up is that it’s my job to figure out ways to give people free stuff that is fun or free stuff that they want,” Cullen said. “The library is not prescriptive – the goal is to listen to you in the community and the library is a reflection of that.”
Harris, programming and technology services librarian in New Ulm, Minnesota, said he has long-standing family ties to the Four Corners region.
“This is home,” he said. “Three of my four kids were born here. Libraries bring access to the world to people. It’s a learning place, a discovering place, a place where you can enjoy new things that you love. Thank you for having us here.”
Peña, director of Baright Public Library in Ralston, Nebraska, and a library worker since age 15, said she was moved by the turnout.
“It’s actually really inspiring that so many people showed up,” she said. Peña emphasized that modern libraries must offer traditional services and creative, engaging programs. “It’s not 1950 anymore. People stay because they like the programming and the staff.”
Former mayor and retired Cortez librarian Karen Sheek asked candidates to share past programming success they are proud of.
Peña described working with Homeland Security on a citizenship-preparation program, drawing participants from more than 30 counties and earning praise from Homeland Security officials, who said they had never done such a program before. With both her parents being immigrants, she said the work was “very near and dear” to her.
Harris said he runs more than 30 programs a month, from genealogy and poetry meetups to chess club and a “memory lab” that helps patrons digitize old media. Digital literacy programs – including classes on artificial intelligence, gaming and basic computer skills – have been especially meaningful.
“Helping people get confident to the point where their daughter drives 500 miles because they didn’t think their mom could do it,” Harris said, was a particularly rewarding and heartwarming experience.
Dansby pointed to launching a GED program at a previous library that didn’t have one. He mentioned developing adult-focused events such as trivia nights, murder mysteries and an adult spelling bee in collaboration with several libraries. “Why would anyone want to spell as an adult for fun?” he joked. “But, I swear, people really did have fun.”
When asked what they would do off the clock, all three mentioned the outdoors. Harris said he enjoys biking and hiking with family. Dansby, originally from Texas, said he looked forward to “actually being able to get away” from the hustle and bustle. Peña said she hopes to explore the area’s outdoor options with her 7-year-old daughter.
Another resident inquired about how each candidate would promote the library.
Peña emphasized school outreach, supporting teachers with story times, engaging families, serving on local boards and showing up at city meetings: “It’s about making connections.”
Dansby said outreach begins with visibility. “Sometimes it’s a case of knowing we exist – and then knowing about all the cool things we do,” he said. He highlighted attending community events and using social media effectively, not just to post announcements but to show “what you actually do.”
Harris pointed to collaborations with local partners, articles he writes for newspapers, weekly TV appearances and the library’s YouTube programming. He said one virtual author talk he did went unexpectedly viral and reached 70,000 viewers from as far away as Vietnam.
The candidates met with library staff ahead of the public meet-and-greet.
