Marilyn Jenkins in 18th Year as Head of Allegheny County Library Association
Why was ACLA created? Our mission statement reads: “ACLA, a federated library system, pursues, provides and promotes the highest quality public library service possible for all residents of Allegheny County through collaboration, cooperation and coordination.” According to our bylaws, “The Association’s primary purposes are: To serve as a federated system of public libraries in Allegheny County…. To develop, implement and maintain a sustainable county-wide plan for sharing resources and services by and among public libraries in Allegheny County…. To encourage and promote cooperation between and among public libraries in Allegheny County. To promote public awareness that together the public libraries in Allegheny County constitute a vital regional asset. To strengthen existing resources and library services through application for and redistribution of government and private funds for the benefit of the public libraries in Allegheny County and their patrons.”
When Marilyn Jenkins (’89) enrolled in the School of Library and Information Science, she had what may have been the perfect academic background for an important aspect of her current position, a point explained below. Marilyn had graduated from the University of Virginia Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, where she majored in classics. In her application to the School, when asked to list the languages she had studied, she wrote: “Latin, Greek, Spanish, Hebrew, Italian, German, and a minimal amount of French.” In the application, Marilyn referred to library experience; she had worked in the Memphis/Shelby County Public Library. That experience was not extensive, however, and she noted that since graduating from UVA in 1977 “I have chosen not to work outside the home while raising my two children. Timothy and Peter are now school-aged and I would like to pursue another career.” From UK Marilyn moved to Ohio, where she directed a small library, until Who are the members of ACLA? setting off for Pittsburgh. There, she beThe members are the 45 independent came Head of the Humanities Department public libraries of Allegheny County. at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and served on the Board of Directors for the How is ACLA governed? Mt. Lebanon Public Library. The Association is governed by a nineWhat about her academic background member Board of Directors. Allegheny Marilyn Jenkins prior to the MSLS program prompts the County is divided into five library service comment it may have been perfect for an regions, and each region selects a member of the Board. A important aspect of her current position? All those languages “Librarians Advisory Council” – the directors of member may have prepared her for the ethnic diversity of Pittsburgh, libraries – elects a member of the Board. Because of its conPennsylvania, and its suburbs in Allegheny County. Today, tribution to the Association’s income, the Allegheny ReMarilyn is Executive Director of the Allegheny County Ligional Asset District (RAD) appoints a Board member, and brary Association (ACLA), a position she has held since the the ACLA Board of Directors recommend two at-large inception of the agency in 1994. As head of ACLA Marilyn members, who must be endorsed by the library members of works with the 45 public libraries that serve the 130 municithe Assciation. With the exception of the Board member palities and 1.22 million residents of Allegheny County. The elected by the Librarians Advisory Council, an employee of libraries range in size from the Carnegie Library of Pittsa “Member Library” is not eligible for Board membership, burgh, with its Main Library, 19 other locations, and total and “a trustee or member of the Board of Directors of a operating expenditures of $23 million in fiscal year 2010, to Member Library” must resign that position to serve on the North Versailles public library, with its single location and ACLA Board. total operating expenditures of $100,588 that year. How is ACLA funded? When our paths crossed last year, I asked Marilyn if I In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Association could interview her for the newsletter, and she said yes. The had total revenue, from all sources, of approximately $10.78 questions and Marilyn’s replies follow: million. Of that, $5.6 million came from the Regional Asset How did ACLA come about? District and $4.64 million came from the state. Grants toIn early 1991 Frank Lucchino, who was then the Allegheny taled $316,000, and other sources combined – county and County controller, assisted by Beverly Blankowski and Jack local support, program fees, interest and other income – Chielli, published A Quiet Crisis: Libraries in Allegheny totaled about $223,000. We distributed $9.338 million of County, which described the poor condition and poor fundthe total to member libraries. ing of many of the county’s public libraries. A Quiet Crisis In fiscal 2010 about 52% of ACLA’s total revenue was from led to a meeting of Lucchino with the heads of the libraries, the Regional Asset District. What is that? and out of that meeting came the Allegheny County Library The Allegheny Regional Asset District was authorized by Association, which was established in 1994. Spring 2012
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