Miller to leave Porter Library in February
Director to lead 12-branch system in Colorado
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
WEB POSTED DEC. 28, 2005, 5 PM

Paula Miller, who has led Westlake Porter Public Library to receive national awards during her 13-year tenure as director, is leaving to become executive director of Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado.

Miller will begin the $120,000-a-year position in mid-February. She beat out more than 35 applicants for the job, including several who came from much larger library systems.

The Pikes Peak library system has 12 branches and 360 employees. It serves 508,000 people and has an annual budget of $21 million.

“We were looking for someone who is passionate about libraries, active in the community and engaging with the citizens, and Paula has exemplified that,” Pikes Peak Library Board President Aje Sakamoto told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “We’re really excited to have someone of her caliber join our community.”

Miller told West Life the decision to leave Westlake was very difficult.

During Miller’s tenure at Porter, the library passed four election levies and completed a $10.5 million improvement project.

This fall, Porter was named number one in the nation in its population category (25,000 to 50,000) by Hennen’s American Public Library Rankings (HAPLR). The library has been in the top 10 in its population category since the HAPLR list was established. The rankings were based on 2003 usage and service data, including circulation, materials, reference service, number of visitors, staffing levels, and funding.

Scene Magazine named Porter “Best Library” in its 2005 “Best of Cleveland” list in September. The magazine cited Porter’s “sleek, state of the art” building, numerous copies of bestsellers, the depth and breadth of the library’s CD and DVD collections, free Wi-Fi access, new reading garden, and café as reasons for the honor.

On the Net:

• Colorado Springs Gazette article on Miller's appointment
• Pikes Peak Library press release on Miller's appointment
• Pikes Peak Library District
• Westlake Porter Public Library