Indy Library Workers-Petition-to hire Nichelle Hayes as the CEO of Indianapolis Public Library

 Michael Torres, president

AFSCME Local 3395-Indy Library Workers

AFSCME Council 962-IN/KY

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We, the undersigned, strongly urge the Indianapolis Public Library Board of Trustees to hire Nichelle Hayes as the CEO of our library system. The November 30 CEO candidate presentations made it undeniably clear that Hayes is far more qualified than Gabriel Morley.

Hayes has, for the last 8 months, made incredible strides in advancing IndyPL. An inter-generational resident of our city, Hayes is deeply invested in and accountable to the people here. As someone who came up through the ranks of the library system, she knows IndyPL intimately, values and respects library patrons and workers, and is passionate about helping Indianapolis residents learn.

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Here is the link for the petition. 

https://indyliberationcenter.org/indylibcent/action-alerts/hire-nichelle-hayes/?fbclid=IwAR0-04OcZufTPECiErnUL9XInbB4JLfbfDwIhU5Nnix6Qc6ebOcC4sd40o8

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Below is an email from the Indiana Black Librarians Group:

indianablackli..@gmail.com

Dec 9, 2022, 4:24:33 PM (3 days ago) 

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to bcala-l...@bcala.org

On December 8th, 2022 the board of the Indianapolis Public Library convened at the Library Services Center and announced that they had selected Gabriel Morley as CEO, over Nichelle M. Hayes. Hayes had been serving as Interim CEO for the past 8 months.

The library board gave no explanation of why Morley was selected over Hayes. Board members Dr. Patricia Payne and Dr. Khaula Murtadha stated that they had not been informed that Morley had been selected before the board and Morley's selection was done against what the community's wishes.

The selection of Morley over Hayes shows that the work on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Access (DEIJA) was purely performative and that they have no desire to institute substantive change. 

The selection of Morley over Hayes shows that with the exception of Drs. Payne and Murtadha, are disinclined to make decisions that are for the residents of Indianapolis. 

The board of the Indianapolis Public Library decided that the emotional, mental and physical labor of Nichelle M. Hayes was good enough to fix the mess that Judge Jose Salinas created, but not good enough to serve as permanent CEO. 

We reject the decision of the Indianapolis Public Library board, and we stand in solidarity with Nichelle M. Hayes. The Indiana Black Librarians Network works to dismantle white supremacy.

We stand with the choice the people of Indianapolis have made: Nichelle M. Hayes.