New Calgary Public Library CEO vows people-first approach

There will be a new face at the helm of the Calgary Public Library (CPL) effective Sept. 1 Mark Asberghas beennamed CEO following an internal search.

An employee of the Calgary Public Library for five years, Asberg said he would seek to continue to modernize library resources while emphasizing user experiences.

"Libraries are fundamentally about people," Asberg told the Calgary Homestretch. "They have been so resilient and so successful over the long term because they are constantly adapting to the community needs. You can expect nothing less from Calgary Public Library moving forward."

Asberg takes over as CEO amidst a period of changing logistics and municipal budget crunches for the organization. Provincial budget cuts could also be on the horizon.

Electronic resources essential

In his previous role, Asberg provided information technology support; for him, having electronic resources at the library is essential for job-seekers in a struggling economy. The library's new website, introduced last month, is a bigpart of histechnology strategy.

"That is the key, access to an incredible resource of electronic resources," he said. "That could be used by even more Calgarians."

Asberg will take over from outgoing Calgary Public Library CEO Bill Ptacek, who was named Citizen of the Year by the City of Calgary in June.

"Bill is such a wonderful, wonderful person and his vision and energy have just inspired the library system," Asberg said. " think his collaborative leadership style and his willingness to work with partners and be a problem-solver in this city have really inspired me."

With files from from the Calgary Homestretch