AUBURN, Ala.- After nearly 20 years with the City of Auburn, Assistant Library Director Tyler Whitten will become the director of the Auburn Public Library on Sept. 1. Whitten will take the place of former director Chris Warren who is moving to serve as the library director for the Dothan Houston County Library System.
“The Auburn Public Library is a pillar in our community, and Tyler has played a large role in its success over the last 19 years,” said City Manager Jim Buston. “I look forward to seeing him lead the Auburn Public Library into even more success as he steps into this new role.”
Whitten holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Jacksonville State University. He also has two master’s degrees, one in history from Jacksonville State University and one in library and information studies from the University of Alabama.
Whitten began his career in libraries at the City of Auburn in 2001. He started out as a reference librarian where he assisted patrons and supervised the library on evenings and weekends. He also helped former director Margie Huffman move the library from its former location on Ross Street to its current home on Thach Avenue.
Three years into his time at the Auburn Public Library, Whitten was promoted to technical services coordinator. In this role, he supervised the migration from the library’s previous automation system to its current one, which gave patrons access to search the library’s collections, place holds and renew items online for the first time. He also led the team that added eBooks to the library’s offerings.
“Auburn quickly became my home, and serving this community that has meant so much to me, both professionally and personally, has become a lifelong passion,” Whitten said.
Whitten served as assistant library director for the last 12 years, overseeing the daily operations of the library. He tackled everything from scheduling and resolving patron concerns to supervising and coaching library staff. Whitten also implemented the library’s digital downloads service and wrote and secured competitive grants.
Looking forward Whitten hopes to continue pushing the limits of library services, finding new ways to achieve excellence and responsiveness for the community.
“I’m looking forward to a future of firsts,” Whitten said. “As the world changes and adapts to new circumstances, we must ensure that the library is available to our patrons in the ways that are meaningful and practical for them, whether that’s through an email exchange or a conversation in the facility. My hope is that the Auburn Public Library and its staff will always be the resource our residents reach for when they need information, help with technology or inspiration in their learning and recreational adventures.”
