The board of trustees of the North Olympic Library System has appointed Margaret Jakubcin, assistant director of the library, to be the next director, to succeed Paula Barnes, who will retire in July. Jakubcin has been assistant director at the library since September 2007.

The Board considered conducting a regional or national recruitment for the next director, but after surveying the staff, Friends of the Library and Library Foundation members, they decided to follow the library’s established practice of recruiting internally first. “After reaching out to the staff and the library’s affiliate groups through an online survey, the board confirmed the fact that the library is on the right course,” board chairman Don Zanon said

As assistant director, Jakubcin, 54, has been integrally involved in developing community partnerships and expanding the library’s rich calendar of programs and events. She also has played a leadership role in creating the library’s management team of branch managers and department heads, as well as planning facility upgrades and drafting and updating NOLS policies and procedures.

“I’m delighted and honored to be given the opportunity to continue my leadership role with NOLS,” Jakubcin said.

Jakubcin will make $85,500 per year when she assumes her new position in July. She and her husband, Michael, live in Port Angeles. Their son, Tor, graduated from Port Angeles High School and Peninsula College, and will receive a BFA from Western Washington University in June.