Northeast Ohio Regional Library System

New NEO-RLS Board Members Elected for 2018-2020 Terms of Office

William Rutger, Director of the Avon Lake Public Library, and Valerie Kocin, Director of the Cuyahoga Falls Library, were elected to the NEO-RLS Board of Trustees in May.  They will serve three year terms representing Zone 2 libraries, commencing July 2018 and ending June 2020.

William Rutger has been the Director of Avon Lake Public Library since July 2017.  Prior to that, he served as Director of the Ashland Public Library and Milan-Berlin District Library.  He has worked in libraries for the past 20 years, starting his career as a Page at the Sandusky Library.  In addition to public libraries he has held position in academic libraries in Michigan and Ohio.  William is a graduate of Wayne State University, where he received a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

Valerie Kocin has been Director of Cuyahoga Falls Library for the past two years.  Prior to joining CFL, Valerie was Director of Collier County Library System in Naples, Florida.  Valerie also worked at six branches of Cuyahoga County Public Library serving as Branch Manager for five of the branches. Valerie earned her MLIS from Kent State University and is an ALA Certified Public Library Administrator.  Valerie is a fierce library advocate and was appointed to ALA’s Council on Library Advocacy.  She served on numerous non-profit Boards and Committees at Cuyahoga Valley Chamber of Commerce, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, Wellness Council of Northeast Ohio, and United Way.    Prior to working in libraries, Valerie was a business owner and a fundraising manager. 

In addition, Aimee deChambeau, Dean of Libraries at the University of Akron and Beth Hatch, Director of the Perry Public Library will continue on the Board of Trustees.  Aimee will serve a three year term as the Academic Library representative and Beth will serve a three year term as the Zone 3 representative.

Please join us in congratulating our newest Board members.