Last month, on August 20, I tuned in to the memorial for John Spears, the late director of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. It was a powerful snapshot of a leader we were lucky to have at our library, even for a short time.

Spears was an innovative director for the library. He had a bold vision for its future, and a deep respect for Buffalo. He was well-liked by peers as well as local leaders, and brought a well-deserved national spotlight on our system. We do not appreciate enough that one of the country’s most important public libraries is here in Western New York.

A library of that stature deserves a leader of that stature. It is my hope that the County and library hires someone with a fresh perspective and vision, continuing what Spears started. Our city’s great library and

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