HEPL library director to leave role next month

The Hamilton East Public Library director will step down next month after leading the system through tumultuous times and controversies brought on by the library board's policy to move teen books deemed not "age appropriate."

Edra Waterman, who held the library's top spot for more than 12 years, informed the board Thursday she would be moving on. Her last day is Dec. 22.

In a statement to IndyStar, Waterman said it was a privilege to serve the Fishers and Noblesville communities. She's proud of her staff and all they accomplished together, she said.

"I deeply appreciate the support the community has shown me and the library over the years," Waterman said. "I know HEPL will continue to provide the highest quality library service to all."

Waterman has not shared her plans for after she leaves her position.

In an emailed statement, Tiffanie Ditlevson, HEPL's board president, said the board will embark on a search for a new chief executive for the library immediately. Ditlevson said the board wishes Waterman the best in her future endeavors.

What happened?:An Indiana library board sought to protect kids from books. No one asked what they thought.

Waterman, like her library system, was pulled into the national spotlight following an uproar after John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars" was moved to the adult section because of its content.

Green called out the board's policy on social media, which resulted in even more attention. Green told IndyStar in August that the board could have avoided the flap.

"We never would have been in this situation if the majority of the board had listened to librarians and their constituents," Green said in an interview with the IndyStar. "There were people sounding the alarm about this long before I did. For whatever reason my sounding the alarm got a lot of attention."

Moving the book led to a tense back and forth between Waterman and library staff who said that they reshelved Green's young adult novel in accordance with the board's "zero-tolerance" policy.

Some board members accused library staff of deliberately misinterpreting the policy.

Waterman's decision comes a few months after former board president Laura Alerding was unseated in August and former board member Ray Maddalone chose to resign in October.

Alerding and Maddalone, along with Ditlevson and board member Micah Beckwith, sought to establish stricter guidelines on where books should be shelved, which some critics called censorship.

For now, the policy remains on hold. Thousands of books removed while the policy was in operation remain in the adult section.

The library board has still not yet decided what comes next.

However, during the board's October meeting, members showed slight movement toward a revised plan by discussing how they will seek community feedback and defining what they want from new legal representation.

Rachel Fradette is a suburban education reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at rfradette@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Rachel_Fradette.