The Board of Directors of the Enoch Pratt Free Library has chosen Chad Helton as the library’s new president and CEO after longtime leader Heidi Daniel stepped down.

The Baltimore library started the search in March and cultivated a list of 30 candidates. Helton was chosen because he has over 15 years of experience in both public and academic libraries, Christine Espenshade, the board’s chair, told The Baltimore Sun.

“Chad Helton is the right leader for the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s next chapter,” Espenshade said in a Monday release. “His deep industry experience and creative approach to addressing infrastructure needs will be invaluable as we work toward a bold future for the Pratt Library.”

The library announced in December that Daniel would be stepping down in February after a seven-year run. She made $275,000 per year, a spokesperson said last year, and left her position to lead the King County Public Library in Washington state.

Helton mostly recently served as a library consultant for a library system in Richmond, California, according to the release. Before that, he managed 41 branches as the director of the Hennepin County Library in Minnesota.

He has also been the director of branch library services at the Los Angeles Public Library, where he oversaw more than 70 branches. Enoch Pratt’s system includes the central library downtown, 21 neighborhood locations and three mobile units.

Helton’s academic experience includes roles at Stanford University, the University of California-Davis, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Helton said he came to Baltimore because he recalled his childhood memories of visiting his cousins in Baltimore and because of the various programs that the library has for education.

“I wanted the opportunity to work for an amazing library system and city,” Helton told The Sun. “People care about the work they do here. It’s really a dynamic organization. This library is working extremely hard to meet the needs of everyone in the community.”

Helton’s plan for the library is to “enhance both its physical and digital infrastructure while expanding outreach to all populations. He plans to foster stronger partnerships with local organizations, positioning the library as a hub for learning, connection, and growth that benefits the broader community. Under his leadership, the Pratt Library will continue efforts such as its commitment to social impact programs and the expansion of digital literacy programs to ensure equitable access to technology and resources,” the release says.

“I do not take this responsibility lightly,” Helton said in the release. “I understand the significance of leading one of the nation’s first free public library systems, and I am deeply honored to take on this role. Libraries are not just places for books — they are vital community resources that promote the greater good.”

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