Jason Driver, a veteran library administrator with more than 27 years of experience, has been named the next chief executive officer of the St. Louis Public Library, taking over a 15-location system that serves more than 135,000 active cardholders.
Driver, who has led Kitsap Regional Library in the state of Washington since 2022, will begin his new position Jan. 4, succeeding Waller McGuire, who retired in October after 37 years with the St. Louis library system, including 22 years as its leader.
The appointment follows a national search and comes after the St. Louis system was named Missouri’s 2026 Library of the Year, in part for its response to the devastating May 2025 tornado. The library helped residents during the recovery, including through a tool-lending program established to assist with home repairs.
Driver told Sarah Fenske of St. Louis Magazine that he has no immediate plans to overhaul the system, which he described as a “well-oiled machine.”
“I’m a firm believer in one needing to follow before they can lead,” he said.
He plans to spend time learning from employees and the library board before deciding what changes might be needed.
Driver, a Chicago native, began his career working with young people in foster care through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. He later joined the Chicago Public Library, where he held positions ranging from children’s librarian and early literacy specialist to branch manager, regional director and district chief.
At Kitsap, Driver has overseen strategic planning, finances, communications and public services for a nine-branch system.
His selection follows several months of workplace controversy there, where union-represented employees questioned his management practices.
The Washington Public Employees Association raised concerns in May about communication, personnel decisions and branch closures. Union members later voted no confidence in Driver and called for his removal, according to reporting by Kitsap News Group.
A three-month independent investigation did not substantiate allegations of unlawful gender discrimination, retaliation or misconduct violating library policies. The Kitsap library board supported Driver’s continued leadership but acknowledged that communication, trust and workplace relationships needed improvement.
The board also said some employee concerns involving labor relations, collective bargaining and working conditions fell outside the investigation’s scope.
Driver told St. Louis Magazine he respected the union’s right to raise concerns and viewed the experience as an opportunity to improve communication.
“I definitely embrace the union to be able to have that pathway to speak out when there are things that they don’t agree with,” he said.
The St. Louis Public Library board independently confirmed the investigation’s findings with Kitsap trustees before hiring Driver, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.
“After a national search, the Board of Directors believes we have found in Jason an outstanding leader with the vision and experience to lead SLPL forward,” board President Nina North-Murphy said in a statement.
Driver will receive an annual salary of $240,000, the Business Journal reported.
Driver said returning to an urban library system was among the attractions of the St. Louis position. His background in social services, he said, helped prepare him to work with people from a wide range of circumstances.
“I felt like the background I had in social services really helped me to deal with some of the things we deal with in urban libraries,” he told Fenske.
He said libraries offer opportunities to serve people who might otherwise face barriers to accessing community resources.
“St. Louis is a wonderful city, it has a strong library core, and it certainly has a number of opportunities to dig in and help advance the mission and help the people of St. Louis,” Driver said.