New exec expected to lead library initiatives on cutting edge of innovation

The Cleveland Public Library has hired John L. Malcolm IV to be its first Chief Innovation and Technology Officer. He started his new position on Monday, December 13, 2021.

Malcolm joins CPL from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he had been that institution’s first-ever chief technology officer for the past three years. He is credited with upgrading nearly every software system, key hardware, and access portal at the Institute, establishing a 100% cloud-based data solution and helping faculty and students pivot to virtual learning during the pandemic, according to a statement provided by the Library.

In Malcolm’s newly created role, he will be responsible for establishing CPL’s roadmap for driving innovation and managing the current and future IT needs. He will also work with the Library’s community partners to address digital equity in the city’s neighborhoods.

“John Malcolm is an experienced leader who is at the forefront of technological advances. He will be a huge asset to Cleveland Public Library as we work to bridge the digital divide in the city,” said Felton Thomas, Jr., Executive Director and CEO of Cleveland Public Library. “Malcolm is a solutions-oriented person who understands the critical need for digital resources and how lack of access to opportunity through the internet can impact a community.”

Malcolm, a Cleveland native earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and information systems from Youngstown State University and a professional certification in digital transformation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Malcolm, a Cleveland native who graduated from Cleveland Central Catholic High School in 1982, is excited about returning to his roots. “As a child I spent countless hours in the Harvard Lee branch. Cleveland Public Library is home for me. I am thrilled to work with the library staff and generate digital possibilities for our community,” he said in the statement released by CPL.

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