Library Director

The Niles-Maine District Library is searching for a Library Director to lead our talented and committed staff, offer strategic leadership in our future growth and work collaboratively with our Board who are committed and share our mission in offering our community an array of services. If you have a passion for leadership, excel in executing new initiatives and possess exceptional people skills, we would like to speak with you!

ABOUT NILES-MAINE DISTRICT LIBRARY

Voted as a Top Star Library, The Niles-Maine District Library offers unique resources to include passport services, full-service digital resources, a recording studio with green screen and community outreach programs. Our mission is to engage, inform, enrich, and educate our community. To learn more, please visit www.nileslibrary.org to view the services we offer for parents, children, teens, adults, teachers, businesses, and job seekers.

POSITION SUMMARY

In your role as Library Director, you will have responsibility in planning, developing, directing, and evaluating all functions of the library to serve the needs of the public in the most effective and efficient manner. For success, professionalism, taking initiative and exercising independent judgment will be key. This role offers a variety of functional responsibilities from staff training, development, and performance evaluation to effectively addressing and resolving patron inquiries and challenges to maintaining a safe and pleasant environment. Additionally in your role, you will exercise supervision of the work of library personnel either directly or with the management staff or Assistant Director.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Understands and practices the mission of the Library with a commitment to consistently adhering to the Library's policies and procedures while safeguarding confidential and restricted information
• Consistently provides gracious and friendly service to all users
• Responsible for the hiring, training, supervising, scheduling, disciplining, and evaluation of the Administration and Leadership teams. Encourages the continuing education and professional growth of staff members. Conducts regular staff meetings with all supervisors and managers and communicates to the staff through a weekly update email and quarterly morning meetings
• Works effectively with the Library Board and staff to plan and develop library services to meet the library needs
• Collaboratively work with the Library Board and staff to monitor strategic planning, goal setting and long-range planning while ensuring that the Library meets legal requirements
• Provides appropriate leadership for the Library Board by encouraging and facilitating board meetings and outlining board agendas. Develop vision, shared by the Library Board and staff, which builds on the past and present of public library service and looks to the future
• Participates in professional associations, activities and continuing education
• Provides orientation of new Trustees and provides the Board with information concerning programs, services, collections, operations, and facilities. Keep the Board informed of current conditions, developments, future library trends, and provides direction in effective utilization of information technology.
• Recommends general library policies, procedures, and consultants for outsourced work
• Prepares the annual budget for consideration by the Board and administers the approved budget
• Approves all expenditures and oversees investment of library funds and reports findings to the Board
• Administers the Library classification and pay plan and reviews staffing and work schedules
• Responsible for spearheading the annual audit, FOIA officer duties, IPLAR reporting and IMRF management
• Participates in union negotiations
• Serves as a liaison and develops mutually beneficial relationships with other libraries, organizations, and local governments. Works with the President of Friends of the Library to oversee the group's recruitment, operations, and fundraising activities. Represents the library at community organizations and events and services on various Boards and committees

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS

• Communicate and work effectively (both individually and as a team member) with the public and all levels of Library staff and Library Board with respect, tact, and diplomacy to represent the Library in a professional and positive manner
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to build respect and trust across all levels
• Work with minimal supervision, make decisions within stated guidelines to solve problems and to produce accurate work on a timely basis
• Organize, prepare, and present information verbally and in written form
• Demonstrate proficient knowledge in Microsoft Office products including, but not limited to, Excel, Microsoft Teams, Word, OneDrive, Outlook, PowerPoint, Adobe, etc.
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to new situations and troubleshoot accordingly

REQUIRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

• Master's in Library Science from a program accredited by the American Library Association at the time of graduation
• Five years of progressively responsible library service and three years within an administrative capacity. Public library experience preferred
• Experience in a tax levying library district preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in personnel, planning and public relations.
• Successful experience in working directly with a Library Board of Trustees/Directors.
• Any combination of education, experience or training that satisfies the requirements of the position.

WHAT WE OFFER

The Niles-Maine District Library offers an array of benefits to include, medical/dental/life insurance, short and longer term disability, (4) weeks vacation, personal and sick days, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) and 457(b) Retirement Savings Plan.

If you share our passion for providing for our community and supporting our staff, have a desire to execute new initiatives and if you are an accomplished leader, please submit your resume by clicking the apply button.

The Niles-Maine District Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Key words: Library Executive Director, Library Director, Library Dir, Assistant Library Director, Assistant Library Dir, Executive Director