The Board of Trustees of the Howland Public Library in Beacon, New York, seeks an experienced and motivated individual to be our next Library Director and join our staff in providing outstanding service to the vibrant and diverse community of the Beacon City School District. The successful candidate should be in alignment with the library’s values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. They should also have the willingness to defend the community’s right to access information.
The Library Director must have exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate library values, vision, and plans to staff, patrons, and community partners. The Director will work in tandem with the nine-member Board of Trustees in fulfilling the library’s mission and long-range plan.
Job Description:
The Howland Public Library, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary, is an integral part of the community. With a staff of 25 people, 10 being full-time, the library serves the Beacon City School District with a population of about 28,000 residents. Howland Public Library is a school district public library with a budget of just over $1.4 million. Housed in an aging building, the library is excited about exploring future plans to address the physical space in order to better serve the community.
The Director of the Howland Public Library is responsible for the administration of all library functions within the goals, guidelines, and policies established by the library’s Board of Trustees. The Director is also responsible for the financial management, personnel, and facilities of the library, under the governance and oversight of the Board.
The Director is expected to provide a leadership role within the library as well as be a visible and official presence in the community.
Duties
General Administration and Management
- Attends all Board of Trustees meetings and provides a director’s report each month including library statistics. Assists Board President in meeting preparations
- Attends all board committee meetings and assists committee chairs with meeting preparation
- Assists and supports the Board with annual vote and elections
- Prepares a preliminary annual budget for submission to the finance committee and subsequent approval by the Board.
- Monitors monthly expenditures and provides fiscal management of the library in accordance with established budgetary goals and financial policies
- Assists with new trustee orientation and serves as a resource for trustees
- Completes and submits the Annual State Report
- Working with the Community Engagement Librarian, prepares and distributes the Annual Report to the Community in accordance with NYS Minimum Standards
- Working with the Office Manager, oversees the annual internal finance audit
- Directly supervises the Facility Manager and oversees the maintenance of the library building; communicates with the building committee regarding issues and recommendations
- Searches out and evaluates grant opportunities, prepares grant documents and oversees grants received
Vision, Planning, Organization, and Evaluation
- Assists in establishing a long-range plan with the Board of Trustees according to NYS Minimum Standards
- Oversees and facilitates a balanced program of library services and programming to meet the immediate and long-range goals of the library and the community
- Establishes the standards of effectiveness for all operations
- Evaluates the effectiveness of the library’s services in relation to the changing needs of the community
Personnel and Leadership
- Serves as a model to staff in the sense of professionalism, demonstrating strong professional ethics and keeping informed through professional development
- Develops job descriptions, maintains an organizational chart, and administers personnel policies
- Recommends personnel policy changes to the policy committee
- Hires, promotes, and disciplines staff in accordance with Dutchess County Civil Service regulations and NYS laws; working with the Office Manager oversees all human resources
- Defines expectations for staff performance and sets goals for service and programming
- Performance of annual staff evaluations
- Coordinates and conducts regular staff meetings and group continuing education, safety training, and professional development
Community Outreach
- Represents the library by attending and speaking before community, civic and other groups regarding the objectives and activities of the library
- Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with other government agencies, civic and community groups and the general public.
- Working with the Community Engagement Librarian and Assistant Director, recommends and administers public relations programs; issues press releases, print announcements, and social media; and reports on library events and matters of concern in a timely fashion.
- Supports and facilitates the work of the Friends of the Library
General Duties
- Attends meetings to maintain contact with other professional and library related agencies, including but not limited to, Dutchess County Library Director Association meetings and Mid-Hudson Library System Director Association meetings.
- Knowledgeable about and complies with New York State library standards affecting the library’s operations
- Performs additional duties as required
- Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position
Civil Service Minimum Qualifications:
A Master’s degree in Librarianship from a library school that is accredited by the American Library Association or recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices and four (4) years of professional library experience, one year of which must have been in a
supervisory or administrative capacity.
Eligibility for a NYS public librarian’s professional certificate at the time of application. Possession of certificate at time of appointment.
Desired Qualifications
- Considerable knowledge of and/or willingness to adapt to technology and proficiency with computers, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, internet, and digital communications including social media platforms. Preferred knowledge of Sierra library software
- Creative thinking, diplomatic communication, and adaptive management abilities
- Ability to work on specific tasks while keeping in mind the big picture
- Project management experience with large scale projects and/or construction projects
- Ability to prepare comprehensive reports and present ideas clearly and concisely in written and verbal form
Salary & Benefits
A salary of $80,000 annually, paid bi-weekly, and a very competitive benefit package including:
Paid vacation, sick, holiday, personal, bereavement, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Medical and dental benefits are available for all full-time staff. Individual dental and vision coverage premiums paid fully by the library. Howland Public Library participates in the New York State and Local Retirement System.
Special Notice:
The Library Director II position is a civil service provisional appointment pending future examination. Applicants must meet all Dutchess County Civil Service minimum qualifications for the position and be reachable upon exam for permanent appointment.
To Apply:
Interested candidates can send a cover letter and resume in Word or PDF format to Kristen Salierno, Interim Director, via email to director@beaconlibrary.org. Review of resumes will be ongoing; however, the final day to submit a resume is Friday, September 29, at 5 p.m.