The Essentials of Hiring and Evaluating Library Directors

Edwin Beckerman and Luke TirrellMay 9, 2009

Overview of Presentation

• Beginning the Hiring Process• Developing a Search Strategy• Forming the Search Committee• Performing the Search• Planning for Success• Evaluating your Director• Considering Termination?• Resources

Beginning the Hiring Process

• Time Frame• Organizational Assessment• Transition Plan• Interim/Acting Director

Developing a Search Strategy

• Establish and prioritize specific competencies of new Director

• Prepare a job description and salary package• Establish search committee budget• Decide scope of search (local or broader)• Determine number and qualities of search

committee members• Decide if a search consultant is to be used

Forming the Search Committee

• Establish guidelines for communication between Board and Committee

• Specify timeframe for search process • Cite stage at which full Board is to be re-involved• Designate search committee members• Select a chairperson for the committee• Register Board approval on all decisions

Performing the Search

• Review Board guidelines for search committee• Determine process to receive correspondence• Advertise widely according to search guidelines,

budget, and applicable laws/requirements• Acknowledge applications as they are received• Develop interview questions (same every time)

Performing the Search(continued)

• Narrow pool and interview top candidates • Cut down to 3-4 finalists • Check references with candidates’ permission• Refer 2-3 finalists to full Board • Decide whom search committee will recommend

for hire

Planning for Success

• Approve the Board’s choice of Director• Formalize the agreement with the new Director• Establish a schedule of regular evaluation• Include the staff as much as possible from this

point forward• Announce the hiring widely through local outlets• Stage a reception for community to meet new

Director and reintroduce Library’s mission

Evaluating your Director

• Work through Board’s Personnel Committee• Work with Director to set performance goals• Ensure all competencies specified in job

description are observed according to priority• Have Director meet with full Board annually to

discuss progress (use executive session)• Maintain focus on improving Library• If Director is not meeting standards, create an

improvement plan with benchmarks

Considering Termination?

• Ensure personnel manual is up to date• Document all evaluations of Director• Seek the advice of Library’s attorney• Avoid hasty action• Allow the Director to improve performance,

except under special circumstances• Ensure termination action aligns with personnel

manual and labor laws

Resources

To develop competencies and shape job descriptions:

• NJLA Competencies for Library Administrators http://www.njla.org/resources/administrators.html

• NJLA Information on Library Directors http://www.njla.org/resources/librarydirector.html

• NJ State Library’s Library Development Bureau http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/factsheet.php

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportuntiy Commission Info on Job Discrimination http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html

Resources(continued)

To advertise open positions:

• American Library Association JobLIST: www.joblist.ala.org/

• LibraryJournal.com Careers: www.libraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=jobs

• New Jersey Library Association Job Hotline: www.njla.org/jobs.html

• New York State Library Job Listings: www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/libjobs.htm

• Pennsylvania Library Assn. Job Listings: www.palibraries.org/jobbank.cfm

Presenters

• Edwin Beckerman, Library Consultant

8E Brookline Court

Princeton, NJ 08540

609-924-5849

edwinbeckerman@msn.com

• Luke Tirrell, Library Board President

1231 Eleventh Avenue

Neptune, NJ 07753

732-567-3955

luketirrell@hotmail.com