Hiring a new library director is the single most important decision of the library board. Finding and retaining a good library director is vital to creating excellent library service for your community. This presentation will provide you with step-by-step instructions for this significant hiring process. From forming a committee to board approval, we'll navigate each crucial step together. Gain invaluable insights on job descriptions, reviewing applications, and conducting interviews. You will learn how avoid common pitfalls and ensure a seamless transition to a new director. Empower your board to make informed decisions and secure the visionary leadership your library deserves.

Presented by: Carol Mikulski, Member Wallingford Public Library (WPL) Board of Directors, Chairperson of WPL Board Committee to Hire a New Director, President of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards   

Access Recording

• View webinar recording (You will be prompted to login to our free Course Catalog.)

Webinar Attachments

• View slides (pdf)
  
• View chat (xls)
• View captions (txt)
  
• Learner Guide (doc) Use alone or with others to extend your learning.
  
• Templates and examples from WPL
• Hiring timeline example (doc)
  
• Hiring rubric (xls)
• Rubric results (xls)
• Reading applications and resumes (doc)
• Rating scoresheet (doc)
• Interview questions (doc)

Related Resources and Links

• Association of Connecticut Library Boards, Public Library Trustee Handbook
• Actively Addressing Unconscious Bias in Recruiting, Harvard Business School
• Gender Decoder, for finding subtle bias in job ads
• A Library Board’s Practical Guide to Finding the Right Library Director (pdf), Detroit Suburban Librarians’ Roundtable Succession Planning Committee
• Director Recruitment and Trustee Considerations, Library Journal, 2019
• Hiring a New Library Director (pdf), COSLA, 2015
• How to Hire a Library Director, Washington State Library
• Library Director Tool (pdf), Rural Libraries and Social Wellbeing, with reflection questions to help identify qualities of a librarian your community needs most, and interview questions a library board can adapt to their hiring needs.