Library Director, Danbury Public Library, Danbury CT

Posted October 4, 2013

CITY OF DANBURY
Library Director
Salary: $96,000 – $101,000/annually

Please carefully read this entire important announcement

The City of Danbury will not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of sex, race, color, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, or disability, except where it is a bona fide occupational qualification. We encourage African Americans, women, Hispanics, and other minorities who meet the minimum qualifications to apply.

The following information is only a general description of the recruitment and hiring process and is not all-inclusive. Please note that any and/or all of the components of this process may be changed by the City of Danbury with or without notice. Additionally, the City of Danbury reserves the right to modify the order sequence of testing as may be appropriate.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:
The Library Director’s primary responsibility is to develop and maintain an outstanding public library and to encourage as many community residents as possible to take full advantage of its resources. This must be done in accordance with the best principles of modern professional librarianship. The Library Director is ultimately responsible for every phase of library operations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Works with the Board of Directors, creates library policy, which includes present aims and long-range goals; implements policy by devising effective procedures. Suggests policy revisions of policy statement to Board of Directors when advisable.
•  Responsible for fiscal management of library. Prepares annual budget request; is alert to possible outside grants; prepares application for annual State Library grant; submits interim fiscal reports and recommendations.
•  Responsible for development of library staff. Assesses personnel needs, establishes adequate job descriptions; in cooperation with Civil Service, recruits, interviews and recommends new personnel. Plans orientation and in-service training sessions as needed to develop an efficient, service-oriented staff. Reviews employee evaluation reports of principal librarians in accordance with City procedures.
•  Responsible for seeing that the library and its services are adequately publicized, and for encouraging development of meaningful, appropriate programs for citizens of all ages.
•  Supervises development of the library’s research and recreational materials, including books, films, magazines, phonograph records, which reflect the needs and interests of the community. Final authority for addition or deletion of materials from the library’s collection.
•  Responsible for the performance of all service departments and technical departments of the library.
•  Serves as the library’s liaison and representative at national, state and local levels. Attends professional library conventions; participates actively in state and regional library planning; attends local functions and meetings, such as civic and service groups, and seeks ways for the library to cooperate with responsible organizations.
•  Responsible for maintenance of an attractive, functional library facility. Supervises physical arrangement of furniture, layout of offices, distribution of supplies, custodial building maintenance and lawn. Responsible for building security.
•  Continually reviews national and state standards for public libraries and familiarizes the Board and the City administration with the library’s progress toward meeting them. Devises a realistic timetable for meeting standards which includes those applying to staff, book collection, collections of other materials, hours of opening, physical facilities, financial support and public services.

MINIMIMUM QUALIFICATONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Knowledge/Abilities/Skills:
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of modern public library administration; ability to plan, develop and coordinate an effective library staff; ability to anticipate and plan financial needs; must have at least 3 years experience with establishing budgets and grant process; ability to prepare written and oral reports of library plans and services; experience with computerized circulation and reference systems required; must be intelligent, well-read and well-informed; must have sufficient personal poise and skill to represent the library effectively at all levels; must have sufficient knowledge to be able to supervise, assess, and, if necessary, perform every professional task assigned to others.

Education and Training:
Graduation from an accredited college or university, plus one year of training in an accredited graduate library school, Master’s Degree in Library Science. At least six year’s successful experience in the library profession, at least four of which shall have been as chief administrator in a public library serving not less than 10,000 people or an assistant chief administrator in a public library serving not less than 40,000 people.

Application Submission:

Applications are available at the Human Resources Dept., 155 Deer Hill Ave., Danbury, CT 06810 or at www.danbury-ct.gov. Position is open until filled.

The application must be completed in its entirety. Omissions, false, misleading or inaccurate information will result in rejection of the application.

Please contact the Human Resources/Civil Service Department at (203) 797-4598 or [email protected] if you need assistance or if you have any general questions.