1. The Essentials of Hiring and Evaluating Library Directors Edwin Beckerman and Luke Tirrell May 9, 2009

2. 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

3. Beginning the Hiring Process Time Frame Organizational Assessment Transition Plan Interim/Acting Director

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Resources To develop competencies and shape job descriptions: NJLA Competencies for Library Administrators http://www.njla.org/resources/administrators.html http://www.njla.org/resources/administrators.html NJLA Information on Library Directors http://www.njla.org/resources/librarydirector.html http://www.njla.org/resources/librarydirector.html NJ State Library’s Library Development Bureau http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/factsheet.php http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/factsheet.php U.S. Equal Employment Opportuntiy Commission Info on Job Discrimination http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html

12. 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

13. 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