Library Director Hiring Guide
Your library director has just announced they’re leaving. Now what? You’ve never done this before
Hiring a library director is one of the most important and challenging duties of library boards in Wisconsin. Trustees have to figure out what kind of leadership the library needs, find a candidate
Every library is unique, and each hiring process is different, too. It can be a complicated and overwhelming task.
The IFLS Library System can help, with step-by-step navigation throughout the process or
Trustee Resources
Information about issues important to public library board members. (If you need additional support on Trustee issues, contact John Thompson, IFLS Director.)
- Trustee Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Trustees
- Wisconsin Trustee Training Week 2020 is over, but you can still access these excellent webinars! The full lineup is available on this page or on the Wisconsin Trustee Training Week website.
Open Meeting and Public Records Information
- Open Meetings and Public Records Compliance Guides (Wisconsin Department of Justice)
- Office of Open Government (Wisconsin Department of Justice)
- Trustee Essential #14 The Library Board and the Open Meeting Law (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
- Trustee Essential #15 The Library Board and the Public Records Law (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
Staying Informed
Looking for ways to stay informed about libraries and library issues? The following resources are some good places to start:
- Wisconsin Library Association
- Wisconsin Trustees & Friends (Wisconsin Library Association)
- American Library Association
- United for Libraries Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (American Library Association)
Library Advocacy
Education, public relations, advocacy, and lobbying are often confused and sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are differences in their meaning and purpose and in what may be allowable for public employees and officials. Teg Wegner, of the American Library Association’s Washington office, and Stephanie Vance, the “advocacy guru” recently teamed up to produce a webinar that clarifies the distinctions between different forms of public communication, titled “Education, Advocacy and Lobbying – Oh My!: What’s Allowed (and What’s Not) When Reaching out to Elected Officials.” Find out more about what library officials and supporters can and can’t do in this free archived webinar (one hour in length) offered by the American Library Association’s Washington Office. For more information and links to the video and related slides, see this District Dispatch article (shortened URL):
Library Director Evaluation
Evaluating the Libray Director can be a difficult task for library boards but it is important tool for the board in evaluating library service and the performance of the director. DPI’s Trustee Essential #6 provides a good overview of the process as well as a sample evaluation form. Mid-Hudson Library System (New York) has additional resources for evaluating the director on their Evaluating the State of the Library – Director Evaluation page.
Library Director Hiring
Trustee Essential #5 Hiring a Library Director (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
Library Policies
One of the main responsiblities of a Library Board is to establish policies that govern the use of the library. Those policies must be legal and appropriate for the community. The Library Director should recommend new policies and review and recommended changes to an existing policy. The Library Board should review and approve any new or revised policy. The Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning has developed a Wisconsin Public Library Policy Resources website that contains links to policies from other libraries and other resources that can aid in the development of library policies.
Wisconsin Trustee Training Week 2020 archives
Walk the Line: How Trustees Can Best Lead Their Libraries Without Overstepping Their Authority
Presenter: Becky Spratford, Readers’ Advisor, Author, Librarian
Being a Trustee is an important job. You are part of a team that represents the tax payers, oversees the Library Director, and advocates for libraries. However, where exactly do your duties end and the Library staff’s begin? This line, while very clear from a legal standpoint, can become a bit fuzzy in practice. Join Becky Spratford, a 20 + years librarian and 5 term library trustee as she helps you understand how to walk the fine line between being a leader and being in the way. She will go over how you as a Trustee can best help the Library thrive, noting when you should step in but also when you should back off, strengthening all of Wisconsin’s Libraries in the process.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion: What Library Trustees Need to Know
Presenter: Anne Phibbs, Founder and President of Strategic Diversity Initiatives
Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) impacts all communities and all aspects of librarianship. Library Boards of Trustees have an important role in supporting EDI and related initiatives. This webinar will help trustees and library directors understand how to incorporate EDI into policy development, strategic planning, funding initiatives, board development, and more. Anne will present a variety of interactive scenarios in which EDI issues are a factor, with time for Q&A and discussion. In this webinar, Anne Phibbs, PhD, Founder and President of Strategic Diversity Initiatives, will give a basic introduction to EDI and discuss what library trustees and boards need to know about EDI.
Public Library System Redesign (PLSR) Implementation Update
Presenter: Bruce Smith, Project Coordinator, Division for Libraries & Technology
Throughout the response to the public health event, the Department of Public Instruction Division for Libraries and Technology, Public Library Systems, Public Libraries and other partners have been extraordinarily collaborative in our efforts to support the Wisconsin library community. These efforts have allowed us to see new ways for how libraries and systems can be connected and work together in the spirit of PLSR. Through this lens of cooperation and continuous improvement as libraries bounce back from the impact of the pandemic, we continue to move our efforts forward to implement the recommendations of the PLSR Steering Committee. This presentation will include an overview of the PLSR process and an update on the progress of implementing the seven recommendations including information about specific activities and timelines. There also will be time for questions, comments, and input from attendees.
Recruiting and Engaging Friends and Trustees Under Age 40
Presenter: Tess Wilson, Community Engagement Coordinator
Millennials are more likely than other adults to have visited the library recently. However, most Friends and Trustee boards do not have even a single Millennial member (Pew 2016, ALA 2018). What accounts for this discrepancy, and how can we rectify it? Learn how to attract Millennials to your Friends group and Board of Trustees, and turn the largest generation of library users into your best advocates.
Core Values of Librarianship
Presenter: Jessamyn West, Librarian and Technologist
Librarianship as a profession has a set of core values. But where do they come from, and what do they mean? Library technologist Jessamyn West will talk about the things that make up the core values of librarianship and discuss the tensions that exist between some of them.