City Librarian - New Haven Free Public Library. Growing Together – One City – One Future. The New Haven Free Public Library Board of Directors seeks an exceptional and dynamic leader to guide this 2019 National IMLS winner
to further realize its Mission, Vision and Values and to build on its
positive growth and that of the City. Recent visitors to the historic
Ives Main Library are delighted by the transformation of an iconic main
floor quadrant into a luminous, buzzing hub—Ives Squared—which
opened last year as the welcoming front door for entrepreneurs,
creatives, non-profit leaders, and community members. The successful
candidate will lead the Library as it serves as a powerful catalyst for
energizing neighborhoods through strong branch services for both
children and adults, relationship-building with the City and many
non-profit community partners, and workforce development. For additional
details, see the NHFPL Strategic Framework 2018-2023.
The Library, with a $5 million operating budget, a strong senior
management team and a dedicated full-time and part-time staff (65FTE),
provides services and programs through the Ives Main Library, four
branches and impactful outreach services, including a bookmobile. Challenges and opportunities include completing fundraising for and overseeing the opening of the re-imagined Stetson Library
branch, launching the design phase for a renovated Young Minds &
Family Learning (YMFL) department, implementing the 2019-20 Technology
Plan, and developing a Master Plan while completing essential facility
upgrades.
The Library strives to be a change agent in making New Haven a
vibrant, creative metropolis, alive with collaboration, passion, ideas
and opportunity. The City Librarian will serve as an enthusiastic
advocate for this mission and will have the experience and skills to
work with the staff and Board to assure that the Library continues to
marshal resources. The City Librarian will work with the staff, Board of
Directors, the Foundation Board, and its many community partners to
build on prior successes, to secure new financial resources, and
increase services for the future. There will be significant opportunity
to build on existing programs and an expectation to experiment and
innovate -- we will welcome and support creative thinking. The candidate
must also be able to effectively present that vision to key
stakeholders, partners and funders. Importantly, the City Librarian will
be the public face of the organization at a myriad of community events,
large and small, and must be able to convey our vision and inspire
engagement across our diverse community.
New Haven, one of America’s most dynamic small cities, combines New England charm with global cosmopolitanism. Yale University
and five other universities in the region enroll 35,000 students a
year. Gateway Community College opened a state-of-the art downtown
campus in 2012, three blocks from the Ives Main Library. The local
economy has a lot of STEAM – with science, technology, education, arts,
and medicine as key drivers. Bioscience is growing, fueled by university
research and the presence of Yale-New Haven Hospital, the fifth largest
hospital in the United States. New Haven has always been and continues
to be a city of innovation, and today also boasts a diverse demographic
community. Its professional theater, world-renowned architects, music
scene, outdoor festivals, and free world-class art museums are unmatched
by any city of similar size in the country. It also has more than 375
years of history – seen in its town green and architecture – and nature
is always nearby, with beaches, hiking trails, parks and farms not far
from the walkable, pedestrian-friendly city center. The region is also
known internationally for its cuisine, from high-end restaurants and
classic New Haven-style pizza restaurants to food truck and cocktail
festivals. On the northern shore of Long Island Sound, New Haven is
close to Boston and New York City which are accessible by more than 40
daily train connections. For additional information, visit NHFPL Links.
Responsibilities. Committed to the highest levels
of public service, the City Librarian is responsible for the overall
administration and operation of all New Haven Free Public Library
functions. This position provides leadership and vision in the creation
and administration of a city library system committed to public service
that shares, cooperates and collaborates with other educational,
cultural and social agencies in the community. The City Librarian
reports to the Library Board of Directors on policy, strategic planning,
advocacy, and budgetary and financial stewardship and to the Chief
Administrative Officer of the City of New Haven on administrative,
personnel and city budget issues. The City Librarian also leads the New Haven Free Public Library Foundation (the Library’s fundraising arm). Additional information including essential functions can be found in the official position description.
Qualifications. A master’s degree in library
science from an ALA-accredited program or an equivalent degree in
business, non-profit management, or other related fields and a minimum
of six (6) years of progressively responsible administrative and
leadership positions, including working with unions/labor relations and
human resources on effective personnel development and management, and
working with a board of directors. This position requires an
enthusiastic, service-oriented leader; well-versed in urban library
trends and new technologies. The ideal candidate will have a combination
of training, proven experience with concrete results, a proven track
record in fundraising and development, and high cultural competency.
Previous experience working in a multi-branch system, working within a
municipal or county funding structure and reporting to a governing board
are highly desirable. Residency in the City of New Haven is required
within six months of appointment.
Compensation: The position offers a hiring salary
range of $96,000-$116,000 (dependent upon experience and qualifications)
and an attractive benefits package. For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates. Apply via email with a meaningful cover letter and resume as Word or PDF attachments to Jobeth Bradbury on or before the closing date of November 10, 2019.
