Assistant Director

The Bloomington Public Library is seeking an Assistant Director that values service, encourages innovation, and can work closely with our Library Director to provide strategic leadership to our library.

In May 2024, the Bloomington Public Library (serving a population of 78,680) completed its newly expanded and renovated state-of-the-art library. This awe-inspiring facility offers an Innovation Lab, two Recording Studios, nine Study Rooms (including a 12-person Conference Room), three Community Rooms, a Discovery Zone play area for kids, a permanent Drive-Up Window, and more. The construction project added more than 21,000 square feet to the library’s current footprint and saw the renovation of more than 57,000 square feet of existing space. The new technologies and new spaces available to the library’s 33,652 cardholders and more than 70 community partners is already presenting new a world of possibilities.

In addition to the services offered in our library building, we provide a wide range of outreach services to our community, including a Bookmobile that visits 48 stops every three weeks.

The Assistant Director will lead our public services managers and their departments (Adult Services, Children’s Services, and Circulation/Outreach) to create and deliver library services that meet the diverse needs of our community.

The Bloomington Public Library has approximately 40 part-time staff members and 48 full-time staff members, with 56 of the staff members in our public service departments. 

The Assistant Director will work closely with the Library Director to implement a shared vision for the library. The candidate must be a dynamic, highly organized, flexible individual who is committed to positive patron experiences, can manage multiple projects concurrently, demonstrates strong communication and technical skills, is able to problem solve, and has working knowledge of all aspects of public libraries. The candidate must possess management and leadership skills and be able to work collaboratively with staff throughout the library.

This position serves on the library’s 11-person management team and reports to the Library Director.

Critical Elements of Performance:

• Collaborate with the Library Director to oversee library operations, ensuring alignment with the library mission, strategic priorities, and goals
• Hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and develop staff in a union environment
• Build a strong team environment through consistent communication and positive reinforcement
• Coach and counsel department heads in leadership skills, management practices, and conflict resolution
• Guide public service managers as they direct the organizational, planning, and administrative functions of their respective departments
• Coordinate and oversee the development of consistent, library-wide staff training
• Serve as the library’s volunteer coordinator
• Respond to urgent matters outside of regular working hours
• Serve on the management team, collaborating to improve library services 
• Analyze and evaluate services to determine if patron needs are being met
• Develop solutions to improve and enhance library services, including the recommendation of policy and procedure changes
• Demonstrate fiscal responsibility, managing applicable budgets and forecasting budget needs
• Participate in professional activities and/or community groups with cooperative interests 

Required Qualifications: 

• Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution and at least five years of relevant library experience

• At least three years of supervisory experience

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the critical elements of this position.

Submit cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, application (available at APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT (bloomingtonlibrary.org), and any other relevant materials by January 26, 2025 to:

Bloomington Public Library

Attn:  Human Resources

205 E. Olive St.

Bloomington, IL 61701

or [email protected]

Bloomington Public Library is an Equal Opportunity Employer.