The City of Albany seeks a community-focused and dynamic director to lead its library system during an exciting time in its 106-year-old history. Key opportunities will include completion and rollout of a strategic plan, thoughtful and creative solutions for building a sustainable financial future, enhancing the library’s partnerships, and challenging a highly educated and experienced staff.
Department Profile
The mission of the Albany Public Library is to provide exceptional public service to a diverse community, in partnership with organizations who share a love for Albany and a commitment to its well-being and prosperity. The Main Library has been in its current 41,000 sq. ft. home since 2009. The beautifully restored Carnegie Library has been in continuous operation since 1914, and this crown jewel of a neighborhood library is a contributing member to the Monteith National Register Historic District of Albany. The Library is and has continued to be the city’s center of information and knowledge, where patrons of all ages and backgrounds come to learn, grow, and think for themselves. The Library embraces the concept of being the community’s living room and seeks to offer its spaces for fun, cultural enrichment and a lifetime of learning.
Position Overview
The Library Director is directly accountable to the City Manager and is responsible for providing leadership and management oversight for all divisions within the department. The Library Director will be responsible for a biennial budget of $6 million and 21 FTE, as well as disbursements from three significant endowments. The chosen candidate will be expected to work collaboratively as part of a City management team under the direction of the City Manager. The new Library Director will communicate directly with the Library Board, City staff, citizens, businesses, and others regarding practices and policies.
Candidates should have an extensive knowledge of the principles and practices of modern library systems and programs, as well a working knowledge of current professional trends in public library services and management. The Library Director will be adept at effective public relations and skilled at building relationships with community groups, employees, city officials, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other levels of government.
Candidate Profile
The new Library Director will be an experienced administrator who possesses outstanding interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills. The ideal candidate will demonstrate and promote the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. The candidate will be transparent and practice an open style of management to work collaboratively with members of the department, fostering a positive working environment that encourages individuals to excel in their areas of responsibility.
The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record of forming effective partnerships. The candidate will possess a balance between assertiveness and diplomacy, be a good listener, and be willing to discuss matters candidly and openly. The Library Director must possess a strong management presence combined with the flexibility necessary to reach compromise for the benefit of the City of Albany, its employees, and the entire community.
The selected candidate will be a person of imagination and vision who will ensure continued progress for the City of Albany and who will appreciate the city for its quality of life, sound leadership, and its skilled and dedicated employees.
Education and Experience
The successful candidate will possess a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in library science and have five years of progressively responsible experience in library operations, including four years at a supervisory and management level; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
Residency Requirement
The Library Director holds a vital public position within the community, and the new director will be expected to become actively involved in and engaged with the community upon arrival. This will include the requirement to establish residency within the Albany Urban Growth Boundary within six months of hire should the new director currently live outside of commuting distance. A director who, upon hire, lives within commuting distance shall, upon moving residences, agree to establish and, thereafter, maintain residency within the Albany Urban Growth Boundary while employed by the City.
Opportunities & Challenges
A variety of operational and administrative issues await the new Library Director’s attention. Briefly summarized, some of those issues include:
Employee Relations
The City prioritizes providing a positive, supportive, and safe work environment that fosters employee participation, productive working relationships, and open communication, with labor-management cooperation being a priority. The new director must maintain positive relationships with employees at all levels, value the experience and contributions of employees throughout the organization, and place a high value on the professional development of staff. The new director will also be a mentor for all staff, especially Library’s leadership team.
Staffing
Nearly half the staff is part-time and new to the library in the past 5-10 years. Overseeing the team requires oversight of a complicated schedule and staffing challenges. Beyond these practical concerns, is the ongoing challenge to fully appreciate and utilize such a talented and educated team.
Foundations
The department works with three 501(c)3 foundations to generate funds to support operations across the department. These non-General Fund revenues provide significant supplemental support, and there is much work to be done to sustain and grow each of the relationships.
Revenue
Operating revenues continue to increase incrementally year-to-year but may not be enough to sustain current services; strategies will be required to continue a balance between adequate service levels for a growing community with sustainable operating resources. Among the strategies should be continued exploration of a library district and similar approaches to more stable funding.
Growth & Diversity
Albany’s population is projected to continue its steady growth of about 1 to 1.5 percent annually. This growth will bring more diversity to the community, which will drive demand for expanded and new services over time. The Hispanic population of the city is currently estimated at 12 percent of the total population and growing, followed by smaller communities of Asian, Native American, and African American residents. The Library excels and is a community leader in its services to the Spanish speaking communities. Of the current Library staff, 15 percent are Spanish speaking.
Strategic Plan
The development of a new strategic plan has begun with a target for implementation in 2020. The new director will have opportunity for input, guidance, and leadership. Previous experience in this realm will be helpful for success
Compensation & Benefits
The current annual salary range is $103,095 to $128,890. Appointment to be made within the range, depending on qualifications. The City also offers a very attractive benefit package.
Mission, Vision, and Values
The City of Albany’s Strategic Plan is guided by three fundamental elements: our mission, our vision, and our core values. Our Mission Statement is based on the principles of high quality and continuous improvement. Our Vision Statement presents a compelling future toward which our Strategic Plan is directed. Both our mission and our vision are founded on the following basic values that guide all of our actions and that reflect what we expect from our employees and our elected officials.
About Albany, Oregon
Recognized as the center of the Willamette Valley because of its ideal geographic location, Albany is a community where a strong work ethic, community pride, and many links to Oregon’s history have blended into a vibrant home for more than 53,145 residents. Located in both Linn and Benton counties, Albany is the second largest city in Benton County, and is the largest city and county seat of Linn County (122,315).
Application Process
Applications will be accepted until October 27, 2019, or until a suitable candidate is selected for appointment.
If you are interested in applying for this career opportunity and want to work in a community that has tremendous public support, as well as a supportive city manager and city council, please visit hr.cityofalbany.net, to complete an application. Please attach a statement of qualifications and a list of five professional references to your application.
Screening Process & Timeline
Application screening will begin the week of October 28, 2019. Video interviews are anticipated for November 8, 2019, and formal interviews are tentatively scheduled for December 6, 2019. Once a finalist has been determined, the City will conduct a full pre-employment background investigation to begin by the week of December 16, 2019. The anticipated start date for our new Library Director is February 1, 2020.
Contact Information
All inquiries relating to the recruitment and selection process are to be directed to the City of Albany Human Resources Department.
Katie Forsman
Human Resources Programs Coordinator
541-917-7529
Danette Jamison
Human Resources Director
541-917-7506
