Library Director

The Board of Trustees for the Hardin County Public Library is seeking its next Director who will be responsible for ensuring the public library continues as the welcoming heart of our community while positioning the library to expand with and assist a community on the cusp of new growth. HCPL serves as a learning center to encourage the joy of reading, lifelong learning, and the exploration of creativity, information, and knowledge for all ages and cultures in an equitable and confidential manner.

Located in North Central Kentucky, forty miles south of Louisville, Hardin County is home to a diverse population of 110,958. The library is located in the county seat of Elizabethtown, boasting beautiful outdoor areas and a thriving, recently revitalized downtown, and also serves ten other communities in Hardin County. Our county residents are employed in manufacturing, education, health care, and more. Fort Knox is a well-known economic anchor in the library service area along with the City of Radcliff, and Ford Motor Company recently announced its plan to invest $5.8 billion in southern Hardin County to build twin battery manufacturing plants creating 5,000 full-time jobs.

The library has an operating budget of $1.1 million, a stellar staff of 13.9 FTE, an 18,000 square foot facility constructed in 2002, an outreach van, and two bookmobiles. Other facility features include an amphitheater, children’s garden, play area, and an onsite StoryWalk. The library is the proud recipient of a Public Libraries Facilities Construction Fund Grant which will expand the current facility by 9,000 square feet, a project set to begin in the early summer of 2022.

The successful candidate is a person who is involved and invested in the community and able to develop and foster partnerships and is expected to improve upon key initiatives already in place including an expanded outreach department and increased programming opportunities for children, teens, and adults. The library participates in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through the efforts of their hardworking Friends of the Library Group and a local school system. Money has been set aside for a book locker to provide service to other areas of the county.

The director operates with a high level of independence but also reports directly to a five-member Board of Trustees appointed by the County Judge/Executive and ratified by the County Magistrates.

The ideal person will maintain high ethical standards while developing innovative and creative solutions. The director must be a person who has experience in fiscal oversight of an annual budget and is eager to advocate for public library funding and support. This individual will interpret, execute and support Board policy and actions to the public and staff. Prior construction experience with public buildings is helpful.

Essential skills/abilities:

• Provides adaptable, forward-thinking leadership to the library staff and board.
• Responsible for managing all aspects of library operations, including budget development and fiscal management.
• Ensures decision making is data-based and works collaboratively to solve problems and resolve conflict.
• Has strong presentation skills to various audiences including legislative bodies, civic and educational groups, and local and regional news media.
• Develops and implements library programs, policies, and staffing plans that support the HCPL strategic plan to broaden community outreach, to creatively use library spaces to engage the public, and to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• Is up-to-date with current library construction designs and furnishings.
• Fine-tunes the construction planning process and supervises the facility expansion project.
• Implements the goals and objectives of the current strategic plan 2022-2024.
• Provides customer-focused delivery of services especially to those who have barriers to in-person library visits.
• Develops programs and services to meet the changing needs of the community, continuously evaluating program effectiveness and community engagement.
• Hires, trains, and supervises the work of professional and nonprofessional library staff.
• Supervises the library’s collection development and collection maintenance.
• Pursues partnerships to build audiences and share resources.
• Incorporates leading-edge technology and digital services to meet the changing needs of the public.

To apply you must submit a cover letter, a detailed resume, a one-page statement of your management philosophy, community relations skills, and professional goals. Three professional references are required. Please send the required information through e-mail to: hcpldirectorsearch @ gmail.com

Additional information may be mailed to Director Search Committee, Hardin County Public Library, 100 Jim Owen Drive, Elizabethtown, KY 42701. If you are unable to provide this information in a written format, please contact the library to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Minimum Requirements:

· A master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association accredited college is preferred and the ability to obtain and maintain a Professional I library certification. Or a master’s degree in a related field and the ability to obtain and maintain a Professional II Library Certification as governed by KRS 171.300 and defined by KRS 171.240-KRS 171.300 from the Kentucky State Board for the Certification of Librarians within 5 years will also be considered.

· Three (3) years of progressively responsible library experience including supervisory responsibilities. Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

· Willingness to relocate to Hardin County or to maintain residence within a 60 minute commute.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Elizabethtown, KY 42701: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Education:

• Master's (Required)

Experience:

• library supervisory: 3 years (Required)

Work Location: One location