Executive Director, Evanston Public Library
Alma Advisory Group, United States
Job Description
About the Community:
Evanston, IL, a city of 77,000, sits on the shores of Lake Michigan directly north of Chicago. Home to an incredibly diverse and engaged community, Northwestern University, and the NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston boasts a thriving downtown, nationally recognized school system, and an award-winning public library, Evanston Public Library (EPL). Evanston has a vision to create the most livable city in America.
Evanston Public Library’s mission is to be the heart of our diverse community by promoting the development of independent, self-confident and literate citizens, and providing equitable access to cultural, intellectual, technological, and information resources. EPL currently serves our community in two permanent physical locations, the Main Branch located in the heart of Evanston’s downtown, and Robert Crown, a branch located in a bustling community center on the city’s west side. In 2022, 348,532 patrons visited, checking out 978,537 digital and physical items. Our FY 2023 budget is $9m and we rely on the support of 239 volunteers and 111 employees.
The Evanston Public Library Board of Trustees envisions a community in which the Library engages all residents in reaching their aspirations. The Library’s staff, collections, programs, technology and leadership help ensure that:
- All Evanston residents of every background and ability have the opportunity to enjoy an intellectually and culturally rich life
- Every child experiences the pleasure of reading, the joy of learning, enters school with the requisite developmental skills and continues to develop critical thinking skills including functional literacy
- Our community celebrates, appreciates and supports its diversity in all of its forms
- Those in need can find assistance and information with ease
- Every resident experiences the pleasure of reading and the joy of lifelong learning
The Evanston Public Library endorses and embraces the American Library Association’s Equity of Access Statement and Freedom to Read Statement.
Key Expectations:
The Executive Director of Evanston Public Library will guide the organization through the next chapter of its collective story, working to realize the EPL Vision and Mission. The Evanston Public Library is governed by an engaged board of nine trustees, seeking an excellent communicator able to develop and empower staff through authentic engagement, partnership, training and support. The Executive Director must be financially astute, able to manage the budget process, and committed to building on the library’s history of fundraising and grants by creatively seeking additional sources of revenue. This visionary leader will collaborate with the community, staff, and City of Evanston, as well as engage and leverage the Board of Trustees as a valued resource, and work to fulfill Evanston Public Library’s mission and vision. The executive director will lead the organization through a strategic planning process and help foster purposeful and meaningful connections with the community including those most in need of access to the library’s literature and technology resources.
Key Responsibilities
Setting and implementing the EPL strategic plan
- Direct and participate in long-range planning for the library to improve internal functions and delivery of services to the community including overseeing the Library’s marketing and development activities.
- Model innovation, creativity, and thought leadership that is inclusive, transparent, and empowering in a manner that upholds the organization’s vision and drives its mission.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement by evaluating the organization’s effectiveness using qualitative and quantitative data and refining the strategy to ensure success and sustainability.
- Ensure written and spoken communication is consistent with organizational goals and priorities, and advocate for EPL in ways that enhance our collective impact based on those goals and priorities.
Building strong relationships with transparency
- Build and maintain collaborative, trusted, engaged and effective working relationships with the community, Board of Trustees, the City of Evanston, the community, and other organizations (including elected officials, donors, foundations and grantors).
- Use Asset-Based Community Development to nurture a sense of belonging among staff, volunteers, and the community as a whole.
- Initiate, cultivate and lead efforts to generate philanthropic support and community partnerships and support for EPL’s mission and vision, leveraging the Board as needed.
- Manage strong relationship and partnership with the Board of Trustees, maintaining regular and ongoing communication to ensure effective governance o