[Posted 2009.4.24 ]

Toms River, New Jersey

Minimum Salary: $100,000 (Negotiable, subject to experience)

Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package (including but not limited to excellent health benefits, life insurance, retirement, and deferred compensation)

Posted: April 24, 2009

Deadline: Open until filled, with initial screening date of May 15, 2009 and every two weeks thereafter; earliest submittals will get first consideration.

Civil Service Status: The position is covered by the New Jersey Civil Service System; if currently outside the state's career service system, the successful candidate will be given a provisional appointment pending satisfactory completion of the open competitive examination process. Additional details are available at the NJ Civil Service Commission web site: http://www.state.nj.us/csc/.

Library Director

The Ocean County Library Commission is seeking an innovative, collaborative, strategic-thinking library executive with a broad background in library administration related to management of a complex, multi-sited library system. The announced retirement of Elaine McConnell presents a unique career opportunity for exceptional librarians interested in assuming the leadership of a nationally recognized, award-winning library which also happens to be the largest public library system in New Jersey.

The OCL was established in 1925 and began as a small library in the county seat of Toms River. As of 2009, the Library has grown to 21 locations with an annual budget in excess of $32 million.

Over the past two plus decades, Ocean County has consistently led the state in population growth. Newcomers are attracted by the county's many amenities, from the natural wonders of the Pine Barrens to the delights of the Jersey Shore. Toms River is equally convenient to New York City and Philadelphia and is the hub of the county's thriving retail trade. Today, through the excellent customer service of the library's 591 librarians and support staff, the OCL delivers on the promise of its vision, Connecting People - Building Community to approximately half a million people from all walks and stages of life. Those customers represent the rich diversity found in the county today. The wellspring of the Library's service is its collection of over 1,288,000 items. Support from the Library's customers is evident by the high level of active borrowers. In 2008, customers checked out close to 5,000,000 items and 167,342 guests attended the Library's 8,416 public programs.

The new director will:

be visionary and have the leadership skills to move the Library forward as the system builds on its past successes and fully implements the current OCL Strategic Plan. The Plan, which was approved this past September and runs through 2011 includes goals and objectives designed to insure the library continues to serve all its diverse customers by means of its award winning programs and services;
be a vigorous proponent of library- and information-based technology, to include embracing and championing increased interactivity with customers via the library's web site and ensuring a successful completion of the library's ongoing ILS transition to Polaris, v. 3.5;
be recognized through personal example and actions as the point person in understanding, embracing, and supporting the library's nationally recognized achievements in diversity awareness and accountability;
be an exemplary mentor to subordinates by capitalizing on their strengths and coaching to overcome their short comings while heading the Library Management Team as it works collaboratively to lead, empower, and assess the performance of all levels of management and supervision throughout the library system;
be skilled at overseeing and coordinating major construction projects identified in the OCL Facilities Plan, including the major expansion of the Brick Branch Library (scheduled to go out to bid to contractors in 2010) and the future construction of a new building for the Stafford Branch; and
be adept at working successfully with elected and appointed government officials to ensure the library is successful in meeting the needs of its customers within the framework of public service polity.

Qualifications. Minimally qualified candidates will have graduated from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Library or Information Science and have had five years of professional library experience, two of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

The best qualified candidates will have had more than five years' professional library experience with at least three years of progressively responsible, broad-based, executive management experience in which the applicant had first and second level supervisory responsibility for a minimum of 25 employees, preferably in a multi-sited library system. In addition, highly qualified candidates will have had specific library work experience which demonstrated success in at least three of the following abilities:

administration or executive management of a strategic (or analogous) plan developed for a library system comprised of multiple facilities;
executive management of technology programs within a library context;
results-based leadership in establishing or administering a program designed to identify and overcome barriers to diversity within a library and or in its relationships with its customers;
management of a comprehensive program of professional development and mentorship for all levels of library professionals and support staff;
administration or oversight of at least one major construction project; and or
executive management of a public library system in which the candidate reported and was accountable directly to an appointed board, commission, or elected official(s).

Application process

Complete details for applying and information on the how the selection process will work can be found at www.theoceancountylibrary.org/Jobs/current/P-310-9-21. For additional information contact Jenn Doderer at jdoderer@theoceancountylibrary.org or (732) 349-6200, ext 5935.

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