Director – Cromaine District Library (MI)

Cromaine District Library’s Board of Trustees seek a community-centric Director excited and ready to lead a respected and well-funded Library in serving the community with increasingly vibrant opportunities for cultural enrichment, community engagement, and education—all to advance the well-being and prosperity of area citizens. Cromaine serves an independent library district encompassing all of Hartland, and parts of five other townships, with 29,699 residents. The 18,200 square-foot building was recently expanded (2017) and renovated (2019). The Library has a staff of 29 (22.5 FTEs), a collection of over 67,000 physical items including a Library of Things, as well as 2.1 million e-items, and an annual general fund (operating, capital, and gift) budget of $2.34 million. A productive and generous Friends of Cromaine group, business sponsors, in-kind nonprofit partnerships, and vibrant adult and teen volunteer programs boost the library’s accomplishments. Cromaine Library is focused on the community it serves and all of the individuals who choose to live, work, and learn within the district. Known for its friendly, high-quality service and for offering exceptional events, such as Hartland’s Polar Express Day and the Summer Concert Series, as well as classes for people of all ages and interests, it is the place to learn, discover, and connect. An integral touchstone of a nearly 100-year-old legacy called the Hartland Area Project, Cromaine has led in the use of technologies among libraries its size in the state. Expect to find up-to-date digital resources and exciting new technologies, including 3-D printing and AR/VR tools. Key opportunities include representing the Library externally to community stakeholders and partners, completing the current strategic plan and laying the groundwork for planning beyond 2023, maintaining vibrant library programming and innovative utilization of the Hartland Music Hall, working with the community to achieve continued support for the library through successful millage campaigns in the future, and enhance outreach into all areas of our service population.

The Hartland area of Michigan, “a community connected,” is known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere. It enjoys small-town charm with convenient big-city access to Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, and Detroit. Hartland’s location, schools, and beautiful setting make it a desirable place to call home and appeals to all generations. Recognized regionally as one of the area’s most welcoming and engaged communities, “Hartland Living” (Partners in Progress—the Cromaine Library, Hartland Area Chamber of Commerce, Hartland Consolidated Schools, and Hartland Township) is a unique collaborative partnership created to promote and enhance the Hartland area’s excellent quality of living. Hartland Township is committed to preserving green spaces while pursuing smart growth. The Hartland School District is a Premier School of Choice district because of its reputation for embracing a whole-child approach to education. The Chamber works to connect businesses, civic groups, local government, education, and the community to advance the economic, professional, and civic welfare of the Hartland area. The Library serves as the cultural center of the community supporting learners, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.

Responsibilities. Under the general direction of the seven-member elected Cromaine District Library Board of Trustees, the Director is responsible for all library operations and overall administration and management of the District. Specific areas of responsibility include board relations; planning, organization, and evaluation of library services; general administration and financial management including development and fundraising; internal and external communications; and professional and staff development.

Qualifications.  Minimum qualifications include a Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited program; a minimum of five years of progressively more responsible library experience including supervisory and budget development experience; and the ability to obtain and retain a Librarian’s Professional Certificate (Level 1) from the Library of Michigan as required by state law for a Class 5 library.  The successful candidate will exhibit visionary leadership; creativity; excellent listening skills responsive to the needs and concerns of staff, patrons, and the community; financial and political acumen; the ability to build productive partnerships through civic engagement; the ability to foster a team environment through coaching and development; excellent interpersonal skills; and a desire to achieve operational excellence. Successful experience as a library director reporting to a governing board and experience with a successful millage campaign are highly desirable.

Compensation. The starting salary range is $80,000 – $101,000 (with placement dependent upon qualifications) and an attractive benefits package, including immediate vesting of the employer’s contribution of 10% to TIAA, 160 hours of paid vacation accrued per year and usable after three months of the six-month introductory period, and fully paid insurances for the employee, with opt-in for dependents at employee’s cost.

For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates. Apply by email with a meaningful cover letter and your resume as Word or pdf attachments to Brian C. Hare. This position closes on July 24, 2022.

View this announcement in its entirety along with accompanying links and information at https://bradburymiller.com/job/cromaine/.

Submit specified application materials to brianhare@bradburymiller.com.