News Advisory: Search Underway for New Champaign Library Director – Public Forum on September 28th to Gather Community Input
The Champaign Public Library Board of Trustees (Board) has begun the process of selecting a new Library Director. On June 23, 2015, Library Director Marsha Grove announced her plans to retire on January 30, 2016. The Board immediately began planning the process to launch a nationwide search in order to hire Ms. Grove’s successor. The Board approved the formation of a Search Committee comprised of Library, City of Champaign, and community stakeholders. The Board also contracted with executive search firm Bradbury Associates/Gossage Sager Associates (Kansas City, MO) to help facilitate the process.
Bradbury Associates has a broad network of professional contacts and a record of successfully utilizing professional networking and direct outreach strategies to solicit applications from qualified candidates. Their success is due in large part to the extensive work they do in advance of crafting recruitment material. This has included a survey of the Library Board and Search Committee, and an on-site visit to meet with a range of library stakeholders September 23 and 24.
The Board is committed to keeping community members informed and updated throughout the search process, and for providing opportunities for public input. The first of these will be a Town Hall meeting held at the Champaign Public Library (200 W. Green Street) on Monday, September 28 starting at 7:00 p.m. Community members are invited to give their input on how the library can best meet their needs, now and in the future.
The Visioning Committee of the Library Board has been meeting with various groups throughout the community, as well as with library staff, the Friends of the Champaign Public Library, and Champaign Public Library Foundation members. These engagements are designed to gather essential information and to guide the Library Board’s vision and mission for the future. Community input will be invaluable in selecting the right person to build upon the firm foundation put in place by current Director Marsha Grove.
In addition, the following tentative timeline has been established:
- October 2-November 22, 2015 – Library Director applications accepted. In addition to advertisements placed in a wide range of professional sites, Bradbury Associates will make personal contact with 350-400 library professionals to expand upon the pool of candidates who respond to library director recruitments. This proven strategy will assure a strong and diverse candidate pool and ensure the Board’s ability to select from the most qualified candidates possible.
- Early December – Search Committee members interview semi-finalists and provide a list of recommended finalists to the Library Board
- December 16, 2015 – Library Board of Trustees reviews and formally approves list of finalists
- January 14, 2016 – Finalists participate in a Public Forum where the community will have an opportunity to meet with and ask questions of the finalists. Public input will be collected and provided to the Library Board for consideration.
- January 15, 2016 – Library Board reviews public input and makes a final selection of the new Library Director.
Contact: Martin Wolske – President, Library Board of Trustees | T: 217-840-7434