Wauconda library officials accelerating director search

Wauconda Area Library District officials are accelerating the search for a new director.

Longtime Director Tom Kern retired in September. He's been replaced on an interim basis by Assistant Director Elizabeth Greenup.

Library board members initially planned to wait until the start of the new year to advertise the vacancy, accept applications and hold interviews.

But director vacancies in two other suburban library districts - Lake Villa and Schaumburg Township - prompted officials to alter their plan.

Wauconda officials don't want to lose top candidates to other districts by starting the search process later, said library Trustee Jason Laureys, who leads the board's succession committee.

That includes any internal applicants, he said.

Additionally, library officials were concerned delaying the search would lead to long-term planning challenges, Laureys said.

"We're putting that on the back burner because we believe strategic planning should be done in conjunction with the next director," Laureys said.

Accordingly, the library board has hired a Downers Grove firm called HR Source to lead the search for candidates. The firm will be paid up to $15,000 for its work.

The position has been advertised on a library industry website serving northern, western and central Illinois, too.

"At this time, we anticipate interviews taking place the beginning of January," Laureys said in an email to the library staff. "If everything goes as planned, it's reasonable to expect a decision on the next director of our library by early February."

An annual salary range of between $95,000 and $115,000 has been set for the job. Health and dental insurance, a pension, paid sick time and paid vacation time are part of the employment package, too.

The Schaumburg library board has since hired a new director, former Deputy Director Annie Miskewitch. Lake Villa library officials hope to have their position filled by early spring, according to a news release.