Library Director Job Description Template

In plain language: States the official job title, the department or division, the employing entity, and the employment status (full-time, exempt).

Common mistake: Using a working title that differs from the payroll title — this creates classification inconsistencies in HR systems and complicates collective bargaining or equal pay audits.

In plain language: Identifies who the director reports to and who the director has direct supervisory authority over.

Common mistake: Omitting the number of direct reports. Without it, candidates and compensation analysts cannot accurately assess the scope and management complexity of the role.

In plain language: A 3–5 sentence overview of the role's purpose, level of authority, and primary areas of accountability.

Common mistake: Writing a summary so generic it could apply to any department head. Quantifying staff size and budget in the summary immediately communicates organizational scope.

In plain language: A prioritized list of the core functions the director must perform — typically 8–14 bullet points organized from strategic to operational.

Common mistake: Listing every possible task instead of focusing on essential functions. Overly exhaustive duty lists dilute the document's ADA utility and signal to candidates that scope boundaries are poorly defined.

In plain language: The minimum education, credentials, experience, and skills a candidate must possess to be considered for the role.

Common mistake: Setting education requirements that screen out protected classes without a documented business necessity. In several jurisdictions, requiring a four-year degree for roles where experience can substitute constitutes indirect discrimination.

In plain language: Additional credentials, experiences, or skills that differentiate stronger candidates without being eliminatory.

Common mistake: Conflating required and preferred qualifications into a single list. Search committees then use preferred items as de facto knockout criteria, which can expose the hiring organization to discrimination claims.

In plain language: States the salary range or band, key benefits, work schedule expectations, and any residency or travel requirements.

Common mistake: Omitting a salary range entirely. Salary transparency laws in an increasing number of US states, Canadian provinces, and EU member states now mandate disclosure — and omitting it reduces qualified applicant volume.

In plain language: Describes the physical demands of the role and working environment, establishing an ADA-compliant record of essential physical functions.

Common mistake: Copying physical requirements from a generic template without verifying they reflect the actual role. Inflated physical standards that are not genuine job requirements create ADA liability.

In plain language: Identifies the primary outcomes against which the director's performance will be formally assessed, typically annually by the board or appointing authority.

Common mistake: Omitting evaluation criteria from the job description entirely. Without documented performance standards, annual reviews become subjective — increasing the risk of discrimination claims and making termination-for-cause decisions harder to defend.

In plain language: A standard non-discrimination clause affirming the organization's commitment to equal opportunity and listing protected classes.

Common mistake: Using an EEO statement that omits classes protected under state, provincial, or local law — for example, omitting sexual orientation or gender identity in jurisdictions where these are explicitly protected.

A library director job description is a formal document that defines the duties, qualifications, reporting structure, compensation, and performance expectations for the executive role leading a library system or branch. It serves as the foundation for recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and evaluating the director, and functions as a legal record of the role's scope for classification, compensation equity, and ADA compliance purposes.

Most library director roles require an ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or Master of Library Science (MLS) degree, plus 5–7 years of progressive library management experience including at least 2–3 years in a supervisory capacity. Larger systems typically also require demonstrated experience with budget management, strategic planning, and community or board relations. State library certification requirements may add further credentialing obligations.

Yes. A published job description is a legal document in several important respects. It establishes the essential functions of a role for ADA reasonable-accommodation analysis. It documents qualification standards that must be applied consistently and without discriminatory intent. It may define the scope of duties relevant to FLSA exempt/non-exempt classification. Courts and regulators have used job descriptions as evidence in employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage claims, so accuracy and consistency with actual practice matter.

For public libraries, the hiring authority is usually the library's board of trustees, sometimes in coordination with a city or county manager. For academic libraries, the hiring authority is typically a provost or VP of academic affairs supported by a faculty search committee. For school districts, a superintendent or assistant superintendent typically oversees the hire. Nonprofit and special libraries vary by governance structure.

Yes, and in an increasing number of jurisdictions it is legally required. Colorado, New York City, California, Washington, Illinois, and several Canadian provinces mandate salary range disclosure in job postings for covered employers. Beyond legal compliance, including a range typically increases qualified applicant volume and reduces candidate attrition at the offer stage. Use ALA salary surveys and municipal compensation benchmarks to set a defensible band.

In the US, library directors are almost universally classified as exempt under the FLSA executive or administrative exemption, given their salary level and primary duties of managing the organization and directing staff. However, the exemption must be validated against current FLSA salary thresholds and the actual duties of the specific role. Misclassification as exempt when the role does not meet the threshold exposes the employer to back overtime liability.

A job description defines the role's scope, duties, and qualifications — it is a position-level document that may be used for multiple hires. An employment contract is a bilateral agreement between the employer and a specific individual, setting the legally binding terms of that person's employment including compensation, benefits, confidentiality, and termination. The job description typically becomes an exhibit or reference document within the employment contract, but the contract governs the individual relationship.

Review the job description annually as part of the director's performance evaluation cycle, and update it any time the role materially changes — new reporting relationships, budget responsibility shifts, or expanded service area. An outdated job description that no longer matches the actual role creates classification risk and weakens the evidentiary value of the document in any future employment dispute.

The evaluation section should identify the specific outcomes against which the director will be assessed — typically strategic plan milestone achievement, budget variance, staff development metrics, patron satisfaction scores, and community partnership growth. Tie each criterion to a measurable indicator and specify the review cadence (typically annual, conducted by the board or appointing authority). Vague criteria like "demonstrates leadership" are difficult to apply consistently and harder to rely on in a termination-for-cause situation.