About the Book
Running a library means you’ve always got your hands full—balancing the needs of staff, patrons, facilities, library boards, and other stakeholders with professional responsibilities like community interactions, legal and financial requirements, and whole lot else that wasn’t exactly in the job description. Whether you’re considering becoming a public library director, brand new to the role, or you’ve settled in but find yourself thinking “there’s got to be a better way,” authors Hall and Parker are here to help. This resource walks you through the core components of getting up to speed and then provides templates, sample documents, checklists, and other resources that will make your job easier. Hall and Parker have written the book they both wish existed when they started as a library director.
About the Authors
Kate Hall
Kate Hall has been a library director since 2010, first at New Lenox and now at Northbrook Public Library in Illinois. After nearly twenty years in libraries, Kate has held numerous library leadership positions and has worked with Kathy Parker on the successful Director’s University program. In 2021, Kate won the Illinois Library Association Librarian of the Year Award.
Kathy Parker
Kathy Parker has more than forty years of library experience, with sixteen years serving as library director at Glenwood–Lynwood Public Library in Illinois. Kathy has participated on various regional library boards, served as a library trustee at her local library and in the regional library system, and was the recipient of the American Library Association Trustee Citation in 2016. Kathy retired in summer 2018 and has started her own consulting business, serving as an interim director.