Desert Foothills Library

Nestled in the foothills of the town of Cave Creek, Desert Foothills Library has been a dynamic and cherished community asset since 1954. The library thrives because of individual community members’ generous financial support. With 20,000 square feet of books, audiovisual materials, meeting and study rooms, a large used bookstore, demonstration kitchen, a beautiful patio with mountain views and much more, the library is a wonderful place to learn, relax, visit with friends and work. Innovative and creative staff host more than 2,500 programs a year, and nearly 100 community members give their time as volunteers to ensure patrons get personalized, friendly service.

Summary

We are looking for an experienced library professional who is passionate about ensuring positive user experience for library patrons, volunteers, and staff. As Maricopa County’s only non-profit, independent library, you will have the unique ability to innovate quickly and create meaningful and personalized experiences for community and patrons.

The library is embarking on an important time in its history with the creation of its next strategic plan in Fall 2026. This will be a wonderful opportunity for this position to help create a roadmap and co-lead in the execution of the plan.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will manage the day-to-day operations of the library. You will oversee a team of six library personnel, which includes facility management, circulation, and acquisition, and ensure the adult and teen volunteer programs provide purposeful experiences and skill development. You will be an integral part of the library’s leadership team in which you will assist with the budget, develop short and long-term plans, evaluate data and systems, and provide insight into industry and local trends. You will also serve at times as a library representative at local community meetings and events.

This position requires a knowledge of management principles and a collaborative, continuous improvement mindset. The ideal candidate will know the basic tenets of library divisions such as technical services and circulation as well as youth and adult services. The successful candidate will help lead and support a positive work culture.

The position will be both internal and external customer-centric with excellent communication skills. This position is in-person, full-time, and is salaried for 40 hours per week. Some weekends and evenings are required.

Essential Functions

• Take lead in planning, organizing, and administering the programs, services, and operations of the library.
• Supervises the staff of the Library’s Technical Services, Youth and Teen Services, Adult Services, programs and Circulation and Acquisitions.
• Hires, trains, coaches, and evaluate those responsible for each department.
• Analyzes existing systems, procedures, policies, and workflows, and develops new or revised approaches to improve efficiency and service quality, exercising sound independent judgment in day-to-day decision-making.
• Works closely with the Executive Director, the Board, and the staff to provide leadership and direction in the development of short and long-range library strategy and goals.
• Constructively responds to and addresses patron feedback regarding programs and services and resolves issues.
• Collaborate with the staff in resolving public service challenges and ensure library services are accessible and convenient.
• Works with the facilities manager to ensure timely repair and maintenance of facility equipment and building.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and presents findings and recommendations clearly and concisely to the Executive Director, Board, and staff, in both written and oral form.
• Leads the gathering, analyzing, and reporting of data related to the library’s collections, services, and programs.
• Participates in the annual budget process.
• Stays abreast of community needs, trends in libraries, and patron service expectations.
• Participates in local, state, and national library meetings and associations and attends relevant continuing education activities and community organization meetings and functions.
• Supervises Ingram ordering in cooperation with the Youth/Teen librarian and Circulations and Acquisitions specialist, orders books, audiobooks, and DVDs, downloads and modifies MARC records,
• Attends Board of Directors and Committee meetings, as appropriate.
• Work circulation desk as needed.
• Acts as Person-in-Charge in the absence of the Executive Director.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will share the Desert Foothills Library’s commitment to its mission and will bring a broad range of skills and experience including but not limited to:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to lead, motivate, and empower staff at all levels.
• Knowledge and experience in Design Thinking/ User Experience philosophy and projects.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with close attention to detail in interpreting policies, data, and reports and translating them into actionable plans.
• Ability to organize job duties, set priorities, and work independently while building strong, people-focused relationships with staff, volunteers, and the public.
• Creativity in the development of library programs and services, paired with demonstrated knowledge of library materials, resources, and the philosophy and standards of library service.
• Ability to successfully manage projects, organizational initiatives, and efficiently meet deadlines.
• Demonstrates learning agility and the ability to take risks and change courses.
• Be comfortable setting goals, delegating, and communicating expectations in a productive way.
• Demonstrates knowledge of trends in library service design, community engagement and collaboration, library programming, and experiential learning.
• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrates proficient computer skills with the ability to learn and incorporate emerging technologies into daily work.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends, and to be “on call” for emergencies.
• Have a valid AZ driver’s license.

Education/Experience

• Master of Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited school or a comparable degree preferred.
• Five years of professional library experience, including at least three years of progressive supervisory work.

Salary Range: $67,000 - $75,000 (DOE)

To apply, send a cover letter and resume to:

Melissa Steimer

Executive Director
Desert Foothills Library
[email protected]