Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)

[We got a question from a library system...]

It recently came to our attention that a civil service department overseeing hiring for a public library was not allowing a job candidate’s experience at an Empire State Library Network (ESLN) council to count as valid library experience at a “library of recognized standing.”

The department stated that they do not consider working at an ESLN council—or any other library system—to be equivalent to experience in an actual library setting, and therefore would not count it toward the candidate’s qualifications.

This raises concerns. Many of us working in library systems view our roles as part of the broader library sector. Systems typically require significant library experience to qualify for these positions, and we often serve as a resource for our member libraries because of that expertise. It’s generally understood that this experience is transferable across library types.

How should job candidates respond when faced with situations like this? Many applicants may need to include their years of system-level work in order to meeting job requirements. Do you have some guidance or strategies for navigating this issue? Thank you!

What would it look like if a Public Library hired a part-time social worker to help patrons deal with some of their everyday life issues that may come up while visiting the library? I see the potential benefits but can imagine a lot of complications.

Our Board of Trustees is searching for a new director. Our Library has transitioned from a very small building to a modern, significantly larger building. As a public library, the school district we serve has a population of more than 18,000. Our former director did not have a contract. Some trustees have expressed the desire to make a contract with the candidate selected to serve as the next Library Director. We have received conflicting information about how common such contracts are. We don't want to devote time and energy to drawing up a contract that holds no value in the end. How common and necessary is it to have a Library Director contract for a public library serving a community of our size?