Library Director

The Port Jervis Free Library (PJFL)  seeks a creative, dynamic, and inspiring new Library Director. 

Chartered in 1892, the PJFL is one of the Carnegie Public Libraries constructed in the U.S., located in the Port Jervis city center. The library serves a diverse community of approximately 20,000 school district residents in Western Orange County, N.Y. The city of Port Jervis has a population of approximately 9,200 and sits at the confluence of the Neversink and Delaware rivers, with the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area nearby, which offers year-round outdoor activities from boating, kayaking, fishing, and 35 miles of extensive hiking and biking trails. 

PJFL is a School District library with an approximately 1.1 million dollars annual operating budget.  Port Jervis Free Library has a staffed public access computer center to provide services and instruction to the public. The center is known as "The Hub,” a technology term that also captures the City's earlier canal and railroad heritage. The focus of "The Hub” is to advance the use of E-services for training, employment, digital literacy, and education, whether you are a beginner user or wish to improve your skills. PJFL also offers local history, community, reference, and children’s rooms, as well as a home of the Minisink Valley Historical Society. The library is supported by a Friends of the Library group that operates the Book Cellar. The PJFL is a Ramapo Catskill Library System member, which maximizes sharing, creativity, and innovation.   

The ideal candidate is committed to helping grow our community engagement, updating the library’s existing strategic plan, and partnering with the Board to maintain a sustainable budget to serve the community’s needs. The Library Director serves as a community leader, is responsible for all library management and supervising functions, and carries out the broad policy determined by the Board of Trustees. 

Salary starts at $65,000, depending on experience. Benefits include health insurance, New York State Retirement, paid holidays, sick leave, and vacation. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

Three years, or more, of professional library experience (gained at a public, academic, school, or special library after receiving MLS degree), working with a 5-member Board of Trustees and demonstrated experience building community partnerships. Finance and grant experience is also very desirable. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: 

A Master’s degree in Library Science or Library Information Science 

Possession of an NYS public librarian’s professional certificate or requires eligibility for certification at time of application and possession of certificate within three months of appointment.  

Applicant must be eligible to be appointed from the civil service list for  

Library Director I, held by the City of Port Jervis Department of Human resources. 

Please forward your resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Carl Hendrick, Board President at: pjflsearch2022@gmail.com. 

Preference will be given to applicants who apply by April 15, 2022.   

The Port Jervis Free Library grants equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to an individual’s age, sex, color, religion, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, handicapped status, or sexual orientation. The library complies with all federal and state regulations dealing with employment.