The Kewanee Public Library has gone without a permanent, full-time director since the board dismissed former Director Leslie Vano in July of 2023. Vano was hired just a year earlier and at the time of her departure, the board declined to issue a public statement about the firing, and immediately began to search for a replacement.

In September of last year, the Board of Trustees returned from a closed session and voted to offer the job to another candidate who, for whatever reason, never joined the library staff.

Last month, the board voted to lower the requirements of the position, said Kit Layman, who took over as acting director for several months after Vano left. Sarah Billiet has recently taken on the acting director title.

The director’s position has been featured for months on the RAILS job board and the previous requirements were that the candidate hold a master’s degree in library science and fluency in Spanish, but Layman said the master’s requirement is a high bar, since only two universities in the entire state offer that course of study. Too few qualified candidates make finding the ideal candidate to move to Kewanee a needle in a haystack situation.

The board has lowered expectations and is now seeking a candidate with a bachelor’s degree in a comparable field from an accredited university or college. Other qualifications are a minimum of five years of experience working for a public library, including three years in a supervisory position, flexibility to work some evenings and weekends and strong supervisory, organizational and interpersonal skills. Experience in budget preparation and monitoring is also a plus.

Duties for the library director are lengthy and include overseeing operations at the library and ensuring effective management of staff, budget and resources; engaging in strategic planning; collaborating with a seven-member board of trustees and aligning efforts with the board’s vision for the library.

The position is full-time and the annual salary of $65,000-$72,000 is based on experience and competencies. The directorship comes with a benefits package of paid sick leave, health insurance and participation in IMRF.

Layman said the board of trustees continues to seek out a new director and they remain positive.

“We’re hoping that it’s someone who could return home to Kewanee or someone who thinks Kewanee would make a great place to raise their family,” she said.

The job is currently listed on the RAILS job board and can be viewed here. The contact for applicants is Sarah Hughes at kpldboard@kewaneelibrary.org. Applicants can also apply to the Kewanee Public Library District: Attn: Sarah Hughes, 102 S. Tremont St., Kewanee, IL 61443.