Director

Bridgman Public Library (http://bridgmanlibrary.com) is seeking to fill the position of Library Director. BPL is a Class 2 Library serving a population of thousands of individuals in the City of Bridgman, Michigan as well as patrons in Lake Charter and Chikaming Townships, and in Berrien County, Michigan. The City of Bridgman, Lake Charter, and Chikaming Townships are located in southwestern Michigan’s beach, dune, and wine region, 16 miles north of the Indiana-Michigan border, along the Lake Michigan shore.
The Library Director leads a staff of 4 full-time (40 hours/week) and 6 part-time employees, managing an annua budget of over $500,000, in service of our Mission Statement: The Bridgman Public Library enriches our community with resources that educate, inform and inspire. The Library is an important part of a vibrant local community network, including the highly ranked Bridgman Public Schools and many local businesses. It has an active Friends group, which promotes programs and manages a used book sales program benefiting the Library. The Library is the local community center, hosting meetings and a rich variety of programs.
Director Responsibilities:
Leadership of daily operations of the Library
Development and evaluation of Library services
Financial management of the Library, and preparation of annual Library budget
Facilities development and management
Community outreach – establishment and maintenance of local community network
Collection development and maintenance
Strategic planning with regard to:
• Technologies within the Library as well as for the active use of the community
• Community outreach (maintaining and strengthening local community network)
• Keeping the Library relevant to its community
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of 5 years of public library or non-profit experience, in roles of
progressively increasing responsibility
• MLS from an ALA-accredited library school, strongly preferred
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with the Joint Board of Directors (Trustees), Staff and the Community in service of the Library’s Mission
• Strong planning, organizational and management skills
• Thorough knowledge of current trends and best practices for public libraries is a plus
• The successful candidate will be a community-oriented leader who values the opportunity to
interact with the public as a hands-on, customer-service focused Director
Compensation:
• This is an at-will, salaried, full-time exempt position: $65,000 annual salary, negotiable
• The library contributes additional funds towards the Director’s health care and/or retirement
• Paid vacation, sick days, personal days, and holidays
Application Procedure:
Please send a cover letter, resume and names and contact information from three professional references.
Please include a one-page written statement expressing your view on the primary challenge(s) facing
public libraries today and share your vision on how best to address these challenges. Applications received prior to October 31 , 2025 will be given first consideration. Application materials should be sent to Ed Valauskas, President of the Board, at [email protected].