The Role of an Assistant Library Director
- A library director will tell the assistant what goals the library must meet, and the assistant must try to meet these goals by supervising every aspect of the daily functions of the workplace. An assistant library director's supervisory rules can include opening and closing the library, inspecting the grounds of the property, monitoring employees and patrons, and resolving disputes between employees and scheduling.
- While an assistant library director may have the freedom to make decisions for the entire library, he has the primary responsibility of keeping the library director informed of any aspects of the library that require improvement, since the director relies upon his assistant's day-to-day experience. These recommendations can include advice on problems with employees and contractors, financial concerns or ways to improve services offered to the public or any issue that may keep the assistant from meeting goals set by the director.
- To ensure that the library functions smoothly, assistant directors must interview employees when positions open up at the library due to increased funding or employee turnover. They must also hire workers or manage subcontractors who maintain library buildings and grounds to comply with all local health and safety codes.
- An assistant library director will help plan the annual or semi-annual budget of the library in coordination with the director. He also handles the processing of items of value, such as cash register oversight for the collection of late fees, handing out payroll checks, processing new shipments of books and paying out of the libraries' funds to make necessary repairs.
- Assistant directors have a less supervisory role in the operation of smaller local libraries. Their workload can include shelving books, contacting patrons regarding overdue materials, performing clerical work, personally troubleshooting computers, setting up displays and filling in for employees who don't show up to work.