Description

Director – Spencer County Public Library (KY)

The Spencer County Public Library Board of Trustees (KY) is looking for the library’s next forward-thinking, accessible, and communicative Director. Spencer County Public Library is a 16,000 square-foot standalone location with a team of 9.75 full-time equivalent staff members. Located in Taylorsville, the library is a tremendous asset to the community, providing a welcoming space for all who visit. Library highlights include recent renovations that created two additional meeting rooms for community use in 2024, as well as a dedicated workspace for a thriving Friends of the Library organization. Lending hotspots and Job Discovery Kits, Spencer County Public Library is keenly focused on serving the needs of the community through collections, services, and dedicated outreach. Innovative future plans include the creation of a designated makerspace with recently awarded grant funds. Key initiatives the new Director will undertake include engaging with community organizations and planning for the library’s short- and long-term future. The next Director will have excellent communication and management skills, a hands-on approach to library operations, and an ability to convey the mission and values of the library to the county and community it serves.

Taylorsville, Kentucky, is the county seat of Spencer County and is home to a beautiful historic downtown district that is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, complete with Victorian homes and castiron storefronts dating back to the early 1800s. Located between Louisville, Bardstown, and Shelbyville, Spencer County is an ideal central location for those exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Taylorsville and Spencer County host many festivals and events year-round to engage the community and foster connections with neighbors. Home to Taylorsville Lake State Park, it entertains outdoor enthusiasts with activities such as boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, and camping. Just thirty miles from Louisville, Kentucky, Spencer County provides access to larger metropolitan activities as well, easily accessible on a day trip.

Responsibilities: The ideal candidate will provide overall leadership for library operations, services, and long-term planning, working collaboratively with the Library Board, staff, community partners, other libraries, and government agencies to deliver high-quality, customer-responsive service. The Director communicates and advances the library’s mission, policies, and procedures while overseeing daily operations across key areas such as staffing, collections, programming, public relations, technology, facilities, and the library’s website. This role includes full responsibility for personnel management, including staffing decisions, hiring, training, scheduling, supervision, performance evaluation, and problem resolution, as well as developing and ensuring consistent implementation of library and personnel policies. The Director leads the annual budget process, monitors financial performance, prepares forecasts, pursues grant opportunities, and supervises payroll and accounting to ensure strong financial stewardship. The Director coordinates strategic and short-term planning, evaluates services and programs, and provides professional guidance to the board on legislation and emerging trends in library management, technology, and funding. Additional responsibilities include preparing board meeting agendas and materials, serving as liaison between the library and local/state-level elected officials, completing required Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives government reports, managing contracts and purchasing within budget, responding to emergencies, and providing leadership for major development projects such as facility renovations or construction, while supporting public service duties as needed. For a full list of responsibilities, see the links in the job posting on the Bradbury Miller Associate website (https://bradburymiller.com/current-clients/).

Compensation: The hiring salary range is $62,000 – $94,000 (with placement negotiable dependent on experience and qualifications) and an excellent fringe benefits package.

Interested candidates should submit their resume through the application portal (https://bradburymiller.com/current-clients/) by selecting the position and then the “Apply” button. For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates (https://bradburymiller.com/). This position closes on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Visit our website (https://bradburymiller.com/current-clients/) to access the latest version of this announcement in full, along with all related links. 

Requirements

Qualifications: The minimum qualifications for this role are an ALA-accredited master of library and information science degree, four years of relevant library experience, two of which have been in a management or administrative role. An equivalent combination of experience and education may be considered. A high level of comfort with technology and experience cultivating creative revenue streams is desired.