From a highly-qualified pool and after first-round interviews with the Search Committee, the MCLS Board has invited three finalists to Lansing to meet the staff and further interview with the Board. As part of each interview, the candidates have been asked to prepare a presentation to be simulcast to the membership on the topic “Your First 100 Days as MCLS Executive Director.” As a multi-state, multi-type library consortium, the MCLS Board values the feedback from our members, and we are excited to have you see each candidate’s presentation. We hope that this format will give members, staff, and the Board a better understanding of the presentation, planning, and engagement skills of each finalist.

Each presentation will last no longer than 45 minutes total, and will take place on Jan. 8 at 10am; Jan. 8 at 3pm; and Jan. 9 at 10am. All times are Eastern. Please register by Jan. 4. Registrants for each session will receive a meeting invitation with candidate information and the link to view the simulcast of their presentation.

There will be time for your questions about the presentations—the Board and staff of MCLS are conducting full interviews with each candidate, so please limit member questions to the presentation content. A survey will be sent to all registrants following the presentations so that you may provide feedback to the Board as we move through the process.

We hope that you and/or your designee(s) will take the time to view one, two, or all three presentations and share your thoughts with us as the Board makes this very important decision. On behalf of the Search Committee and the MCLS Board, I thank you for your membership and your engagement in the Executive Director hiring process.

As the outgoing President of the MCLS Board and the current Search Committee Chair, I would like to thank the members of the Search Committee for volunteering their time and expertise to ensure that we find the very best Executive Director to lead MCLS: Kate Pohjola Andrade, Woodlands Library Cooperative (MI); Kate Linderman, Evansville-Vanderburgh Public Library (IN); Elaine Logan, MCLS Board Emeritus (MI); Randy Riley, State Librarian (MI); and Jake Speer, State Librarian (IN).

I would also like to thank current Executive Director Randy Dykhuis for graciously extending his retirement date through the end of March to ensure continuity for staff, members, and the organization, and to allow for a smooth transition to his successor.

Eva Davis
Search Committee Chair
Board President
Director, Canton Public Library (MI)