Introduction
The Board of Trustees of the Indian Prairie Public Library recognizes that this is a plan for contingencies due to disability, death or departure of the Executive Director. If the Indian Prairie Public Library is faced with the unlikely event of an untimely vacancy, the Indian Prairie Public Library has in place the following emergency succession plan to facilitate the transition to both interim and longer-term leadership.
The Board has reviewed the job description of the Executive Director. The job description is attached. The Board has a clear understanding of the Executive Director’s role in organizational leadership and operations.
Succession Plan in the Event of a Temporary, Unplanned Absence: Short-Term
A temporary absence is one of less than three months in which it is expected that the Executive Director will return to their position once the events precipitating the absence are resolved. An unplanned absence is one that arises unexpectedly, in contrast to a planned leave, such as a vacation. The Board is authorized to implement the terms of this emergency plan in the event of the unplanned absence of the Executive Director.
In the event of an unplanned absence of the Executive Director, the Deputy Director is to immediately inform the Board President of the absence. As soon as it is feasible, the Board President should convene a meeting of the Board of Trustees to affirm the procedures prescribed in this plan or to make modifications as the Board deems appropriate. At the time that this plan was approved, the position of Acting Executive Director would be:
1. Deputy Director.
Should the standing appointee to the position of Acting Executive Director be unable to serve, the first and second back-up appointees for the position of Acting Executive Director will be:
2. Head of Guest Services
3. Head of Programming & Outreach
If this Acting Executive Director is new to their position and fairly inexperienced with the library (less than one year) the Board may decide to appoint one of the back-up appointees to the Acting Executive Director position, or to serve as Acting Co-Director along with the Deputy Director, with a division of tasks.
Authority and Compensation of the Acting Executive Director
The person appointed as Acting Executive Director shall have full authority for decision-making and independent action as the regular Executive Director.
Board Oversight
The trustee responsible for monitoring the work of the Acting Executive Director shall be the Board President. The Board President will be sensitive to the special support needs of the Acting Executive Director in this temporary leadership role.
Communications Plan
Immediately upon transferring the responsibilities to the Acting Executive Director, the Board President will notify staff and Board members of the delegation of authority.
As soon as possible after the Acting Executive Director has begun covering the unplanned absence, Board members and the Acting Executive Director shall communicate the temporary leadership structure to the following key external supporters of the Indian Prairie Public Library:
- SWAN
- RAILS
- The City of Darien
- The Village of Willowbrook
- The Village of Burr Ridge
Completion of Short-Term Emergency Succession Period
The decision about when the absent Executive Director returns to lead the Indian Prairie Public Library should be determined by the Executive Director and the Board President. They will decide on a mutually agreed upon schedule and start date. A reduced schedule for a set period of time can be allowed, by approval of the Board President, with the intention that the Executive Director will work their way back up to a full-time commitment.
Succession Plan in Event of a Temporary, Unplanned Absence: Long-Term
A long-term absence is one that is expected to last more than three months. The procedures and conditions to be followed should be the same as for a short-term absence with one addition:
The Board will give immediate consideration, in consultation with the Acting Executive Director, to either temporarily fill the management position left vacant by the Acting Executive Director or hire an interim Executive Director. This is in recognition of the fact that for a term of more than three months, it may not be reasonable to expect the Acting Executive Director to carry the duties of both positions, or, depending on the timing of the absence, it may be necessary to have an experienced Executive Director in the position.
Determination if an Interim Executive Director is Needed
The criteria that the Board and Acting Executive Director should consider when determining whether or not to hire an Interim Executive Director (or consultant to the Acting Executive Director) are as follows:
- Time of year
- Required fiscal responsibilities
- Special projects currently in progress or upcoming
Kathy Parker, one of the co-authors of The Public Library Director’s Toolkit, has her own consulting agency and could assist with this process, as well as with finding a suitable interim Executive Director. She can be reached at
Completion of Long-Term Emergency Succession Period
The decision about when the absent Executive Director returns to lead the library would be determined by the Executive Director and the Board President. They will decide on a mutually agreed upon schedule and start date. A reduced schedule for a set period of time can be allowed, by approval of the Board President, with the intention that the Executive Director will work their way back up to a full-time commitment.
Succession Plan in Event of a Permanent Change in Executive Director
A permanent change is one in which it is firmly determined that the Executive Director will not be returning to the position. The procedure and conditions should be the same as for a long-term temporary absence with one addition: The Board will appoint a search committee within 30 days to plan and carry out a transition to a new permanent Executive Director. The Board will also consider the need for outside consulting assistance depending on the circumstances of the transition and the Board’s capacity to plan and manage the transition and search. The search committee will also determine the need for an Interim Executive Director, and plan for the recruitment and selection of an Interim Executive Director and/or permanent Executive Director.
