Director, Public Services - Library for the Performing Arts

The New York Public Library; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York Public Library invites a visionary Director of Public Services for the Library for the Performing Arts. You will design and implement a unified, best-in-class public service strategy, leading a 70-member team and coordinating with curatorial, preservation, and digital units to ensure exceptional patron experiences across diverse collections.

You will oversee operations, staffing, and budgets, drive collaboration with NYPL leadership, and promote access across reading rooms, special

Qualifications

• ALA-accredited Master of Library Science and Information Science or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years of leadership in a research library or public library.
• Experience mentoring large teams and managing budgets.
• Commitment to patron-centered service in urban environments; arts background preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a strategic vision for public services across all circulating, general, and special collections.
• Lead Librarian and Library Technical Services staff onsite and remote.
• Collaborate with curatorial, preservation, and technology teams to improve access.
• Oversee budgets and staffing across multiple cost centers.
• Partner with NYPL leadership to align with overall strategy.

Skills

Operational Leadership

Team Leadership

Collections Access

Collaboration

Patron-First Orientation

Interpersonal/Communication

Education

MLS or equivalent

Job description

Director, Public Services - Library for the Performing Arts

Department: Research Libraries

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Library for the Performing Arts

Reporting To: Roberta Pereira

Compensation: $170,000 - $185,000 / year

Description

For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of books, information, ideas, and education. With collections numbering more than 56 million items and serving more than 16 million patrons in person each year and millions more online, NYPL’s reach is both local and global. Our mission is to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities.

At our world-class research centers–including the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Library at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture–expert staff facilitate the work of our diverse communities, offering inspiring reading rooms, exhibitions, fellowships, and a dynamic range of research services. Their work is supported by dedicated staff on the Collections and Research Services teams. We are proud to be the most public and widely used research library in the world.

Located at Lincoln Center, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (LPA) houses one of the world's most extensive combinations of circulating, reference, and rare archival collections in its field. As a vital cultural anchor, LPA is dedicated to documenting, preserving and making accessible the histories of dance, theatre, music and recorded sound, while serving as a hub for artists, scholars, and the public.

The Director of Public Services is a service-oriented and collaborative leader who will be responsible for designing and implementing a unified, best-in-class vision of public service at LPA. Overseeing all public services and operations, this position will ensure a high-level of service for every patron, from casual visitors utilizing the first-floor lounge to specialized researchers accessing special collections on the 3rd floor. Leading a team of 70 staff members, they will ensure that our patrons can access a broad range of collection formats, from children’s books and browsable vinyl to archival materials and legacy audio and moving image items. The successful candidate will be an experienced and patron-centric operational leader who ensures that public research, reference, and access services operations meet the needs of our artists, scholars, students and performing arts lovers of all types.

Some expectations for this role are that within:

1 month, this person will:

• Gain an understanding of the different materials and service models across LPA’s special and general research and branch collections
• Begin building relationships with LPA staff and colleagues at the Schomburg Center and the Stephen A Schwarzman building, BookOps and the Library Services Center
• Shadow all service points, including reviewing all manuals and workflows used at LPA and talking with staff, to learn what is working well and what could be improved
• Begin working closely with the Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs and Collections and the Associate Director of Education to identify opportunities for partnership

3 months, this person will:

• Begin understanding NYPL practices and policies for budget management, HR, public service etc.
• Understand the complex systems landscape across both Special, General and Branch Collections service points and spaces
• Complete a listening process with staff
• Assess staff capacity and workflows, using both data and direct observation
• Explore new ways of aligning reference practices across reading rooms, collaborating with the other research centers

6 months and beyond, this person will:

• Develop, execute, and monitor a comprehensive operational strategy aligned with LPA’s overarching service goals, organizational objectives, and collaborative culture.
• Propose a staffing structure that supports their vision for public service and best meets the diverse needs of our patrons across the building while ensuring ongoing collaboration with other departments within LPA as well as within NYPL.
• Define measures of service quality that pair quantitative data with qualitative observation of patron and staff experience.
• Create opportunities for cross-training, professional development, and advancement of staff.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives to improve the patron experience and promote unified discovery on NYPL’s website and various discovery catalogs

Responsibilities:

Public Service Leadership and Strategy

• Develop, articulate and execute a strategic vision for public services, ensuring consistent best practices in public service across all circulating, general, and special collections, while collaborating with public service leadership across the research libraries.
• Create an environment that promotes a seamless user experience and excellent customer service for all levels of research and library use.
• Ensure a positive, welcoming, and inclusive environment for all Library users, ensuring every patron receives efficient and hospitable service.
• Identify, implement, and establish training for staff on new technologies and tools that improve user experiences and keep pace with developments in the broader library field and digital tools, working closely with the Collections and Research Services and Digital teams.

Operations and Team Leadership

• Lead all Librarian and Library Technical Services staff associated with onsite and remote research and public services across multiple reading rooms and service points, including electronic document delivery.
• Lead a team of experienced professionals, identifying training needs to support staff empowerment and cross-functional leadership.
• Collaborate with LPA’s Deputy Director to compile and analyze public service metrics to understand collection use and evolve services appropriately.
• Oversee budgets for multiple cost centers.
• Encourage a holistic service approach to LPA’s branch, general and special collections to create the broadest, most convenient access for patrons.

Collaboration and Engagement

• Collaborate with Curators and senior leadership on evolving education, exhibition, and public outreach initiatives, including blog posts, research guides, social media campaigns and more.
• Engage with diverse stakeholders, including funders, scholars, and local community members, to promote LPA’s visibility and relevance.
• Provide expertise on complex reference questions regarding permissions, copyright, and intellectual property for special collections.
• Collaborate with Schomburg and HSSRL Public Service counterparts to improve service across the system
• Collaborate with BookOps on branch collection development
• Assist with identifying and pursuing grant and funding opportunities to build public research service capacity.
• Partners with Executive, Deputy, and other Library Directors to create LPA’s strategic plan, in support of NYPL’s overall 5-year strategy
• Serve in leadership positions on NYPL-wide working groups and committees.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Required Education and Certifications

• ALA-accredited Master of Library Science and Information Science or equivalent

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible leadership and management experience in a research library or public library
• Extensive, proven track record of successfully managing and mentoring complex teams
• Budget and administrative management experience
• Demonstrated commitment to providing high-quality, patron-centered service in a diverse, urban environment
• Personal connection to the performing arts is preferred

Required Skills

• Operational Leadership: Demonstrated success leading patron-services operations in libraries, archives, museums, or comparable settings; exposure to serving both general audiences and specialized research communities over the course of a career is preferred.
• Team Leadership: Collaborative, visible leader who builds trust and inspires a team, develops and mentors talent at all levels, and brings staff along through change with clarity, transparency, and care.
• Collections Access: Experience providing access to varied collections, which may include books, archival materials, audiovisual materials, or digital resources
• Collaboration: Ability to collaborate across functions, including curatorial, preservation, and technology staff, to advance access to the collections, build consensus, and solve complex problems; proven ability to build and maintain relationships across departments and divisions to accomplish institutional goals
• Patron-First Orientation: Demonstrated track record of providing and fostering excellent, patron-forward customer service
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, advocacy, de-escalation, and decision-making skills

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Manages staff, including managers and managers of managers

More...

Core Values

All team members are expected and encouraged to embody the NYPL Core Values:

• Be Helpful to patrons and colleagues
• Be Resourceful in solving problems
• Be Curious in all aspects of your work
• Be Welcoming and Inclusive

Work Environment

• Research Library

Physical Duties

• Some light lifting/moving may be required

Pre-Placement Physical Required?

• No

Union/Non Union

• Non-Union

FLSA Status

• Exempt

Schedule

• Monday - Friday; 35 hours a week, largely onsite with the option of occasional remote work
• Some evenings and Saturdays required

This job description represents the types and levels of responsibilities that will be required of the position and shall not be construed as a declaration of all of the specific duties and responsibilities for the role. Job duties may change if Library priorities change. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description as needed.

The New York Public Library Salary Statement

At the Library, we believe that pay transparency and pay equity are important to ensuring we source the best candidates and keep the best employees. When making a determination as to the appropriate salary for a candidate, we consider a variety of factors such, including, but not limited to, the position requirements, the skills, prior experience, and educational background required or preferred for the job, the scope and impact of the role within the organization, internal peer equity, and the candidate's specific training, experience, education level, and skills. No single factor is conclusive; the Library reserves the right to consider any and all relevant factors and make a decision consistent with its policies.

Union Salaries are determined by collective bargaining agreement(s).