Library board opens search for new director

November 17, 2022

Jim Marx, Sandy Ashworth, Laura Bush

The Boundary County Library Board has once again launched its search for a director, and is accepting applications for either a permanent director to take over management or an interim director to hold the fort until a qualified applicant can be found.

"The Boundary County Library seeks an interim director to lead our small, award-winning library in Bonners Ferry, Idaho," the interim job descriptiuon reads. "This is a temporary, hourly position at a competitive wage with the possibility of consideration for the full time directorship."

"The Boundary County Library seeks a director to lead our small, award-winning library in Bonners Ferry, Idaho," the announcement for director reads. "This is a full time, salaried position starting at 50k a year, salary negotiable and higher D.O.E. The director works with and under the Board of Trustees to implement and administer the policies and bylaws of the Boundary County Free Library District and oversee the day-to-day operations of the Boundary County Library."

The announcements come after years of stability and accomplishment disrupted last year by a time of turbulence and acrimony. Glenda McCalmant retired after 29 years and Bev Docherty stepped in, followed after her retirement by Sandy Ashworth, who dedicated her heart to the library and was summoned to Washington, D.C. in 2002, along with board chair Jim Marx, to accept the Institute of Museum and Library Services National Medal, the nation’s highest honor for institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities, from First Lady Laura Bush.

Kimber Glidden

One year after Sandy retired in October, 2016, now under the direction of Craig Anderson, who'd recently retired after a long career as an English teacher at Bonners Ferry High School, the Boundary County Library District was named the best small library in America by Library Journal magazine, the premier publication for the industry.

His retirement in April, 2021, after just six years, was the first indication of the turmoil that lay ahead, allegations unbeknownst to the general public at the time prompting the interim return of Sandy, now 80, a two-week closure over safety issues that stretched to three months, an investigative report not released for over a year on advice of counsel, a new director, Kimber Glidden, hired to restore stability but run out in just nine months on a wave of anti-woke sentiment and shrill outcries of children being given access to inappropriate books that had never been placed on or even considered for library shelves.

Two separate attempts to recall the library board, the loss of the library's liability policy through ICRMP and a last chance, won only after a trip south by board chair Bob Blanford and, who else? Sandy Ashworth.

They listened to the concerns, some scathing, and convinced the ICRMP Board that the Boundary County Public Library was essential to this community, still worthy of the accolades bestowed upon it and that the board, heretofor somewhat lax in overight, would step up and assert a more proactive role in the management. The library's policy expired, but the ICRMP board granted a special three month "probationary" policy that extends to the start of the New Year.

That the library board is only now casting for a director is a good sign that necessary changes have or are being made and approved and that the successful candidate this time will not be thrown to the wolves and left to fend them off alone.

Those interested in the interim director slot, a temporary position paid hourly that could lead to the director's slot can click here for the full job description and application specifications. Those interested in the directorship, a permanent full-time position with a starting salary of $50,000 per year, should click here.