115 South Avenue | Rochester | New York | 14604 | 585-428-8046
February 15, 2024
Dear Prospective Vendor:
The Rochester Public Library (RPL) and Monroe County Library System (MCLS) Boards of
Trustees seek a qualified executive search firm or independent consultant to submit a proposal
to conduct a recruitment campaign for the position of Library Director.
We are seeking proposals from providers qualified and experienced in conducting executive-
level searches for leadership positions. Experience in searches for directors of large, urban
library systems, familiarity with the Rochester metropolitan region, and familiarity with library
systems in New York State are preferred qualifications but not required.
Attached are details of the proposed scope of work and deliverables for submitting a proposal.
The process will be overseen by a team of RPL and MCLS trustees and staff.
The attached RFP is intended to guide both the library’s and your expectations for the proposal
and consulting process if you submit a proposal. Questions regarding your submission should
be directed to Debi Mansour at debi.mansour@libraryweb.org.
Sincerely,
Donna Benjamin, President
RPL Board of Trustees
Christopher Corcoran, President
MCLS Board of Trustees
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The RPL and MCLS boards seek professional assistance in locating and recruiting highly qualified
candidates to be considered for the position of Library Director. The broad search will identify the best
executive-level candidates from the library profession. The firm or consultant selected will report to the
Presidents of the RPL and MCLS Boards of Trustees but will work directly with Ana Suro, Manager of
Library Administration. Consultant services will be paid for through a contract between the
firm/consultant and the Friends & Foundation of the Rochester Public Library.
BACKGROUND
The Director of the Rochester (NY) Public Library and Monroe County (NY) Library System is expected to
retire in February 2025 after 16 years of service. The Director is selected by and reports to the Boards of
the Rochester Public Library and Monroe County Library System. The Director is responsible for the
operations of the Rochester Public Library, a system of a central library and ten branch libraries located
within the City of Rochester NY, serving a population of 210,000 residents. Additionally, the Director is
responsible for oversight of the Monroe County Library System, which provides selected services to 19
member libraries (in addition to RPL) located within the County of Monroe and serving a population of
740,000. The Director oversees a combined annual budget for RPL and MCLS in the range of 20 million
dollars.
More information about RPL and MCLS can be found on their websites: www.roccitylibrary.org and
www.libraryweb.org.
The Rochester Public Library, a municipal public library chartered by the New York State Board of
Regents in 1908, provides essential services to residents of Rochester NY, including services to five of
the most economically challenged zip codes in the country. Working in tandem with the City of
Rochester, the Rochester Public Library delivers direct services to children, teens, adults, families, elders,
and the formerly incarcerated using a staff of 275 people.
The Monroe County Library System, a federated system chartered by the New York State Board of
Regents in 1953, is funded primarily by New York State aid, direct payments from member libraries, and
capital support from the County of Monroe. Monroe County also provides operational funding to the
Central Library, which serves as the central library for both RPL and MCLS. The library system provides:
• the telecommunications network for 32 library locations, including high-speed internet and an
integrated library system.
• 5-day shipping and delivery services to all member libraries.
• interlibrary loan.
• coordinated advocacy for libraries.
• training and development for staff and trustees.
• oversight and maintenance of the system's online catalog.
The Director is responsible for the operations of both systems.
TIMELINE
The RPL and MCLS boards of trustees anticipate recruitment will begin in May 2024, with interviews
occurring July–September, with an offer made by the end of November. The new Director is expected to
start in early 2025.
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SCOPE OF WORK
The RPL and MCLS boards of trustees anticipate the executive search firm or independent consultant
will provide the following services:
1. Work with boards and senior staff to review and update the existing job description, last
updated in 2008.
2. Interview trustees, staff, member library directors, and selected community stakeholders to
determine desired qualifications and experience in a new director.
3. Develop a recruitment strategy including recommending appropriate advertisement and social
media recruiting activities.
4. Work with the RPL and MCLS boards and other stakeholders to assemble a recruitment
committee that will conduct the interviews.
5. Work with the City of Rochester Department of Human Resources and the Manager of Library
Administration to conduct the recruitment process, including circulating the job posting to
appropriate local, state, and national lists.
6. Work with the current Director and senior managers to identify potential candidates and
actively recruit them to apply.
7. *Review the list of qualified candidates with the board search committee and develop a list of
candidates to interview.
8. Design the interview process, including preparation of interview questions, scoring sheets, and
other associated tasks; schedule and manage all interviews.
9. *Provide comprehensive background information on candidates selected for interviews.
*The Director is an employee of the City of Rochester, so posting the position will be done in tandem
with the City of Rochester Department of Human Resources. Applications must be submitted online via
the City of Rochester website, and DHRM staff will perform the initial review of minimum qualifications.
Once qualified candidates have been identified, the firm or consultant will review candidates with the
search committee and prepare informational packets about each candidate beyond their application
and resume. The City of Rochester DHRM will also conduct the background check on the recommended
candidate.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS
Proposals must be submitted online to Debi Mansour at debi.mansour@libraryweb.org by 5:00 pm on
February 28 to be considered. Proposals received after the stated date and time will not be considered.
Requests for clarification concerning this RFP should be directed to Debi Mansour at
debi.mansour@libraryweb.org no later than February 21 at 5:00 pm.
Proposals must provide:
1. The name and address of your firm or consulting business. Describe the type of entity of your
business – e.g., corporation, general partnership, LLC, M/WBE status, etc. Indicate in what state
and year your business entity was incorporated or formed.
2. Provide a brief history of your business, including years of operation, general business
description, number of clients serviced, types of services generally offered, size of firm, and
statement of customer service philosophy.
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3. Describe the background, experience, and capabilities of your firm as it relates to the Scope of
Work as described above. Highlight any successful placements in other large urban public
libraries or non-profit entities during the last 5 years. Include a list of recruitment activities
listing the name of the organization, the location, and the time spent to complete the
recruitment process.
4. Identify key personnel in the firm who will be assigned to perform services for this contract, and
who will provide continuing support throughout the term of the contract. Provide resumes
stating the qualifications of key personnel and provide a statement confirming the availability,
continuity, and accessibility of the individuals who will be assigned to manage this contract.
5. Identify all subcontractors you intend to use to fulfill the scope of work. For each subcontractor
listed, include the products or services they will supply and the percentage of the overall scope
of work the subcontractor will perform.
6. List three clients (public libraries, non-profits, or government entities) for whom you have
provided executive search services in the last 5 years. Provide names, email, and telephone
contacts for each.
7. Provide specific costs for services, fee payment schedules, and cost guarantees for each activity
listed in the Scope of Work above. Include an hourly rate and description of services performed
beyond the normal scope of services that would be included in a contract in New York State.
8. Describe the separation of service terms typically required by your firm.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION
Proposals will be evaluated by a team of four library trustees - two from each board - and the Executive
Director of the Friends & Foundations of the Rochester Public Library, which is providing the funds for
the search. Weight will be given to proposals that can meet the timeline described. Evaluation will be
based on these criteria:
1. Qualification and experience of the firm.
2. Qualification and experience of key personnel assigned to the project.
3. Quality and completeness of the proposal.
4. A record of timeliness of completing tasks within budget as confirmed by references.
5. Cost appropriateness and values of any additional suggestions, modifications, and
improvements of the stated Scope of Work based on experience.
The team will request interviews with the top 1-2 candidates and conduct reference checks. As a final
step, the selected firm/consultant will enter into a contract with the Friends & Foundation of the
Rochester Public Library for a fixed fee which should include all anticipated expenses.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• There is no guarantee of an award; terms are subject to change. Submission of a proposal does
not represent an award or any legally binding contract.
• The contract will be awarded by March 22, 2024.
• Services will begin upon award of the contract.
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