Search firm returns to Elk Grove library to find new director
Less than 10 months after helping find a new Elk Grove Village library director, a search consultant will be returning to help find his replacement.
But the library board won't have to pay extra for consultant Lynn Elam to conduct a search since the board's initial contract with Elam requires her to return within a year if the hire didn't work out, said Board President Gil Schumm.
In May 2014, the board paid Elam $10,000 to put out a job posting, collect resumes, do pre-interviews, and bring them a half-dozen finalists for consideration.
The winning candidate eventually chosen by the board in September was Patrick McDonald, an Arlington Heights native who had been working for the World Scholar's Cup, an international series of academic competitions for middle and high school students. He was director of the Huntley Area Public Library District from 2009 to 2013 and director of library experiences in Arlington Heights before that.
But on June 10, library officials announced McDonald was leaving, with plans to continue private nonprofit work and pursue library consulting.
McDonald replaced longtime director Lee Maternowski, who retired after 17 years as director and a total of 38 years at the library.
McDonald was earning a base salary of $105,000.
The library board met in closed session Wednesday night to discuss next steps, and decided to bring back Elam to help find a replacement. Elam wasn't available to attend the meeting, but is scheduled to meet with the board behind closed doors at its next regularly scheduled meeting July 8, Schumm said.
It's possible Elam and the board will go back to the list of candidates who applied for the director job last summer, though they could also look for new candidates.
"Hopefully she will use some of her previous people," Schumm said. "Some that we looked at may have other jobs by now. We won't know until we see the list."
Michael Mangini, the library's business manager, has been serving as interim director since McDonald's departure.