The Town of Vail is a premier international ski and resort destination, one of Colorado’s crown jewels, and a spectacularly beautiful mountain town that many have called home since its founding. Nestled in a pristine, aspen-lined valley along the banks of Gore Creek in the White River National Forest, Vail (pop. 5,305, area 8.3 sq mi, elev. 8.150 ft) is prized the world over for its excellence, sophistication, and commitment to its core values: such as environmental stewardship, conservation, and sustainability. Even though the daytime population swells to 35,000 in-season, the town maintains a friendly, small-town feel. The town’s FY 2024 Budget is $134.8 million ($69.3M municipal services, $63.1M capital, $2.4M debt service), supporting 350 FTE.

Starting in January, 1964, on five shelves of the Vali-hi Books ‘n Things bookstore on Bridge Street in Vail, the Vail Public Library opened the doors of its current environmentally friendly, award-winning facility with a dedication on July 4, 1983. The library is a town department funded through the town’s municipal services budget. The library’s 2024 annual budget of $2.23 million supports 8.66 FTE, a total of 16 persons.

This career opportunity is available with the recent retirement of the library director, who served the library and the community for nearly 17 years. The library director reports to the deputy town manager and also serves as a member of the town’s leadership team.

A four-year degree in a relevant field of study; at least five to ten years of progressively responsible experience in library management; knowledge of library best practices, trends, issues, and industry software and databases; or any equivalent combination of education and experience are all required. A master’s degree in library science, library information science, or a related field is also required. All applicants are on notice of the high cost of living in Vail and encouraged to complete their due diligence prior to submitting an application.

The hiring range for this position is $125,000 to $160,000 DOQ. In addition, the following benefits are provided: medical, dental, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurances; flexible spending accounts (health care, dependents); and various EAP programs. Retirement benefits customary to the position are offered: 401(a) automatic, and 457(b) optional. This position enjoys paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. Relocation assistance and access to town-owned housing are subject to negotiation.