The Aurora Public Library (APL) is a cornerstone of community engagement, education, and cultural enrichment in Aurora, Ontario. It serves as a welcoming space for lifelong learning, creativity, and connection, reflecting the town's values of innovation, inclusivity, and community spirit. As Aurora continues to grow and evolve, APL remains at the forefront of innovation and community engagement. With its enhanced role through the Aurora Town Square project, the library is poised to further expand its impact and continue being a pillar of learning, connection, and cultural enrichment.
Aurora Public Library (APL) is seeking a visionary and dynamic leader to guide its evolution as a vital hub for culture, learning, and community connection in a rapidly growing and diversifying town. This is a pivotal opportunity to build on APL’s legacy of excellence and leverage its innovative programs, services, and facilities to enrich lives and foster community engagement.
Located in the heart of Aurora, a town experiencing 4% annual population growth, APL is seeing unprecedented demand for its services. Circulation has risen by over 15%, library membership by more than 10%, and attendance at programs and events by over 10% year over year. In-person visits have surged by an impressive 34%, underscoring the library’s integral role in the cultural and social fabric of the community.
As the senior executive leader of APL, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will be responsible for delivering the library’s strategic vision and ensuring operational excellence. The CEO will champion APL’s mission to spark conversation, enrich lives, and provide vibrant spaces for discovery. They will lead a talented team, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture while building and strengthening partnerships with the Town of Aurora, cultural organizations, and community stakeholders.
The CEO will play a pivotal role in advancing APL’s strategic planning, addressing the evolving needs of a diverse community, and advocating for resources to expand and innovate library services. With the completion of the Aurora Town Square project, the CEO will focus on fully integrating APL into this vibrant new space by fostering relationships, developing engaging programming, and leveraging the enhanced meeting areas, outdoor gathering spaces, and partnerships with cultural organizations. The Town Square solidifies APL’s position as a central hub for creativity, community connection, and discovery.
The ideal candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with a passion for innovation, community service, and public engagement. They will bring strategic vision, operational expertise and leadership, and a strong ability to build relationships with staff, the Board of Directors, municipal leaders, and the community at large. This is an exciting moment to join Aurora Public Library and help shape its next chapter of growth and impact.
To fill this position, Aurora Public Library has partnered with leadership advisory firm Odgers Berndtson. Applications are encouraged immediately and should be submitted online ideally by January 10th, 2025 at https://careers.odgersberndtson.com/en-ca/30047
For more information, please contact Margaret Vanwyck of Odgers Berndtson.
We would like to thank all applicants but regret that we are only able to personally contact those individuals whose backgrounds best match the requirements for the role.
Aurora Public Library is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act, 2019 and all applicable provincial accessibility standards, upon request, accommodation will be provided by both Odgers Berndtson and Aurora Public Library throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
Odgers Berndtson is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all the work that we do. As part of our efforts to better understand our ability to reach as broad a pool of candidates as possible for our searches, our EDI team would like to encourage you to take a moment and access our Self-Declaration Form.