Lake Bluff Public Library engaged Deiters & Todd to lead our search for a new Library Director. We came to them with a fairly condensed timeline and they were able to source five semi-finalists and two amazing finalist candidates for us. Their search was thorough, well-researched and completed within our aggressive timeframe.

 

Alex & Jim ensured that the process from start to finish was transparent, rigorous and thoughtful. They incorporated staff input in meaningful ways and customized aspects of the interview process to our needs. They are both very easy to work with and have a knack for making everyone involved feel at ease and answering all of our questions. I would happily work with DTLC again and highly recommend their services!​

During our search for a new Library Director, Deiters & Todd took the time to meet with both staff and trustees to fully understand the qualities we sought in a candidate. Their deep understanding was evident in the diverse pool of highly qualified individuals they presented, all of whom aligned with our vision.

 

Throughout the process, their proactive communication and commitment to transparency ensured that both staff and trustees remained well-informed. Their meticulous approach led to a seamless transition, and we are thrilled with the exceptional leader we found thanks to their expertise.

Alex from Deiters & Todd Library Consulting provided a webinar for our annual member event. He presented on Library Budgets and Finances. This virtual session provided an excellent overview of the many ways libraries are structured in Illinois and the need-to-knows for library administrators. It was a great foundation for those newer to the director position and also provided a good reminder of best practices for others. The member libraries really appreciated hearing from someone with Alex’s experience as a library director in Illinois.

As a director, I’ve experienced a number of trainings facilitated by Jim and Alex.  Their collective knowledge of public libraries is hard to rival.  When my board floated the idea of putting together a board training, I knew Deiters and Todd would deliver. 

 

Alex was very engaging and provided key points about what it means to be a public library trustee.  He explained the roles and responsibilities of trustees vs the director, explored the roles of officers, and emphasized how important it is to keep lines of communication open.  Alex also discussed best practices for director evaluations as well as self-evaluations for trustees.  These were topics the board and I selected as we had a number of new trustees.  That said, Deiters and Todd have a number of topics to choose from and will customize trainings unique to your organizational needs. 

 

It is vital to set trustees up for success and ensure they have the tools needed to support your library's unique challenges. I highly recommend commissioning Jim and Alex to educate new trustees or provide a refresher to seasoned board members and we look forward to working with them on future trainings.   

Hiring Deiters & Todd Library Consulting for our Executive Director search was completely the right move. Both Jim and Alex were knowledgeable and easy to work with. They took into consideration the ideas of both the Board and the staff when crafting the desired traits of the new Executive Director. We had six excellent candidates to interview and had a difficult time narrowing the choice down to only two.

 

Their format for  interviewing was fair and open and they prepared questions for the staff and board for their respective interviews. Their guidance was on point and appreciated. In the end, we had a successful hiring process without any of the stress and anxiety of conducting the process on our own as a Board.

The Rolling Meadows Library Board of Trustees engaged Deiters and Todd to guide us in our search for a new Executive Director. From the very beginning to the very end of the process, Jim and Alex provided excellent service.

 

They met with the Library Board and staff to determine the qualities that we were seeking in our next Director. Our staff’s input was particularly important to the process, and Jim and Alex made sure their ideas and concerns were included during the search.  They screened the candidates thoroughly and brought us a variety of highly-qualified individuals to match our needs.

 

Throughout the entire process, Jim and Alex were there for us to provide their expertise and knowledge of library systems and the libraries in our area, as well as keeping us on track with what we
needed to be doing as a Board. With their assistance, we were able to hire an Executive Director who we believe will be very good for the Rolling Meadows Library and our community. We would highly recommend Deiters and Todd’s services.

My Board currently has a healthy mixture of professional librarians, authors, long-time trustees and 2 newly elected trustees. Having a Trustee Training Session to be sure that everyone was equally equipped with shared understanding was important. Through consultation with both my Board President and me, Deiters and Todd created a custom program suited to our needs. Their presentation covered the most complex topics: levy, budget planning, and the important division of the roles of Executive Director and Trustee. At the end of the presentation, Trustees expressed their satisfaction and shared how impressed they were that everyone in the room came away with new knowledge and refreshed ideas. They truly felt they could move forward through their unified knowledge. Trustees were even inspired to apply some of their learning by the next meeting; the Board put one of Alex's procedural recommendations into action right away, amending monthly meeting agendas. Dieters and Todd truly delivered something for every learner in the room.

 

As an Executive Director, I cannot stress enough how important bringing in experts like Jim and Alex can be. Their wealth of experience, depth of knowledge and accessible training style serve to support the mission of the public library. Having voices like theirs helps to clear the confusion about the intricate process of Library Trustee work, and I am confident that other libraries can benefit from their services too. 

Thanks to Alex from Deiters & Todd Library Consulting, our board received more than a basic understanding of trustee and director duties. 

Alex provided a 45-minute trustee training session that covered the fundamentals of ALA, emphasizing the importance of libraries

and outlining their vital roles in the community.

 

Alex also went over the different resources that ILA and RAILS provide and the legislative meetings that are held annually. My board remained engaged throughout the presentation, appreciated his advice,

and left pleased to know their library was on the right path with the recently implemented changes prioritizing intellectual freedom. Everyone was impressed by Alex's level of expertise and relatability to the training session.

 

The positive outcome made it clear that investing in trustee training is an investment in the board's longevity. Deiters & Todd Library Consulting exceeded my expectations, and I am confident that their services will provide great value to others.

Deiters & Todd definitely delivered on their pledge to do all of the "heavy lifting" required throughout the search process to find our new director.  We are very appreciative of their adherence to the timeline contained in their proposal, the focused way they moved towards the ultimate goal, and the frequency of communication along the way to keep us informed. 

 

Every Board has their own unique personality and Jim and Alex ere a perfect fit for us.  They are professional and knowledgeable but in a nicely casual way.  We recommend them highly and would not hesitate to retain them again if a similar need arises.  

The Fremont Public Library worked with Deiters and Todd to identify the next Director for the library. We felt, as a board, that their fee structure was competitive and reasonable for the services provided.  

 

We had a very good experience working with Alex and Jim.  They guided us from the beginning of our search through to completion and really made us feel comfortable with the whole process.  What I really appreciated was the way they truly listened to the board to ensure our wishes were taken into account with the search process, so our goals were met.  They worked to get important feedback from the staff, as we requested, so that the new director would be a good fit. 

 

They produced a good group of qualified candidates for us to interview and then took us through that process as well. The hardest part was the final selection because we had several candidates that we felt could do the job very well.   They helped us arrive at our final selection and I believe we have a very good new director that fits well with the team and can continue to move the library forward. 

 

I wouldn’t hesitate to use Deiters and Todd again. 

I reached out to Deiters and Todd after the election of three new board trustees to offer guidance on the role of being a trustee.

 

Alex gave an outstanding presentation to the Board including the duties and responsibilities of being a trustee, how to conduct a board meeting, and how to prepare a levy. His presentation was done in easy to understand language, with a bit of humor included.

 

My Board greatly enjoyed and appreciated the presentation. I  highly recommend the trustee training to any library undergoing a board transition or any library looking for a refresher.

 

Alex is a very knowledgeable library professional, and will tailor the presentation to suit your needs. 

At the beginning of summer, when our Director gave his notice, there was definitely a feeling of being overwhelmed. Most of the Trustees were very concerned about how the process of looking for a new Director would go. Fortunately for us, we had a plan in place, and after speaking with Alex from Deiters & Todd, we hired them.

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I was impressed with their confidence and relieved that they would essentially be handling most of process. Additionally, the timeline that was given and the experienced way that they  handled everything were truly appreciated. The interviews all were seamless and having at least one of the in on the interviews helped to keep them running smoothly.

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In the past, we have had some issues with the public and we were worried this would affect our job search; however, we had several
very qualified candidates that allowed us to choose who we believe will be an amazing addition to our library.

 

I would not hesitate to use them again; but we are hopeful that it will not be necessary for a very long time.

Alex exceeded expectations for our board training.  The pace was on par.  The examples were relevant.  The jargon balanced between newbie and veteran exposure.  It is evident that Alex is passionate about the world of libraries and after a seasoned career, ably shares his education, experience and enthusiasm.  As a presenter, these wonderful attributes made all of the difference. 

 

Workshops such as these are often called "Saturday Sacrifices" and with good reason.  But that was not the case here.  This was an affirmation that we continue to instill integrity into all aspects of the library - time well spent.

When our library district experienced significant board turnover, including the departure of key officers and the addition of three new trustees, we recognized the need for external guidance to ensure a smooth transition. I contacted Deiters & Todd for assistance, and it turned out to be a wise decision.

Alex and Jim delivered an outstanding presentation, sharing their extensive knowledge on trustee duties and responsibilities, officer roles, Sunshine Laws, trustee self-evaluation, levy information, and more. Their expertise and engaging approach captivated our trustees, who left the training equipped with foundational knowledge and a renewed commitment to advocate for their library.

I highly recommend Deiters & Todd to any library seeking professional guidance and training for their board members. Their exceptional training style sets the stage for board success.

As an alum of Alex Todd's budget workshop for new library directors, I knew it would be beneficial for my library's board to receive the same information. Alex's presentation was similar to that in the budget workshop, except he utilized my library's process and financials in the presentation. This was extremely helpful to my board as they were able to apply the base layer of information directly to our library's finances. Alex's deep understanding of the library district budget process is clear and concise. His ability to explain the many steps in easy to understand terms allows for near immediate understanding. I highly recommend the budget workshop for both new and seasoned trustees. 

The most important job of a library board is making sure that they have a competent, knowledgeable, and trustworthy director running their library. When our director resigned, we turned to Deiters and Todd to run our director search. Jim and Alex performed a national search for us. All of the candidates that they presented to us were qualified, but also differentiated enough so that we were able to debate and choose the candidate that we felt was best for us. They did an outstanding job of understanding who we were looking for, keeping the process moving forward, overcoming hurdles and then helping us to finalize the hire. Since they are library directors themselves, I feel that Jim and Alex bring a unique perspective that gives the board an advantage in selecting the right person. I am extremely happy with the results of our director search. I highly recommend DTLC.

Deiters and Todd was the perfect choice for our first ever Board Retreat. Board Members were thrilled to be able to work with such experienced speakers and delve deeper into several topics that they didn’t feel had been covered well in other training they attended. Having the flexibility to target topics, ask additional follow up questions and explore Board and Director responsibilities was invaluable!

The first thing I learned when I became a Library Director is that there was a whole lot that I didn’t know and needed to learn quickly. The budget workshop Alex hosts in the Spring provided a terrific foundation, complete with working spreadsheets, formulas, timelines and practical advice. That got me through my first year. As I approached the second year’s budget, I realized that I had questions specific to my Library’s budget and financial circumstances. Alex took the time to study my spreadsheets, correct my formulas and clarify my timelines with me, one-on-one. I would recommend that any library director call Deiters and Todd for practical insights and support—their expertise and empathy can make a world of difference.

Our library board was very pleased to have Jim Deiters and Alex Todd to assist us with the process of hiring a new library director.  They are very knowledgeable on the role of a library director which was a great help to our library board during this process.  I would highly recommend that any library that is looking to hire a director seriously consider using Deiters & Todd Library Consulting as their recruiting firm.

It was such a wonderful experience working with both Jim and Alex. My first thoughts were, how are we trustees going to go about finding qualified applicants? Where do we begin? Jim and Alex made the process very easy and we followed their timeline to a T. They prepared the questions to be asked to the applicants, went over final details, and the process was extremely organized. Most importantly, we were able to work together in unity as one team! We were so happy with the final applicants. Overall, the process was very rewarding! The process was very effective and led with of clarity and organization. Deiters and Todd Library Consulting was very professional and experienced. We are very pleased with our new administrator. I will definitely recommend Deiters and Todd as a library consulting firm. 

We are so grateful to have had the expertise of Dieters & Todd to guide us through our library’s Director search. Jim and Alex were professional yet personable throughout. They sought our input, and the input of our staff, every step of the way. They were quick to reply to emails and answered all of our questions thoroughly. We felt very respected and well-informed throughout the process. They gave us a timeline and were able to stick to it, even through the holiday season. The Board and staff were very impressed with the candidates Jim and Alex presented to us. The knowledge that they bring as library directors themselves is invaluable. We could not be more pleased with the process and the results.

We worked with Alex from Dieters & Todd to review BPL’s financial resources and develop strategies to optimize our budgeting process. Alex’s practical experience and expertise were particularly helpful. We worked together to develop strategies that our library board and I can use to track, forecast, and create long term projections for our budget. We were pleased with the advice shared and knowledge gleaned from our experience, and highly recommend Dieters & Todd for budget consulting services. 

D&T provided outstanding support at a price point that is accessible to everyone. Alex’s passion for financial management is obvious and his delivery is approachable and engaging. Jim was patient and supportive, his feedback was as thoughtful as it was helpful. Both Alex and Jim bring valuable and varied experience to the process and I would recommend their services to anyone.

If you are looking for affordable, charismatic, and knowledgeable library professionals for a staff training, professional development day, or other such event, I highly recommend Jim and Alex. Their collective experiences in public libraries land them comfortably in the category of "experts," and I would add that the humor and personality they bring to their presentations keep even the driest of topics (ahem, Robert's Rules) from being boring and stale. Come for the Foghorn Leghorn accent that Alex does, stay for the approachable, Midwestern candor of Jim, and make sure to take notes because you will learn so much and leave their company smarter than when you first arrived.

There are many steps in the search for a library director, and Jim Deiters and Alex Todd guided our Board through each phase with friendly professionalism. They coordinated every detail, through developing a timeline, consulting with Board and staff, recruiting candidates, managing preliminary interviews, advising the Board on proper conducting of interviews, and hiring a candidate.  At the end of the process the Board was confident that their responsibility to the community for selecting a qualified director was met with appropriate due diligence and accountability. The Evergreen Park Public Library Board of Trustees is grateful to have partnered with Deiters & Todd Consulting in fulfilling this most important obligation.

We knew hiring a library director during a pandemic would be a large undertaking, however, Jim and Alex made the process smoother than I thought it would be.  With their knowledge of how a library operates, this hiring process was quick and painless.  They were able to bring forward excellent candidates who could really help grow and advance our library.  If something went awry, they had a back-up plan ready.  Overall, I would recommend Jim and Alex for a director search.  They handled the  behind-the-scenes tasks which left the trustees able to focus on the interviews and selecting the best director for our location. 

As a fairly new director faced with creating a long-term capital expense plan for the first time, I was feeling a little lost.  Jim and Alex took the time to carefully review my library’s situation with me, and to help get me on the right path to creating a solid plan.  Having their perspective as seasoned directors with a broad set of experiences in different libraries saved me a lot of time and worry.   I would highly recommend using them as mentors for sticky situations, especially if you can’t see the forest for the trees!   

I wasn't looking forward to an hour and half on Robert's Rules, but they made it interesting.

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Jim and Alex took the time to research our organization to help create a presentation that was customized to the needs of our library.