Search for Hennepin County library director to be nationwide

Last update: August 28, 2008 - 11:28 PM

Hennepin County will hold a national search to replace Amy Ryan as its library director and is likely to seek permission to pay more for the job, according to its top administrator.

County Administrator Richard Johnson said it appears that the job pays about 10 to 20 percent below the market rate for comparable library systems. Ryan's salary was about $134,000, but Johnson said merit pay pushed her compensation closer to $140,000 and the cap is about $144,000.

The Library Board endorsed that move Wednesday, but such a request also requires County Board approval, Johnson said.

However, it's not likely that the county will seek a change in the requirement in state law that its director hold a master's degree in a library field. That likely would delay the search well into next year until the Legislature acts, Johnson said.

That means former Minneapolis Library Director Kit Hadley couldn't be hired for the job. Hadley has been mentioned by some as an attractive candidate for the job but didn't respond to a Star Tribune inquiry.

Hadley resigned just before Minneapolis libraries merged into Hennepin County Jan. 1. Ryan headed county libraries for three years. She accepted a job earlier this month as president of Boston Public Library, and is expected to leave Sept. 12.

STEVE BRANDT

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