Executive Director
Pequot Library - Fairfield, CT
Pequot Library seeks an Executive Director to provide the strategic vision, leadership, and management of all aspects of the library – the lending library, cultural programs, children’s programs, Special Collections, and physical assets such as the building and property. They will be responsible for the creation of innovative programming, effective operations, and aggressive fundraising. The ED will oversee more than twenty full-time and part-time staff members and over 500 programs that bring 55,000 people to Pequot Library annually. As a dynamic leader, the Executive Director will serve as the face of the library and must be comfortable with public speaking and sharing its mission throughout the community. They will develop synergistic partnerships, which result in a positive collective impact for the community.
Pequot Library is a vibrant programming library where visitors of all ages arrive for high-impact cultural events and leave enriched and inspired. Pequot Library enriches lives by serving the cultural, educational, and intellectual needs of the entire community. Bringing literature, music, art, science, and the humanities to their community, their mission extends far beyond most traditional lending libraries. They help children develop a lifelong interest in reading and learning through engaging programs and special activities. Their robust calendar of events includes musical performances, exhibitions, lectures, and a wide range of cultural, educational, and community events. They integrate their Special Collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives into their day-to-day services to the community through exhibitions, programs, and hands-on classes and workshops.
"What excites me most about Pequot Library is our community's hunger for what we offer. When we display a 300-year-old sermon by a Mohegan reverend, local families show up alongside serious researchers. When we partner with Music for Youth to bring Bridgeport students to our auditorium, we're not just providing a field trip - we're engaging young people to explore the arts in a historical, warm, and inclusive space. The person we're seeking will understand that libraries aren't just repositories - they're engines of transformation. They'll see our Special Collections not as precious objects to be protected, but as powerful tools for education, inspiration, and social justice. They'll recognize that our hybrid funding model isn't a complication but an opportunity to innovate beyond the constraints of purely public or private institutions.
If you're energized by the prospect of leading an institution where Revolutionary War pamphlets inform contemporary discussions of democracy, where first-generation college students conduct original research alongside established scholars, and where the phrase "free as air to all" continues to guide bold decisions about access and equity, then I encourage you to engage with us about this remarkable opportunity.
We're not just preserving history at Pequot Library - we're actively writing the next chapter of what it means to serve the community through cultural stewardship. I invite you to consider being the leader who helps us write that chapter with the same vision and audacity that inspired our founders 135 years ago. We look forward to meeting you." — Ali Fellowes, President and Chair of the Board of Trustees
For more information, including core competencies and qualifications, please refer to the full prospectus.
Pequot Library is a vibrant programming library where visitors of all ages arrive for high-impact cultural events and leave enriched and inspired. Pequot Library enriches lives by serving the cultural, educational, and intellectual needs of the entire community. Bringing literature, music, art, science, and the humanities to their community, their mission extends far beyond most traditional lending libraries. They help children develop a lifelong interest in reading and learning through engaging programs and special activities. Their robust calendar of events includes musical performances, exhibitions, lectures, and a wide range of cultural, educational, and community events. They integrate their Special Collections of rare books, manuscripts, and archives into their day-to-day services to the community through exhibitions, programs, and hands-on classes and workshops.
"What excites me most about Pequot Library is our community's hunger for what we offer. When we display a 300-year-old sermon by a Mohegan reverend, local families show up alongside serious researchers. When we partner with Music for Youth to bring Bridgeport students to our auditorium, we're not just providing a field trip - we're engaging young people to explore the arts in a historical, warm, and inclusive space. The person we're seeking will understand that libraries aren't just repositories - they're engines of transformation. They'll see our Special Collections not as precious objects to be protected, but as powerful tools for education, inspiration, and social justice. They'll recognize that our hybrid funding model isn't a complication but an opportunity to innovate beyond the constraints of purely public or private institutions.
If you're energized by the prospect of leading an institution where Revolutionary War pamphlets inform contemporary discussions of democracy, where first-generation college students conduct original research alongside established scholars, and where the phrase "free as air to all" continues to guide bold decisions about access and equity, then I encourage you to engage with us about this remarkable opportunity.
We're not just preserving history at Pequot Library - we're actively writing the next chapter of what it means to serve the community through cultural stewardship. I invite you to consider being the leader who helps us write that chapter with the same vision and audacity that inspired our founders 135 years ago. We look forward to meeting you." — Ali Fellowes, President and Chair of the Board of Trustees
For more information, including core competencies and qualifications, please refer to the full prospectus.