Kathy Mora retired as director of the Great Falls Public Library at the end of December after more than 30 years at the library.

Susie McIntyre will be the interim director until a successor is selected.

The city has received 11 applications for the library director position.

Library director position posted, city accepting applications

The process of hiring a new director must be done in consultation with the library board and city staff are meeting with the library board this afternoon to establish the process for reviewing the applications and scheduling interviews with candidates.

City Manager Greg Doyon and the city human resources director met with the library board several times last fall to develop the position description and discuss the selection process.

The library is funded by and serves both the city and Cascade County, but employees fall under the city and operations are managed by the independent library board that is appointed by the City Commission.

City, board refining job description for new library director search

Last fall, the library was facing a staffing shortage that delayed Sunday opening to December instead of the usual October.

In December, Cris Olguin started as the new public services librarian, overseeing adult non-fiction materials, periodicals, newspaper and Montana Room information, donations, research assistance, interlibrary loans, circulation services, checkout, library cards, fines and the BookMobile.

Sunday hours at Great Falls library delayed until December

Just before Christmas, library staff was advertising for a library specialist to work in the Kids’ Place and interviewing for a full-time library clerk position. The city is also accepting applications for the library’s part-time maintenance position through Jan. 14.

The city is also advertising for a new director for the housing authority since Kevin Hager is retiring and applications are being accepted through Jan. 15. That selection process is also more complex in that it must involve the housing board.