Downers Grove Library Board turns first page in search for new executive director

The Downers Grove Library Board has taken its first step in the search for a director to replace Julie Milavec, who will retire in March.

The board at a recent meeting unanimously voted to hire executive search firm Deiters & Todd to assist in the search for a replacement for Milavec, who informed the board in February that she plans to step down.

Board president Matt Topic was unable to attend the meeting, but indicated previously he supported the selection of Deiters & Todd, library board member Marti Sladek said.

Sladek, board member Swapna Gigani Assistant Library Director Jen Ryjewski and business office manager Katelyn Vabalaitis interviewed two executive search firms and selected Deiters & Todd. Stack Recruiting was the other finalist.

Both firms were interviewed for one hour after participating along with other firms in preliminary interviews.

“They’re both fantastic firms. They would both meet our needs,” Gigani said.

She said Deiters & Todd has more experience with library director searches and has conducted more searches for libraries comparable to the size of the Downers Grove library.

The search is anticipated to take four months, Gigani said.

The board’s next step is to decide how it wants to proceed with aspects of the search. Does it want to conduct focus groups comprised of library stakeholders, and will it have committee meetings as the search proceeds?

Sladek said that while the library wants to be transparent about the process, there are constraints because of the needs for candidate privacy.

“There will be a lot things that have to go on behind the scenes as we do this,” Sladek said.

Sladek said she was impressed by the Deiters & Todd’s experience.

“They’re going to be able to hit the ground running a little bit better with us and give us a little more substantive guidance with this process moving and that’s why we made this recommendation,” she said.

Board member Barnali Khuntia’s only suggestion was that that board undergo implicit bias training before candidates for executive director.

“I would like for us to that. “It’s important,” Khuntia said.

Gigani said Stacks Recruiting seemed more willing to let the library helped build the components of the search process.

“I’m hesitant to kind of feel like as a board [are] taking on building a process with them,” she said.

Ultimately, she believes the library board will have a say in the process even it isn’t something Deiters & Todd normally does.

Board member David Humphreys said the board will navigate the search process.

“This is our process,” Humphreys said. “We are going to choose the next library director. [Deiters & Todd] are going to provide their guidance having been through this before many times, but’s it’s going to be ultimately our process.”

Milavec was director of the Plainfield Area Public Library from 2000 to 2016 and came to Downers Grove in August of that year

She’s also served as director of the West Chicago Public Library District and the Worth Public Library District.

During her time at the helm in Downers Grove, the library was named a Five Star Library in 2022 by “Library Journal.” She also led many capital improvements.

However, Milavec faced her fair share of controversy as director, too.

For example, in 2022, the library announced it would host a drag queen bingo event in October geared toward seventh to 12th grade students.

The event was later canceled after protestors expressed strong opposition and the library receive threats.

Then, in 2024, the Downers Grove Village Council voted to remove library board member Bill Nienbug from the board for misconduct or neglect of office. The vote came after the library voted to censure Nienburg.