New Director Hired By Winnetka-Northfield Public Library Board

WINNETKA, IL — The Board of the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District is pleased to announce that Monica Dombrowski has been named as its new Library Director.

Dombrowski says one of the things she is most looking forward to is getting to know the library community. “It’s critical to the mission of libraries that they are responsive to the communities they serve. I’m looking forward to cultivating relationships with Winnetka-Northfield staff, patrons, and community leaders to understand how the library can continue to support and enrich the lives of residents of this dynamic community.”

In her role as the Executive Director of Sycamore Public Library, Dombrowski oversaw all library operations and services for the more than 17,500 residents, a staff of 26, and an annual budget of $1.3 million. Before joining Sycamore, she spent four years at Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL as Technology Education Manager and Director of Digital Services. In these roles, she ran computer center operations and technology classes at three locations. Prior to her time at Gail Borden, she worked for Westwood College as both the DuPage Campus Librarian and the National Librarian. There, she oversaw all library operations for both her campus and the college’s virtual library serving 7,800 students.

Dombrowski made a full-time shift into libraries in 2012 after a seventeen-year career in the corporate world where she managed people and projects in a variety of industries. She received her MLIS from Dominican University in 2008. Monica is a 2015 recipient of ALA Publishing’s Carnegie Whitney Grant and a 2017 Library Journal Mover & Shaker Award winner for her work developing Gail’s Toolkit, a project later incorporated in PLA’s DigitalLearn.org website. She served as Chair of PLA’s Digital Literacy Committee from 2017-2020, is a current member of the Illinois Library Association’s Public Policy Committee, and is a regular presenter at state and national library conferences. Dombrowski is passionate about developing staff and building community partnerships to bring library users engaging and responsive services and collections.

Dombrowski will be joining the District in mid-October. She and her husband will be relocating to the area from Elgin with their two cats and youngest son, currently a junior in college.

This release was produced by Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District. The views expressed here are the author's own.