The New Leader by the year 3000

Develop Policy

Board members set library policy and review current policy.

• The library operates on a platform of policies that:
• support the strategic plan of the organization
• act as guides in decision making.
• Advisory library boards have input in policy development and review, but they do not set policy.
• The city council, county commission, or other governing body will enact policies for the library or library system.
• Policies:
• are essential to a library's success.
• provide the general framework for the library.
• are a guide to decision making.
• specify who the library serves and how that service occurs.
• should be monitored and changed when the need arises.
• should be phrased prescriptively instead of proscriptively.
• clearly articulate the library’s:
• purposes
• priorities
• relationships
• principles
• guide the administration and staff in developing procedures and activities.
• each procedure should have a basis in policy.
• are public record.

Policies & The Law

• The relationship between a library's policy and the legal climate in which the library operates is important.
• Policies must adhere to local, state, and federal laws.
• A policy may be established that takes care of a short term problem but may be discovered to be illegal or to provoke litigation down the road.
• It is important to consider current and future implications of th policies.
• Librarians uphold:
• people’s freedom to read, listen, and see what they want.
• the privacy of their library records.
• Two current pieces of federal legislation are causing boards of trustees and school boards across the county to wrestle with statements of policy.
• Children’s Internet Protection Act
• The act restricts the use of federal funds for public and school libraries unless these libraries follow prescribed Internet safety policies that block access to certain materials.
• The U.S.A. Patriot Act
• Broadly expands law enforcement’s surveillance and investigative powers, making it possible for investigators to search and seize extant records of any patron’s library use.
• Both pieces of legislation could be amended or repealed in the coming years. Library staff and board members will have to keep tabs on these and other new laws that impact the library in any way.

How Is It Done?

• Policy creation normally arises when discussing a problem the library is having.
• Usually a board member will ask if there are any extant policies on the matter.
• Relevant policies are then referred to, and the board uses them to reach a decision.
• When the existing policy does not cover the problem under discussion, or there is no policy:
• the board should defer the discussion for a future meeting.
• ask the director to draft a policy statement for its consideration.
• The director may:
• research the issue.
• investigate what other libraries have done in a similar situation.
• work with the board chair to ensure that the policy statement is legal and reflects the desires of the library patrons.
• A draft of the policy statement with procedures and/or a task outline should be included in the board packet for the next meeting.
• The draft discussion and possible passage should be an item on the next board agenda.
• If an issue is likely to cause tension within the community, the board should hold a public comment session before attempting to develop library policy on the matter.
• It is important to consider the public ramifications of a proposed policy statement before it is formally adopted.

Characteristics of an Effective Library Policy Statement

• An effective library policy statement:
• Is in alignment with the library’s mission statement.
• Does not conflict with the library’s plans and goals.
• Adheres to federal, state, and local laws.
• Aligns with the library’s other policy statements without contradictions.
• Treats all people with fairness and consistency.
• Gives clear guidance to the director and staff in implementing the policy.
• Protects the rights of staff and treats them with fairness and equity.
• Establishes overall direction without including procedural aspects.
• Reflects best public library practices.
• Types of Policy Statements:
• Collection Policy
• Governs the type and quality of materials offered to patrons.
• A library's collection policy must cover all formats that it offers, such as:
• books
• videos
• books on CD
• music CDs
• DVD movies
• online reference sources
• newspapers
• Intellectual Freedom Policy
• Librarians are usually staunch defenders of the First Amendment.
• A library’s collection must meet the needs of patrons, based on:
• age
• gender
• education level
• political affiliation (lack of)
• religious affiliation (lack of)
• A collection should have a variety of materials representing a spectrum of opinions.
• Every public library should adopt:
• The Freedom to Read statement endorsed by the Council of the American Library Association.
• The Library Bill of Rights adopted by ALA’s governing body.
• These statements are regularly reviewed to update them.
• A library will encounter a patron who objects to something the library has in its collection.
• The patron should fill out a form that clarifies why the item should be withdrawn from the collection.
• The staff will gather all reviews of the item and give them to the director for a decision, or the director will bring the item to the board for a decision.
• A library's intellectual freedom policy will need to cover customer objections.
• Personnel Policy
• Staff members must have policies governing:
• vacation
• sick leave
• retirement
• job classification
• salary schedules
• performance evaluation
• continuing education & training
• disciplinary action
• If a municipal library:
• Tthe city’s personnel department will have a complete set of policies in place.
• If a library's staff members are considered city employees, separate personnel policies are not necessary.
• If library staff are not part of some other organizational staff structure, the library board is responsible for making sure the appropriate policies are in place and that they are monitored regularly.
• The number of library staff becoming unionized is increasing.
• There will need to be a separate policy for non-union staff to accompany the collective bargaining agreement that the board will adopt on a regular basis.
• Collective bargaining agreements typically cover:
• hours
• working conditions
• grievance procedures
• other personnel matters
• State laws will be most helpful to understand what is allowable and advisable.
• Customer Service Policy
• A library should adopt formal customer service policies.
• Good customer service is important to its success.
• The policy or policies should be simple and positive in tone.
• Customer service training for staff should be a priority.
• A library board that insists on good customer service and provides the resources to back it up will be successful.
• Circulation Policy
• Circulation policy should include:
• eligibility criteria for borrowing
• policy for confidentiality that agrees with the U.S.A. Patriot Act
• guidelines for:
• overdue materials
• loan periods
• renewals
• Circulation policy should not include actual procedures, such as how the materials circulate.
• Avoid too much clarification.
• Make sure the circulation policy is stated in positive terms.
• Facilities Policy
• Hours of operation are often included within the facilities policy.
• The policy states how many hours the library(s) will be open per week but not which hours.
• Hours of operation may need to be changed, based on:
• the season
• state holidays
• remodeling
• installation of technology
• Include the above occasions in the policy statement.
• The facilities policy must cover issues such as:
• security
• meeting room use
• equipment use
• the library’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Management Policy
• Management policy covers issues, such as:
• responsibility & authority
• budgeting & fiscal control
• aquisition & ownership
• insurance & liability
• Board members need to be covered by errors and omissions insurance to protect them from liability for making bad decisions or neglecting to act.
• emergency preparedness
• Internet Policy
• The Internet is a powerful information resource.
• Librarians should be trained on manipulating the Internet and other computer resources.
• Libraries should have multiple computers available to children and adults.
• Filtering content inappropriate for children is mandated by federal law in the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
• Protecting children from the potential dangers of the Internet while maintaining adults’ First Amendment rights requires careful policy making.
• Possible Content for Internet Policy:
• Statement of the relationship between the Internet as a resource and the mission of the library.
• Statement of the relationship of the Internet policy to the collection development policy and other intellectual freedom policies.
• Statement that the library is not responsible for the content, reliability, accuracy, currency, or bias of the Internet.
• Statement that responsibility for guiding children in the use of all library materials, including the Internet, rests with the parents, not the library.
• Statement supporting the First Amendment rights of both children and adults.
• Explanation of the library’s position on filtering, including a warning that no filtering software is 100 percent effective.
• Assertion that the library staff is willing to advise and assist with the use of the Internet, as it does with all other services, but will also make every effort to protect the customer’s privacy and confidentiality.
• Statement that copyright laws are applicable to the Internet.
• List of prohibited behaviors and consequences, such as:
• hacking
• damaging equipment
• installing other software programs