The New Leader by the year 3000

Board Meetings

• A potential board member might not know:
• Anyone else on the board.
• How the meetings will be run.
• How he will fit in.
• Individual responsibility.
• What the board does.
• Sometimes a potential board member learns that it will take at least two years to climb the learning curve and feel useful.
• Some board members are:
• elected
• appointed
• advisory
• Some boards have few or many members.
• The structure and work of the board depend on state library laws and if the library is:
• Urban
• Rural
• Small
• Large
• multi-branched
• regional
• municipal (a city department)
• county

Board Orientation

• A thorough orientation includes the following information:
• list of board members
• board members’ contact information
• board members’ terms of office
• description of board committees
• bylaws of the board
• library’s vision and mission statement and any planning documents
• copies of all current:
• library policies
• budget
• latest audit report
• board minutes for the last six months
• annual reports for the last five years
• diagram of organizational structure
• a copy of your state’s library laws
• description of the library’s:
• programs
• services
• hours
• annual statistical reports and any other evaluative data
• brochures or other publications about the library
• A new board member should tour the library’s facilities and talk with the director(s).
• A new board member should discuss:
• How the library is run.
• What relationships it has with local government and other public institutions such as schools.
• What vision the director has for the future of the library.

A Board Member's Job Description

• Some boards encourage membership of:
• people who are well known in the field.
• some want wealthy people who are expected to contribute to various funding campaigns.
• others look for people who can represent parts of the community and act on their behalf.
• Library board members:
• usually represent parts of the community and act on the community's behalf.
• a library board member may be referred to as a trustee.
• are stewards of the library’s growth and success.
• are caretakers of the library needs of the community.
• are public servants endowed with the people’s trust to take care of the community’s library and its patrons.
• need to be:
• politically capable
• economically capable
• socially conscious
• quick learners
• good team players
• enthusiastic about what libraries can do for the lifelong learning of the patrons.

Characteristics of Success

• Common characteristics of successful board members:
• A board member should be willing and able, if he/she does not already have experience in, to act as a whole group, not as individuals.
• willingness to:
• commit time and energy to the position
• make decisions
• consider new programs, methods, and technology to solve problems
• attend events for continuing education
• to participate in fund-raising
• desire to see the library assume an important role in the community that fully serves its customers.
• a record of working well with others.
• ability to:
• participate in discussions without taking over meetings.
• advocate for the library in the community and in presentations to some units of government.
• knowledge of the community.
• commitment to progress for the library.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• The Advisory Board
• An advisory board provides counsel and recommendations.
• Library branch board members or municipal library board members will probably be expected:
• to advise on library hours of operation
• to assist in strategic planning for the library
• to participate in the annual evaluation of the director
• to provide policy recommendations
• to act as a library advocate
• An advisory board member should ask what the specific responsibilities are.
• In some municipal libraries, the job of library governing is assigned to the board through municipal ordinance.
• The Governing Board:
• determines library policies
• creates the strategic plan
• sets the library budget
• has resource oversight of fund-raising and liability
• advocates for library
• hires and fires the library director
• answers only to the public for decisions they make
• governs the library
• does NOT manage the library
• The Director & Staff:
• manage the library
• Make decisions about:
• personnel
• program development
• daily operations
• technology use
• collection development
• marketing
• financial management
• program evaluation
• facility maintenance
• A Board Member:
• attends and participates at meetings.
• attendance and participation is vital to board success.
• board bylaws indicate the number of meetings acceptable to miss before dismissal.
• learns as much as he can about his responsibilites.
• learns and becomes familiar with local and national issues that affect libraries.
• understands the laws governing public meetings and availability of public records.
• upholds the First Amendment.
• protects the right to:
• read
• see
• listen
• encourages diversity
• emphasizes literacy
• is expected to accept leadership roles.
• Chairs and vice chairs:
• who plan and run meetings.
• appoint work committees for special projects.
• work closely with the library director in between meetings.
• often represent the board in meetings with governing officials or the media.
• may attend the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates or State Library Association conference meetings and/or workshops to aid in their efforts and growth as a board member.