Library Board of Trustees Orientation

1. Library Board of Trustees Orientation Ruth Hyatt, Manager of Extension Services Arkansas State Library Sept. 2009

2. Welcome to the Library Board! • Every new member of the library board should… • Take a scheduled tour of the library! • See every department, sit on the furniture, use the technology, drink out of the water fountain… • Meet the library staff, members of the friends group and the other members of the library board BEFORE the first meeting of your term. • Sign up for a library card! • Attend a Trustee Orientation session. Check the Arkansas State Library Training Calendar for dates or ask your Library Director to schedule a special session.

3. The Library Director should provide you with the following information “kit” 1. Promotional information about all library services 2. A staff list with position descriptions 3. A brief library history 4. A library mission statement 5. A library policy manual 6. The minutes of the last year of board meetings 7. A current budget and information on how the library is funded 8. A copy of the library’s long range plan 9. The most recent annual reports 10. Statistical reports on circulation and library services 11. A community analysis with demographic and employment trends 12. A schedule of regular board meetings and meeting locations 13. A copy of the Library Board Bylaws 14. Contact and term information for the other members of the library board

4. Available from the Arkansas State Library Request as many copies as you like through the Extension Service Department 501-682-5288 • The Trustee Manual • The Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated By Interlibrary Loan through your local library • The Library Trustee: a practical guidebook Young , Virginia G. • The Successful Library Trustee Handbook Moore, Mary Y. in consultation with the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates • Trustee Trouble: The Misadventures of a New Library Board Member (DVD) produced by the Wyoming State Library

5. My Library System Official Name of the Library System _______________________________________________________ Funding Agencies____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ Fiscal Year runs from _____________________________to ________________________________ (month, day) (month, day) Funding for the current fiscal year ( FY20_ _) State Funding $________________________ Local Funding $________________________ Generated Income (fines,fees) $________________________ Gifts and donations $________________________ TOTAL Library System Budget $________________________ Usage Statistics for the Last Fiscal Year ( FY 20 _ _) Registered Borrowers ____________ as of % of population ____________ Circulation (check outs) _____________ per capita ____________ Library visits _____________ per capita ____________ # of Children’s programs_____________ total attendance ____________ # of Teen Programs _____________ total attendance ____________ # of Adult programs _____________ total attendance ____________ Notes and other information _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

6. My Library System Official Name ________________________________________________________ Location Address Directors/Branch Manager phone County Served ____________________ ______________________ ____________ ________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________ ________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________ ________________ ____________________ _______________________ ____________ _________________ Regional Board Board member nameContact Information ______________________________ (President) ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ County Board Board member name Contact Information ______________________________(President) ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ Library Board for________________________________Library Board member name Contact Information ______________________________(President) ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________ ______________________________ ____________________________

7. My Library Library Official Name _______________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________ Phone: ___ ___ ____ Fax: ___ ___ ____ Director ________________________________ County (Counties) served __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ Library Board Name phone Term begins Term ends ____________________________________(P) ___________ _________ __________ ____________________________________ ___________ __________ __________ ____________________________________ ____________ __________ __________ ____________________________________ ____________ __________ __________ ____________________________________ ____________ __________ __________ ____________________________________ ____________ __________ __________ ____________________________________ ____________ __________ __________ Funding for the Current Fiscal Year ( ) Local Funding City $_____________ Local Funding County $_____________ Generated Income (fines/Fees) $ _____________ State Funding $ _____________ Gifts and Donations $_____________ TOTAL Library Budget $_____________ Usage Statistics for the Last Fiscal Year ( ) Registered Borrowers ____________ % of population ________ Circulation (check outs) ____________ per capita ________ Library Visits ____________ per capita ________ Total # of programs ____________ Total Attendance ________

8. Golden (Red) Rules for Library Board Members • Leave the actual management of the library to the Library Director! It is the responsibility of the library board to hire a qualified library director. The library director is then responsible for the hiring and supervision of any other library staff and is charged with the daily operations of the library. The library board should be doing a yearly review of the director’s job performance. • All rules and policies must be approved by a quorum of the board at a scheduled meeting. You cannot conduct legal business if there is not a quorum of board members present. The library director should be present at all board meetings. • One Body, One Voice! Once the agenda item in question has been discussed and a vote has been taken, a quorum or majority will decide the outcome. Once that decision has been properly recorded into the minutes and adopted into the library policies you must not express your own personal criticism of that decision to the library staff or the general public.

9. Golden (red) Rules • What happens at the board meeting stays at the board meeting! Do not divulge information from executive sessions of the board or any information regarding future board actions until after those actions are officially undertaken. • Do not listen to tattletales or gossips! There is a chain of communication. Library staff/ public library director board Board library director library staff/public • Be ready, be willing but most importantly, be there! If you cannot attend regularly scheduled meetings, you will be asked to resign from the board. 13-2-502 (2) (d) (1) The removal of any trustee permanently from the city or his or her absence from four (4) consecutive meetings of the board without due explanation of absence shall render his or her office as trustee vacant. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated pg. 26

10. What is your role? In general… • Know your community. Be able to discuss with your director, fellow board members, and community leaders the needs of the local population. Be aware of employment and cultural trends. Your director is responsible for knowing how to use this information to improve library services. • Be part of the planning process for new services. Your director and library staff are responsible for the implementation of the new services. Listen to them. Let them do the work. Then review the results. • Establish goals for the library and help to create a long term plan. The library director and staff are responsible for the daily work to pursue those goals. The board should do a yearly evaluation of goals and the long range plan so that it can be adjusted as necessary. Remember that your goals and long term plans need to include every aspect of library operation—staff, services, funding, materials, technology, buildings and grounds • Become a member of the Arkansas Library Association—there is a division for Trustees. Also consider joining the Trustee Division of the American Library Association ALTA. Your director and every person on staff should have the opportunity to be active members in their local and national associations.

11. What is your role? Legal • Be familiar with the public library laws of Arkansas. The Arkansas State Library distributes the Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated. Your director should be familiar with the laws and have this publication readily available for their use and yours. • Develop library policies that comply with Arkansas law. Be certain to properly adopt new or changed policies into the library’s official policy manual. Your director should be bringing recommendations to the board about new policies or policy changes and give you guidance about how to create policy that is viable and proactive in the daily operations of the library. • Follow the written library policy when the board receives or expends any library money or property. The director and the staff hired to fulfill positions dealing with ordering or purchasing will handle the day to day expenditures of library funds. Your role here is supervisory. The director should be providing you with a financial statement and be able to produce accurate records and billing statements of all library transactions. An annual report and budget should be submitted to the state library.

12. What is your role? Legal • Evaluate and approve agreements or contracts with companies, institutions or individuals for services, equipment, materials and buildings for the library. The director will inform the board of the need or services required, recommend to the board the necessary contracts and options and with their approval arrange for contracts or other agreements with individuals, companies or institutions for services, equipment, materials, property and buildings for the library. You are not required nor encouraged to personally seek out individuals, companies, or institutions to provide services, equipment, materials, property or buildings for the library. You may be asked to be part of a committee that brings information and recommendations before the entire board, but no individual actions should ever be taken. • Conduct an annual review of the library’s buildings and grounds. Do an annual check of insurance coverage for both buildings and contents. The director is to review the maintenance agreements/schedules/contracts for the library’s buildings and grounds. The director should also provide the board with an accurate annual inventory of library property and materials.

13. What is your role? Legal • Be active in the support of beneficial library legislation on local, state, and federal levels. The director should be doing exactly the same. • Do not conduct library business if there is not a quorum of board members in attendance. • 14-14-707 (d) Quorum. A majority of board members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business and exercising powers and responsibilities. Board action may be taken by a majority vote of those present and voting unless the ordinance creating the board requires otherwise. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated pg.54 • Do not participate in any action or decision that could be construed as a conflict of interest. The director should never participate in any such action or decision. What is a conflict of interest?

14. Conflict of interest • By definition a conflict of interest is a conflict between one’s obligation to the public good and one’s self-interest, as in the case of a public officeholder who owns stock in a company seeking government contracts.

15. What is your role? Creating Library Policy • Work with the recommendations and information provided by the library director to create and properly adopt written policies governing the operation of the library. Your library should have a written policy manual that includes policies on: --collection development/ weeding --personnel --circulation --programming --gifts and donations to the library --the use of the library (all it’s services and equipment) by the public • The director will: a. recommend policies to the board b. inform the staff and public of new or changed policies c. administer the day to day operations of the library within the framework of the written policy manual • Listen to the concerns of the library director and of the library staff and public (when brought before you by the library director), give these concerns due consideration and work together to deliver prompt action.

16. What is your role? Policy • Four tests of legally defensible policies… 1. The policy must comply with current law 2. The policy and all penalties applied to that policy must be reasonable 3. The policy must be clear and easy to understand for both staff and patrons 4. The policy must be applied without discrimination

17. What is your role? The Library Budget • Know the library’s financial situation!Review the financial reports provided by the library director. Learn how the library is funded. Know your library’s policies regarding fees, fines, gifts, donations and endowments. Be supportive of bond issues and millage campaigns. Seek out grant opportunities. The director should be able to provide your with any financial information that you need about funding sources, anticipated income and any possible means of acquiring funds from alternative sources. • Work withthe director to develop and adopt an annual budget that will allow the director to pursue the library’s goals and long range plans for growth and service. The director should assist you in developing a budget that clearly states the amount of money needed, the services and materials that will be provided with the money and how those materials and services should be prioritized. • Support the director in the presentation of the annual budget to any funding entities such as the city, county or state or simply to the general public. Be prepared to defend the library budget.

18. What is your role? budget • Develop a set of policies for the formal acceptance or rejection of gifts and endowments. • Make sure that the library budget includes funds for the professional development of library staff and the members of the library board of trustees so that they may attend library related training and conferences. Don’t forget that maintenance and other non professional or Para-professional staff should be encouraged to pursue training opportunities as well. • Do not forget to designate a portion of the budget to create a strong public relations campaign!

19. What is your role? Personnel • Employ a competent and qualified library director! Once in place, the director will hire and supervise all other library staff. • Develop and adopt a written set of personnel policies that include every position within the library staff structure and will address… • Job descriptions/ responsibilities • A competitive salary • Schedule • Procedures for hiring and firing • Fringe benefits such as paid sick leave, paid vacation or annual leave, holidays, unpaid leave and insurance. • Do not forget the chain of communication!

20. What is your role? Public Relations • Be a personal library user! The director will create a welcoming environment for library patrons, develop a staff that is helpful and maintain a high level of library service. • Be prepared to promote the library and its services in your business and social relationships. The director will create and maintain a public relations program for the library that will make it much easier for you to develop your “elevator chat” and promote the library. • Take every opportunity to make a connection with officials at every level of government; local, county, state and national. • Make every effort to create and maintain a positive relationship with the media and other “opinion makers” in the community. • Learn about and actively support legislation to improve library services on a local, state, and national level. (The Arkansas State Library website is a good place to start) The director should also be aware of and ready to support this legislation.

21. Board Offices President 13-2-502 e Immediately after their appointment, the trustees shall meet and organize by the election of (1) of their number as president and by the of such other officers as they may deem necessary. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated 2007-2008 pg. 26 The president of the board of trustees may act as the spokesperson for the board and the library director. The president is expected to run the board meetings so that business is conducted quickly and efficiently. The board president may work with the library director to add items to the meeting agenda prior to the meeting. Roberts Rules of Order is a good tool to use when running any meeting. The position of board president does not grant the holder veto power. Every vote has equal value. The position of board president does not allow you act alone on any issue of library board business.

22. Board Offices Vice President If the library board chooses to conduct an election for this position, a member of the board can assume the office of vice president. The vice president may conduct the board meetings in the absence of the board president if the board agrees that this is one of the duties of the office. The vice president position is often put into use so that there is someone willing and prepared to take over the position of board president. Chief financial officer The board member elected to this position can be designated as the one responsible for signing any report, contract or form regarding the expenditure of library funds. Someone, either president or chief financial officer, needs to be designated as the one to sign so that you do not face the confusion of multiple signatures and increase you possibility of fraud. Secretary Someone willing to keep the minutes and act as record keeper for the board.

23. Board Bylaws • Every library board is responsible for creating their own set of bylaws. These bylaws will help you to work together effectively. Remember: state and federal laws always supersede any local library bylaw • Bylaws should address… • appointments and terms of office • The library officers to be elected, how they are elected and the powers and responsibilities of each officer • When meetings are held, and how meetings are conducted • Meeting attendance • The chain of communication between the library board, the library director and the library staff and public • What committees are appointed, how they are appointed and what they do—be clear that actions by board committees are advisory only and that only the actions of a quorum of the full board have legal authority • Conflict of interest • How the bylaws are amended

24. Regional Boards • 13-2-903. Creation of a regional library system pg 43 Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated • Interlocal Cooperation Agreement 13-2-903 (c) (4) Specify the powers to be granted to the system and its board of trustees and any limitations on the exercise of the powers granted, including limitations on the system’s area of operations and the use of the systems funds and facilities; • 13-2-903 (c) (6) Establish the portion of financial assistance and support to be apportioned among the participating jurisdictions in the system; • 13-2-903 (c) (7) set forth the terms and condition for the withdrawal from the system and the division of any system funds or property.

25. Regional Boards • 13-2-904 (a) (1) (A) The management and control of a regional library system shall be vested in a board of trustees, who shall be appointed by the county or municipal library boards from among the membership of the county or municipal library boards. • 13-2-904 (a) (2) The number of trustees shall be agreed upon by the governing bodies of the municipality or municipalities and with the county quorum courts which have agreed with each other or among themselves to create, maintain and support the system. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated 2007-2008 pg. 44

26. Regional Board Powers and Duties • Powers and duties • 13-2-905 (3) the board shall: • (A) adopt such bylaws, rules and regulation and policies for their own guidance, including personnel policies, and for the governing of the regional library system as they deem reasonable and necessary. • (B) meet at least one (1) time in each calendar quarter • (C) Have custody and supervision of all property of the regional library system, including the rooms or buildings constructed, leased or set apart for the system; • (D) employ a system director, who shall serve at the will of the board, which shall prescribe his or her duties and fix his or her compensation; • (E) Have exclusive control of the finances of the system; • 13-2-905 (4) The board shall, by appropriate order recorded in its minutes authorize the director to expend system funds for lawful purposes only and in accordance with its budget. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated 2007-2008 p 44-45

27. The Board Meeting Before the meeting: The library director should work with the president of the board to determine the agenda of a scheduled meeting and to provide the necessary materials and information to prepare each member of the board. Board members who wish to add an item to the meeting agenda should approach their board president who will then contact the library director about the addition. • Materials sent out prior to the meeting should include • Agenda • Minutes of the last meeting • Monthly financial report • Monthly bills • Any background information necessary to make an informed decision on agenda items. • Director /committee/ department reports

28. The board meeting During the meeting: Now is the time to ask questions of the director or staff in attendance. You must never approach library staff outside of a scheduled meeting to discuss library business. Remember the chain of communication! Every voice should be heard. It is the role of the board president to give each board member a chance to speak and ask questions. Meetings are also an appropriate place for trustee training and education. Library staff, State Library consultants, or outside experts can be asked to make short presentations to the board.

29. Open meetings Vs. Executive meetings • 25-19-106. Open public meetings • (a) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all meetings formal or informal, special or regular, of the governing bodies of all municipalities, counties, townships, and school districts and all boards, bureaus, commissions or organizations of the State of Arkansas, except grand juries, supported wholly or in part by public funds or expending public funds, shall be public meetings. • (b) (1) The time and place of each regular meeting shall be furnished to anyone who requests the information. • (c) (1) Executive sessions will be permitted only for the purpose of considering employment, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining, or resignation of any public officer or employee. The specific purpose of the executive session shall be announced in public before going into executive session. • (4) No resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation or motion considered or arrived at in executive session will be legal unless, following the executive session, the public body reconvenes in public session and presents and votes on the resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation or motion. Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated 2007-2008 pg. 104

30. Challenged Materials • Your library should have: • written collection development policies • A materials challenge form that any staff member may hand out • Challenge chain of command known to all • Staff member hears the challenge from a patron • Staff person offers the challenged materials form • The form is not to be accepted if it is not signed • The form and the item are then taken to the director (check the item out to the director) • The library director reviews the item or assigns knowledgeable staff members to a challenged materials review committee. • The director should contact the patron within 30 days with the initial review of the material. This discussion may be all that is needed to resolve the issue. • The director can then put the challenge onto the agenda of a regularly scheduled board meeting and provide board members with the challenged item and all review materials / selection criteria • The board members each review the item and then discuss it during the board meeting. A quorum decision is needed to determine what will be done with the item: change it’s location within library departments, make it non-circulating, or remove the item from the library collection. • The decision of the board is final and should not be second guessed by library staff. • The last stage of taking the matter to court for a legal battle is very rare but you should have prepared legal council ready to present and defend the library board’s decision.

31. The library Bill of Rights Library Bill of Rights The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. • I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. • II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. • III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. • IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. • V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. • VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. • Adopted June 18, 1948, by the ALA Council; amended February 2, 1961; amended June 28, 1967; amended January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 24, 1996.

32. Evaluating the Library Director • The library board should be doing an annual evaluation of their director and the regional board should be doing an annual evaluation of the regional director. • The director’s job description should be current. A yearly review of the position can help you make necessary changes to the job description. • The board can gather a lot of useful information about the daily running of the library or the region. • Your review gives the director formal feedback on their job performance and gives the board an official record of the director’s performance for that year. This can be used by the board to either encourage and empower the director or to create a record of unsatisfactory performance necessary for disciplinary action or termination.

33. Evaluating the Library Director • The board as a whole evaluates the director. The initial review can be done by a committee but the entire board must be present when the review is presented to the director for discussion, and when the final written evaluation is approved. • You may ask for staff assistance during your review and interview them in a formal meeting. Be sure that the director is aware of the meeting. Remember the chain of communication. This is one meeting that can be conducted without the library director present.

34. Evaluating the director • Base your performance review on 3 factors • The director’s performance of their job based on their written job description. 2. Their progress towards the goals and objectives from the previous year. How are you progressing through the long range plan? 3. The success of library programs and services. How did the director contribute to that success?

35. Evaluating the director Key questions • How well has the director utilized the resources available to him/her? Is library service provided efficiently and effectively at your public library? • Does the community like and respect the director? Is he/she accessible? Do people enjoy coming to the library? • Is the library in good financial shape? Does the director stay within the budget and provide clear and timely reports to the board? Does the annual budget, as initially drafted by the director, adequately reflect the needs for library service in the community? Is the director successful in obtaining necessary funding (with the help and involvement of the board)? • Does the director communicate effectively to staff? Is he/she a good supervisor? • Trustee Essential 6: Evaluating the Director http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/te6.html

36. Evaluating the director Key questions • Is use of the library increasing? If not, why not? (Success is not strictly the responsibility of the director, but of course she/he has direct influence. • Is the director creative, willing to try new things and does he or she give considerable effort to making programs work? • Does the director accurately and fully provide the board with the information you need to do your job? Does the director provide the board with well considered advice? • Has the director put appropriate effort into achievement of the annual objectives agreed to between the board and the director? Is the director striving to accomplish the goals and objectives of the library’s long-range plan? • Trustee Essential 6: Evaluating the Director http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/te6.html

37. Evaluating the library board • Every library board should do an annual self assessment to determine their effectiveness. • Use your by laws to evaluate individual performance, conduct, and attendance. • Consider your decision making process—is it efficient or bogged down in unnecessary debate? Is one personality dominating the discussion? Are you asking enough questions before decisions are voted on or do you often find that you were not as informed as you should have been? • Is everyone following the golden rules and the chain of communication? • Whose term is about to end? Who should be the next president of the board? Who in the community might be a suitable candidate for board membership?

38. Membership in ArLA and ALA • The Arkansas Library Association has a division for Trustees • http://www.arlib.org/index.php • ALTAFF : Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations. February 1, 2009- Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates (ALTA) joined forces to become an expanded division of ALA. The boards of both FOLUSA and ALTA believe that a strong division that reaches as many formalized lay support and governing groups of libraries as possible will be extremely important for America’s libraries. “No one has a stronger voice for libraries in the community and on campus than those who use and love libraries. This is a wonderful opportunity to pull those voices together for advocacy,” said FOLUSA board president, Peggy Barber. This new division will help Trustees and Friends work together at the local, state, and national levels to effectively promote and advocate for libraries. In an effort to bring in as many Trustees and Friends as possible, ALA has made special membership pricing available for individuals and associates. The ultimate goal will be to harness the power of hundreds of thousands of library advocates so that libraries will thrive even in times of economic distress. Meeting challenges and taking advantage of opportunities in the 21st century won't be possible for libraries that don't have powerful advocates in their communities - in other words, Trustees and Friends.  http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/about/index.cfm

39. Resources • ALA website http://www.ala.org/ • ALTAFF website http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/about/index.cfm • Arkansas Public Library Laws Annotated • Golden Rules http://midhudson.org/trustee/orientation/BoardOrientation.pdf • Georgia Public library Service Board Orientation Toolkit • http://www.georgialibraries.org/lib/publications/trustee_orientation_kit.pdf • Trustee Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Trustees http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/handbook.html