AMY HOWLETTVERMONT DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES, 2/2/11

Trustee Orientation for Vermont Public Libraries

Ground rules

Everyone participates, no one dominatesDisagree with grace and tactThere’s no such thing as a stupid questionStretch or take a break if it’s necessaryMeetings start on time and end on time– or

early

Thanks to Lawrence Webster of Webster Consulting

Tonight’s Agenda

Trustee roles and responsibilitiesDirector rolesStaff or volunteer roles

List of other issues

Are there other issues important to this board?

A MANUAL FOR VERMONT LIBRARY TRUSTEES

VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES MONTPELIER, VERMONT

LATEST ONLINE UPDATE: 9/16/2010

Roles and Responsibilities

Trustee roles and responsibilities page 9

Hiring and evaluating the library directorLong range planning Financial managementSetting library policyPromoting library use and serving as

community linkCreating bylaws

Director roles and responsibilities 12

Hire, train, supervise and fire staffHelp public find informationSelect materials to build library collectionDevelop procedures to track materials,

members; responsible for other daily issuesKeep statistics and report to board, state, nationInform board of library trends and local

implicationsServe as spokesperson for library to meetings &

press

TrusteesTrustees Library directorLibrary director

Hire/supervise directorCreate long range plan Fiscal oversight,

budget approvalApprove all policiesEnsure the library has

a marketing plan

OVERSIGHT

Hire/supervise staffCreate/implement planSpend, report on,

create budgetRecommend/implementCoordinate/implement

marketing

DAILY MANAGEMENT

Comparison of roles

Ongoing trustee duties 9

Prepare for board meetings; attend and participate

Get to know the legal environment: state/ federal law

Support library services; visit and observeTalk about the library in the communityKeep open to the future: read, think, listen

Duty of Care or Diligence 9

“Act with the care that a reasonably prudent person in a similar position would use under similar circumstances”

Perform duties in good faithBehave in the best interests of the

organization

Duty of Loyalty 10

Stay aware of the territory between personal activities which might hurt the library and board activities

Avoid conflict between duty to the library and self-interest

Avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest

Duty of Obedience 10

Understand the statutes (Vermont and federal)

Understand the charter and bylaws if the library is incorporated

Understand municipal way of doing business if the library is municipal; library often not a town department

Don’t overstep trustee powers

Where do trustee powers originate?*

Incorporated libraries : 22 VSA 101 ff., keep bank accounts, spend money, create bylaws, and hire and fire library employees

Municipal libraries: 22 VSA 141 ff., full power to manage library, make bylaws, establish policy, hire and fire staff

Directors oversee day to day issues such as helping the public, selecting books and other materials, hiring staff, developing procedures, and spending funds as allocated

Are there grey areas? How should the trustees and the director deal with them?

* Law of Public Libraries, http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/librarylaw

Isn’t there a chart?

Understanding roles of trustees, director, staff and Friends

Continuing to explore rolesUsing conversation in meetings and one on

one to figure out who does whatWorking Together Chart online at

http://libraries.vermont.gov/libraries/trustees

Personnel issues for trustees 12, 21-23

The most direct board responsibility: hire, supervise, and evaluate the library director

Board is also legally responsible for duties, compensation, and personnel policies for all staff

The library director should hire and supervise all staff except for the director

Effective operation….

Communication is key

Director recommends personnel policy changes; only the board has the power to officially create and approve policy

Director has the authority to hire staff for positions approved by the board; s/he should keep the board informed of key personnel issues and decisions

If the board takes over the director’s responsibility to select and supervise staff, they effectively undermine the director’s authority

Lines of communication

Trustees should know who the staff are and what staff think of the library, its services, program & collection

Trustees must be careful not to undermine the director by taking on his or her duties

Trustees should tell staff with complaints about the director or other issues to discuss them with their supervisor or the director

The library should have a grievance procedure outlined in the personnel policy

Only in extreme situations, do staff go to the board

Library employee unions

Right to bargain collectively is guaranteed by federal law

Library board must not act in a way that interferes with legal collective rights

Consult a lawyer if you need legal assistance

Board uncertainty about roles?

Library bylawsA Manual for Vermont Library TrusteesInterlibrary loan books from Vermont

Department of Libraries; OK to ask for specific topic, e.g. personnel

Vermont Trustee Conference, Saturday in the fall

Town Officer Education Conference, spring weekday

Talk to the director

Take your questions to a consultant…

Rob Geiszler in Rutland, VT serving Addison, Chittenden & Rutland counties rob.geiszler@state.vt.us (802) 786-3839

Amy Howlett, in Bellows Falls, VT serving Bennington, Windham & Windsor counties amy.howlett@state.vt.us (802) 463-0142

Michael Roche, in St Johnsbury, VT serving Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, Orange & Washington michael.roche@state.vt.us (802) 748-3428

Jeremiah Kellogg, in Berlin, VT serving Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange & Washington jeremiah.kellogg@state.vt.us (802)828-2320

Vermont Department of Libraries   

This publication is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency, through the Library Services and Technology Act.