SAMPLE BYLAWS ( Illinois Trustee Facts file, 3 rd edition, p.9) | Return to Appendix
Bylaws of the XYZ Public Library
These rules are supplementary to the provisions of the statutes of the State of Illinois as they relate to the procedures of Boards of Library Trustees.
Regular Meetings.
The regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees of the XYZ Public Library shall be on the BLANK (insert text such as first Monday) of each month. The meeting shall be at the library at BLANK o’clock. The meetings shall be open to the public and noticed in advance. At the beginning of each fiscal year, the board shall, by ordinance, specify regular meeting dates and times. The secretary of the board shall then (1) provide for the local newspaper the schedule of regular meetings of the board for the ensuing fiscal year, and (2) post the schedule of meetings in the library. Both notices shall have the dates, times, and places of such meetings.
Special Meetings.
Special meetings shall be held at any time when called by the president or secretary or by any three trustees of the board, provided that notice with the agenda of the special meeting is given at least 48 hours in advance, except in the case of a bona fide emergency, to board members and to any new medium which has filed an annual request for notice under the Open Meetings Act; no business except that stated in the notice and agenda shall be transacted. Notice and agenda shall be posted 48 hours in advance on the front door of the library except in the case of a bona fide emergency.
Annual Meeting.
An annual meeting shall be held in BLANK (insert month) for the purpose of hearing the annual reports of the librarian and committees. The report should include a summary of the year’s work with detailed account of the receipts and expenditures, a budget for the following year, and other information according to statute. A copy of this report shall be forwarded to the Illinois State Library in accordance with the law. A copy should also be on file in the library.
Quorum.
A quorum at any meeting shall consist of BLANK (insert number) Board members.
Board of Library Trustees.
The Board of Library Trustees of the XYZ Public Library is charged with the responsibility of the governance of the library. The Board will hire a skilled Library Director who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the library. The Board will meet at least once per month. These meetings will be open to the public, and noticed in advance.
The agenda and/or information packet for the meetings will be distributed to the Board by the Library Director one week prior to meetings. Any Board member wishing to have an item placed on the agenda will call the Library Director in sufficient time preceding the meeting to have the item placed. Any Board member who is unable to attend a meeting will call the library to indicate that he or she will be absent. Due to the fact that a quorum is required for each meeting, this phone call should be placed as far in advance as possible.
Board members are not to be compensated pursuant to statute, but will be reimbursed for necessary and related expenses as trustees. To be effective, Board members must attend most meetings, read materials presented for review, and attend an occasional Library System (or other library related) workshop, seminar, or meeting. The Library Director will make the dates of these workshops known to the Board in a timely manner. It is the goal of the Board of Library Trustees to have each member attend a minimum of one Library System (or other library related) workshop, seminar, or meeting during each calendar year. Board members using their own vehicle will be reimbursed at the rate allowed by the IRS for travel to and from any Library System (or other library related) workshop, seminar, or meeting. Board members are not exempt from late fees, fines, or other user fees.
Officers and Elections.
The officers of the Board shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer. Those officers shall be elected by a ballot vote for BLANK (insert number) year terms at the regular meeting in the month of BLANK. The president shall not serve more than two consecutive terms unless by unanimous board consent. In the event of a resignation from an office, an election to fill the unexpired term of that office will be conducted by a ballot vote at the next regular meeting.
President.
The president shall preside at all board meetings, appoint all standing and special committees, serve as ex-officio member of all committees, and perform all other such duties as may be assigned by the board. The president shall be the only spokesperson for the Board of Library Trustees in all advisory or disciplinary action directed to the staff.
Vice President.
The vice-president, in the absence of the president, shall assume all duties of the president.
Secretary.
The secretary shall keep minutes of all board meetings, record attendance, record a roll call on all votes (except when a ballot vote is taken). The secretary shall perform all other such clerical duties as may be assigned by the board.
Treasurer.
The treasurer is authorized by the Board to sign checks, shall serve on the finance committee, and shall draw up checks. The treasurer shall keep all financial records of the Board. The normal depository of all financial records shall be the library. The treasurer shall have charge of the library funds and income, sign all the checks on the authorization of the board, and report at each meeting the state of the funds. In the absence of the treasurer or when he or she is unable to serve, the president or vice-president may perform the duties of the treasurer. The treasurer shall be bonded in the amount to be approved by the board and according to statute requirement. The treasurer is authorized to pay salaries and insurance bills as they come due.
Standing and Special Committees.
The standing committees shall be appointed annually in the month of BLANK and shall consist of three members including the Library Director. The standing committees at their first meeting shall elect a chairperson. Special committees may be appointed by the president to present reports or recommendations to the Board and shall serve until the completion of the work for which they were appointed. The standing committees shall be the finance committee, the personnel committee, the policy committee, and the building and grounds committee. The library shall be the depository of all committee reports.
Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee shall be comprised of two members of the Library Board of Library Trustees including the Treasurer and the Library Director. The Finance Committee’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, drafting a preliminary Budget or Budget and Appropriations Ordinance for full board approval, drafting a Levy for full board approval, drafting a working budget for full board approval, monitoring library investments, and implementing the library’s investment policy.
Personnel Committee.
The Personnel Committee shall be comprised of two members of the Library Board of Library Trustees including the President and the Library Director. The Personnel Committee’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, preparation of the annual review of the Library Director for discussion among the full board prior to the formal review, assisting the Library Director in the preparation of his or her annual statement of goals and objectives for the coming year, and assuming a leadership role in the resolution of any personnel conflict which cannot be resolved by the Library Director. The Library Director is responsible for the annual review of all other library employees.
Policy Committee.
The Policy Committee shall be comprised of two members of the Library Board of Library Trustees and the Library Director. The primary responsibility of the Policy Committee is to develop the Library Policy. This policy shall include the division of responsibility between Board and staff, a Library Materials Selection Policy, and shall adhere to the “Library Bill of Rights” and the “Freedom to Read” statements of the American Library Association. The committee shall determine the library regulations governing the use of the Library and review sections of existing policy in a systematic fashion to insure that all policy is reviewed at an interval not to exceed three years. As a result of such policy reviews, the Policy Committee will make recommendations regarding additions or changes to existing policy as well as deleting policies which are no longer appropriate or of value. The entire library Policy must be approved by Board vote and made readily available to the public.
Building and Grounds Committee.
The Building and Grounds Committee shall be comprised of two members of the Library Board of Library Trustees and the Library Director. The Building and Grounds Committee’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, conducting an annual inspection of the library’s physical facility to identify areas which are in need of repair, and making recommendations to the full board regarding any and all repairs which are deemed necessary either as a result of the annual inspection or throughout the year as the need arises.
Librarian Search Committee.
When the position of librarian falls vacant, the Board shall immediately select an acting librarian for the interim and establish a Librarian Search Committee, which shall consist of the President and two members elected from the Board. Applications for the position of librarian shall be filed at the library and available to all Board members. The Search Committee shall report the results of applications and interviews to the Board. Five votes shall be required for the Board to hire a Librarian, after which the Search Committee is dissolved.
Order of Business.
The following Order of Business shall be followed at regular meetings:
Call to order
Roll call, recording both present and absent members
President’s report
Secretary’s report, approval of minutes as received or corrected
Correspondence, communications, and public comments
Financial report, approval of bills payable
Librarian’s report
Committee reports, in order of their appearance in the Bylaws
Unfinished business
New business
Other
Adjournment
Parliamentary Procedure.
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the Board, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws.
Amendments.
Amendments to these Bylaws, the Library Policy, or any other policy or procedural document may be proposed at any regular meeting of the Board and will become effective if and as adopted by a majority of those members present providing they represent a quorum.