Or, Ways to Keep Your Board Career on Track
Now that I'm on the Board, what do I do?
- Use the Library. Visit the Library and attend its programs.
- Attend Board meetings and contribute to the discussions.
- Monitor and review policies, contracts and plans.
- Plan and evaluate Library goals and objectives, annually.
- Advocate and communicate the value of library service.
- Support and encourage library staff in their daily work.
- Know your community. Represent their wishes and needs.
(Utah State Library Division. Public Library Trustee Handbook, p.8-9)
How Not to Begin Your Board Career:
- Talk too much and listen too little.
- Publicly criticize a board decision you did not support.
- Ignore advice from fellow board members.
- show that you have all the answers for every question.
- Refuse to change your mind on any issue no matter what the evidence.
- Refuse to compromise.
- Leak information from a closed board session.
- Fail to prepare for meetings.
- Ridicule board decisions made before you came to the board.
- Fail to attend meetings regularly and complete work assigned to you.
(Massachusetts Public Library Trustee Handbook, p.1,8)
Ethics Statement for Public Library Trustees
- Trustees must promote a high level of library service while observing ethical standards.
- Trustees must avoid situations in which personal interests might be served or financial benefits gained at the expense of library users, colleagues, or the institution.
- It is incumbent upon any trustee to disqualify himself or herself immediately whenever the appearance of a conflict of interest exists.
- Trustees must distinguish clearly in their actions and statements between their personal philosophies and attitudes and those of the institution, acknowledging the formal position of the board even if they personally disagree.
- A trustee must respect the confidential nature of library business while being aware of an in compliance with applicable laws governing freedom of information.
- Trustees must be prepared to support to the fullest, the efforts of librarians in resisting censorship of library materials by groups or individuals.
- Trustees who accept appointment to a library board are expected to perform at all the functions of library trustees.
Adopted by the American Library Trustee Association and Public Library Association boards.