Trustee Manual: Roles and Golden Rules
Chapter 15 Roles and Golden Rules | Next Chapter | Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | PDF
Roles for Utah Boards | Orientation for Board Members | Board Member Notebook | Golden Rules for Library Board Members | Self-Evaluation
Often it seems difficult to separate and differentiate the duties and activities of the library director and the board. The bottom line is that the board and the director are partners working together to oversee the management of the library and ensure its success. Trustees are appointed to represent the public in the governing of the library and derive their authority from the Utah Code. The library director is hired to be the day-to-day manager of a public agency and acts as the executive officer for the library board (UCA 9-7-407 and UCA 9-7-507). He/She supplies the expert knowledge needed to manage the organization in accordance with board guidance. For a comparison of the roles and responsibilities of trustees and library directors see Appendix K.
Roles for Utah Boards
Governance: Know local, and state laws affecting libraries and ensure that library services conform to all Utah statutes. Read Utah's Public Library Certification Standards, and contact the Utah State Library with questions.
Planning: Participate in developing an overall plan for library improvement, set short-term and long-range goals and objectives. Annually evaluate both plans and make revisions for the future, and know how to measure library success.
Personnel: Employ a qualified library director at a competitive salary. Support the librarian in efforts to meet State certification requirements. Be aware of local, State, and federal employment practice laws.
Policy Making: Participate actively in the policy making process to support the library’s mission in the community. Adopt written policies to support the strategic plan of the library and guide daily operations.
Finances/Budget:Understand the categories and sources of tax revenues available for library needs. Be knowledgeable of benefits to the library from Community Library Enhancement Fund (CLEF) grants, LSTA grants and E-Rate. Ensure that the library annually complies with the "Maintenance of Effort" funding level.
Public Relations: Establish, promote, and participate in a planned program of public relations on behalf of the library. Maintain important and influential contacts in the community and keep them informed of the library's progress and critical needs.
Continuing Education: Provide an annual budget for library personnel and trustees to attend library workshops, conferences, and meetings. Attend UPLIFT-T training and library association sponsored meetings for public library trustees.
Orientation for Board Members
The board and library benefit when new trustees are well informed and can assume an active role early in their tenure. Orientation is key to making new board members feel comfortable and confident, and a continuous board development can re-energize those who have served a long time. When a new trustee is appointed, the board chairperson and library director should meet with the trustee as soon as possible to welcome him/her, provide essential information, and discuss any concerns the new member may have. A tour of the library is highly advantageous. Staff should be introduced, and library services and programs described. See a sample outline of a comprehensive trustee orientation and development plan in Appendix L.
Board Member Notebook
The board chair should supply each new member with a 3-ring binder containing basic information about the library, board organization, and documents pertinent to board business. It should be each member's responsibility to keep the notebook updated and to return the notebook to the library at the end of his/her term. Sections within the binder may include:
- Calendar – Calendar of board meetings and key library activities
- Contacts – Contact information of all library trustees, library director, and local government officials
- Bylaws – Library Board of Directors bylaws
- Minutes – Agenda and Minutes from recent board meetings
- Mission & Strategic Plan –The library mission statement, long-range plan, and staff organization chart
- Annual Report & Budget – Library annual reports including financials
- Certification – Public Library Certification Standards
- Library Laws – Copies of selected library-related Utah statutes
- Trustee Manual – Utah Public Library Trustee Manual
- Professional Organizations – Information about the Utah Library Association (ULA) and their Trustees Roundtable (see Appendix E), as well as the American Library Association (ALA) and their division for trustees (see Appendix F)
Golden Rules for Library Board Members
Now That I'm on the Board, What Should I DO?
- Use the Library! Visit the Library and attend its programs.
- Attend Board meetings and contribute to Board business.
- Be prepared for meetings by researching agenda topics in advance.
- Assist the Board to:
- Monitor and review policies and plans,
- Plan and evaluate Library goals and objectives annually, and
- Review budget and financial issues.
- Advocate and communicate the value of library service.
- Know your community so you can represent their wishes and needs.
Now That I'm on the Board, What Should I NOT DO?
- Don't talk too much, or listen too little.
- Don't publicly criticize a board decision you did not support.
- Don't criticize board decisions made before you came to the board.
- Don't leak information from a closed board session, or speak for the board. The Board Chairperson is the only official Spokesperson of the Board.
- Don't ignore advice from fellow board members.
- Don't try to have all the answers for every question.
- Don't miss meetings.
- Don't fail to complete work assigned to you.
Trustee and Board Self-Evaluation
It is good practice to periodically take a critical look at your own performance as a library trustee to identify areas of strength or issues you can work on today. Similarly, the board should periodically analyze how effectively it functions as a unified policy-making body. The self-evaluation questions included in Appendix I and Appendix J may help you in this process.