Trustee Manual Survey Summary

P A R T N E R I N G F O R S O L U T I O N S

Trustee Manual Survey Summary

July 6, 2009


Survey • Online Zoomerang survey

• Sent to all library trustees and library directors

• Received 81 responses – 58 library trustees

– 20 library directors• 2 interim library directors

– 1 trustee and director

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Respondent Composition

3


Years of Service

4


5

Type of Board


Effective Orientation64% of Trustees reported having had an orientation; 62% of

them felt their orientation had been effective.

Information on: • Local and state library laws• Library programs• Budget process• Trustee responsibilities and legal obligations• The County and dealing with the County• The Community and contacts• Issues facing board members

Documents:• Trustee manual, previous minutes, treasury report • Notebook with library and board information

Meetings and tours: • Introduction to staff and County Council members• Library tour and branch visits• Meeting with library director• Meeting with other board members 6


7


Orientation – would like to see…

78% reported it took at least a year to completely understand what was expected of them

Participants reported it would have been helpful to have -• Information on-

– Historical precedence (how things had been handled in the past)

– Liabilities as a board member– The County budget approval process– Library funding– The political environment– Institutional planning

• Information that is more clearly referenced (currently requires too much searching)

• A list of FAQs• An opportunity to sit in on other County board meetings

and/or attend a library board meeting prior to appointment • Items listed on slide #9 on ‘effective orientation’ 8


Role of the Library Director

• Recommend policies to the board (95%)• Implement policies approved by the board (95%)• Serve as an advocate for the library and its

services in the community (95%)• Attend board meetings; prepare progress reports;

respond to board requests (95%)• Prepare and submit the annual budget to the board

(88%) • Recruit, hire and evaluate library staff (88%)• Inform the board of laws affecting the library (88%)• Manage the day-to-day operation of the library

(85%)9


Role of the Library Director

Additional responsibilities include - • Liaison to Citizens group• Respond to changing lifestyles and

demographics• Participate in County department head

meetings• Communicate with other County entities• Oversee building library facilities• Fundraising • Meet regularly with the Board Chair• Educate the Board on library trends

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Role of the Library Trustee

• Attend meetings (99%)

• Enhance library standing in the community (99%)

• Advocacy (95%)

• Ensure legal and ethical integrity (92%)

• Support and evaluate the library director (92%)

• Enhance library public standing (90%)

• Financial oversight - including budget and fundraising (85%)

• Strategic planning (85%)

• Lobbying (79%)

• Board self-evaluation (79%)

• Hiring and firing the library director (76%)

• Monitor and strengthen programs and services (70%)11


Role of the Library Trustee

Additional responsibilities include -

• Hiring and firing of staff

• Perform research to evaluate policies proposed by the director

• Fundraising

• Support the library director

• Oversee risk management – business risks and conflicts of interest

• Defend board decisions

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Top 10 things a Trustee should know

1. Laws affecting the library system; library bylaws

2. Mission and vision of the library

3. Financial administration and planning (including how to read budgets and audits; library funding)

4. Library programs and services

5. Library strategic plan

6. Main library stakeholders and decision-makers and how to effectively communicate with them

7. Community the library serves (needs, trends, general demographics)

8. Issues facing the library

9. General understanding of personnel policies

10. Responsibilities of the board, role of the board

13


Advocacy Examples70% of Trustees reported having been advocates for

the libraryExamples include - • Presentations to County Commissioners e.g. to

promote budget funding• Promoting funding to rebuild the library• Explaining and supporting the library fine system;

providing budget testimony• Speaking to community groups• Meeting with elected officials• Writing for publications• Conducting media interviews• Attending public meetings and

discussing/speaking on behalf of library issues14


Lobbying Examples 70% of Trustees reported having lobbying for the

library

Examples include -

Notifying legislators about library priorities

• Testifying in support of legislation important to

libraries

• Writing letters to request consideration of

legislation e.g. exempting library collections of

children’s books from lead testing

• Participate in MD and National legislative day

activities15


Training Topics• Advocacy

• Computer course covering the trustee manual and

applicable MD laws

• Library services

• Library operations

• Library trends

• Public speaking

• Evaluating the library director

• Fundraising strategies

• Interpreting budgets

• How to be an effective trustee – roles, responsibilities,

expectations, strengthening political relationships, etc.

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Manual Style/Format

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Shoulds… • Hard copy – in a binder• Online version – regularly updated• Clear, concise, complete• Cite laws and regulations related to the

subject matter• Include many examples• Extensive index• Lots of bullet points• Provides references to other sources• Searchable

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Manual Style/Format


Should nots…

• No legal jargon

• No longer than current manual

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Manual Style/Format


Current Issues/Challenges• Laws

– Intellectual freedom– Free speech– Freedom of the press

• Policies on– Selection– Computer use– Customer rules for behavior – Fines and fees– Meeting room use– Ethics

• Budget– Funding - how trustees can influence government to increase

funding– Financial management – Dealing with budget shortages

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Current Issues/Challenges• Technology

– Wireless connectivity – free– Digital rights management and ebooks– Privacy of library records

• Board roles– Hiring, firing, and evaluating the director– Duties of the board– Recruiting new board members – Relationship between the board and a private foundation– Increasing awareness of the role of the library in the

community– Community outreach– Lobbying rules

• HR issues• Diversity in library collection and staffing • Increasing pay for deserving staff

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Additional Comments • Was difficult to respond to survey as a library

director; many of the questions were specifically for trustees

• Library activities are limited to the “privileged few” – there needs to be inclusion of all members of the community regardless of socio-economic status

• Manual should include -– Role of DLDS, Governor's Advisory Council, State Board

of Education, Regional Libraries, State Library Resource center, Sailor and it’s governing bodies, Friends Group

– Precise guidelines on what a board should and should not do

– Calendar of major library activates e.g. MLA, trustee meetings, etc.

– Examples of different board structures

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DiscussionDiscussion

Thank You!!!Thank You!!!