Policy Development
One of the most important responsibilities of the library board is to establish the policies of the library. Policies can be defined as “a broad course of action selected from alternatives and in light of given conditions, to guide and determine present and future decisions.” Policies differ from procedures in that policies are broad, and procedures are specific. Policies tend to be more philosophical, while procedures are more technical.
In public libraries, policies are established by the board with the input of the director. Procedures, on the other hand, are developed by the staff in order to carry out the policy set by the board. For example, it may be the policy of the library to open at 10 a.m. The procedures for opening the library include turning on the lights, unlocking the door, and so forth.
The only procedure that should concern the library’s board is the one for handling a request for reconsideration of library materials made by a patron. “Challenged Materials” or “Request for Reconsideration” is generally the last section of the library’s collection development policy. More details are outlined below. Trustees may also reach out to Public Library Consultant Clay Ritter for more information about this topic.
Library policies are guidelines for making decisions
- Broadly stated guidelines for actions and decisions
- General statements for supporting library operations, rules, regulations, and use
- Bases for procedures but not detailed courses of action
- Statements in accordance with purpose and legal basis for library
- Effective tools for transferring decision making to lower levels in the organization
- Effective or operational from formulation date and continued effective until revised or deleted
- Lead to achievements of objectives.
Benefits of written library policies
- They indicate a basic honesty and integrity of the library’s intentions.
- They support the library’s overall plans, goals, and objectives.
- They become available to everyone in the same form.
- They guide the library director and staff in implementation of board decisions.
- They can be referred to so anyone who wishes can check.
- They can be disseminated to all affected.
- They provide direction and consistency in day-to-day service to the community and in library operations.
- They can be taught more easily to new employees.
- They can reduce uninformed decisions-making and crisis responses to problem situations.
- They can be referred to when misunderstandings occur.
- They can compel the board to think more sharply, thus helping achieve further clarity.
- They can protect the rights of, and ensure equitable treatment of, all patrons and staff members.
- They generate the confidence of all persons in the organization concerning the library’s management.
To be most effective, policies need to be:
- reflective of the mission and vision statements of the library;
- consistent, so efficiency is maintained;
- flexible, so they can be updated as new needs arise;
- distinguishable from procedures;
- written, so they are easily communicated to staff.
Remember:
- A library policy is a library policy only when it is approved by the board in an open meeting.
- The library’s director implements policy set by the board and works with library staff to create procedures to help staff implement board policy.
- The library’s director does not make policy. Once the board has approved a library policy, it is then the job of the board to explain and defend the policy to the community. Library trustees cannot explain or defend policies of which they are unaware.
- The library’s policies are public records and must be available for public inspection at the library. One easy way to make policies available to all is to create links to them on the library’s Website.
- It is always a good idea to examine the policies of other libraries and “borrow” especially good wording instead of reinventing the wheel.
- The Idaho Public Records Law Manual is available for download.
The Nuts and Bolts of Creating Policy
The board is responsible for establishing written policies to govern and guide all phases of library operation, both internal and external.
Policy statements are tailored to local conditions and needs, and express a true commitment to service and leadership. For city libraries, it is advisable to inform the city council about policies that are potentially controversial, as they may be questioned by the community and should be cognizant of policy rationale or revisions of policy that could cause public inquiry.
Types of Library Policies
Two major categories:
- External Policies that govern the library’s service to the community, to other libraries, to other agencies;
- Internal Policies that govern the management of the library or library system.
Important policies that every library should have:
- Board Bylaws. These are the rules under which the board will operate. Bylaws describe the board’s offices and the duty of each office, the rules under which regular and special meetings will be held, the standing committees of the board (if any), and any other permanent operating procedures for the board itself.
- Personnel or Human Resources. This policy includes the duties and powers of the staff, job descriptions, information on evaluation and discipline of staff members, grievance procedures, and description of benefits. Sometimes salary information is also included. City libraries generally follow city H.R. policies and procedures, which need to consider the fact that the library is governed by its own independent, nonpartisan board and not by the mayor or council.
- Collection Development and Management. This policy, sometimes known as the library’s materials selection policy, describes the types of materials that will and will not be added to the collection, based on community needs and interests. It states the criteria to be used in selecting these materials and who is responsible for materials selection. The Collection Development Policy describes how gift materials are to be handled, how the collection will be weeded, and how challenges17 to library materials are to be met. This policy often includes a section on Placement of Materials, stressing the fact that all library materials are made available to all library users, regardless of age.
- The American Library Association offers a Sample Public Library Request for Reconsideration of Material Form that a library may incorporate into its Collection Development and Maintenance Policy.
- Please review the ALA’s Freedom to Read Statement.
- An excellent example of a public library’s collection development and management policy is the Collections Policy adopted by the board of the Ames (Iowa) Public Library.
- Effective July 1, 2024, Idaho Code § 18-1517B requires that every school and public library in Idaho “have a readily accessible form allowing a person to request review of material the person considers to be harmful to minors. Such form shall contain the definition of ‘harmful to minors,’ as provided in section 18-1514, Idaho Code.”
- Circulation Policy. A library’s circulation policy — sometimes referred to as its library card and borrowing policy — organizes board-approved guidelines for issuing a library card, including what forms of identification and proof of address are accepted; how many times a patron may have checked out at any one time; how many times materials may be renewed; and how the library’s fines and fees work.
- The circulation policy of the Oliver Wolcott Library, in Littlefield, Connecticut, references the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, its Freedom to Read Statement, and its related intellectual freedom documents. This is a “No Fines” policy that does not charge overdue fines as long as patrons return library materials in good condition.
- At a public library board’s discretion, acceptable forms of photo identification and proof of residency within the library’s service area for the purpose of issuing or renewing a library card may include:
- Current driver’s license
- Federal-, state-, or tribal-issued identification card
- Military identification card
- University or school ID
- Passport
- Many libraries will not accept consular ID18 as a form of identification.
- At the board’s discretion, acceptable forms of proof of residence, business ownership, or property ownership within the library’s service area (city limits or library district boundaries) may include:
- Current driver’s license
- Federal-, state-, or tribal-issued identification card with current address listed
- Lease agreement
- Mortgage statement
- Utility bill or utility account viewed online
- Current motor vehicle registration
- Voter ID card issued within the past year
- Property verification via the county assessor’s office
- A postmarked piece of mail with the applicant’s name and current address dated within the last 30 days
- Most libraries will not accept a post office box as acceptable proof of residency.
- Idaho’s Address Confidentiality Program. When someone in Idaho has moved to a new location to escape domestic violence, sexual abuse, or stalking, the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) can help keep his or her new address confidential. This is done through the use of a mail-forwarding service and substitute address. In accordance with I.C. § 19-57, all state and local agencies are required to accept the substitute address as the actual address of the individual.
The ACP can help protect enrollees and their loved ones by keeping their physical address private, where it would appear in public records.
The programs coordinator explains that individuals who are enrolled in the ACP qualify for a new driver’s license that lists a secure ACP substitute address as the bearer’s official address. The ACP office can also issue the enrollee a letter that will verify that he or she does physically live in a particular city or library district service area, which will then make it possible to obtain a library card at the closest public library. Although the new driver’s license serves as proof of identity, the letter is the necessary proof of physical address that libraries will need to see when issuing or renewing a library card.
Upon approval of the applicant’s ACP application, his or her first-class mail is sent to the secure ACP substitute address (a post office box in Boise) and then forwarded to his or her new home. Enrollees can also use the substitute address for a variety of state and local government requirements, such as:
- Applying for and receiving child support
- Getting an Idaho driver’s license
- Enrolling minor children in public schools
- Applying for a marriage license
- Sponsorship Policy. When partnering with local businesses and civic organizations to obtain new collections, equipment, and services for the library, it is important to have in place a sponsorship policy that:
- specifies that it is the library, and not the donor, that will decide on the disposition of the gift
- honors the right of donors to be acknowledged for their gifts to the library, while positioning the library in the forefront and minimizing the commerciality of any gift
- prohibits the library from violating library policy in exchange for gifts of goods or services
- The American Library Association (ALA) has created a Sample Library Sponsorship Policy (File Download).
- Operational Policies. This group of policies will include information about:
- when the library will be opened and closed — I.C. § 33-2702(6) requires that publicly funded library service be provided at a facility that is accessible to the public at regularly scheduled hours
- what the staff should do in case of particular types of emergencies, such as snow days or flooding
- what is and is not acceptable patron behavior in the library, usually discussed in the library’s acceptable behavior or patron behavior or acceptable conduct policy
- how library staff are to handle instances of unattended children or vulnerable adults.
- Meeting Room Policy. A library that is fortunate enough to have a meeting room needs a policy to determine its terms of use, including rules and limitations, fees and cleaning deposits, and prioritizations of applicants. The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights states that “Libraries that make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public that serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.” Public use of the library’s meeting rooms cannot be without restriction, as usage must be safe and not undermine the library’s other function. Library programs generally take priority over public requests for meeting rooms. Many libraries do not permit the sale of merchandise in their meeting rooms except in conjunction with a library-sponsored program. The Boise Public Library’s Meeting Room Rules & Guidelines are a good example of a library meeting room policy.
- Confidentiality of Patron Records. For the sake of intellectual freedom, patrons need to know that their borrowing, reading, and downloading information is protected.
- I.C. § 74-108(4) prohibits the disclosure of the records of a library, museum, or archive which, when examined along, or when examined with other public records, would reveal the identity of the library patron checking out, requesting, or using an item from the library;
- I.C. § 74-108(5) prohibits the disclosure of the material of a library, museum, or archive that has been contributed by a private person, to the extent of any limitation that is a condition of the contribution.
- I.C. § 74-120(a) prohibits the distribution for sale for use as a mailing list or a telephone number list any list of persons without first securing the permission of those on the list; and
- I.C. § 74-120(b) prohibits the use of the library’s patron database as a mailing list or telephone number list except by the library without first securing the permission of those on the list.
- When the library’s friends group or foundation — or any other organization or individual — seeks to obtain a mailing list or telephone number list derived from the library’s patron database, the library is obliged to refer the requester(s) to I.C. § 74-120(a) and (b).
- Internet Use. The purpose of an internet use policy is not only to declare the library’s role in providing public access to the Internet, but also to spell out the patron’s responsibilities when choosing to make use of that access. The First Amendment encompasses the right of public access to information and ideas. The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights affirms that the library is a forum form information and ideas. At the same time, public libraries are family-oriented institutions charged with making a broad selection of materials available to everyone, including children and teenagers. While library resources, including the Internet, offer thousands of items that families want, like, and need, they also include materials that some parents may find offensive or that they may find inappropriate for their children. Because it is impossible to filter out everything that individuals may find offensive or inappropriate on the Internet, it is important that the library’s internet use policy stress the right — and the responsibility — or parents and legal guardians to guide their own children’s use of the library and its resources. Here are some points to keep in mind when creating or revising the library’s internet use policy:
- Effective October 1, 2012, all libraries in Idaho receiving public money19 and governed by the provisions of chapter 26 and 27, title 33, Idaho Code, must comply with Idaho Code § 33-2741 regarding internet use policies. This section of Idaho Code addresses internet safety policies and technology protection measures.
- Publicly funded libraries must have in place a technology protection measure (filter) on its computers (not on its public wireless signal) that are accessible to minors, which may be disabled at the request of a library patron (of any age) to enable access to lawful purposes;
- Publicly funded libraries must also have in place an internet safety policy, adopted by the library’s board of trustees in an open meeting.
- This policy must state an effective date and must be reviewed by the board at least once every three (3) years and must reflect the most recent date of review. This date must also be reported in the annual statistical report that each public library is required to submit to ICfL.
- Notice of the availability of this policy must be posted in a conspicuous place within the library for all patrons to observe.
- Here are some checklists for libraries in implementing Technology Protection Measures. Idaho Code § 33-2741(1)(a) requires that all public libraries in Idaho receiving public moneys must have in place a technology protection measure, such as filtering tools, during any use of publicly accessible computer [owned by the library] by a minor. This statute does not apply to computers or personal devices not owned by the library, nor does it apply to the library’s public Wi-Fi signal.
- Regarding the features of the policy that shall by addressed per the law:
- Does the library have filters in place for publicly accessible computers used by minors?
- Does the library have filters in place for any public computer accessible to minors?
- Regarding features of the policy that may be addressed per the law:
- Can the library disable a filter for legal purpose for anyone, including minors?
- Regarding the features of the policy that shall by addressed per the law:
- The ICfL has created checklists for libraries to use in creating and reviewing their internet safety policies.
- Regarding features of the policy that shall be addressed per the law:
- Does the policy address minors and adults?
- Was the policy created under the direction of the library’s board of trustees?
- Was the policy adopted in an open meeting?
- Does the policy include an effective date or the date when it was last reviewed?
- Is the policy posted in a conspicuous place within the library for all patrons to observe?
- Regarding the features of the policy that may be addressed per the law:
- Does the policy state that it restricts access to internet or online sites that contain materials described in the law?
- Does the policy state how it meets the requirements of the law?
- Does the library have administrative procedures and guidelines in place for library staff to follow in enforcing the policy? Does the library make these procedures available for public review at the library?
- Does the library have procedures in place for patrons and staff to handle complaints about the policy, its enforcement, or about observed patron behavior? Does the library make these procedures available for public review at the library?
- Regarding features of the policy that shall be addressed per the law:
- Since 2001, all public libraries receiving E-rate20 funding for Internet must comply with CIPA21 requirements for internet safety. In addition to complying as noted above for Idaho Code § 33-2741, public libraries receiving E-rate funding should review library internet safety measures and be able to answer “yes” to the following:
- Do the protection measure and related policy address access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web?
- Do the protection measure and related policy address the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications?
- Do the protection measure and related policy address unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other unlawful activities by minors online?
- Do the protection measure and related policy address unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors?
- Do the protection measure and related policy address the restriction of minors’ access to materials harmful to minors?
- Was the protection measure policy addressed in a public meeting with reasonable public notice?
- Effective October 1, 2012, all libraries in Idaho receiving public money19 and governed by the provisions of chapter 26 and 27, title 33, Idaho Code, must comply with Idaho Code § 33-2741 regarding internet use policies. This section of Idaho Code addresses internet safety policies and technology protection measures.
- Program Policy. A library’s program policy states the purpose of programming and how it relates to the library’s mission. It explains what types of programs the library will offer, who can attend, and who is responsible for organizing and delivering them. Public libraries are sometimes victims of their own success. Some library programs become so popular that attendees living outside the library’s service area leave no spaces for the library’s own patrons. This can be a real problem when budget restrictions mean the library is unable to offer multiple session of a popular program. It is awkward for everyone when a library must turn away a taxpayer or non-resident card holder, as these are the people who have paid the taxes that fund the library. A program policy can define who may attend programs, who gets first dibs on registration, and may even require pre-registration using the patron’s library card number.
17 A challenge, in the context of a library, is the attempt by a person or group of people to have literature restricted or removed from a public library or from a school curriculum. According to the American Library Association (ALA), a successful challenge would result in the removal of those materials, a form of censorship. ALA believes that it is important to monitor challenges made to books as well as actual bannings, as a challenge may lead to self-censorship by those seeking to avoid controversy.
18 Consular identification (CID) cards are issued by some governments to their citizens who are living in foreign countries. Some jurisdictions accept them for some identification purposes. They are not certifications of legal residence within foreign countries, so CID card holders could be legal or illegal aliens.
19 According to 33-2702(6), Idaho Code, “Public library service” means the provision of planned collections of materials and information services provided by a library established under the provisions of chapter 26 or 27, title 33, Idaho Code, and paid for primarily through tax support provided under these statutes.
20 E-rate is the popular name of the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable internet access and certain hardware and internal connections components necessary to obtain and make use of internet access. E-rate is funded through a Universal Service Fee charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications services. E-rate is not funded through taxation. To learn more about E-rate, contact ICfL Library Technology Consultant Doug Baker.
21 The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires that K-12 schools and libraries in the U.S. use internet filters and implement other measures to protect children from harmful online content as a condition for federal funding. It was signed into law on December 21, 2000 and was found to be constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 23, 2003.
The Library Policy Manual
Organization
Policies are:
- recorded in the minutes at which they are adopted or revised;
- compiled and organized for ready access in the library’s policy manual;
- numbered if that is a local practice;
- labeled with dates of adoption and subsequent revisions, either at the beginning or at the end of the document;
- labeled at the end with the phrase End of Document, so the reader will know that there are no more pages to follow;
- reviewed annually and updated and revised as appropriate.
To be implemented effectively, all policies are recorded, compiled, and organized for ready access in a Policy Manual. A loose-leaf binder is a useful format for accommodating new policies and revisions. The contents of a Policy Manual can be categorized and numbered under some form of topical heading, such as Administration, Fiscal, or Human Resources, for easy reference. As each new policy or revision is adopted, the policy should be numbered, and the date of adoption noted. Trustees wishing to review a policy can then refer to the appropriate minutes and reports to learn what alternatives were considered and why the specific policy option was adopted.
Distribution
- every trustee
- copies in the library
- available in PDF format on the library’s Website.
It is a best practice for every trustee to have a copy of the Policy Manual and to be completely familiar with the rationale for each statement. A thorough understanding of all policies is essential to the informed and systematic adoption of new policies or revision of existing ones. Trustees may also be called upon to defend or interpret policies to the public or governing officials.
Copies of the Policy Manual are also housed in each of the library’s branches. The director is responsible for instructing personnel in the rationale of policies so that staff members can understand the basis for internal procedures.
Policy Review
Policies are not carved in stone! Resources, communities, and goals change and grow. Policies are updated periodically to reflect current community needs and library services.
Policy development and changes are major decisions affecting established practice and policies. Trustees need to allow adequate time for policy consideration and avoid incomplete assessment of possible options. If un-researched recommendations are arbitrarily rubber-stamped by the board without due consideration, the trustees will waste time reconsidering prior decisions, acting in crisis situations, and rebuilding the lost confidence of the staff and community.
During monthly board meetings, boards can review one section or one type of policy. A schedule for review can be drafted at the annual meeting and reviews completed during the year. The policy manual is reviewed at the annual meeting if this has not been done since the last annual meeting. Reviewing one or two policies a month is light housekeeping. Reviewing every library policy at the board’s annual meeting, on the other hand, is a chore and will make for a very long meeting.
Who?
While only trustees have the legal responsibility and authority to set the library’s policy, experience shows that the decision process works best when the library director and other staff are involved in researching options, drafting policies, and presenting a report to the board. In medium and large libraries, the staff usually assumes responsibility for submitting policy analysis to the appropriate board committee. In small libraries, trustees may often prepare the analysis of policy options.
Board of Trustees | Library Director |
---|---|
Determines the goals and objectives of the library and methods of evaluating progress toward meeting them. Reviews goals and objectives annually and evaluate progress. | Provides assistance and direction to the board in setting goals and objectives and determining methods of evaluation. Provides information and opinion on how the library is progressing. |
Relates the library and its programs to the community and its needs, discovered through systematic study of the community and through systematic analysis of library service. | Assists the board to know the needs of the community and how to respond to these needs through library services. |
Determines and adopts written policies to govern the operation, use, and program of the library. Adopts bylaws for board procedures. Reviews policies on a regular basis, especially as part of the orientation of new trustees. | Recommends needed polices to the board and studies examples and sources of information. Carries out the policies as adopted by the board. Interprets policies to the staff and public. Provides the board with recommendations and materials for study. |
Seeks a cooperative basis with officials of the municipality or other local governing unit, keeping in mind the special legal responsibilities of a library board. | Administers the library within the framework of the law and the library’s goals and objectives, policies, and budget. |
Attends all board meetings and committee meetings to which assigned. Carries out all special assignments properly. | Prepares all needed library reports for the local unity of government and the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Provides copies to the board. |