The library’s board, director, and staff have different roles and responsibilities. Below is an overview.
Governance and Policy Making
| Board of Trustees | Library Director |
|---|---|
| Determines the goals and objectives of the library and the methods of evaluating progress toward meeting those goals and objectives. Reviews goals and objectives annually and evaluates 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 assessment of the community and through systematic analysis of library services. | Assists the board in knowing the needs of the community and how the library is responding to these needs through programs and services. |
| Determines and adopts written policies to govern the operation, use, and programs 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 policies to the board and studies examples and sources of information. Carries out policies as adopted by the board. Interprets policies to staff and the public. Provides the board with recommendations and materials to study.
Administers the library within the framework of the law and the library’s goals and objectives, policies, and budget. |
| Knows local, state, and national laws that affect libraries. Plans an active part in initiating and supporting beneficial library legislation.
Is aware of and makes use of the services and consultants of the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Attends regional, state, and national library association meetings and workshops when possible. Joins appropriate organizations working for improved libraries. Studies library publications. Budgets for continuing education experiences for administration, staff, and trustees. |
Knows local, state, and national laws that affect libraries. Plans an active part in initiating and supporting beneficial library legislation.
Is aware of and makes use of the services and consultants of the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Attends regional, state, and national library association meetings and workshops when possible. Joins appropriate organizations working for improved libraries. Studies library publications. Budgets for continuing education experiences for administration, staff, and trustees. |
| Seeks a cooperative relationship with officials of the municipality or other local governing units, keeping in mind the special legal responsibilities of the library board. | Prepares all needed library reports for local unity of government and the Idaho Commission for Libraries. Provides copies to the board. |
| Attends all board meetings and committee meetings to which assigned. Carries out all special assignments properly. | Attends all board and committee meetings except those meetings or parts of meetings in which the director’s salary and tenure are discussed. |
Finance
| Board of Trustees | Library Director |
|---|---|
| Is completely informed about the financial status of the library. | Provides regular reports of budget status and expenditures at each board meeting. |
| Works with the library director to formulate a budget adequate to carry out the library’s goals and objectives, within any limitations of state law. | Prepares for board discussion a suggested annual budget in consultation with staff and board. Supplies facts and figures to the board to aid in interpreting the library’s current and future financial needs. |
| Presents the budget to the funding agency, public officials, and the public. Explains and defends it. | Follows the budget process. Works with the board in interpreting budget and financial needs of the library to public officials and the public. Provides leadership in supporting the budget. |
| Works to secure adequate funds for staff and services. | Identifies financial needs of the library and works with the board and staff for adequate funding. |
| Explores all ways of increasing the library’s income through tapping other sources and taking advantage of all available means of cooperation and other libraries. | Calls the board’s attention to ways of stretching the budget. Assists the board in cooperating with other libraries. Advises the board of potential partnerships. |
| Sees that complete and accurate records concerning finances, personnel, property inventory, and annual reports are on file at the library. | Sees that complete and accurate records concerning finances, personnel, property inventory, and annual reports are on file at the library. |
Human Resources / Personnel
| Board of Trustees | Library Director |
|---|---|
| Employs a competent and qualified library director and pays an adequate salary. | Acts as technical advisor to the board. Hires and directs subordinate staff members in line with library HR policies. |
| Provides adequate compensation and reasonable fringe benefits for all employees. Provides agreeable working conditions and opportunities for professional growth. | Works for needed improvements in working conditions, salary scales, and fringe benefits. |
| Provides a planned orientation program for new trustees. | Assists in the orientation of new trustees, including introduction to library procedures, departments, and staff. |
| Develops policies to guide staff selection. | Provides the board with recommendations and materials for study. Applies guidelines in selecting staff. Takes full responsibility for day-to-day administration of the library. |
| Provides in-service training for the professional development of staff members on effective implementation of library policies. Whenever possible, provides opportunities for additional education and advancement. Considers establishment of career ladders within the library if possible. | Provides in-service training for the professional development of staff members on effective implementation of library policies. Whenever possible, provides opportunities for additional education and advancement. Considers establishment of career ladders within the library if possible. |
Service and Community Relations
| Board of Trustees | Library Director |
|---|---|
| Interprets the community and its needs to the library director and reflects them in goals, objectives, and policies. | Interprets the community and its needs to the board. |
| Establishes a library materials selection policy reflecting community needs and including a freedom to read provision. | Provides information and expert advice about this policy, together with recommendations reflecting professional knowledge. Selects and orders books and materials in harmony with the policy’s criteria. |
| Establishes ways of providing service, not just to individuals, but also to organized agencies and institutions within the community in both the public and private sector. | Offers regular and special services to public and private community groups. Seeks effective and innovative ways of providing library services to groups, individuals, and the total community. |
| Establishes, supports, and participates in a planned community relations program, allocating responsibility for various tasks, per available personnel and talents.
Advocates for the library and its programs and services at every opportunity. Seeks to extend library services to those who have been reluctant to use the library and to those unable to take advantage of customary library programs. |
Establishes, supports, and participates in a planned community relations program, allocating responsibility for various tasks, per available personnel and talents.
Advocates for the library and its programs and services at every opportunity. Seeks to extend library services to those who have been reluctant to use the library and to those unable to take advantage of customary library programs. |
Important:
Individual board members do not act alone. An individual’s authority to act comes from the board’s actions. This precept is important for the library’s well-being as well as for that of the board.
The Board’s Relationship with Staff
In order for the trustee-director relationship to work, trustees need to adhere to the following principles:
- The staff is directed only by the library director, who interprets board-approved policies to the staff and carries out the total library program as accepted by the board.
- The library board – as a whole – hires, supervises, evaluates, and dismisses only the library director.
- Individual trustees never give orders or instructions to library staff members.
- Trustees wishing to comment on the performance of the staff make these comments directly to the library director.
- Trustees never interfere in the hiring process other than to agree to job descriptions and personnel policies.
- The board is a final recourse for employees who have exhausted accepted appeals channels.
- Chain of command is to be respected without exception.
Library trustees should be aware of these situations:
- Trustees often know staff members very well and may even have a personal relationship with some of them.
- Trustees will often ask for help from staff members they know and will bypass others.
- Trustees answer to the community and are sometimes under great pressure from constituents to hire or to fire certain library staff members.
- Trustees should not be insulated from staff but should be familiar with the library’s organizational structure and programs. The library director should provide appropriate opportunities for trustees to be acquainted with the staff.
- The board and director should insist on proper channels for complaints. The mayor and council should respect the city library board’s authority and refer all complaints about the library either to the library’s director or to its board, as appropriate. Complaints about the library director should go to the library board, not to the mayor or council.