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Library Board Meetings 101

Library Board Meetings 101. Kathy Schalk-Greene Director, Mount Laurel Library kathy@mtlaurel.lib.nj.us. New Directors’ Orientation New Jersey State Library February 23, 2011. During This Session You Will.

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Library Board Meetings 101

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  1. Library Board Meetings 101 Kathy Schalk-Greene Director, Mount Laurel Library kathy@mtlaurel.lib.nj.us New Directors’ Orientation New Jersey State Library February 23, 2011

  2. During This Session You Will • Learn how to prepare for, participate in, follow up on and thrive at Board of Trustees meetings

  3. What is the Purpose of a Board of Trustees Meeting? • Forum for official actions • Approve financial statements • Approve expenditures • Confirm personnel actions • Approve library budget • Adopt policies

  4. What is the Purposeof a Board of Trustees Meeting? • Opportunity for dialogue with public • Discuss issues and advise director • Formulate long-range plans • Evaluate state of library and library director • Discuss library advocacy

  5. What is the Purpose of a Board of Trustees Meeting? A board meeting is not an opportunity for the board to micromanage the operation of the library.

  6. How Do You Preparefor a Board Meeting? • Adhere to Open Public Meeting Act • Advertise meeting • Provide board president with OPMA statement to read at outset of meeting

  7. How Do You Preparefor a Board Meeting? • Gather agenda items • Establish process for board members to submit items • Consult with president about agenda • Distribute meeting packets 4-7 days before meeting via email

  8. How Do You Preparefor a Board Meeting? • Board packet should contain • Agenda • Financial reports • Draft minutes from last meeting • Statistical report

  9. How Do You Preparefor a Board Meeting? • Board packet should contain • Director’s report • Supporting material for agenda items (draft policies, etc.) • Preview agenda in director’s report or email • Send e-mail reminder and poll for quorum

  10. What Is Your Role inthe Board Meeting? • Varies from library to library and board to board • Talk to predecessor and board president when coming into this role • Find out past practice and evolve into your own style

  11. What Is Your Role inthe Board Meeting? • Usually the president conducts meeting and may turn over certain sections of meeting to director • Directors do not vote • Directors advise and recommend to board, do not dictate

  12. What Is Your Role inthe Board Meeting? • Director should deflect attempts by board to micromanage library operations • Director should be prepared to produce minutes and note actions needed for next meeting

  13. What Should You Do After a Board Meeting? • Produce the meeting minutes • Act on any directives made at meeting • Implement and promulgate new policies approved by board

  14. What Should You Do After a Board Meeting? • Report to staff about board actions • Update board section of library website

  15. What Should You Do After a Board Meeting? • Treat yourself to something nice • Vent with discretion

  16. What Documents Would Be Useful for Board Meetings? • Agenda template • Minutes template • OPMA meeting announcement • Directory of board members • E-mail meeting reminder template • Proposed actions and resolutions • Annual schedule of meetings and topics

  17. What Should Be IncludedIn the Meeting Minutes? • Compliance with applicable laws • Record of what was decided • Who voted for what

  18. What Should Be IncludedIn the Meeting Minutes? • Who attended the meeting • Who came and went when • Next meeting information • Closed session minutes separate and public

  19. Bibliography • Swan, James. Working Together: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Trustees and Librarians. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 1992 • New Jersey State Library. New Jersey Public Libraries: A Manual for Trustees, revised edition. Trenton: NJSL, 2005. www.njstatelib.org/LDB/Trustees/index.php • Bowen, William G. The Board Book: An Insider’s guide for Directors and Trustees. New York: Norton, 2008. Compares for-profit and non-profit boards. • Manley, Will. For library directors only : talking about trustees ; For library trustees only : living with your director. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, c1993.

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