June 2002 Vol. 12 No. 6 MORE GUIDELINES for PUBLIC
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MORE GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES By Philip Ritter Now that I have completed all of my visits with the various Boards of Trustees in the Upper Hudson Library System, I would like to comment further on how public library trustees should conduct their library’s business. You may recall that I addressed this subject in the October 2001 newsletter when I suggested that all library boards and trustees should adhere to the following guidelines: • A trustee should never act alone. • A trustee should always agree publicly with all board decisions. • A trustee should not be involved in the daily operation of the library. • A trustee should deal with the issue instead of the individual. • The library director should be present at each board meeting. The Latest Edition is a regularly published newsletter for the I encourage you to review that article and to consider these additional and public libraries in Albany and equally important guidelines which all library boards and trustees should Rensselaer Counties. follow: • A trustee should promote a high level of library service while observing EDITOR high ethical standards. A trustee especially must avoid situations in Rachel Baum which personal interests might be served or financial benefits gained at the expense of the library, other trustees, and library users. MANAGING EDITOR • A trustee should monitor the financial condition and management Heidi Fuge practices of the library. This would include the diligent review of all Upper Hudson Library System financial reports, the verification that reserve funds are being used for 28 Essex St. their intended purposes, and the assurance that all records are complete Albany, NY 12206 and accurate. www.uhls.org/uhls • A trustee should participate in library activities. It is valuable for a trustee June 2002 Vol. 12 No. 6 to participate in library activities because it enables one to better understand why the staff conducts business as they do. A trustee could attend a story time, use the interlibrary loan service, visit the branch IN THIS ISSUE: libraries, and search for information on the online databases. The Regional News..............2 greater the breadth of knowledge, the better a trustee will be able to National News .............3 Trustee News.................4 develop policies and to serve as an advocate for the library. Friends News ...............4 • A trustee should take all complaints seriously. Since most people tend to Funding News...............5 love their local public library, it usually takes a great deal of effort for Worth Noting................6 someone to complain formally about anything. A trustee should always People..........................7 assume that any formal complaint about the library, no matter how Library Programs............7 trivial it may seem, is important to the person who is complaining. Any For the Asking ..............9 such complaint should be treated with respect and courtesy. Calendar.....................10 Board meetings should never last more than two hours. Even the most dedicated person can begin to lose focus after two hours or more of 2 The Latest Edition June 2002 discussion. If board meetings meeting biweekly with our Horizon served two consecutive full consistently last longer than this, Migration Team via conference terms, or more, on the Board then complex or lengthy projects calls. As many of you know, of a member library, will be and problems should be referred member libraries are filling out recognized. In addition, for this to committees, which then can collection codes in preparation for year only, the list will include report their findings and inputting into the Horizon people who retired during the recommendations to the entire parameters tables. prior calendar year (2001). board. • The Board approved the ROAD RUNNER AT UHLS Central Library Development While there are no guarantees, grant. adherence to the above guidelines UHLS has moved to RoadRunner • The Board approved will help to ensure the efficient for its Internet service, providing construction grants for APLM, operation of any Board of much greater bandwidth to meet BETH, RVLL, STEP, TROY, and Trustees. the increasing demands from VOOR. member libraries. Libraries should • The Board authorized P. Ritter BOOK GROUP HOW-TO’S see some improvement in speed to apply for a special, one-time WORKSHOP when they access the Internet. Technology Grant and use the Access to UHLAN is not affected funds toward the purchase of UHLS will host a workshop for by this change. Should you have the email server hardware and library staff who would like to any concerns, contact Rawdon at software. learn more about establishing, 437-9880 x233; • The Board authorized P. Ritter facilitating and maintaining adult [email protected]. ny.us. to apply for the four LSTA book discussion groups. From a grants as proposed: New panel of experts, learn about how HIGHLIGHTS OF THE May Planning for Results; to acquire members, choose a UHLS BOARD MEETING Imagination River Storytelling leader, schedule meetings, select Camp; Tech Valley/Tech books, and deal with group • The Upper Hudson Library Libraries; and Library dynamics. We will also discuss System Financial Report for the Leadership Development specialized book groups such as year ending December 31, Center. genre clubs, seniors groups, and 2001 was unanimously corporate reading groups. The approved by the Board. The program will be held at the UHLS staff was commended for William K. Sanford Town Library their excellent preparatory on Thursday, June 27, 2002 from work. INTERESTED IN…SERIALS? 9:00 AM—Noon. To register, • The Singer Group will present contact Rachel Baum at 437- the Classification Study report Library staff who deal with 9880 x. 225; rachel@uhls. to the UHLS Board at the periodicals are invited to a lib.ny.us. August 2002 meeting. meeting on Tuesday, June 4, • The UHLS Administration 2002 in the Community Room of MIGRATION REPORT Committee will be asked to the Saratoga Springs Public draft a proposed policy Library, from 9:30 AM - 12 noon. Karen Nucksolls and Rawdon regarding the preparation of Topics for discussion include hard Cheng visited the offices of the Annual Reports and copy, microform, and e-resources. epixtech in Evanston, Illinois for a consequences for failure to Plan to join us for lunch at one of pre-installation workshop. comply with UHLS deadlines. Saratoga's unique restaurants. Following this visit, Karen began • The Board changed the criteria Questions? Contact Rhona to input library parameters (i.e. for the Lifetime Service Koretzky at 584-7860 x 213; DRA policy files) into Horizon 7.02 Recognition so that Trustees [email protected]. – the latest release out at this who are retiring within the time. The Implementation Team is current calendar year and have 3 LIBRARY RECORDS AND LIBRARY ASSISTANTS PUBLIC LIBRARY PORTAL PRIVACY CONFERENCE The Bill & Melinda Gates Should libraries have a policy The New York State Library Foundation awarded the Online about the privacy of their patrons’ Assistants’ Association will hold its Computer Library Center (OCLC) records? Trustees and directors annual conference at the State a three-year, $9 million grant to should be aware that there is a University College in Oneonta, build a Web-based, public access law in New York State about this New York on June 12-14, computing portal for public issue. According to New York 2002. Programs on genealogy, libraries and other organizations Consolidated Laws Civil Practice the invisible Web, and censorship that provide open access to Law and Rules Article 45. in libraries are planned, as are information. The new portal will Evidence NY CLS CPLR § 4509 tours to museums in nearby build on the foundation’s five- (2001) § 4509: Cooperstown. For more infor- year-old U.S. Library Program, “Library records, which contain mation, visit the web site at which is providing computers with names or other personally www.nyslaa.org. Internet access to more than identifying details regarding the 10,000 libraries across the United users of public, free THE COST OF States. The portal will host a range association, school, college MAGAZINES of services and tools, such as and university libraries and The average online tutorials, training modules, library systems of this state, 2002 cost per Web casting, message boards including but not limited to title for a and expert assistance that will records related to the periodical in a help libraries manage and circulation of library materials, public library is $68.87, enhance their programs. computer database searches, an increase of 3.5% over the interlibrary loan transactions, 2001 cost, according to Library 20 IDEAS FOR PUBLIC reference queries, requests for Journal, April 15, 2002. LIBRARY/SCHOOL photocopies of library COOPERATION materials, title reserve requests, Adapted from “50 Ideas for Public Library or the use of audio-visual & School Cooperation” by Sue McCleaf Nespeca. (Rural Library Services materials, films or records, Newsletter, Sept/Oct 2000). shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except that Challenge your staff to adopt at such records may be disclosed ALA PERSONNEL least one of these suggestions for to the extent necessary for the cooperation with a local school. proper operation of such Dr. Carla Hayden, Executive • Author or illustrator visits - pool library and shall be disclosed Director of the Enoch Pratt Free your resources and sponsor a upon request or consent of the Library in Baltimore, has been visit to the school during the user or pursuant to subpoena, elected President of the American day and to the public library in court order or where Library Association (ALA) for the the evening. otherwise required by statute. 2003-04 term. Hayden will • Joint conferences - coordinate “ become the President-elect in July a literature conference; include 2002, and will assume the ALA other community agencies. presidency in July 2003, following • Maintain a name file - quick the ALA Annual Conference in and easy contact of librarians Toronto.