VIRGINIA PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEE HANDBOOK IDA R. PATTON THIRD EDITION REVISED 2005 REVISED BY WAYNE MODLIN, PUBLIC LIBRARY CONSULTANT LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING DIVISION THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA RICHMOND, VIRGINIA PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE LIBRARY BOARD Franklin E. Robeson, Chair Christopher M. Marston, Vice Chair Peter E. Broadbent, Jr. Gilbert E. Butler, Jr. John S. DiYorio Mary G. Haviland F. Claiborne Johnston, Jr. George E. Lovelace Samuel E. Massenberg Valerie Jean Mayo Lewis F. Powell III Stephen E. Story Charles W. Sydnor, Jr. Henry Wiencek Clifton A. “Chip” Woodrum Nolan T. Yelich Librarian of Virginia Sandra G. Treadway Deputy Librarian of Virginia Nelson Worley Library Development and Networking Division Director Funding for this publication was provided by the Library Services and Technology Act. It was prepared as an educational resource and should not replace legal advice. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– TABLE OF CONTENTS ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Foreword ……………………………………………………………………………… vii Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………………… viii Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… ix LIBRARY BOARDS IN VIRGINIA Types of Boards ………………………………………………………………………… 1 Governing and Advisory Boards ………………………………………………………… 3 BECOMING A TRUSTEE What Is a Library Board of Trustees? …………………………………………………… 5 Selection and Appointment of Trustees ………………………………………………… 5 Qualifications of Trustees………………………………………………………………… 6 What Does a Trustee Do? ……………………………………………………………… 8 Orientation ……………………………………………………………………………… 10 BOARD ORGANIZATION Bylaws…………………………………………………………………………………… 13 Library Board Officers ………………………………………………………………… 14 Board Meetings ………………………………………………………………………… 16 Guidelines for Effective Board Meetings ……………………………………………… 18 POLICY MAKING Basics of Policy Making ………………………………………………………………… 21 Types of Library Policies: External and Internal ………………………………………… 24 Summary of Responsibilities for Policy Making ………………………………………… 29 PERSONNEL Hiring a New Director ………………………………………………………………… 31 Relationship Between the Board and the Director ……………………………………… 35 The Board’s Relationship With the Staff ………………………………………………… 36 Evaluating the Library Director ………………………………………………………… 37 Summary of Personnel Responsibilities ………………………………………………… 41 FINANCES Funding ………………………………………………………………………………… 43 Funding Sources ………………………………………………………………………… 43 Local Government Support …………………………………………………………… 44 State Aid ………………………………………………………………………………… 44 Federal Funds …………………………………………………………………………… 45 Miscellaneous Sources of Funding ……………………………………………………… 45 Budgeting ……………………………………………………………………………… 45 Steps in Budget Preparation …………………………………………………………… 47 Presenting the Budget …………………………………………………………………… 48 Implementing the Budget ……………………………………………………………… 48 Summary of Financial Responsibilities ………………………………………………… 50 LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADVISORY BOARDS …………………………………… 51 LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNING BOARDS Areas of Liability ……………………………………………………………………… 51 Defenses for Liability …………………………………………………………………… 52 Indemnification ………………………………………………………………………… 53 Summary of Legal Responsibilities ……………………………………………………… 54 LIBRARY PLANNING What Is a Plan? ………………………………………………………………………… 55 How Is a Plan Developed? ……………………………………………………………… 56 Benefits of a Plan ……………………………………………………………………… 57 Recipe for a Plan ……………………………………………………………………… 57 Planning Library Buildings ……………………………………………………………… 58 Questions and Answers About Buildings ……………………………………………… 62 Construction Timetable ………………………………………………………………… 64 Funding for Buildings …………………………………………………………………… 65 Summary of Responsibilities for Planning ……………………………………………… 66 TRUSTEES AND THE POLITICAL PROCESS Lobbying ……………………………………………………………………………… 67 The ABCs of Lobbying for Library Trustees …………………………………………… 68 PUBLIC RELATIONS Publicity ………………………………………………………………………………… 71 Board Responsibilities ………………………………………………………………… 71 Individual Trustee Responsibilities ……………………………………………………… 71 FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY Working With Friends ………………………………………………………………… 73 What Are Friends For? ………………………………………………………………… 73 VOLUNTEERS ………………………………………………………………………… 75 THE BOARD SELF-EVALUATION ……………………………………………………… 77 THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA Mission ………………………………………………………………………………… 81 Archival and Information Services ……………………………………………………… 81 Collection Management Services ……………………………………………………… 82 Information Technology Services ……………………………………………………… 82 Library Development and Networking ………………………………………………… 82 Publications and Educational Services ………………………………………………… 83 Records Management Services ………………………………………………………… 83 Finance and Administrative Services …………………………………………………… 83 How The Library of Virginia Can Help ………………………………………………… 84 ORGANIZATIONS American Library Association (ALA) …………………………………………………… 87 American Library Trustee Association (ALTA) ………………………………………… 87 ALA Washington, D.C., Office ………………………………………………………… 87 Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) ………………………………………………… 88 Southeastern Library Association (SELA) ……………………………………………… 88 Virginia Library Association (VLA) …………………………………………………… 89 Trustee/Friends Forum ………………………………………………………………… 89 GLOSSARY OF LIBRARY TERMS AND ACRONYMS …………………………………… 91 APPENDIX Selected Virginia Library Laws ………………………………………………………… 103 Requirements Which Must Be Met in Order to Receive Grants-in-Aid ………………… 112 Requirements Which Must Be Met by Libraries Serving a Population of Fewer than 5,000 in Order to Receive State Grants-in-Aid ………………………… 115 Public Library Boards in Virginia ……………………………………………………… 117 Library Bill of Rights ………………………………………………………………… 123 The Freedom to Read Statement ……………………………………………………… 124 Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint Materials ………………………… 128 Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks …………………………… 130 Confidentiality and Coping With Law Enforcement Inquiries ………………………… 134 Free Access to Libraries for Minors …………………………………………………… 141 Challenged Materials …………………………………………………………………… 143 Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials: Sample Complaint Form ………… 144 Contacting Your Legislator …………………………………………………………… 145 Writing to Legislators ………………………………………………………………… 146 Eleven Points to Effective Lobbying ………………………………………………… 147 Ethics Statement for Public Library Trustees ………………………………………… 148 Golden Rules for Board Members ………………………………………….………… 149 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FOREWORD –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– To Virginia Public Library Trustees: The Library of Virginia recognizes the important role that public library trustees play in the development and improvement of library service in the commonwealth. More than 750 Virginians serve on the boards of our public libraries. Your commitment to providing access to high-quality library services for every Virginia resident is greatly valued. Significant change has marked the years since The Virginia Public Library Trustee Handbook was published in 1999. New programs, amended laws, and advances in technology continue to affect the role of the public library and thus impact the trustee’s responsibilities. The Handbook was written and compiled to help public library trustees carry out their responsibilities. It has been completely reviewed and updated (and in some cases newly written) to reflect changes since the last edition. It is my hope that this Handbook will be helpful to you in order to understand better the important roles and responsibilities of public library trustees. Nolan T. Yelich Librarian of Virginia vii –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ACKNOWLEDGMENTS –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– The Library of Virginia wishes to express deep appreciation to all who assisted in the preparation of the Handbook. As in the earlier edition of the Handbook, many other trustee handbooks from other states were consulted in the preparation of the Handbook. For this edition, we would like to give a special note of thanks to the authors of the publications from Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska. The cooperation and assistance of all the staff members of the Library Development and Networking Division of the Library of Virginia has been invaluable. Significant contributions were made by Carol Adams, Paranita Carpenter, Elizabeth Lewis, Kendra Morgan, Pat Muller, and Nelson Worley. We would also like to thank Jan Hathcock, Public Relations Coordinator, for her valuable contributions, and Ann Henderson and Emily Salmon, Copy Editors, for their editorial assistance, as well as Amy Winegardner, Graphic Designer, Mary Clark, Government Documents Program Director, and Rose Schooff, Webmaster. Revised by Wayne Modlin. viii –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– INTRODUCTION –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– It has been six years since the Virginia Public Library Trustee Handbook was published. During this period there have been many changes in the commonwealth’s community of public libraries: new and revised legislation, the establishment of libraries in unserved areas, intensified focus on networking and cooperation among libraries of all types, the issue of finding a balance between new information sources and traditional services, changes in library personnel, and, of course, many new trustees. There has also been a perceptible and encouraging recognition that members of library boards of trustees want to gain a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Even the smallest library will often have complex issues to deal