TRUSTEE POLICY
BYLAWS
Time And Place Of Regular Meeting:
Regular monthly meetings will be held at the Effingham Community Library. Monthly meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m., unless otherwise ordered by the Board. The regular meeting in April shall be the annual meeting.
Special Meetings:
The Chairman of the Board of trustees will call special meetings, as needed. The Chairman will contact board members by phone if a special meeting is required. No business other than that stated in the call shall be transcribed at such meeting.
Election of Officers:
The annual meeting will be held in April of each year. Election of officers will be at the regular April meeting.
Elections are to be held for the following officers:
Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
System Representative
Annual Reports:
Annual reports are given at the January meeting and filed with City Clerk. State reporting is done with the Statistical Report filed each year; NEKLS has access to this report.
BYLAWS
GENERAL DUTIES OF TRUSTEES:
Each Trustee is expected to attend monthly meetings, attend special meetings, read and vote on agenda items, keep up to date on the Library policy and the goings on at the library. Trustees will be courteous, literate, have a willingness to learn and use common sense. Trustees must be at least 18 years of age and be a willing advocate for the Library.
Chairman:
The Board Chairman should conduct regular monthly board meetings and call special meetings, if necessary. He/she will check the agenda before each meeting. This position will be one [1] of two [2] required signatures on the library checking and savings accounts. The Board Chairman will be responsible for making sure other Board members know when and where meetings are to be held.
Vice-Chairman:
The Board Vice-Chairman will fill the duties of the Chairman in his/her absence.
Secretary:
The Board Secretary will keep an accurate record of the business taking place at each meeting and to read the minutes at the next meeting for Board approval. As need arises, he/she will check back and answer questions. He/she will correspond with others as directed by the Chairman.
Treasurer:
The Board Treasurer will calculate and pay monthly payroll and quarterly taxes, and pay monthly bills. He/she will report to the Board at each regular meeting on the library’s financial status. This position will be one [1] of two [2] required signatures on the library checking and savings accounts.
System Representative:
The Board System Representative will attend meetings as a representative of the Effingham Community Library, when needed. This Board member will try to attend the Spring and Fall Assemblies held by NEKLS each year.
Historian:
Archives letters and articles from newspapers pertaining to the library. Also pictures that have been taken during events.
Committees
Budget Committee:
Chairman
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Director
[The budget committee should meet in April and have a copy of the budget to the city council at their May meeting.]
Planning Committee:
Chairman
System Rep
2 Library employees
Publicity Committee:
2 Library employees
2 Library Board members
1 Outside person [if needed, someone from the Community Club group?]
Book Challenge Committee:
Director
1 board member
1 outside person if needed
Quorum:
Four members will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of the Board Chair and Vice-Chair, the members present shall elect a temporary chair.
Order of business:
Call to order
Minutes read
Treasurer’s Report
Librarian’s Report
Old business
New business
Board meetings are open meetings. Any citizen may speak at the board meeting if they ask ahead of time to be put on the agenda, or if they have been invited to speak to the board by a board member or the library director. If an agenda item is tabled it must be discussed the following month. No agenda item can be tabled more than two times.
The library will follow Robert’s Rules of Order when conducting their meetings.
Annual review of policies:
Library policies will be reviewed as needed changes arise.
Annual review of total program:
The total library program will be reviewed in January of each year for the previous year. Review shall include summer reading program, spring programs, Open house, and any other program the library hosts.
Financial audit:
The Effingham Community Library financial records will be audited or at least reviewed by an accountant at least every two years in April. Paid for in-kind by the city.
Ethics Policy:
Trustees in the capacity of trust upon them, shall observe ethical standards with absolute truth, integrity and honor.
Trustees must avoid situations in which personal interests might be served or financial benefits gained at the expense of library users, colleagues, or the situation.
It is incumbent upon any trustee to disqualify himself/herself immediately whenever the appearance of a conflict of interest exists.
Trustees must distinguish clearly in their actions and statements between their personal philosophies and attitudes and those of the institution, acknowledging the formal position of the board even if they personally disagree.
A trustee must respect the confidential nature of library business while being aware of and in compliance with applicable laws governing freedom of information.
Trustees must be prepared to support to the fullest the efforts of librarians in resisting censorship of library materials by groups of individuals.
Trustee who accept library board responsibilities are expected to perform all of the functions of library trustees.