Resources for trustees and boards
Serving on a library board is a terrific way to contribute to the library and the community. The role also comes with significant responsibilities, and many board members, also called trustees, will benefit from training. This compilation of related resources includes materials and handbooks from state libraries, webinars and articles from WebJunction, and tips from organizations, such as United for Libraries.
The basics
A great place to start is to understand the differences between the board’s job, the library director’s and the Friends group’s. This handout from the Connecticut State Library shows a helpful division of responsibilities. Understanding these responsibilities is also addressed by Mary Beth Harrington who presented an informative session at the ALA conference called “Top 10 Things Every Library Board Member Should Know—but Often Doesn’t,” which is summarized here.
Boards should have job descriptions, a commitment letter, and an orientation or onboarding process. The Wyoming State Library developed a sample board handbook that can be a useful model. It can also be helpful to look outside the library field for examples, and this resource outlines some nonprofit board best practices.
Building a Culture of Learning with Library Boards: This WebJunction webinar presented by the State Library of Iowa presents ideas for growing board learning into a blossoming culture that motivates board members to see education and training as a natural part of their trusteeship.
State library resources
Several state libraries have robust trustee training videos available online. While much of this content is generalizable, specific state regulations should be consulted.
- Trustee Training from the Wyoming State Library includes a six-session webinar series by EveryLibrary Institute.
- The Central Kansas Library System’s has a robust general trustee training as well as more focused topics like Elements of a Good Director’s Report, Tech Topics for Trustees, and Library Board Evaluations.
- The North Dakota’s State Library’s eight-part Trustee Training series took place in February 2021 covering a broad range of topics to assist board members in learning more about their role as a trustee and about libraries in general. Great for new and veteran trustees.
- The Vermont Library has a core toolkit of videos as well as some supplemental topics such as Succession Planning and Friends of the Library.
- Connecticut State Library’s has created a one-stop shop for board resources.
- The New Hampshire Library Trustee Association maintains this webpage of resources to support boards including a list serve, regional trustee gatherings, and more.
- The New Jersey Library Trustee Association offers this resource hub to support their boards.
- Kentucky offers a certification for public library trustees to help them fulfill their legal responsibilities to their libraries and communities. Trustees must complete five courses and complete orientations with the director and Regional Consultant.
Beyond the basics
Beyond general training for boards and trustees, specific topics help members be prepared for some of the trickier issues that they will face.
- Toward Tech Savvy Trustees
How tech savvy are your trustees? The more that trustees are dialed into a personal use of technology, the better advocates they will be for the library’s technology needs. This webinar includes fun and practical ways to inspire greater tech savviness in your trustees. You don’t need a board of IT specialists, just a board that has a sharper set of digital tools. - Navigating the Library Director Hiring Process: A Guide for Trustees And Boards
A crucial part of a board’s job is hiring a library director. This WebJunction webinar offers important steps for hiring a library director, empowering your board to secure visionary leadership and avoid pitfalls. - Proactive Planning for Library Staff Transitions
This webinar introduces practical approaches to preserve organizational knowledge, clarify processes for current staff and trustees, and ease the learning curve for new employees. - Proactive Advocacy and Communication for Library Trustees and Staff
Explore communication tools and strategies for boards and library staff to be better prepared for unknown changes.
Book challenges and intellectual freedom
Across the United States, there are increased reports of book challenges from community members, which have led to very public and heated discussions. Being proactive about developing and sharing policies and procedures can help to create clarity and establish expectations around responses to book challenges. This list of resources and webinars can be used to support your library's efforts in being prepared for book challenges and in upholding the principles of intellectual freedom in your library's services and collections.
- Resources on book challenges and intellectual freedom
WebJunction curated this guide to support and inform your library’s efforts in responding to book challenges. - Book Challenges and Intellectual Freedom: Proactive Planning for Public Libraries
Explore ways for libraries to be proactive in developing and sharing policies and procedures around book challenges in this WebJunction webinar. - Library Boards and Intellectual Freedom: How to Combat Censorship with Your Library Trustees
In this webinar, Shannon Oltmann discusses forming and shaping your library board, educating them about book challenges and intellectual freedom, and fielding questions and concerns from the board. - Challenges and Crises: Preparing Your Trustees
In this United for Libraries webinar, you will learn how to be proactive in preparing a board for a crisis, including what best practices, policies, and procedures need to be developed or revisited. (This will require a free ALA account to access). - Keeping Governance on Track
With the rise in challenges to library materials, programs, and access, boards are often affected internally (conflict/dissent among board members) and externally (public comment and disruptions from meeting observers).
During this two-part series presented by United for Libraries, parliamentarian Nancy Sylvester shares actions, training, and preparation that boards and library directors can take now to be ready for problems and issues, and tips and best practices for handling problems in board meetings. (This will require a free ALA account to access.)
Part 1 focuses on “Steps to Be Prepared & How to Handle Problems.” Participants will learn what actions and preparation boards and library directors can take now to be ready for issues that may arise (including meeting disruptions by non-board members, a board member overstepping boundaries or pushing their personal agenda, etc.).
Part 2 features a “Mock Board Meeting,” with an enactment of a library board meeting and Sylvester providing “in-the-moment” tips to handle misbehavior, conflict, disruptions, etc.
Recruitment and retention
The webinar Revitalizing Library Volunteer Engagement from WebJunction explores new trends in library volunteerism. It presents practical steps to recruit skilled board members to help grow your community of library advocates and supporters.
The WebJunction article “New directions for volunteers” includes tips you may not have thought of when recruiting volunteers for the board.
Wrap-up
A successful library board is no accident. Being prepared with resources, activities, and training will help ensure the board is ready to serve the library and the community well.