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Resources for Library Trustees: Home

This guide is designed to provide public librarians and library board members with access to reference materials that may be used for board training.

Board Orientation

The Successful Library
Trustee Handbook  written by Mary Y. Moore includes an excellent list of orientation documents to give to newly appointed library board members. 

  • A list of current board members, their contact information, and terms of office
  • description of board committees
  • bylaws of the board
  • library's vision and mission statement
  • copies of all current library policies
  • copies of current budget and latest audit report
  • board minutes for the last six months
  • annual reports for the last five years
  • diagram of organizational structure
  • copy of your state's library laws, including public meetings acts and library privacy laws
  • your state's trustee manual
  • description of the library's programs, services and hours 
  • most current annual statistical report and other evaluative data
  • brochures or other publications about the library 

Alaska Library Resources

Advisory Board vs. Governing Board

A governing board determines the policies of the library, sets its budget, advocates for it and is responsible for the hiring and firing of the library director. 

An advisory board provides counsel and recommendations to another. May be asked to advise on the hours the library is open, assist with strategic planning, evaluation of the librarian, and advocate for the library. 

Websites

Trustee Documents

Handbook

Contact me!

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Valarie Kingsland
Contact:
907-465-6611

Hiring a New Library Director

Organizational Self-Assessment Resources