2012 Standards for Public Libraries about library boards

3. The library board employs a paid library director and delegates management of the library to the library director within the policies and budget approved by the library board.

4. The library board approves and implements a written personnel policy. Hiring rates or ranges and job descriptions are determined for all library staff. The library director implements and manages personnel policies and procedures.

5. Liability insurance for the library is maintained by the library board or the library’s parent government body (city, township or county), and a copy of the current insurance policy is on file at the library.

6. Library financial records are maintained on file at the library and are available in accord with Kansas Open Records Act requirements.

7. The library board has adopted and has available written bylaws and policies on all of the following. Check those for which the library board has approved policies:

• Selection / Collection Management
• Public Services
• Building / Meeting Room Use 
• Intellectual Freedom
• Personnel
• Budget and Finance
• Confidentiality of Library Records
• Equipment Use
• Gifts
• Patron Behavior
• Appropriate Use of Online Services
• Capital Improvements
• Continuing Education
• Surplus Property
• Emergency Preparedness / Disaster Recovery

8. Copies of bylaws and policies are provided to every member of the library board, the library director, and the library staff. All library board members annually read and review bylaws and policies.

9. The library board participates in at least one continuing education activity annually. This activity may be:

• Part of a regularly scheduled board meeting with materials and/or a presentation provided by the regional library system or other resource.


• Attendance at continuing education activities provided by the regional library system and/or other continuing education providers.


• Other continuing education activities including viewing and discussion of online or recorded presentations.

10. New library trustees participate in an orientation upon appointment to the library board.

11. A designated library representative or alternate attends the meetings of their regional library system board.

12. The library provides and pays for a current membership in the Kansas Library Association and Kansas Library Trustee Association for all members of the library board annually.

13. The library board has a current written plan, updated at least every three years and developed with input from members of the community in addition to the library staff and library board. The plan includes all of the following steps. (Check all that have been completed):

• Assessment of community demographics and needs 
• Vision and/or mission statements 
• Goals and objectives
• Action steps
• A process to monitor implementation of the plan 

Assistance with library planning is available from the Regional Library Systems of Kansas.

14. The library board annually reviews the library plan.

16. The library board annually reviews the types of funds used by the library before beginning budget preparation. These include the general tax fund, grants, donations, endowments, and various types of miscellaneous income. Libraries could also utilize a separate employee benefit tax fund, and may create and use a legally established capital improvement fund. Detailed information and sample resolution wording for creation of an Employee Benefit Fund can be found at http://is.gd/WIHU69 . Detailed information and a sample resolution for creation of a Capital Improvement Fund can be found at http://is.gd/yaEZAY.

18. The library board presents the approved budget to the local governing body. This budget should be reflected on the municipal budgets as separate special funds rather than as a line item in the municipal budget. Municipal governments are charged with funding operational budgets created and recommended by local library boards.

19. The library board and library director review all portions of the local official budget related to the library, and copies are retained on file at the library.

20. All checks issued by the library require two signatures – the President and the Secretary of the library board. Any additional signatures are optional. The statutory basis for this is K.S.A. 10-803. More detailed information on facsimile signatures can be found at http://is.gd/QT1AJI .

21. The library board treasurer and the library director develop a monthly financial statement for the library board. This monthly financial statement and all financial motions are included in the library board minutes. The monthly financial statement includes:

• a list of current monthly expenditures
• year-to-date expenditure-to-budget comparison
• a list of current monthly income
• year-to-date income-to-budget comparison

Library boards

• Kansas laws about library boards 


• 2012 Standards for Kansas Public Libraries about library boards
  

Kansas laws about library boards

K.S.A. 12-1222 Appointing board members
<http://tinyurl.com/bo4y6bm>

• “Official head of municipality shall appoint … a library board…”


• City, county and township boards have seven members.


• Boards should be appointed from residents of the municipality, township, county.


• The mayor is an ex officio member of the board with the same powers, e.g., voting, as appointed members.


• Terms are four years long.


• After two consecutive terms, board members must be off one year before being eligible for reappointment.


• A board member can serve as a replacement for someone leaving in the middle of a term and then serve two consecutive terms on their own.


• Appointments are staggered so each year two terms expire and two board members are reappointed.


• Terms expire on April 30. New terms start on May 1.

K.S.A. 12-1223 Board is a corporate body
<http://tinyurl.com/cs4hrmy>

• “The library board of a library established under, or governed by the provisions of this act shall constitute a body corporate and politic, possessing the usual powers of a corporation for public purposes, under the name and style of "the board of directors of _______________ (name of municipality) library" and under such name may contract, sue and be sued and acquire, hold and convey real and personal property in accordance with law. The acquisition or disposition of real property shall be subject to the approval of the governing body of the municipality.”


• The library board as a whole is the boss of the library.

K.S.A. 12-1224 Election of board officers
<http://tinyurl.com/bus35zw>

The members of a library board shall, immediately after their appointment and annually thereafter, meet and organize by the election of a chairman, a secretary and a treasurer and such other officers as they may deem necessary. The board shall fix the date and place of its regular meetings and special meetings may be called by the chairman or upon written request of a majority of the members. Written notice, stating the time and place of any special meeting and the purpose for which called, shall, unless waived, be given each member of the board at least two (2) days in advance of such meeting, and no business other than that stated in the notice shall be transacted at such meeting.