ALTA Trustees Resource Centre

Christine Nelson
Strategic Information and Libraries Branch
for Northern Lights Library System Fall Conference 2002

Accountability

• To municipality
• To province
• To your patrons

Acronyms

• They may sound like alphabet soup, but be familiar with the major ones:
  • ALTA – Alberta Library Trustees Association
  • LAA – Library Association of Alberta
  • CLA - Canadian Library Association
  • TAL – The Alberta Library
  • APLEN – Alberta Public Library Electronic Network

Advertising

• Sometimes paying for an advertisement is worth the money. It ensures that your message is in the media when and where you want it

Advocacy

• On behalf of your library and all libraries
• Talk about the value of libraries to everyone at every chance you have

Agendas

• Don’t run a meeting without one
• Distribute before the meeting

Attitude

• Have a positive library attitude

Best Practices

• Be aware of the best practices by Alberta libraries and try them in your library

Binders

• Keep your binder up to date
• Begin each board meeting with a binder check to make sure everyone has the right papers on file
• Pass your binder on to the new trustee who replaces you on the board

Budget

• One of the most important board tasks
• Be aware of the budget deadlines in your municipality – they are often early than December 1
• Submit your budget to your municipality as early as possible
• Submit all relevant documents with your library operating grant application

By laws

• Ensure they are current and filed with Libraries Branch
• Terms and conditions under which
  • Public may be admitted to the building
  • Public library property may be used or borrowed
  • Borrowing privileges may be suspended or forfeited
• Fees
  • Issuance of borrowing cards
  • Use of building parts not used for purposes of the library
  • Photocopying
  • Receiving information in printed, electronic, magnetic or other format
  • Receiving, on request, a library service not normally provided
  • Penalties to be paid by members for abuse of borrow privileges

Committees

• Keep to a limited number
• Know the difference between standing committees and ad hoc committees
• Set mandates and expectations for committee work
• Report to the full board

Communication Plan

• A communication plan can be part of the Plan of Service
• Distribution of information about library activities and services will help the visibility of the library
• Decide on the library’s message(s), how to deliver them and who will be responsible for getting the messages out
• A planned communication strategy will pay big benefits and help confirm community support

Community Initiatives

• This is the new term for lottery programs

Community Relations

• Are important to the board
• Be aware that what you say or do can reflect on the library and the library board

Conferences

• Attend them
• Key conferences are The Alberta Library Conference, Northern Lights Conference and NetSpeed and the Canadian Library Association Conference

Contracts and Agreements

• Have current ones on file
• Be clear about the terms and conditions of the contract
• Be aware of what is in your system agreement and what are the board’s responsibilities to the system

Dedication

• Is a critical component of the library trustee

Disaster Planning

• Accidents and disaster do happen. Have a plan in place to deal with fire and flood

Donor Programs

• People like to give things to the library – books, magazines, and memorabilia
• Have a clear and definite policy on file
• Accepting a donation does not mean that the item will be in the library forever
• Secure charitable organization designation so receipts can be given to donors
• See the TAL website for the details of the Lois Hole Library legacy Program  

Effectiveness

• Work hard to ensure that your board is working effectively
• Have plans and agendas and stick to them. People do not have time to spend on unproductive meetings

E-Mail

• Use e-mail whenever possible – it is fast, effective and efficient
• Know when to print an e-mail and save it in your Binder

Ethics

• Review the Alberta Library Trustees Association Code of Ethics
• Follow the Code of Ethics in your library dealings

Evaluation

• Evaluation of the head librarian is the responsibility of the library board or its personnel committee
• It is also a good idea to evaluate the board – has it fulfilled its obligations to the community?

Facilities

• Be sure that the library has adequate insurance to cover full replacement costs of materials and equipment
• There should also be liability insurance
• The library should be a safe place
• Have good signage – inside and outside the library. Directional signs in town are important aids to get people to the library

Filing

• Keep it up-to-date after each meeting so you can find things

FOIP

• Freedom of Information and Privacy Act – Know it!
• Be familiar with what information your library collects and keeps

Fun-raising

• This is not a typo. Have fun. Help the library raise the profile of the library by sponsoring fun events.

Fund raising

• Is a major responsibility of a library board
• May need to establish and incorporate a “Friends of ...” Society in order to run or participate in bingos and casinos
• Explore novel ways of raising – There are books

Goals

• Having clear and reasonable goals will keep your library on track and focused
• Review the library’s Goals regularly
• Have a timeframe for reaching the goals

Government

• Know your local councilors, MLA and MP
• Check out the Alberta Municipal Affairs website regularly for library news
• A basic courtesy is to thank politicians for the work they do on behalf of libraries

Grants

• Possibly one of the most important board activities – applying for a library operating grant from Alberta Municipal Affairs
  
• Be sure that all requisite documents are filed and up-to-date. This includes having a current Plan of Service.
• If the board is using a new auditor, please include the council resolution appointing the new auditor with your Grant Application Package

Handbook

• Have an up-to-date copy of the ALTA handbook available for all board members

Handicapped access

• Part of maintaining a service is to be in compliance with other provincial acts and regulations, including Building Standards

In Camera

• Boards can go In Camera only to discuss legal, security, personnel and labour relations issues
• Library board meetings are open to the public.
• Too many In Camera meetings are not good for the library board’s image in the community

Integrity

• Have a firm commitment to principles of library service to your community. The library is there to serve everyone in the community.

Intellectual Freedom

• Have a copy of the CLA’s statement on Intellectual Freedom in your binder
• Remember, the library is there to serve all segments of the public, even those you don’t personally agree with.

Interest

• Be interested in serving on the library board
• Be interested in you r community
• Have a library card and use it regularly
• Using the library demonstrates an interest in it. Don’t be one of those trustees who proudly claim to never use the library. Is this anything a library board member should do?

Issues

• There are always issues simmering in the library community. Do your best to keep current with them.
• Funding for new technology based initiatives is an on-going issue

Job descriptions

• Library trustees need job descriptions too.
• What are the duties of the chair, vice-chair, secretary, treasurer and committee chairs
• Job descriptions are a critical component of the Personnel Policy

Knowledge

• Be knowledgeable about current library practices, issues and concerns
• Be informed about your community – you represent them

 Letters

• Write them when necessary
• Be sure they are addressed correctly. Be polite and please don’t whine.
• Keep copies
• E-mails are the new letters. Have a method of printing and filing them

Libraries Act & Regulation

• Are the cornerstones of library service in Alberta
• Be familiar with both documents
• Please send in your comments when requested by the Branch

Literacy

• All forms of literacy are supported by the library
• Regular literacy programs for children and adults strengthen your community
• Offer the library as a place to hold literacy tutoring sessions
• Establish cooperation with your local literacy program
• Public libraries have received literacy program grants from Alberta Learning

The Lois Hole Library Legacy Program

• This is a new program for donations to libraries
• For complete details about this special program, please go to http://www.visityourlibrary.net

Manuals

• Keep them up-to-date
• Bring them to the meetings

Meetings

• Attend them
• Try to keep them short and focused on the business at hand
• If you have to miss one, please give plenty of notice
• Meetings are the life-blood of the library community

Minutes

• Keep them on file
• Sign them off after they have been approved
• Keep a master file of minutes so they can be referenced if necessary

Mission Statement

• Is part of the Plan of Service
• Can take a while to craft
• Identifies the purpose to the public library
• Include the Mission Statement on the Agenda and the board minutes

Money

• Is critical for the operation of a public library
• Report to your council and public how the board spends the money
• The library board holds a fiduciary trust

Needs Assessment

• Don’t assume you know the informational, recreational, educational needs of your library public.
• Find creative ways of surveying your public’s library and information needs
• Don’t waste paper on survey forms. They end up in the trash bin
• Focus groups are very useful
• Include the needs assessment in your Plan of Service document

Objectives

• Are part of the Plan of Service
• Have specific Action Steps attached
• Have specific people assigned to carry them out or make sure they are completed
• Need time frames
• Should have a budget included
• Evaluation of the objectives is critical 

Orientation

• Participate in the Alberta Library Trustees Association workshops held in your area.
• To find out when and where ALTA’s trustee orientations are being held, please check ALTA’s website
• Have a policy for Board Orientation – and follow it

Plan of Service

• Are components of compliance with the Libraries Act and Regulation
• If the board is in arrears or overdue on its Plan of Service, it can hold up the payment of the library operating grant.
• If you need help with your Plan of Service, please call Public Libraries Services Branch at 310-0000-780-415-0296

Planned Giving

• Explore the possibilities of Planned Giving.
• Leave something to the library in your will or insurance policy

Policies

• Are listed in section 7 of the Libraries Regulation
• When policies are revised, please send a copy to the Branch
• When new policies are created, please send a copy to the Branch
• Policies should be posted in plain view in the library

Promotion

• Promotion is an integral part of the library’s Communication Plan

Publicity

• Publicity is the third P of the communications mantra – Product, Promotion, and Publicity

Questions

• Ask them
• Are how you learn

Reading

• Do it - for yourself, for your children and grandchildren

Records

• Library records should be kept at least 7 years
• User records are confidential, except where disclosure is required by law (Libraries Regulation 7(1)(a)

Reports

• Keep you r council informed about the library and not just when the budget is presented
• File the required reports completely and on time
• A report to the public in the form of a printed annual report is a good idea  

Service

• Is the reason for having a municipal library board
• Service is responsive to patron needs
• Hours of service are for the public’s convenience. Be open when people are in town  

Statistics

• Are collected yearly
• Can help the board make its case for increased funding
• Are useful for illustrating library activities and growth

Technology

• Has dramatically changed how libraries do business over the last five years
• Technology creates its own pressures
• A Technology Plan is necessary
• SuperNet is coming

Time

• If you don’t have the time, don’t volunteer to be on the library board
• Take time to use your library

Training

• Take all the training you can
• Attend system sponsored workshops and training sessions
• Take responsibility for your own training

Trust

• A library board member holds the public trust

Understanding

• Understanding library issues is important

Value of Libraries

• Identify for your community the value of libraries
• Review Dividends: The value of public libraries in Canada published by the Book and Periodical Council which clearly and concisely outlines these values
• Promote the value of libraries at every opportunity

Websites

• Ones to check out:
  • The Alberta Library Trustees Association (ALTA)
    http://www.librarytrustees.ab.ca
  • Alberta Municipal Affairs, Public Libraries Branch
    http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/mc_libraries.cfm
    
  • The Alberta Library (TAL)
    http://www.thealbertalibrary.ab.ca/
  • Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN)
    http://www.thealbertalibrary.ab.ca/viewChannel.asp?channelID=2
  • Library Association of Alberta (LAA)
    http://www.laa.ab.ca
  • Canadian Library Trustees Association (CLTA)
    http://www.cla.ca/divisions/clta/clta.htm
• Your library website should list the board members
• Keep your library website up to date
• Link your library website to your library system website and other important library sites such as The Alberta Library site

Workshops

• Attend as many as you can. Every workshop has at least one perfect kernel of information that will be useful
• Arrange for library staff to attend workshops. Continuing education is important for trustees and staff

Xerography

• Make any required photocopies
• Photocopies can be charged for by the library

Year

• The Library Year is the calendar year
• Annual Reports are due to the Branch in February
• Applications for library operating grants are due in June
• The Alberta Library Conference is held in the spring
• Northern Lights Conference is held in the fall
• The Canadian Library Association Conference is held in the summer
• Government’s fiscal year is April 1 to March 31
• Plan of Service is due every 3 to 5 years, but should be reviewed yearly
• Alberta Library Week is in October 

ZEST! – Have fun being a good library trustee!