• Trustee Home
• Jumpstart for New Trustees
• MHLS Support for Your Board
• Checklist for Effective Trustees
  
  Contents
• Across the Board Archives
• Roles & Responsibilities
• Board Consultations
  
• Board Organization
• Board Meetings
• Budgets and Finance
• Continuing Education
• Facilities
• Friends of the Library
• Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy
• Laws and Regulations
• Library Network in New York State
• Orientation of New Trustees
• Personnel
• Planning and Evaluation
• Policies
• Public Relations and Advocacy
• Risk Management
• Selection of Trustees
• Technology

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Jump-Start for New Trustees

Where to get started:

1. Each public library is part of a national and statewide library community. Knowing about The Library Network in New York State will give you an overview of libraries in NY and how your library is part of this structure. Find out which of the four types of public libraries your library is and how that impacts decision making and governance. Learn about your library system and the support ole it plays for your library.
   
   
2. Be familiar with the Trustee Duties and Responsibilities that are the core of your role as a library trustee.
   
   
3. Do your part to contribute appropriately to the discussions at Library Board Meetings. Well run meetings increase the power and scope of what the library can accomplish. Understand how to represent your community at the decision making table.
   
   
4. Attend the next regularly scheduled Trustee Essentials Workshop offered through the Mid-Hudson Library System.