The Basics
- Should be in writing.
- Should be written in such a way that they can be applied objectively.
- Must be enforced consistently. To ensure that they are, review all policies with your director annually and ask your director to review relevant policies with staff and volunteers.
- Should provide an appeal mechanism for patrons even if that mechanism is informal, such as a conversation with the director.
- Once you have policies and procedures adopted by the board of trustees, follow them exactly — do not ignore your policies.
- If a policy no longer seems reasonable, change it.
Samples
Use the buttons below to access resources & samples for:
- Internal Policies – policies that impact library operations.
- External Policies – policies that impact patrons directly.
- Essential Documents – core documents every library needs
Website Posting Requirements
All libraries are required to have written policies and they must be made accessible to the public via the library’s website. See these New York State Library webpages for the most up to date information regarding these minimum standard requirements:
- Standard 4: Written Policies – Helpful Information for Meeting Minimum Public Library Standards – Resources at New York Education Department
- Standard 11: Provides Access to Current Library Information – Helpful Information for Meeting Minimum Public Library Standards – Resources at New York Education Department
What Policies Does My Library Need?
Public libraries in New York State should maintain a comprehensive set of written policies that outline the rules, standards, and guiding principles for the library’s operation, governance, and public use. Some policies are required by the New York State Department of Education, while others may be mandated by additional federal, state, or local authorities, such as labor laws, occupational safety regulations, or municipal requirements.
The accompanying Excel workbook provides a recommended list to support boards as they develop and maintain strong governance documents. However, this list is not exhaustive. Each library should consult relevant laws, regulations, and local requirements to ensure that all necessary policies are in place and kept up to date. Libraries may also find it necessary to adopt additional policies based on their unique organizational structure, services, or community needs.
Reviewing & Rewriting Existing Policies
Policies should be reviewed at least every 5 years.
- Library boards should ask themselves whether there is still a viable reason to have the policy in the first place?
- Consider: Does your policy meet the “Four Tests For A Locally-Enforceable Library” Policy? If not, maybe that policy needs to be re-written or eliminated.
- Some boards have eliminated long-standing policies which have outlived their original usefulness to the public library and have opted instead for a more positive image for the library in the community. These include policies such as overdue fines, rental fees, and restrictions of number of materials borrowed at one time.
Resources
Tips for Writing
- Draft with the Library Director; get input from relevant staff.
- Have a lawyer review your Personnel and other relevant polices. You can request MHLS staff review your policies as well.
- The full board should review and vote to accept the final version of all policies.
- Don’t rewrite laws and professional standards within your policies — just adopt them or quote them. For example, it is recommended that your board adopt the following standard American Library Association (ALA) policies:
Definitions & Parts
Practice
The way things are actually done in your library. Practice may or may not be supported by policy statements, regulations, and procedures. Practice is generally conveyed via oral tradition as a part of a new staff member’s orientation, and it can become very subjective.
Example: The cash handling procedure says that one staff member should count the cash and another should verify the count, but we are a small branch so the clerk takes care of it alone.
Policy Elements
Policy Statement
A brief, written statement that describes WHY the library does something. Policy statements are written from the customer point of view and approved by the library’s governing authority.
Example: To facilitate the management of the library and enhance service to the public, all library units will collect and report statistics on a regular schedule.
Regulation
Specific, written rules that further define the policy, describing what must be done to support the policy. They are normally approved by the library’s governing authority.
Example: All library fines, fees, and overdue materials must be cleared before a library user may renew his or her card.
Procedure
Written step-by-step descriptions of how the staff will carry out the policy and regulations. Procedures are more flexible than regulations and will change as the tools available to staff change. Frontline staff may be allowed to modify the procedures in certain circumstances. Procedures are developed by staff and approved by library managers. They are not reviewed or approved by the library’s governing authority.
- Boards can get bogged down with details if they try to write procedures into policy. The following definitions should help you keep it simple:
- Policy – A written statement that describes how things will be handled, setting the conditions and terms of a situation.
- Procedure – A written, step-by-step description of how the staff will carry out a policy.
Example: The library staff member who books a tour will: (1) Complete the Tour Request Form; (2) Place it in the branch manager’s in-box.
Guideline
A description of best practices that provides suggestions for staff on the most efficient ways to implement policy statements, regulations, and procedures. Guidelines are more philosophical than policy statements, regulations, or procedures and often are developed by staff committees. Guidelines are always approved by the library director but are rarely reviewed by the library’s governing authority. Typical guidelines include reference guidelines and guidelines for serving people with special needs.
Example: Library staff assigned to provide information services will promptly and courteously greet all customers.