Previous Recordings of the Trustee Handbook Book Club are listed on this webpage. This program began in October of 2021. To see current year’s recordings visit the Trustee Handbook Book Club webpage.
Trustee Continuing Education Credit
Mid-Hudson Library System can only issue certificates for live sessions (view MHLS’s Statement on Trustee Education Certificates ). Trustees viewing recorded sessions are welcome to use the Self-Assurance Reporting Form found on the NYS Division of Library Development’s website , to self-certify their attendance.
Past Recordings
2023
Financing & Managing Construction Projects | December 19, 2023
VIDEO
Resources:
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Access & Justice | Tuesday, October 17, 2023
VIDEO
Guest speaker: Freddimir Garcia Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer for the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS® (HGAR), a not-for-profit trade association representing over 13,000 real estate professionals doing business in The Bronx, Manhattan, Orange, Putnam, Rockland & Westchester Counties.
Resources:
Strategic Planning | Tuesday, August 15, 2023)
VIDEO
Co-Moderators for the series:
Brian M. Hildreth, Executive Director, Southern Tier Library System
Ron Kirsop, Executive Director, Pioneer Library System.
Resources:
Financial Planning & Budgeting (Tuesday, June 20, 2023)
VIDEO
Co-Moderators for the series:
Brian M. Hildreth, Executive Director, Southern Tier Library System
Ron Kirsop, Executive Director, Pioneer Library System.
The Board-Director Relationship (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)
VIDEO
Trustee Handbook Book Club: Open Meetings Law with Kristin O’Neill, Committee on Open Government | Tuesday, February 21, 2023
VIDEO
2022
Effective Meetings Using Parliamentary Procedures (October 27, 2022)
VIDEO
Trustee Handbook Book Club After Party Part II (July 25, 2022)
VIDEO
PR & Advocacy (June 14th, 2022)
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: PR & Advocacy
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Have you articulated your personal “why”?
Why the library matters to you personally and why you give of your time and energy to this institution?
Do you have a good understanding of all library services and programs offered in person and online?
Do you know who your municipal leaders are? County legislators? State and federal representatives?
Is it easy for a new resident in your service area to access library services?
Have you adequately funded budget lines related to outreach and public relations?
c) Watch the PR & Advocacy recording below
d) Review the program using the PR & Advocacy Post-Session Toolkit
VIDEO
Planning & Evaluation (May 3rd, 2022)
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Planning & Evaluation
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Is the library’s current long-range plan based on feedback received from the community?
Are the goals and objectives of the plan designed to meet the needs expressed by the community?
Are budget decisions based on goals expressed in the board-approved long-range plan?
Does the library have an operational plan to address gaps in resources necessary to be successful in achieving the goals set in the long-range plan?
Does the board annually evaluate the goals in the plan and adjust them accordingly?
c) Watch the Planning & Evaluation recording below
d) Review the program using the Planning & Evaluation Post-Session Toolkit
VIDEO
Ethics & Conflicts of Interest + Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy (April 19, 2022) | Recording Available Here
Preparation:
a) Read the chapters: Ethics & Conflicts of Interest + Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Does your board have an up-to-date Conflict of Interest policy which includes the requirement that all trustees sign a disclosure form annually?
Has your board adopted a Code of Ethics?
Does your board have an anti-nepotism policy?
Has the board recently reviewed its collection development policy and challenge of library materials form and procedure?
Does the library’s collection development policy reflect the principles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement?
c) Watch the Ethics & Conflicts of Interest + Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy recording below
d) Review the program using the Ethics & Conflicts of Interest + Intellectual Freedom, Censorship and Privacy Post-Session Toolkit
VIDEO
Policies & Risk Management (March 29, 2022)
Preparation:
a) Read the chapters: Risk Management & Library Policies
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Is your library facility completely accessible to folks with physical disabilities? If not, do you have a policy that makes it clear how folks of all abilities can access all library services equitably?
Has your board adopted an environmental sustainability policy to ensure everything from how the facility is cleaned to how renovations and expansions are designed takes into consideration the natural environment and the environment in which library workers and patrons experience your library facility?
Has your board engaged in scenario planning to prepare for significant severe weather events or major disruptions such as extended power outages?
Has your board engaged a firm to conduct an energy audit of the facility?
c) Watch the Policies & Risk Management recording below
d) Review the program using the Policies & Risk Management Post-Session Toolkit
VIDEO
Facilities (February 22, 2022)
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Facilities
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Is your library facility completely accessible to folks with physical disabilities? If not, do you have a policy that makes it clear how folks of all abilities can access all library services equitably?
Has your board adopted an environmental sustainability policy to ensure everything from how the facility is cleaned to how renovations and expansions are designed takes into consideration the natural environment and the environment in which library workers and patrons experience your library facility?
Has your board engaged in scenario planning to prepare for significant severe weather events or major disruptions such as extended power outages?
Has your board engaged a firm to conduct an energy audit of the facility?
c) Watch the Facilities recording below
d) Review the program using the Facilities Post-Session Toolkit
VIDEO
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Budgets & Finance
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Is your long-range plan taken into consideration during the budget planning process?
Once your budget is drafted by the director, is it reviewed by the treasurer and Finance Committee before presented to the full board?
Does your board have adequate policies and procedures in place to make budget adjustments during the course of the fiscal year?
Does your board have a capital fund, and a related capital fund reserve policy, to save for high-cost activities related to the facility?
Does your board engage in a process of multi-year budget planning to prepare for the future?
c) Watch the Budgets & Finance recording below.
d) Review the program using the Budgets & Finance Post-Session Toolkit .
VIDEO
2021
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Duties & Responsibilities
b) Thoughts to consider before watching the webinar recording:
What is your purpose as a Library Trustee?
What do you believe is the mission of your Library in the community?
Have you received a thorough orientation about the Library, it’s services and how it functions?
How can the Board be most effective as the public body entrusted with the future of the community’s library?
c) Watch the Duties & Responsibilities recording below.
d) Review the program using the Duties & Responsibilities Post-Session Toolkit .
VIDEO
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Library Board Meetings
b) Thoughts to consider before the watching the webinar recording:
Are your meetings well organized with a standard agenda and materials distributed well in advance?
Do all Board members regularly attend and are well prepared?
Are you familiar with and faithfully follow the Open Meetings Law?
Do you review and approve all bills and personnel actions?
Are you fully apprised of all library activities from the various departments?
c) Watch the Library Board Meetings recording below.
d) Review the program using the Library Board Meetings Post-Session Toolkit .
VIDEO
Preparation:
a) Read the chapter: Personnel
b) Thoughts to consider before the program:
Do you abide by the Best Practices rubric: “Director selects; Board appoints” ?
Do you approve all personnel actions (even retroactively), including salary increases, promotions and terminations?
If applicable, do you understand your responsibilities under NYS Civil Service Law?
Does your Board treat the director as the CEO and avoid micromanagement?
Do you provide sufficient compensation to attract quality staff and a competent library director?
Do you avoid all appearances of nepotism in the hiring and promotional process?
c) Watch the Library Board Meetings recording below.
d) Review the program using the Personnel Post-Session Toolkit .
VIDEO
Trustee Handbook Book Club After Party (December 22, 2021) | Recording Available Here
VIDEO
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