Organizational Tools for Trustees

United for Libraries has provided a variety of organizational tools to help your Board of Trustees be more effective. If you have ideas for resources to be added here, please email united@ala.org.

Learn about library boards types and Trustee competencies.

The Jefferson County Public Library (Lakewood, CO) implemented a naming rights program in conjunction with the recent remodel of its Golden Library. See the brochure (PDF, 994 kb), guidelines (Word, 34 kb), and policy (Word, 45 kb) for more information.

Looking for a sample library director evaluation? Check out these examples shared with permission:

• Board of Trustees of the Hatfield (Mass.) Public Library Director Evaluation (PDF, 110kb)
• Rochester Hills Public Library Board Evaluation of Library Director (Word, 37kb)
• Mid-Hudson Library Director Evaluation Part I (PDF,96 kb)
• Mid-Hudson Library Director Evaluation Part II (Word, 61 kb)

The Understanding Roles: The Separate But Complementary Roles of Friends, Trustees, and Library Directors (PDF, 58 kb) will help you define the roles of the Friends, Trustees, and library staff in working together to support the library. United for Libraries personal members also have access to an annotated version of this resource.

The sample policies are a good starting point for your board to discuss the issues and concerns particular to your library and community. United for Libraries members are invited to share their policies for posting as well.

The Public Library Trustee Ethics Statement is an official statement approved by United for Libraries.

Basic Principles of Parliamentary Procedure (Dr. John A. Cagle, Parliamentarian of the Academic Senate and Professor of Communication, California State University, Fresno)

The worksheet "Know Your Community Governing Official" will help Trustees prepare for meetings with their representatives.