Contact Lara Keenan via email with your name and the name of your library to sign-up for the Vermont Trustees and Friends Listserv. The LibTRUSTFRIEND listserv is designed for library trustees, Friends of the Library and staff with interest in trustees and Friends issues.

Friends of the Library Organizations

• Friends of the Library Groups (updated 2016)
• United for Libraries, American Libraries Association's division for trustees and friends
  • Libraries Need Friends: A Toolkit to Create Friends Groups or to Revitalize the One You Have
  • Idea Sharing for Friends Groups - Ideas for booksales, membership, outreach, and more.
  • Organizational Tools for Friends Groups - Including sample bylaws, operating agreements, mission statements, and more
  • Friends Electronic Discussion Group (list serv from the American Library Association)
• ILoveLibraries.org - Become a Library Friend!
• Working Together Chart
• The Ethical Dozen for Friends of the Library

Library Trustees

Core Materials

• Trustee Basic and Refresher Training - PDF of PowerPoint slides from Lara Keenan, Consultant for Governance and Management
  • Laws That Govern Your Work
  • Working Together chart
• Law of Public Libraries
• Trustees' Manual, 6th Edition
• Division of Powers & Effective Collaboration Between Library Trustees and SelectBoard Members - 2018 VLCT Presentation by Jenny Prosser (VT Secretary of State's Office) and Lara Keenan (VT Dept. of Libraries)
• Short Takes for Trustees: Contact Lara Keenan for the username and password
• Strategic Planning & Advocacy
• 2017 Annual Vermont Library Trustees and Friends Conference: Was held November 4, 2017 at Champlain College in Burlington
• Working Together for Our Communities: Towns and Libraries as Partners - 2019 VLCT Presentation by Lara Keenan
  • Summary Handout from Presentation

Additional Trustee Materials

• United For Libraries, American Library Association's division for trustees and friends
  • Organizational Tools for Trustees - including Basic Principles of Parliamentary Procedure, Sample Director Evaluations, Understanding Roles, and more
  • Sample Policies
  • Trustee Electronic Discussion Group (list serv from the American Library Association)
• ILoveLibraries.org - Become a Library Trustee!
• Fiduciary Duties for Trustees from the Utah State Library
• Creating a Job Description for Your Library Director -  a February 2019 article from United for Libraries (see bottom of page)
• Fundraising
  • How to Improve Your Library's Fundraising: Article from February 2019 "The Voice for America's Libraries" (A United for Libraries publication)
  • Fundraising for Libraries: Presentation by Christine Graham, September 22, 2015
  • Planned Giving: Presentation by Christine Graham, September 22, 2015

Open Meeting Law

As of July 1, 2014, Act 143 updated the Open Meeting Law. The Law was updated again in 2016 and 2018. The Vermont Secretary of State and the Vermont League of Cities and Towns have produced information to help meet the new requirements.  

Secretary of State

• Got Transparency? presentation (2017)
• Guide to Open Meetings (2014, from Secretary of State Jim Condos)
• Vermont Statute Title 1, Section 310

League of Cities and Towns

• Open Meeting Law FAQ (updated 2018)
• Open Meeting Law: Explanation of 2016 Updates
• Quick Guide to Open Meeting Law (updated 05/2017)

Additional Resources

• Legislation as Enacted (2018)
• Legislation as Ammended (2018)
• Legislative Summary, Act 166 (2018)

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