Library Trustees
Training Resources
Library trustees have a critical role in developing quality public library service in Wisconsin. Trustees must be knowledgeable and skilled in a number of areas to do their jobs well. Fortunately, there are several good resources available to help make the task more manageable.
Wisconsin Library Trustee Resource Page The Division for Libraries, Technology and Community Learning trustee page includes a wealth of important information for trustees.
Trustee Essentials Wisconsin’s trustee manual is a great place for any new trustee to learn about being a trustee as well as a valuable source of answers for challenges facing library boards.
Public Library Administration and Governance FAQ - Answers to questions from library trustees, from the Channel newsletter published by the Wisconsin Division for Libraries and Technology. Topics include Open Meetings, Policies, Fundraising, Friends, Finance, Foundations, and Municipal Relations.
Advocacy Resources - Wisconsin Library Association provides political campaigning guides and legislative alerts.
The Successful Library Trustee Handbook by Mary Y. Moore
This resource will help maximize the experience of serving on a board and addresses the critical questions every board member needs to understand.
Powers and Duties of the Public Library Board The League of Wisconsin Municipalities has created a helpful outline of the powers and duties of public library boards under Wisconsin law.
Library Service Guidelines
The Wisconsin Public Library Standards are based on the premise that all Wisconsin residents need and deserve at least a basic level of library service, and are intended to guide the budget and long-range planning efforts to provide the highest level of service possible.
Organizations
Wisconsin Library Trustees and Advocates Open to library trustees, friends and advocates interested in improving library service in Wisconsin. A division of the Wisconsin Library Association.
Association for Library Trustees, Advocates Friends and Foundations The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) with approximately 5,000 Friends of Library, Trustee, Foundation and individual members and affiliates representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. Begun in early 2009 with the merger of Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and ALTA, the new division brings together Trustees and Friends into a partnership that unites the voices of citizens who support libraries to create a powerful force for libraries in the 21st Century.