Board Meetings

Library Board meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. If you would like the schedule for board meetings, please call 517-437-6470 or send an email to info@hillsdale-library.org.

Library Board By-Laws

Article I: Membership

The library board of the Hillsdale Community Library shall consist of five (5) trustees chosen for their fitness for office in accordance with provisions of Chapter 2.48.020 of the Hillsdale Municipal Code.

Article II: Officers

Section 1: The officers shall be president, vice president and secretary elected from the chosen trustees at the annual meeting of the board.

Section 2: Officers shall serve a term of one year from the annual meeting at which they are elected and until their successors are duly elected.

Section 3: The officers shall perform the duties generally associated with their officers and such other as may be designated by the board.

Article III: Meetings

Section 1: The regular meetings shall be held each month, the date and hour to be set by the board at its annual meeting.

Section 2: The annual meeting which shall be for the purpose of election of officers and the adoption of an annual report shall be held at the time of the regular meeting in April of each year.

Section 3: Special meetings may be called by the president or at the request of three (3) members for the transaction of the business as stated in the call for the meeting.

Section 4: A quorum for the transactions for business shall consist of a simple majority.

Section 5: Order of business for regular meeting shall be:

Call to Order

Approval of Agenda

Approval of Minutes

Statistical Reports

Financial

Circulation

Old Business

New Business

Section 6: Situations not covered by these by-laws or board policy, shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition.

Article IV: Library Directory and Staff

The board shall appoint a library director with appropriate professional and personal qualifications who shall be the administrative officer of the board.

The library director shall be responsible to the board for carrying out its policies, specifying duties of other employees and recommending person for appointment, supervision of staff, care and maintenance of library equipment and property, selection, acquisition, and organization of books and other library materials, and the libraries public relations.

The library director shall also be responsible for keeping the trustees informed of matters related to the library or to themselves as trustees; for preparing a preliminary draft of budget and annual reports for the board approval, and for assisting the board in its decisions on policies, budget and other such matters.

Article V: Committees

In most matters the board should act as a committee for the whole, but standing or special committees may be appointed at the discretion of the board president. The committee shall be considered discharged upon the completing of its assignment and a final report to the board.

Article VI: General

Section 1: An affirmative vote of a majority of all trustees present shall be necessary to approve any action by the board unless the board had adopted a policy of operating by consensus when it chooses. In such cases the secretary shall indicate in the record that the decision was reached in this matter. The president shall be allowed to vote upon or to move or second a proposal before the board.

Section 2: The bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of members present to an official meeting of the board provided that the amendment was included in the call for the meeting.

Section 3: Library board members must, in general, avoid situations in which their personal interests conflict with the needs of the library. This extends particularly to decisions involving financial transactions entered into by the library.

A conflict of interest shall be defined as  any situation in which the personal interest of Trustee might be served or financial benefits gained at the expens of Library users or at the expense of the institution itself.  A direct conflict exists whenever there is a proposed transaction or arrangement in which a Trustee has any actual or potential involvement, interest, relationship or gain. An indirect conflict exists in the following situations:

• When any party involved in a transaction with the Library is an entity in which the trustee has a material or financial interest.
• If a trustee is an affiliation with a party involved in a transaction with the library.

Section 4: Should any trustee perceive a direct or indirect conflict of interest, it must be brought to the attention of the Board immediately. The Board shall examine the nature and extent of the potential conflict; any resolution shall hold the library’s interest paramount as well as maintain the Board’s integrity in its governing role.

INFORMATION REQUESTS

Physical copies of board meeting minutes, library policies, or library financial records may be obtained at the library or you may send an email request to director@hillsdale-library.org

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Hillsdale Community Library is governed by a Board of Trustees chosen “for their fitness for office in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 2.48.020 of the Hillsdale Municipal Code.

The current Board members are as follows:

President
James Bowen

Vice President
George Allen

Secretary
Ricky Freeman

Trustee
Scott Cress

Trustee
Karen Hill

Library Director
TBA