There are a number of ways to minimize confusion on the part of management and staff regarding designated roles and authority including:
- Defining appropriate protocols for interactions between the board and staff in the board’s code of ethics.
- Clarifying personnel roles and responsibilities and communication protocols in orientations of new trustees and library staff:
- Trustees and staff should refer to the library director any:
- Complaints from the public regarding library staff or operations.
- Complaints from library staff.
- Suggestions related to library services or programming.
- Trustees need to refrain from:
- Giving directions or instructions directly to library staff.
- Exerting pressure on the director to influence decisions.
- Abandoning or undermining staff if there is a community controversy, especially when they are following policies established by the board.
- Who does what?
- The library board is responsible for creating policies;
- The library director is responsible for implementing policies
- The library director is responsible for hiring and supervising library staff;
- The library director is responsible for library operations.
- Assuring that board members, the director, and library staff have current and clearly written job descriptions;
- Having personnel policies, procedures, and protocols in place and reviewing and revising them on a regular basis;
- Circulating board agendas and minutes to help library staff understand the role of the board of trustees and the issues that they address.
As stated in RCW 27.12.210, it is the responsibility of the board of trustees to employ a librarian, and upon the librarian’s recommendation employ such other assistants as may be necessary, prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and remove them for cause.
To fulfill these duties, the board should:
- Approve the collective bargaining agreement if the library has employees represented by a labor union. This agreement should include a section on hiring and conditions of employment to be administered by the library director.
- Adopt a personnel policy for non-union employees that includes, but is not limited to, hiring and conditions of employment to be administered by the library director.
- Adopt an employee classification plan that outlines the responsibilities and duties of all employees.
- Review employee compensation annually as part of the annual budget approval process.
- Monitor and review all personnel actions filed against the library relating to allegations of violations of collective bargaining agreements, personnel policies, or civil rights.