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.