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Board of Trustees Bylaws

The following Bylaws, duly enacted by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Hinsdale Public Library, Hinsdale, Illinois shall govern the organization and duties of the Board and its officers and committees as well as aspects of its meetings and finances. The Bylaws also prescribe, in a general sense, the duties and responsibilities of the Library Director, as well as his/her relationship to the Board. These Bylaws are subject to all applicable federal, state and municipal statutes and shall remain in force until replaced or amended by resolution of the Board.

ARTICLE ONE
LIBRARY VISION AND MISSION

1.1 Vision Statement.
To enhance the quality, richness and enjoyment of life of the people of Hinsdale by establishing the Hinsdale Public Library as the community center for information and lifelong learning and by providing educational, recreational, and cultural materials and programs for people of all ages.

1.2 Mission Statement.
The Hinsdale Public Library serves the community by providing access to information and educational experiences through technology, programming, and collections. The Library is the cornerstone of the community where children and adults can experience personal enrichment and connect with one another. The Library seeks innovative ways to:

Serve as the doorway to learning for pre-school children, engendering a love of reading in children of all ages and creating enthusiasm for the use of computers as a lifelong informational and educational tool;

Serve as a “perpetual learning environment” for elementary, middle and high school students by supplementing print and electronic resources available from school libraries, including electronic access to Library resources, and to provide materials for individual exploration and enjoyment;

Serve adults in accessing and utilizing information that meets their work and/or personal needs through available resources. Enhance their personal enjoyment by maintaining targeted on-site collections of popular fiction, travel, audio, and video materials;

Effectively use technology to enhance the enjoyment and learning experience available to the community;

Encourage curiosity and love of learning by developing and delivering informational, educational, and cultural programs of interest to the community, which also involves exploring partnerships with other community service providers;

Create a welcoming and dynamic place for the community to gather, seek information and enrichment, and exchange ideas.

ARTICLE TWO
ORGANIZATION

2.1 Board of Trustees. The Board shall consist of seven Trustees to be elected in accordance with the Illinois Compiled Statutes [ILCS], and their terms of office shall be as provided therein. The Board shall have, and exercise, authority over policies and other matters as prescribed in the state statutes.

2.2 Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Board, other than by expiration of the term for which a Trustee is elected, shall be filled by action of the remaining Trustees as prescribed in the state statutes.

2.3 Officers. The Officers of the Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Election of officers by the Board shall be for two-year terms and will take place every odd-numbered year at the Annual Meeting [see Section 3.2 below]. [At the regular meeting that precedes such an election, the Board may appoint a President Pro Tempore to serve until a new President is elected.] Two months or more prior to an Annual Meeting at which an election will be held, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of the Trustees who are completing their terms and about to leave the Board. Should there be fewer than two such Trustees who are able and willing to serve on the Committee, the President, subject to ratification by majority vote of the Board, shall appoint other Trustees as needed. The Nominating Committee shall schedule, post notice of and hold one or more meetings in the library at which a proposed slate of candidates for officer positions will be developed. This slate must be announced no later than at the April Board meeting which immediately precedes the election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at this April Board meeting as well as at that Annual Meeting. Election for each office will be by majority vote of the Trustees present. If none of the candidates for a particular office receives a majority of the votes, a runoff election between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes will be held. In the event of the death, resignation or removal of an officer prior to the expiration of his/her term, a Trustee elected to fill the vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the un-expired term. Removal of any officer, for cause, shall be by resolution of the Board at a duly convened meeting, such resolution to be approved by at least five Trustees.

2.4 Duties of the President. The President shall act and speak for the Board in all matters affecting policy and general supervision of the Library, except as otherwise provided by law, by these Bylaws or by action of the Board. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board, shall sign all records, reports or statements as required by, or in conformity with, the state statutes and shall appoint the members of all committees. Subject to ratification by majority vote of the other Trustees, Presidents may appoint themselves to serve as voting members of up to three standing committees and any special committees and may become Chairperson of up to two such committees. The President shall be an ex officio, but non-voting, member of all other committees. The President may vote on any motion raised at a Board meeting and is required to vote in case of a tie vote among the other Trustees.

2.5 Duties of the Vice President. In the absence of the President, or in the event of his/her incapacity or refusal to act, the Vice President shall preside at Board meetings and shall otherwise act in place of the President as required or permitted in accordance with the state statutes and these Bylaws.

2.6 Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep an accurate, prompt and faithful record of the proceedings of the Board, shall give due and proper notice of all meetings as required by statute and these Bylaws and shall perform such other duties as may properly belong to the office of Secretary or as may be assigned by the President or by the Board. The Secretary shall have custody of the minutes of Board meetings and other records of the Board.

2.7 Duties of the Treasurer. Subject to the limitations provided by the state statutes, these Bylaws and the overall guidelines established by the Board, the Treasurer shall exercise general authority over the funds of the Library.

2.8 Committees. There shall be four standing committees of the Board as follows:
a. Finance and Facilities
b. Staffing and Personnel
c. Library Services and Community Relations
d. Development

2.9 Finance and Facilities Committee. The Treasurer, ex officio, shall be Chairperson of this Committee. With the advice and assistance of the other standing committees and the Library Director, the Committee shall propose the annual budget and present it to the Board prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. It shall also prepare the annual appropriation and levy resolutions for Board approval, shall receive and review Library accounting reports and audits, including the monthly financial statements, and shall review all actions of the Treasurer and/or the appointed Custodian of Library Monies [see Section 5.4 below] with respect to the disbursement or investment of Library funds. The Committee shall also review and make recommendations to the Board on all matters relating to the furnishings, décor, heating/air conditioning, lighting, cleaning, maintenance, alteration and improvement of the building and grounds of the Library. To the extent that the Village of Hinsdale may be involved in such matters, the Committee, or its delegated representative, will coordinate with the Village officials concerned.

2.10 Staffing and Personnel Committee. The Committee shall act as liaison between the Library staff and the Board. It shall meet at least twice a year with the Library staff or with a representative committee of the staff and shall be responsible for developing and proposing policies and plans regarding Library staffing and personnel and for making recommendations to the Board regarding their implementation.

2.11 Library Services and Community Relations Committee. The Committee shall work with the Library Director and staff in developing and reviewing the services provided by the Library, including automated systems and computer-based services and resources. It shall also serve as liaison between the Library and the community and shall be responsible for formulating and promoting a program which will encourage the use of the Library, inform the public about Library services and activities and encourage citizen support for Library development.

2.12 Development Committee. The Committee shall work to identify, develop, expand and advance major sources of non-tax revenue for the library, primarily through gifts, bequests and special fundraising activities. The Committee will develop policies & plans that coordinate the charitable development efforts of the Board with those of other organizations who support the Hinsdale Public Library, especially the Hinsdale Public library Foundation and the Friends of the Hinsdale Public Library. The Committee will strive to encourage the participation of Board Members and the Community at Large in the fund raising efforts of the above-mentioned organizations. At least one trustee member of the Hinsdale Library Foundation Board shall be a member of the Development Committee. The Committee [It] will act in accordance with the policy statement titled Board Policy Regarding Gifts to the Hinsdale Public Library and will have initial jurisdiction over all donations, bequests and gifts to the Library, whether in the form of money, securities, books or other articles or materials. All decisions of the Committee concerning the acceptance, use, display and disposition of gifts shall be subject to review and approval of the Board.
The Committee will develop and maintain an orientation program for new trustees and a continuing education for all trustees. The Committee will be responsible for establishing and reviewing at least once every two years, the minimum standard of continuing education that all Trustees are expected to meet. The standards set by the Committee are subject to Board review and approval.

2.13 Special Committees. Subject to ratification by majority vote of the Board, the President shall have power and authority to establish special committees. Such committees shall serve until completion of the project for which they were established or until the expiration of the appointing President’s term, whichever comes first.

ARTICLE THREE
MEETINGS

3.1 Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the Hinsdale Public Library at 8:00 p.m. or at such other time and place as may be determined with respect to any particular meeting by majority vote of the Board. The Board may omit any regular monthly meeting by passage of a motion at a duly convened prior meeting of the full Board. However, no more than two regular meetings shall be omitted in any given fiscal year.

3.2 Annual Meetings. The first regular meeting of the Board each fiscal year shall be designated the Annual Meeting. Appointments to standing committees shall be made by the President at this meeting, or within two weeks thereafter.

3.3 Notice of Regular Meetings. Notice of the time and place of all regular meetings shall be given by or at the direction of the Secretary at least five days before the scheduled date of such meeting by mailing or delivering to each Trustee written notice thereof, properly addressed to each Trustee’s last known post office address. Public notice of all regular meetings shall be given as required by law.

3.4 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the President upon the oral or written request of any Trustee, to be held at any time or place in the Village of Hinsdale and for any purpose designated in the request. In the event of the absence or inability to act of the President, the Vice-President may call such meetings. Special meetings may also be called by a majority of the Board, provided the written notice of any such meeting includes the names of the Trustees requesting the meeting.

3.5 Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the date, time, place and purpose of special meetings shall be given to each Trustee by or at the direction of the Secretary not less than twenty-four hours before the time of the meeting. Public notice of special meetings shall be given as required by law.

3.6 Committee Meetings. Committees shall meet as necessary, and public notice of all committee meetings shall be given as required by law.

3.7 Quorum. A quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Board shall consist of four Trustees present in person. In case a quorum shall not be present at any meeting, the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum is present, and such reconvened meeting may transact business as though such meeting has not been adjourned. A quorum at any committee meeting shall consist of a majority of the appointed members.

3.8 Order of Business. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which, shall be covered in the sequence shown so far as circumstances permit:
a. Call to order.
b. Citizens’ comments.
c. Approval of minutes of the preceding meeting(s).
d. Library Director’s report.
e. Treasurer’s report.
f. Approval of accounts payable.
g. Committee reports.
h. Unfinished business.
i. New business.
j. Citizens’ comments.
k. Schedule of upcoming meetings.
l. Adjournment.

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the Board.

3.9 Minutes. The written minutes of Board meetings shall be retained as required by law. Audiotapes and written minutes of closed Board meetings shall be made and retained as required by law. Such audiotapes shall be stored in a lock box and keys to the lock box will be held by the Board President and Secretary.

ARTICLE FOUR
PERSONNEL

4.1 Library Director. The Library Director shall be selected, employed and supervised by the Board. The Library Director shall, subject to the authority of the Board, act as administrator of the Library. S/he shall be responsible for carrying out the policies established by the Board and shall be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Library. The Library Director shall attend all meetings of the Board and its committees except at such times as the terms of employment and salary of the Library Director are to be discussed or decided, or at any meeting or portion thereof which the Library Director is requested not to attend by the President or by a majority of the Board. If the Library Director is unable to attend a given meeting due to illness or excused absence, s/he may delegate the Assistant Library Director or any Department Head to represent him/her.

4.2 Employees and Salaries. The terms and conditions of employment and the salaries of the Library Director and all employees of the Library shall be subject to the control of the Board.

ARTICLE FIVE
FINANCE

5.1 Library Funds. All revenues or other monies received by the Library, either directly or through the Village of Hinsdale, shall be credited to the appropriate Library fund, there to be kept separate and apart from other monies of the Village of Hinsdale as provided for by law. Other than petty cash, all Library funds needed for normal operations and not invested as prescribed in Section 5.3 below, shall be kept in one or more checking or savings accounts with federally insured financial institutions as authorized and approved from time to time by Board resolution. The size of the Library’s Petty Cash Fund shall be established, and may be changed from time to time, by motion of the Board.

5.2 Disbursement and Transfer of Library Funds. All checks or orders drawn against the funds of the Library shall bear two signatures. The President, and additional Trustees designated from time to time by Board resolution, shall be authorized to provide one of these signatures. The Treasurer shall be authorized to provide the second required signature. By Board resolution, the Library Director or a Trustee may be appointed Assistant Treasurer with the power to provide the second signature in the temporary absence or incapacity of the Treasurer. The Treasurer and/or appointed Custodian of Library Monies [see Section 5.4 below] shall be authorized to transfer monies from one account to another as needed as well as to make or cause to be made direct transfers from appropriate Library Funds to reimburse the Village of Hinsdale for payroll and other disbursements made on behalf of the Library.

5.3 Investment of Library Funds. All Library funds deemed excess to normal operating requirements shall be invested in accordance with Illinois statutes and the Library Board’s Investment Policy.

5.4 Coordination of Library Financial Matters with the Village of Hinsdale. The Board may appoint the Finance Director of the Village of Hinsdale, or another Village official, the Custodian of Library Monies responsible for investing and transferring funds. Said Custodian will be appointed by a resolution of the Board, and actions taken by the Custodian with respect to Library funds shall be subject to review and approval by the Treasurer and Finance and Facilities Committee as well to the limitations established by these Bylaws, the authorizing Board resolution and Illinois law.

5.5 Review and Approval of Accounts Payable. All checks issued in payment of Library obligations [Accounts Payable] must be supported by corresponding vouchers and documentation. Prior to the release or mailing of checks to payees, the list of Accounts Payable and supporting vouchers and documentation shall be reviewed and approved by any two of the following trustees: the Treasurer, the President or any member of the Finance Committee. If two trustees from among those designated above are not available to review and approve a given Accounts Payable, the Treasurer or President may designate any other trustee to do so. The list of Accounts Payable shall also be reviewed by the full Finance and Facilities Committee and formally approved by the Board at a regular meeting.

5.6 Annual Report. Within two months after the close of each fiscal year the Board shall issue a written report to the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hinsdale. This report, to be verified under oath by the Secretary of the Board, is to be filed also with the Illinois State Library and may be submitted in the form prescribed by the Illinois State Library but, in any event, will include all elements required by Illinois statute.

ARTICLE SIX
GENERAL

6.1 Statutes Govern. To the extent that these Bylaws may be or become inconsistent with Illinois or federal statutes, the statutes and not these Bylaws shall govern.

6.2 Fiscal Year. The Library’s fiscal year shall be from May 1 through April 30.

6.3 Bonding of Officers. The Custodian of Library Monies shall be bonded for at least the minimum amount required by law. In addition, any Trustee or other official holding authority to disburse Library funds, whether by check, order, transfer or otherwise, will be bonded.

6.4 Conflicts of Interest. No Trustee or employee of the Library shall engage in any business or transaction, or have a financial or personal interest, whether directly or indirectly, that is incompatible with the proper discharge of his or her official duties in the public interest or that may tend to impair his or her independence of judgement or action in the performance of such official duties. In general, no Trustee may be related, by blood or marriage, to a member of the Library staff. If such a relationship exists or is contemplated, the Trustee must make prompt disclosure to the Board, which may, if it chooses, condone and allow such employment by means of a Board resolution approved at a duly convened meeting.

6.5 Reimbursement of Trustees. Trustees shall be reimbursed for direct and reasonable expenses incurred in fulfilling their official responsibilities [e.g., dues to library associations, expenses for attendance at appropriate meetings, conferences, and workshops, etc.], provided that all such expenses fall within the guidelines of the annual budget and have been authorized in advance by the President or the Board.

6.6 Duration of Policies. All policies governing the activities of the Library, which have been duly adopted by the Board, shall be reviewed at least every three years, or more frequently if required by Illinois or federal statutes, but shall remain in effect until amended or repealed.

6.7 Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by the affirmative vote of at least five Trustees, but no action shall be taken to amend these Bylaws except at a regular meeting held subsequent to the regular meeting at which such action was proposed.

These Bylaws were duly proposed to the Board and approved October, 2001 they supersede all prior Bylaws, resolutions, directives, policies and procedures inconsistent therewith.