Post Archives By John Thompson, Director, IFLS Library System As a member of a public Library Board in Wisconsin, you have a unique and sometimes confusing role when it comes to the library facility. Library buildings are acquired or leased by the municipality for library purposes; however, the Library Board has exclusive charge, control and […]
Overseeing the Library Facility Read More »
Post Archives By Shannon M. Schultz, Director, South Central Library System As a public library trustee in Wisconsin, you play a vital role not only in governance but also as an ambassador for your library in the community. Conversations about intellectual freedom, library relevance, and collection practices often happen outside of board meetings—sometimes at the
Preparing for Intellectual Freedom Questions in the Community Read More »
Post Archives The Wisconsin Public Library Consortium, or WPLC, was formed in 2001 as an organization that would allow public library systems to enter into statewide partnerships. The goal was, and continues to be, to support programs that are innovative and collaborative. The main and most popular service of WPLC is Wisconsin’s Digital Library, or
An Introduction to the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) Read More »
Post Archives The Wisconsin Open Meetings Law grants citizens the right to attend and observe open session meetings of governmental bodies. The law does not require a governmental body to allow members of the public to speak or actively participate in the body’s meeting. A governmental body, such as a Library Board, has the discretion
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Post Archives By Clairellyn Sommersmith, Director of Winnefox Library System Libraries operate with tax dollars. But how and from which communities? As a trustee, it is important to understand where the library’s budget comes from and be good stewards of these funds. Just as the library serves a greater community, library dollars come from that
A Brief Introduction to Library Funding Read More »
Post Archives Are your monthly board meetings efficient and effective? Trustee Essential 4: Effective Board Meetings and Trustee Participation covers the basics of running library board meetings and provides useful samples of an agenda and annual calendar. Here are some more tips to help you spend time wisely and accomplish as much as possible. Always
Tips for Effective Board Meetings Read More »
Post Archives The State of Wisconsin recognized the importance of having a public informed about governmental affairs and adopted policies to ensure the public is receiving the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of government. In order to advance this policy, the open meetings law requires that “all meetings of all state and
The Library Board and Closed Sessions Read More »
Post Archives Wisconsin’s open meetings law supports the principle that the public is entitled to the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of government as is compatible with the conduct of government business. To this end, all meetings of state and local government bodies (including library boards) must be held in places reasonably
The Library Board and Open Meetings Law Read More »
Every year on a Tuesday in February, the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) hosts Library Legislative Day. Library supporters from across the state gather in Madison to meet with state legislators and share the value of libraries in our communities. In 2025, the event will be held on Tuesday, February 11.
A Beginner’s Guide to Library Legislative Day Read More »
Congratulations! You have been appointed to a public library board, now what? What does it all mean for you?
First, let’s consider the reasons why public library boards are composed of various types of citizen appointees. Those reasons include:
Board Behavior & Expectations Read More »
