Clearinghouse - Board Development Resources

Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Board Development Resources

This section includes general links and resources of interest to library boards as well as sites that deal with a variety of board development topics and theories.

SOLS services in this area are described on Information, Advice and Specialized Assistance page. Resources on Board Development include the Library Board Orientation Kit, Trustee Tips and Trustee 20/20, and Trustee Council meetings. General inquiries on this topic can be forwarded to the SOLS Helpdesk at .

OLS - North provides consulting to library boards and CEO’s on governance and policy issues. OLS - North also partners with SOLS and the OLBA on Trustee development projects. Further information on OLS-North services in this area can be found in the Trustee Development section of the OLS - North website or by contacting Steven Kraus at

Topics include:

	indicates an item written by SOLS staff		indicates an item written by OLS-North staff
Clicking on certain topics will open a new window, if the link is to a topic included in an other Clearinghouse page

General Resources

Board FAQ - Common Board Situations (Dalhousie University. Continuing Management and Education Non-Profit Leadership)
BoardSource - Building Effective Nonprofit Boards. BoardSource, formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards, is the premier resource for practical information, tools and best practices, training, and leadership development for board members of nonprofit organizations worldwide. Board Source: Q & A
Board Governance Resources (Dalhousie University's Non-Profit Sector Leadership Program) Resource materials on Governance and Board Development including sample Board Policies.
Board Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (pdf) and Guidelines (.pdf) (Dalhousie University. Non-Profit Leadership Program.) This tool is designed to be used as an annual board evaluation. It seeks to help a board answer the question: what are we as a board now doing well and what can we do better?
Calling all Trustees. (.ppt) This presentation was given by Randee Loucks (formerly with SOLS) and Jim MacDonald (OLBA) at the 2005 OLA SuperConference. The presentation is a short distillation of work done by SOLS (Southern Ontario Library Service) and OLBA (Ontario Library Boards Association) over an 18-month period. Please note also that the Outcomes Process graphic on slide # 19 is from Outcome Measurement: What and Why? an overview. United Way of America, 1996.
The Canadian Association A free e-newsletter for association board and staff relationship issues
Cut to the Chase (.pdf) by OLBA Ontario Public Library Governance at a Glance. Charts the legislative framework for public library governance in Ontario; Board and Chief Executive Officer roles and responsibilities; and the fundamental responsibilities for achieving effective library board leadership.
Free Complete Toolkit for Boards. Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC -- experts in nonprofit Boards!.
Information Bulletins. Culture and Community Spirit – Board Development Program. Alberta. Each of the 14 information bulletins published so far covers a special topic area that is relevant for not-for-profit board members and senior staff seeking information about improving skills and gaining knowledge in the area of governance.
The Official Robert's Rules of Order website
Ontario Library Board Association Website of OLBA which includes and news of interest to library board members and tools including links to their program Leadership by Design
Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations
(.pdf) The publication outlines 33 practices designed to support board members and staff leaders of charitable organizations as they work to improve their own operations.
Trustee-E Talks Newsletter. A publication authored by OLS-North’s Steven Kraus Skills Development Advisor

Board - CEO Relationship

Building Trust Between Board and Staff (The Canadian Association)
CEO Board Relations from the Center Nonprofit Excellence. A brief article the concludes with 10 commandments to strengthen the Board CEO partnership
Executive Director Evaluation Policy (.pdf) (Dalhousie University's Non-Profit Sector Leadership Program)
The Library Board as Employer. Trustee Tips #12, May 1996. Identifies the board’s involvement in personnel issues. Highlights the importance of hiring and evaluating a CEO, and of ensuring that the CEO implements appropriate personnel policies, subject to legislation.
A library built on cooperation: the Board’s relationship with the CEO. Trustee Tips #4, October 1992. Discusses key responsibilities of the board and the CEO, and describes the team relationship required to provide library service which meets community needs.
Role of the Trustee vs. The Role of the Library Director. Maine State Library.

Budgeting and Financial Control

The Board and the Budget: Presenting the Budget to Council. Trustee 20/20 #2, Winter, 1992-93. Outlines the means to plan, prepare and present a budget document to municipal council in an effective, comprehensive manner.
Financial Responsibilities of Not-for Profit Boards: A Self-Guided Workbook. Board Development Program. The Muttart Foundation and Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Revised Edition 2008. (.pdf) Provides basic information, practical approaches and tools including a Financial Management Checklist.
How to run a successful budget campaign and win! How to retain your budget in tough economic times through effective advocacy with Council and Town staff. Presented by Catherine Biss, CEO of Markham PL and Cathy Matyas, CEO at Waterloo PL at OLA Superconference 2009.
Monitoring Financial Reports Trustee Tips #3, Summer 1992. (slow to load) Discusses the board’s role in financial governance. Provides a sample financial report and suggested policy and procedural considerations.

CEO Performance Appraisal

CEO Performance Appraisal. Trustee 20/20 #4, June 1996. Detailed discussion of the principles of performance appraisal. How to develop CEO appraisal policy, practical guidelines for the CEO interview, confidentiality and financial issues, and the legal position on dismissal.
Dealing with a Poorly Performing Executive Director: a Guide for the President. Nathan Garber & Associates. General steps to take to prepare to address the problem of a poorly performing director.
Effective CEO Evaluation (The Canadian Association)
Evaluating the Library Director (.ppt) #256,1, Evaluating the Library Director A comprehensive powerpoint presentation that includes information on the Board’s role, the purpose of evaluation, the process and evaluation methods.
Evaluating the Director. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. From Trustee Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Trustees.
Guidelines for the Board's Evaluation of the Chief Executive. (Free Management Library)
Hiring and Performance Appraisal of the Executive Director: A Self-Guided Workbook. (.pdf) The Muttart Foundation and Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Revised Edition 2008. A guide for boards who are in the process of hiring a new executive director and/or providing the executive director with a performance appraisal.
Sample Form for Board's Evaluation of the Chief Executive (Free Management Library)
Why conduct CEO performance appraisal. Trustee Tips #6, May 1996. Discusses the need and procedure for CEO evaluation, and the importance of same in ensuring the welfare of the library.

Ethics, Duties and Responsibilities

American Library Association Ethics Statement for Public Library Trustees
Code of Ethics. Mid-Hudson Library System. From Across the Board. Spring 2007
Developing Job Descriptions for Board Members of Nonprofit Organizations. (The Muttart Foundation & Alberta Culture & Community Spirit) Clarify roles and responsibilities so that the board works effectively.
IFLA Code of Ethics for the Members of the Governing Board and Officers. IFLA is a world wide federation of library and information associations and institutions. This is the code of ethics for IFLA’s Governing Board and Officers.
Jasper County Public Library Board Code of Ethics
Job Description for Public Library Board Members. State Library of Iowa
Not a Rocking Chair. How board chairs can provide strategic leadership to public purpose organizations. Institute on Governance. 2007 This paper offers a guide to help chairs to explore the dimensions and potential of their role - how they can invest their time to greatest effect, and how they can make a lasting contribution to the well-being of both their organization and their community.
Roles & Responsibilities. Mid-Hudson Library System. From Across the Board. Summer 2008
Role of the Board President. Mid-Hudson Library System. Board Leadership Forum 2009.
Trustee Duties and Responsibilities. Public Library Governance and Board Relations. Provided by “ABLE: Administering Better Libraries—Educate,” a Federally funded project supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services via the Nioga Library System, 2005-2007
The Trustee Job Description. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. From Trustee Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Trustees.

Governance

Good Governance Guide Governance Matters. Provides descriptions of 9 indicators of good governance and the practices that would provide assurances of good governance.
Governance Do's & Don'ts: Practical Lessons from Case Studies On Twenty Canadian Non-Profits Executive Summary
Institute of Governance Resources to improve board governance, including publications, links to other useful resources, and Board Governance Learning Tools: a series of on-line tutorials for board members and senior managers of nonprofit organizations.
Nathan Garber & Associates. Consulting and Training for the non-profit sector. This site contains help-sheets, articles, and links to other resources to strengthen the nonprofit sector in general and boards of directors in particular. Emphasis on learning opportunities and resources available to organizations in South-western Ontario.
National Study Of Board Governance Practices In The Non-Profit And Voluntary Sector In Canada. Strategic Leverage Partners Inc In partnership with the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development. 2006 (.pdf) This study identifies a range of successful board governance practices used by diverse Canadian nonprofit Organizations
Policy Governance.com "Because the Policy Governance model has received worldwide interest and developed an enthusiastic following, there are many websites devoted in whole or in part to its features. Many are well conceived, but some portray an inaccurate depiction of the model. This site, hosted by Policy Governance creator John Carver and Policy Governance 'master teacher' Miriam Carver, is the authoritative website with respect to the principles and concepts of the model".
"Role of the Board" in Library Board Orientation Kit 2004, Module 5. Discusses the public library board as a governing board and the key responsibility areas of library boards. Discusses the need for a governance model and suggests Policy Governance® (John Carver) as an appropriate choice. Also compares the board’s role with that of the CEO.
Ten Dimensions That Shape Your Board. Kim Vanderwall and Ellen Benavides 2008. This workbook identifies ten questions, the answers to which are valuable in building an understanding of how your board governs and how well your current style works.

Legal Responsibilities of the Board

Conflict of Interest and the Public Library Board. Trustee Tips #10, Spring 1995. Discusses conflict of interest, fiduciary duty and the governing legislation (the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act) with respect to conflict of interest for library boards in Ontario. Provides some examples and outlines the questions library board members should ask on every agenda item. Also features a section on code of ethics.
Constitution and By-laws. Trustee Tips #9, Fall 1994. Defines terms constitution and by-laws and discusses why library boards should have these in place. A guide to developing constitution and by-laws is included.
Director’s Liability. Sourcebook: Administration 3, revised 1991. Outlines issues of Fiduciary Duty, Standard of Care and Conflict of Interest for Ontario public library boards. Out of print. The topics are covered in the newer publication entitled Library Board Orientation Kit 2004, Module 3
Legislation Affecting Public Libraries in Ontario. Links to sites selected by the OLS on this.
Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990,chapter P 44. and Questions and Answers for Public Libraries (Libraries Branch).
Volunteer Lawyer Services (PRO BONO Law in Ontario). VLS provides free legal assistance, informational seminars, fact sheets, and speakers for small charities and nonprofits. Legal assistance could include incorporation and bylaws, charitable status, contracts and agreements. VLS conducts seminars on topics such as how to obtain charitable status, duties and liabilities of boards, employment issues and planned giving. The lawyers can also be engaged for speaking events, workshops or annual general meetings.
Who must hold an open meeting? from Investigating Closed Municipal Meetings: Frequently Asked Questions (Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario)

Library Board Orientation

Library Board Orientation Kit, Module 1. Outlines how to conduct a library board orientation using Trustee Orientation Kit.One copy supplied free to every trustee upon ordering from SOLS
Library Board Orientation Kit. "Best practices" guide to all aspects of public library governance. Individual sections are described under appropriate topics. One copy is supplied free to every trustee upon ordering from SOLS.

Partnerships and Strategic Alliances

How to launch a successful community partnership. Trustee Tips # 14, January 1997. Discusses four examples of successful partnerships between Ontario libraries and different community or business organizations.
The Library as a Community Development Partner in Library Orientation Kit. Module 10.

Planning

Creating the Future You’ve Imagined: a Guide to Essential Planning, Southern Ontario Library Service. March 2007.
(Library Development Guide #3)This publication outlines SOLS’ approach to the planning process, an approach that highlights the need for board and staff to enter into strategic conversation as the best way to arrive at a collective understanding of the library’s essence, where it is right now, where it should be, and what it needs to do to get from here to there. Essential Planning is a scale-able planning approach that can be made appropriate for the small town library, the county library with geographically dispersed rural branches, and the thriving urban library system. It recognizes that planning is an essential board and staff responsibility, but also recognizes that it represents work that is in addition to the ongoing governance and operational work required for the provision of library service. The Essential Planning approach was designed to be a manageable, plausible undertaking so that all boards and staff will choose to engage in the essential work of planning for library service. One copy of this Guide is being distributed to every public library in Ontario at no cost.
To purchase copies use the order form
The Library’s contribution to your community: A Resource Manual for Libraries to Document their Social and Economic Contribution to the Local Community. Spring 1998, Updated in 2000. A unique approach to demonstrating the value of the public library, designed to present municipal councils and administrators with local data created with library input. It can be used by any library at a level appropriate to resources available.
Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning for Public Libraries in Northern Ontario. A "How-to" Manual. (Ontario Library Services-North) Offers a detailed method of conducting a complete needs assessment, including sample survey instruments. Also discusses interpretation of results for planning purposes. Contact OLS-North
Planning. in Library Orientation Kit. Module 8. Identifies the need for formal and effective library planning. Discusses the five areas in which board participation is essential, and the means by which the board can implement a successful planning process.
Planning for Library Service. Sourcebook: Administration 5, 1994. Provides a hands-on "Library Overview" profile which may be used as a measurement of your library compared to others of similar size.

Policy writing

Also check under each relevant topic in the Clearinghouse Topical Index. Although they may not listed under "policy" per say, you will find many more useful sites to help you develop your general policies, under each topic of interest to library work. For example "Volunteer Management" on the Human Resources page

The Board and Policy 1: Constitution and Bylaws. Trustee Tips #9, Fall 1994. Discusses components of a constitution and by-laws. A guide for their development is provided.
Creating Policies for Results: From Chaos to Clarity (.pdf) (ALA) Workshop presented by Sandra Nelson for the Metrowest Massachussetts Regional Library System, 2004
Creating Policies for Results (CPFR) Workforms. This comprehensive how-to book addresses each major area of library services: governance and organizational structure, management policies, and services relating to customers, circulation, information, and groups. These workforms were created using Microsoft Word.
Guide to writing policy (University of Minnesota) This guide contains information about the ongoing process to create, distribute and maintain policies, procedures, instructions and forms. It applies specifically to the University but offers useful general advice
How to write a policy manual (.pdf) (WriteExpress.com)
Public Library Policy Examples (Alberta. Ministry of Community Development.) Examples of individual policies are available both on this website and from the Strategic Information and Libraries Branch. These are representative policies written and developed by library boards and staff. Excellent site.
Policy Development Workshop, Fall 2008 (.pdf) / Atelier sur l'élaboration de politiques, automne 2008 (pdf)
Policy Requirements under the Municipal Act, 2001. Considerations When Drafting Policies Required by the Municipal Act (SOLS)
Sample Library Policies for the Small Public Library. Compiled by the Small Library Committee of the Wisconsin Association of Public Librarians, 2^nd Edition, Revised by David L. Polodna, 1999
Sample Policies (by topic) Links selected by OLS on this topic.
Trillium Public Library: Sample Policies. Southern Ontario Library Service. March 2009 (Library Development Guide #4) français This guide assists boards with writing policies that suit the unique needs of each library. Trillium Public Library: Sample Policies includes samples of foundation policies, board bylaws, governance policies and operational policies. The samples help to identify what issues to consider when developing a policy, rather than what position to take on an issue. The complete Guide is available to download in pdf format. See the Table of Contentspage to access individual policies available to download as word files.

Relationship with Municipal Councill

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
Building Effective Relationships between the Library and the Municipality. Trustee Tips #25.
"Key Board Relationships" in Library Board Orientation Kit, Module 9
Municom: A municipal Intranet designed for Ontario's municipalities. (AMO) Municom is a subscription based municipal intranet designed for Ontario's municipalities. The Municom Network provides users with one stop shopping for current and archived information about issues affecting the municipal sector

Role of CEO

Director’s Job Description Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. From Administrative Essentials: A Handbook for Wisconsin Public Library Directors.
The Role of the CEO. Sourcebook: Administration 9, 1993. Discusses the role of the CEO including the functions of advisor to the board and administrator. The CEO’s relationship to the municipality and the community is also included.

Succession Planning and Recruitment (Board and CEO)

Board Building – Recruiting and Developing Effective Board Members for Not-for-Profit Organizations: A Self-Guided Workbook. (.pdf) The Muttart Foundation and Alberta Culture and Community Spirit Revised Edition 2008. A comprehensive guide to the “Board building cycle”.
The Board’s role in recruiting new members Trustee Tips #7, Fall 1993. Outlines the necessity for, and means to, recruitment of effective board members. Discusses recruitment policy and issues.
CEO Search Service. Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct has been developed to explain SOLS’ approach to this contracted service.
Hiring and Performance Appraisal of the Executive Director: A Self-Guided Workbook. (.pdf) The Muttart Foundation and Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Revised Edition 2008. A guide for boards who are in the process of hiring a new executive director and/or providing the executive director with a performance appraisal.
Library Board Recruitment 2003, Trustee Tips #24
A Library Board’s Practical Guide to Finding the Right Library Director. (.pdf) Detroit Suburban Librarian’s Rountable Succession Planning Committee 2005.
Planning Successful Successions. (.pdf) (Chronicle of Philanthropy) This article describes the experiences with the issue of succession planning of various nonprofit boards and directors.
Recruiting for Ministerial Nominees for SOLS’ Board
Smooth Transitions: Experts Offer Tips on Hiring New Leaders. (.pdf) (Chronicle of Philanthropy) A list of six tips to improve the process of hiring a new director.
Succession Planning: The Elephant in the Room. (Help4NonProfits) Describes the role of the Board in succession planning and the critical pieces of information that need to be document to insure a successful transition.
Wanted: Effective Public Library Trustees. Step-by-step process to identify, recruit and develop effective trustees for your library


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