Constitution

Article I — Name

The name of this library shall be the Elgin Public Library.

Article II — Headquarters

The Elgin Public Library shall be located within the city limits of Elgin, Iowa.

Article III — Purpose

The Elgin Public Library shall provide print and non-print materials for constituents, reflecting the needs of the community, according to established selection criteria.

Article IV — Constituency Served

The Elgin Public Library shall serve persons residing or working in the city of Elgin and persons living in Fayette and Clayton Counties.

Article V — Governing Body

Section 1. Board of Trustees.

The Elgin Public Library Board of Trustees, or Library Board, shall be appointed by the City Mayor with the approval of the City Council.

Section 2. Officers.

The Elgin Public Library Board officers shall consist of a President, a Vice President and a Secretary.

Article VI — Interlibrary Cooperation

The Elgin Public Library shall cooperate in the exchange of library materials within the Northeast Iowa Regional Library System.

Article VII — Amendments

1. Library Board.
   1. According to the requirements of Ordinance #194, City of Elgin, the Library Board of Elgin Public Library shall consist of 9 (nine) members to be appointed from time to time by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council.
   2. The general powers and duties of the Elgin Public Library Board are outlined in Ordinance #194, City of Elgin.
   3. The Board shall exercise its powers and duties by:
      1. Employing a competent and qualified librarian;
      2. Cooperating with the librarian in determining and adopting written policies to govern the operation and program of the library including personnel policies and policies governing the selection of library materials, supplies, and equipment.
      3. Reporting to and cooperating with other public officials, boards, and the community as a whole to support a public relations program for the library;
      4. Assisting in the preparation of and seeking adequate support for the annual budget; and
      5. Developing long-range goals for the library and working toward their achievement.
2. Officers
   1. The officers of the Board shall consist of President, Vice-President and a Secretary. Their terms of office shall be for one year. Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and hold office until their successors are elected and installed. Officers may succeed themselves in office, provided that none serves more than three terms in the same office.
   2. The duties of all officers shall be such as by custom and law and the rules of the Board usually devolve upon such officers in accordance with their titles.
3. Meetings
   Regular meetings shall be held monthly, date and hour to be determined by the Board, in the office of the Librarian or such other place as the Board may determine.
   1. The Annual Meeting will be held in July each year.
   2. Special meetings may be held at any time at the call of the President or Secretary or at the call of any two members of the Board, provided that notice thereof be given to all Trustees at least 24 hours in advance of the special meeting.
   3. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of 5 or more members.
   4. Order of business:

      Roll Call

      Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting

      Correspondence and communications

      Report of the Librarian

      Financial report and approval of expenditures

      Committee reports

      Unfinished business

      New business

      Adjournment

   5. An agenda for Board meetings shall be prepared by the Librarian and the President of the Board.
   6. All meetings of the Board are open to members of the public who wish to observe. Non-Board members who wish to address the Board should request a place on the agenda not later than 24 hours before the time established for the meeting. The request may be directed to the President, the Secretary, or the Librarian.
   7. Roberts Rules of Order shall govern in the parliamentary procedure of the Board.
4. Committees
   1. The President shall appoint committees of one or more members each for such specific purposes as the business of the Board may require from time to time. The committee "hall be considered to be discharged upon the completion of the purpose for which it was appointed and after the final report is made to the Board.
   2. All committees shall make a progress report to the Library Board at each of its meetings.
   3. C. No committee will have other than advisory powers unless, by suitable action of the Board, it is granted specific power to act.
5. The Librarian
   1. The Librarian shall be the executive director of the policies adopted by the Board.
   2. The Librarian shall be in attendance at all meetings of the Board, providing a Librarian's report at that time.
6. Amendments to Bylaws
   1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be adopted at any regular meeting of the Board, provided that notice of proposed amendments be given to all members of the Board in advance of the meeting.

Arlington Public Library

The Board of Trustees has been established by city ordinance 109 to consist of five members. All resident board members are to be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council. The 2 non-resident members shall be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the board of supervisors. All appointments to the board shall be for six year., except to fill vacancies.

Rolfe Public Library

The board of trustees, hereafter called the board, shall be appointed in accordance with the "Ordinance to Establish a Public Library and to provide for the Appointment, Powers and Duties of a Board of Library Trustees," Title 1, Chapter 10, of the code of the City of Rolfe, Iowa, which is attached at the end of these policies. The duties of the board shall be those described in the code.

When a vacancy occurs on the board, the board shall discuss and choose a replacement, and make a recommendation to the mayor who makes the appointment.

There shall be monthly meetings of the board, with the director present. Three trustees shall constitute a quorum. These meetings shall be on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m., in the library, unless otherwise scheduled.

At its July meeting the board shall elect a president, vice-president, and a secretary-treasurer. In addition, at this same meeting, a member of the board shall be appointed to work with the director in the following areas: 1. Budget, 2. Policies, 3. Maintenance, 4. Long Range Planning. At the October meeting the board shall annually review the policies at the Rolfe Public Library, and update said policies as needed.

At its meeting in February, March or April the board shall evaluate the director and make any recommendation that the board deems advisable.

The board shall devise a long-range plan for the Rolfe PublicLibrary and together with the director, implement such a plan.

Waverly Public Library

Board of Trustees Bylaws

1. Library Board
   1. According to the requirements of Chapter 13.36 of the Code for the City of Waverly, the Board of Trustees shall consist of nine members to be appointed from time to time by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council for city residents, and with the approval of the Bremer County Board of Supervisors for the non-resident member.
   2. The general power" and duties of the Board of Trustee are outlined in Chapter 13.16.030 of the Code of Waverly.
   3. The Board shall exercise its powers and duties by:
      1. Employing a competent and qualified librarian;
      2. Cooperating with the librarian in determining and adopting written policies to govern the operation and program of the library including personnel policies and policies governing the selection of library materials, supplies and equipment;
      3. Reporting to and cooperating with other public officials, boards, and the community as a whole to support a public relations program for the library;
      4. Assisting in the preparation of and seeking adequate support for the annual budget; and
      5. Developing long-range goals for the library and working toward their achievement.
2. Officers
   1. The officers of the Board shall consist of a President, a Vice-president and a Secretary. Their terms of office shall be for one year. Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and hold office until their successors are elected and installed. Officers may succeed themselves in office, provided that none serves more than three terms in the same office.
   2. The duties of all officers shall be such as by custom and law and the rules of this Board usually devolve upon such officers in accordance with their titles.
3. Meetings
   1. Regular meetings shall be held monthly, date and hour to be determined by the Board, in the office of the librarian or such other place as the Board may determine.
   2. The Annual Meeting will be held in July each year.
   3. Special meetings may be held at any time at the call of the President or Secretary or at the call of any two members of the Board provided that notice thereof be given in accordance with Chapter 28A, Code of Iowa, Official Meetings Open to Public and that notice be given to all Trustees at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the special meeting.
   4. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of five (5) or more members.
   5. Order of business:

      Roll call

      Approval of agenda

      Disposition of minutes of previous meeting

      Correspondence and Communications

      Report of the Librarian

      Financial report and approval of expenditures

      Committee reports

      Unfinished business

      New business

      Other

      Adjournment

   6. An agenda for Board meetings shall be prepared by the Librarian in cooperation with the President of the Board.
   7. All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public except for those sessions which may be closed under the provisions of Chapter 28A, Code of Iowa, Official Meetings Open to Public. Members of the public who wish to address the Board should request a place on the agenda not later than twenty-four (24) hours before the time established for the meeting. The request may be directed to the President, the Secretary, or the Librarian.
   8. Roberts Rules of Order shall govern in the parliamentary procedure of the Board.
4. Committees
   1. The Board may appoint such special committees as may be needed from time to time.
   2. Committees shall have advisory powers only unless, by suitable action of the Board, they are granted specific power to act.
5. Librarian
   1. The librarian shall be the executive director of the policies adopted by the Board. Among the duties and responsibilities of the librarian shall be:
      1. To select the library materials - books, magazines, pamphlets, phonograph records, microforms, etc.;
      2. To maintain and operate the physical plant;
      3. To recruit, train, assign, and dismiss members of the Library staff;
      4. To inform the Board continually and completely regarding the finances, public services, physical plan, personnel, collection, and other developments, changes and problems of the library;
      5. To attend all meetings of the Board except
         1. Those where the professional competency of the librarian and the librarian'- salary are to be discussed in accordance with Chapter 28A, Code of Iowa, Official Meetings Open to the Public.
         2. Those held when the Librarian is physically unable to attend due to illness or injury.
         3. Those where the Board has granted special leave.
6. Amendments to Bylaws
   1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be adopted at any regular meeting of the Board, provided that notice of proposed amendments be given to all members of the Board at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

© 1987

posted May 10, 1999