ByLaws

LIBRARY BY-LAWS

PHILIP READ MEMORIAL LIBRARY  PLAINFIELD, NH

and

MERIDEN LIBRARY,  MERIDEN, NH

 For the purposes of this Library Policy, all references to Library, Board of Trustees, or Library Director, whether singular or plural, shall refer to both the Philip Read Memorial and Meriden Libraries. 

 Mission Statement: The mission of the Philip Read Memorial Library and the Meriden Library is to provide access to information and materials (both print and nonprint) to people of all ages in the community in order to meet their recreational, informational, and educational needs. 

 The library staff will satisfy the patron's need to know and will provide a comfortable atmosphere for community interaction. 

I.  The objectives of the Philip Read Memorial Library and the Meriden Library shall be: 

  1. To operate the Library in accordance with the New Hampshire Library Laws and RSA 184:3, Confidentiality Law, and to strive to meet the current standards set by the American Library Association (ALA) and the New Hampshire State Library Development System for public libraries in towns of equal population. 
  2. To adhere to the ALA Library Bill of Rights and the "Freedom to Read" statement, and the statement on labeling. 
  3. To seek to identify community needs, and to assemble and organize books and related materials in order to promote and stimulate knowledge, wisdom, culture, enjoyment and continuous self-education for all residents equally as applicable to state/federal statutes. 
  4. To cooperate with each other, the district school library, Kimball Union Academy, and other libraries in the New Hampshire State Library System to strengthen its own services and resources and, in turn, the state library system.   

II.  The Board of Library Trustees: 

  1. Per the vote on Article 8 at the Plainfield Town Meeting March 13, 2010, five (5) residents of the town of Plainfield who are registered voters shall be elected trustees to the board of both libraries according to the laws of the State of New Hampshire for staggered three-year terms and shall serve without remuneration. 
  2. Election The election of members of the Board of Trustees shall be by popular vote in a municipal election, as stated in RSA 202-A:8. 
  3. The board shall be the governing body of both the Philip Read Memorial Library and Meriden Library. The board shall determine the policies that will govern the operation and program of the libraries. Policies will be reviewed and updated every five years.
  4. The Board of Trustees shall meet within one (1) month of the annual town meeting to elect the required officers for the ensuing year. 
  5. The board shall meet at least six (6) times a year, with notice of the meetings posted as required by law. Regular board meetings are open to the public. Minutes shall be kept of each meeting. 
  6. Resignation  A Trustee may resign by submitting a written resignation to the Chair, or to the other Trustees if the resigning Trustee is the Chair. 
  7. Terms and Vacancies All Trustees shall be elected for a term of three years. The term of office of any Trustee shall begin on the day of the first meeting of the Board following his/her election and shall go through the day before the beginning of the term of his/her successor. Vacancies occurring prior to the expiration of any term shall be filled by the Select Board in accordance with RSA 202-A:10 and any person so appointed shall fulfill the term of his/her predecessor. 
  8. The board, with the cooperation of the director, shall prepare the annual budget, present the approved budget to the proper municipal officers and be available to answer queries at budget hearings and the town meeting. The board, with the director, shall prepare and submit any report required by state or local laws. 
  9. It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to secure adequate funds and proper facilities in order to carry on a library program that fulfills the informational needs of the town of Plainfield, and which meets state library standards. 
  10. The board shall employ a competent and qualified library administrator (Library Director). The director shall attend all board meetings except when the position, salary, or performance evaluation is being discussed. 
  11. Appropriated funds and income from all trust funds for library purposes shall be encumbered or spent annually [per RSA 32:7]. 
  12. Membership to New Hampshire Library Trustees Association (NHLTA) for all trustees shall be provided for in the library budget.  

III OFFICERS 

  1. Officers The officers shall be Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. All officers must be duly elected members of the Board of Trustees. 
  2. Election   The board will elect officers at the first meeting following the annual municipal election. 
  3. Resignation An officer may resign by submitting a written resignation to the Chair, or to the other Trustees if the resigning officer is the Chair. 
  4. Removal Any officer may be removed, without cause, by a two-thirds vote of the Board present at any meeting at which there is a quorum. 
  5. Vacancies Any vacancy occurring in any office for any reason shall be filled by majority vote of the Board, and any person so elected shall fulfill the term of his/her predecessor. 
  6. Authority and Duties 
  7. The Chair shall prepare the agenda for all meetings of the Board; preside over all meetings of the Board at which he/she is present; authorize calls for special meetings; ensure that notice of each Board meeting is given to all Board members and is posted in accordance with RSA 91-A:2; normally serve as representative of the Board in its dealings with other organizations and agencies.  
  8. The Vice Chair performs all the duties of the chair when the chair is not available. The Vice chair serves as secretary in meetings when the Secretary isn’t present. 
  9. The Secretary shall keep accurate records and minutes of all meetings of the Board unless another recorder is appointed by the Board; the Secretary shall carry out or delegate the following duties: make available copies of the minutes of the previous meeting to all Trustees in advance of each meeting; ensure that the minutes of each meeting are available for public inspection in accordance with RSA 91-A:2; and maintain all public records. 
  10. The Treasurer shall keep accurate financial records and financial statements of all Library accounts in conjunction with the Library Director; make available copies of recent financial statements to all Trustees in advance of each meeting; pay all required bills for the Plainfield Public Libraries with the Library Director's full knowledge; work with the Library Director to develop a proposed budget for the Plainfield Public Libraries annually for the Board of Trustees to review; and oversee all library checking, savings, and investment accounts. The PPL Board of Trustees may authorize a second individual as a signer on all library checking, savings and investment accounts, which may be used in the event the Treasurer is unavailable for any reason. 

IV RECORDS 

All records of the activities of the Board, including the Minute Book and financial records, shall normally be kept at the Meriden Town Hall. 

V MEETINGS 

  1. Regular Board Meetings Regular meetings of the Board at least every other month and may be scheduled more often by the Chair.  
  2. Special Meetings Special meetings of the Board shall be held at any time and at any place within the Town of Plainfield when called by the Chair. 
  3. Notice of Meetings Notice of all Board meetings shall be given in accordance with RSA 91-A:2. Further, notice of all regular and special Board meetings shall be given either orally or in writing to all Trustees at least 24 hours prior to the meeting unless it is an emergency meeting. 
  4. Quorum and Majority Vote At any meeting of the Board of Trustees, three elected Trustees being present constitutes a quorum. A majority vote shall consist of over 50% of those present and entitled to vote at the meeting.  
  5. Voting Each Trustee shall have one vote. There shall be no proxy voting.
  6. Procedure At the request of any Trustee, any meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.  

VI COMMITTEES 

The Board of Trustees may create such committees as it deems appropriate. The Chair shall appoint persons to chair and serve on those committees, not limited to members of the Board of Trustees. All such appointments must be either approved by the Board prior to the appointment or ratified by the Board at the next regular Board meeting.  

 VII Who May Use the Library: 

  1. The library will serve the residents of all sections of Plainfield Township. Persons residing outside the geographical area but owning property, attending schools, or working in town shall be considered residents. A charge may be made for non-residents at the discretion of the director or trustees. 
  2. Use of the library or its services may be denied by the director or trustees for due cause. Such cause may be failure to return books or to pay penalties, destruction of library property, disturbance of other patrons, or any other objectionable conduct on library premises. [State Law 202-a:24 and 202-a:25] 
  3. The use of the library for community purposes may be permitted at the discretion of the director and/or the trustees. Reservations shall be made with the director. 
  4. The library may be used by nonprofit organizations free-of-charge. However, if such use of the library involves additional expense, the organization shall reimburse the library. 
  5. The library may be used by profit-making organizations or individuals subject to fees set by the director 

VIII  Library Services: 

  1. The trustees and director will strive to maintain a balance in its services for adults, young people and children. In the case of a housebound patron or if the library is not accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, library materials will be delivered to those residents.    B.  Library staff will try to obtain information beyond its own resources for patrons by borrowing materials which are not owned or for which the demand does not justify the purchase through the New Hampshire State Library interlibrary loan system or OCLC (Online Computer Library Center). 
  2. Correspondingly, the library staff will lend to other libraries materials which are requested as long as these materials are not in use or on reserve for its own patrons. 
  3. The library will be open sufficient hours to meet the needs of the community and to comply with requirements of the New Hampshire Library Development System. Legal holidays will be observed and staff will be paid for holidays if it is a regular workday. 
  4. All library materials may be loaned to registered patrons for the designated length of time as outlined in regulations approved by the Board of Trustees. Reference, unique, or fragile items are usually restricted to use within the library building. 
  5. Material overdue, damaged, or lost will be subject to payment by the patron as determined by regulations approved by the trustees (State Law 202-a:25). 

IX Gifts and Memorials: 

  1. Books and other materials will be accepted on the condition that the library has the authority to make whatever disposition it deems advisable. 
  2. Gifts of money, real property, and/or stock will be accepted if conditions attached thereto are acceptable to the Board of Trustees and subject to any applicable laws. Personal property, art objects, portraits, antiques, and other objects will be accepted only upon approval of the library trustees. 
  3. With the exception of special exhibits, the library reserves the right not to accept for deposit materials which are not outright gifts. 
  4. An attempt shall be made to purchase memorial gifts which would match the interests of the person honored. Memorial gifts shall be subject to the same criteria for weeding and disposal as other materials in the library collection. 
  5. A determination of the value of gifts for income tax purposes shall be made by the donor in accordance with Internal Revenue Service laws. 

X Personnel: 

  1. The director is responsible for obtaining competent personnel needed for the efficient and satisfactory operation of the library program. Final approval of employment shall be by the Board of Trustees. 
  2. All employees will serve a probationary period, the length of time depending upon the position but no longer than one year. During this period, or at the conclusion of the probationary time, the employee may be discharged if performance is unsatisfactory. 
  3. Library personnel shall be entitled to no less than the benefit entitlements of other municipal employees. If trustees so desire, additional or unique benefits may be granted to library employees. If there is no municipal program, it is the trustees' responsibility to establish regulations determining vacations, sick leave, working hours, pay schedule, compensatory time, training, etc. 
  4. The director is responsible for recommending needed policies for board action, and administering the library, carrying out policies approved by the board. The director also: 

  1.  Suggests and executes improvements for library service. 

2.  Knows the resources available at the state library and other libraries throughout the state library system and how to make efficient use of them. 

  3.  Attends trustees' meetings and reports to the trustees.    

4.  Conducts a public relations program in cooperation with the staff, trustees and the community. 

5.  Attends as many professional meetings, workshops and seminars as feasible; expenses, including New Hampshire Library Association (NHLA) membership, to be included in the annual budget. 

  6.  Formulates job descriptions and procedures manuals. 

XI AMENDMENTS 

These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees as provided in RSA 202-A:11, provided the proposed amendments have been submitted to all Trustees in writing at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting to decide on the proposed amendments, and provided that notice of that meeting has been given in accordance with RSA 91-A:2 and these Bylaws.  

 Revised January 13, 2020

  The undersigned hereby accept the revised Library Policy for the Township of Plainfield: 

 

Last Revised