LIBRARY BOARD RETREAT

 A Work Session to Better Identify Our Talents, Define Our Roles as An Advisory Board, and Agree on Tasks and Goals for the Futures

 AGENDA

 September 9, 2021

Saturday, October 16, 2021,

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Public Comment Citizens may address the Board regarding any item of Library business on the agenda, with the duration of comment for an individual speaking permitted to exceed one minute only at the discretion of the Board. Citizens may address the Board regarding any item of Library business not on the agenda, with the duration of comment for an individual speaking permitted to exceed three minutes only at the discretion of the Board.

9:00-9:15         COFFEE AND ROLLS

9:15-9:30         WELCOME AND EXPECTATIONS…………………………….

                                                                                                            Peggy McSweyn

                                                                                                                    Board Chair

                       

                        WORKSHOP DETAILS……….....................…………….............

                                                                                                                        David Darby

                                                                                                                   Board Vice-Chair

9:30-10:15       1. INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

                        This is a ‘get-to-know’ each other exercise.

10:15-12:00     2. ADVISORY BOARD FUNCTIONS

 

This session is an open discussion of functions appropriate to library advisory boards generally and a listing of those the Billings Board chooses as those of interest and most appropriate to them. The session will reference official documents related to the Billings Public Library Board of Trustees and other information related to advisory boards generally. This would include recommendations to the Board from Library staff, Friends of the Library, and the Library Foundation prior to the retreat

This session will result in agreement of primary board roles under such categories as Advise, Advocate, Assist, Miscellaneous Required Functions, and Other.

12:00-12:30     LUNCH

12:30-2:00       3. THE LIBRARY BOARD’S ACTIVITY FOCUS

                        Within each category identified in the morning session, the board would list those specific activities on which it wished to focus, either individually or as a group. These categories would define the role of the Library Board as it sees itself, including specific legal requirements, essentially constituting a Functional Statement for the Board which will be integrated into a board member handbook. Including board long and short term goals

                       

2:00-2:15         AFTERNOON BREAK

2:15-3:45         4. BOARD MISSION AND GOALS

                        Determine if a board mission statement is needed. Currently BPL Mission is ‘embracing, empowering and enriching our community’.  Is this not what the board’s mission is also?  With the functions of the board identified and agreed upon there might be a basis to develop a separate board mission statement and goals. Hopefully, this session will result with a Board Mission statement (if needed)  and a series of goals at least for the major functional categories.

3:45-4:00        MEETING SUMMARY AND FUTURE TASKS…………………...Peggy McSweyn

4:00                 RETREAT CONCLUDES

Note:  Coffee and other beverages will be available during the work sessions.

 

SEMINAR OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of this seminar are:

• Understand the legal and administrative requirements of the Billings Public Library Board of Trustees (Board).
• Agree on the major areas where the Board will place emphasis.
• Outline specific tasks and goals for the activities of the board, as well as identifying responsibilities for pursuing these, both group and individual.
• Better position the Board to function as a cohesive group.
• Produce a mission statement and/or goals for the Board and a handbook for board members.