Welcome to the Washington Public Library Trustee Wiki!
Congratulations on your appointment as a trustee of your public library, and please accept my appreciation for your willingness to work to provide exceptional public library service to all residents. The public library is the heart and soul of every community, and the board of trustees ensures that it remains strong, vibrant and relevant to users with a wide variety of needs, hopes and dreams.
The library is open and welcoming to all, serving the educational, recreational and information needs of its community. Its roles in educational support, family literacy, economic development and as a community partner cannot be overstated. With your commitment to advocating for library resources and to advising and supporting the library administration and staff as a representative of your community, our libraries will continue to be strong and successful across Washington.
The Washington Public Library Trustee Wiki provides an in-depth discussion of the major issues, laws, and responsibilities that library trustees will need to know about as they guide their libraries. It builds on, incorporates, and updates the content of the Public Library Trustee Reference Manual published in 2001.
This resource is designed primarily for governing library boards of trustees and library directors, but it also may be useful to advisory library boards, Friends of Library groups, and other library supporters. It is intended to:
- Give in-depth information about critical issues facing library trustees;
- Provide guidance on carrying out the complex responsibilities of a board member;
- Show examples of best practices;
- Supply additional resources for further consultation.
Library trustees freely contribute their time and energy to a board because they believe in the importance of free and strong public libraries. On behalf of my colleagues at Washington State Library, I extend my gratitude for your leadership and service. We hope that this trustee wiki will be helpful during your tenure on the board. Please call on us if we can assist you in any way.
Please note that this wiki should not be used as a source for legal advice. Trustees should always consult with attorneys in such matters.
