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Trustee Duties and Roles

Understand what duties and roles the library trustee has and how to implement them.

Trustee Facts File
Serves as the trustee's handbook on duties such as hiring and evaluating a director, planning, and budgeting.

Administrative Ready Reference
Valuable resource for finding model policies, planning for grants, ordinances, and annexation.

Days and Dates to Remember
Useful reminder of "legal dates and deadlines of interest to Illinois libraries."

Acronyms
"Secret codes" used by the library profession to refer to various organizations, laws, and library services.

Intellectual Freedom
According to ALA, intellectual freedom "is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction." Trustees are charged with safeguarding this right.

Advocacy
Advocating for libraries is a special role for trustees. Your voice is crucial in making the case for libraries and capturing the attention of decision-makers. Tools like the Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator, sites such as ALA’s Advocacy Link, and private consultants like the Advocacy Guru provide background, current information, and methods of contacting your legislators.

Budgeting Oversight

An important trustee duty requiring an understanding of library taxes and borrowing devices as well as tax caps. The Trustee Facts File offers a thorough overview of the budgeting process. The Illinois Department of Revenue offers technical manuals to help you understand the Property Tax System and the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.