“Working with Library Boards” is a new blended-learning course that will offer cutting-edge ideas on effective board function and development. It will include three online sessions with lively discussions and expertise shared from many public library viewpoints. The course will also feature guest presentations by Gina Millsap, the director of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.
Students will receive a workbook, online assignments and a choice of course projects.
The ability to work with trustees is one of the most important administrative skills for a public library director. Directors must
learn how to develop a library board that has the skills and knowledge to serve the community effectively. And since library boards are always changing and libraries are always evolving, the partnership is an ongoing priority.
Registration will be limited to Kansas public library directors and capped at 25. All course requirements must be completed to earn the 30 hours of continuing education credit.
Program Description
First session: Tuesday, April 12, 10:00 – 12:00
Orientation for New Trustees
Students will gain the skills to create an effective orientation
program for new trustees at their library.
The guest presentation will be on trustee ethics as a critical part of trustee orientation.
Second session: Tuesday, April 26, 10:00 – 12:00
Developing Effective Board Meetings
Students will learn skills to make board meetings productive and enjoyable and to maintain records that will protect the library from
legal and political problems.
The guest presentation will be on creating board meetings that move the library forward.
Third session: Tuesday, May 10, 10:00 – 12:00
Evaluation
Students will learn how to partner director evaluation with board evaluation and skills for building a strong board.
The guest presentation will be on helping library trustees form a strong board.
Requirements for the Course
Participants who complete “Working with Library Boards” will receive 30 contact hours of training credit. To complete the
requirements of the program and receive credit, the student must:
- Attend all three online sessions. Because of the high level of interaction, a program may be viewed in archive only if there is an
unavoidable emergency and only with approval of the course facilitators.
- Submit the intra-webinar assignments and session evaluations to the project discussion boards in WebJunction Kansas. Students are also urged to post questions and interesting ideas to the discussion boards and to share any documents their board has found useful.
- Submit a completed project, chosen from one of the three course programs, and post it to the project documents page in WebJunction
Kansas.
The project should be one of the projects specified in the workbooks. The choices are:
- Create a plan for New Trustee Orientation that will help trustees learn their new duties, be effective in their new position and enjoy their first term as library board members.
- Create a plan for fostering more effective board meetings and keeping effective board records.
- Create an integrated library evaluation that partners a plan for evaluation of the library director with a plan for assessing the library board’s effectiveness.
REGISTRATION
Please review the course requirements before submitting your registration.
You are welcome to submit this information by email to shanroy@kslib.info.
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