Warren-Newport Public Library District
Lake County, Illinois
Board of Trustees
Policy 1030
Board and Executive Director Responsibilities
Adopted: May 9, 1989
Reviewed/Revised:
January 12, 1999; January 14, 2003: November 14, 2006; August 21, 2012;
September 17, 2013, August 18, 2015; May 17, 2016; October 15, 2019
ARTICLE 1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Library Board of Trustees was created by law to act as governing body of the
Warren-Newport Public Library District (WNPLD). This Board shall represent the interests of the
district residents and shall establish a mission statement, goals, and objectives to fulfill the
needs of the Warren-Newport Public Library (WNPL) in relation to the district community. It is
the responsibility of the Board to determine and adopt written policies to govern the operation of
the library and to provide materials, services, and physical facilities to carry out WNPL
programs.
The Board shall appoint a qualified Executive Director who shall serve as the executive and
administrative officer of WNPL under the Board’s review and direction. Using previously
determined criteria, the Board shall annually assess the Executive Director's performance, make
appropriate salary adjustments, and make all appropriate recommendations for their
improvement or dismissal.
ARTICLE 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director shall carry out the goals, objectives, and policies of WNPLD as adopted
by the Board and shall be responsible for all Library operations including the selection, care,
and maintenance of WNPLD’s materials and facilities. They are responsible for providing quality
library service to the public and for recommending and carrying out policies and plans for
extending the services of WNPLD. The Executive Director or their designee shall attend all
Board and Committee of the Whole meetings except those executive sessions at which the
Board determines the presence of the Executive Director is not appropriate.
In order to carry out these responsibilities, the Executive Director shall establish and direct a
management team and personnel organization in the development of administrative policies and
procedures to fulfill the goals and objectives of WNPLD. Within Board-adopted personnel
policies, the Executive Director shall supervise the staff, including the appointment, evaluation,
and dismissal of staff based on an approved personnel performance/evaluation process. When
any matter is not covered by existing Board policy, the Executive Director may act on their own
discretion if action is necessary. They shall report such action to the Board no later than the
next regular Board meeting and shall recommend policy to provide guidance in the future.
Policy 1030
Board and Executive Director Responsibilities
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ARTICLE 3. PERSONNEL POLICIES
The Board shall adopt and periodically review the personnel performance/evaluation process to
include but not be limited to personnel classifications, job descriptions, and personnel policies,
governing such areas as employment practices, personnel performance/evaluation, salaries,
benefits, and WNPLD work policies. All such personnel policies shall be developed in
consultation with the Executive Director and staff and shall be distributed to every employee and
every member of the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE 4. FUNDING AND BUDGETING
The Board shall secure funds, shall consult with the Executive Director in the preparation of the
annual budget, and shall approve the annual budget. The Executive Director is responsible for
preparing an annual budget in consultation with the Board and for directing the financial
operations of WNPLD within the budgeted appropriations.
ARTICLE 5. PLANNING
Every three (3) to five (5) years, the Board shall develop a strategic plan as a guide to serving
the WNPLD community. Developing the strategic plan should be a collaborative process
involving Trustees, the Executive Director, and staff; input from the community is also desirable.
The planning process should incorporate an understanding of the Library’s current services and
an examination of community needs to create a vision for the future. The plan will include
measurable goals, objectives, and activities for furthering library service in keeping with that
vision. The Board and Executive Director shall monitor the implementation of the goals of the
strategic plan on a regular basis. The Board, Executive Director, and staff may also collaborate
on specific planning efforts, such as technology or disaster planning.
ARTICLE 6. LIBRARY EVALUATION
Because constant constructive appraisal of the Library is a prerequisite to achieving the goals
expressed in WNPLD’s by-laws, it is the responsibility of the Board to evaluate the Library’s
performance. Because the specific impact of the Library and its programs is not always
measurable in concrete terms, it is the joint responsibility of the Board of Trustees, Executive
Director, and WNPLD staff to use statistical measurement, financial data, library standards, and
any other available information to evaluate the Library’s effectiveness to the extent such
evaluation is possible.
Policy 1030
Board and Executive Director Responsibilities
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