Bylaws

Library Board

  1.  According to the requirements of Ordinance #22, City of West Bend, the Library Board of West Bend Public Library shall consist of 5 members to be appointed from time to time for six year terms by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council.
  2. The Board will comply with the Iowa Code in all questions of library law and governance and will further comply with the regulations set forth in the city’s library ordinance.  The Board’s specific powers and duties are set forth in the library ordinance.
  3.  A board member may serve two consecutive terms of six years each.
  4. Expenses for attending Regional and State library and trustee meetings and workshops shall be paid from the library budget. (Mileage, meals, registration)
  5. The West Bend Public Library board shall exercise its powers and duties by:
  • Employing a competent and qualified librarian;
  • Cooperating with the librarian in determining and adopting written policies to govern the operation and programs of the library including personnel policies and policies governing the selection of library materials, supplies and equipment;
  • Reporting to and cooperating with other public officials, boards and the community as a whole to support a public relations program for the library;
  • Assisting in the preparation of and seeking adequate support for the annual budget;
  • Developing long range goals for the library and working toward their achievement.

Officers

  1. The officers of the Board shall consist of a President and a Vice-President.  Officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting and hold office until their successors are elected and installed. The librarian shall serve as Secretary and the City Clerk as Treasurer of the board.
  2. The duties of all officers shall be such as by custom and law the rules of this Board usually devolve upon such officers in accordance with their titles.

 

Meetings

  1. Regular meetings shall be held monthly in the Library or in such other place as the board may determine.
  2. The Annual Meeting will be held at the July meeting each year.
  3. Special meetings may be held at any time at the call of the President or Secretary or at the call of any two members of the Board, provided that notice thereof be given to all Trustees at least 24 hours in advance of the special meeting.
  4. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of three or more members.
  5. Order of Business
  • Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting
  • Treasurer’s report and approval of expenses
  • Report of Librarian
  • Unfinished business
  • New business
  • Adjournment
  1. An agenda for board meetings shall be prepared by the Librarian in cooperation with the President of the Board and emailed to the remaining board members prior to the monthly meeting.  Agendas will also be posted 48 hours prior to a Board meeting in the Library lobby.
  2. All meetings of the Board are open to members of the public who wish to observe.  Non-board members who wish to address the Board should request a place on the agenda not later than 24 hours before the time established for the meeting.  The request may be directed to the President or to the Librarian.
  3. Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the Board.
  4. The Board adheres to the Open Meeting Law as it appears in the Acts of the 1978 Regular Session 67th General Assembly as Chapter 1037. (H.F. 2074)

Committees

  1. The Board may appoint such special committees as may be needed from time to time.

The Librarian

  1. The Librarian shall be the executive director of the policies adopted by the Board.  Among these duties and responsibilities shall be:
  • To select the library materials—books, magazines, pamphlets, audiobooks, compact discs, videos, puzzles, and puppets, etc.
  • To maintain and operate the physical plant;
  • To recruit, train, and manage members of the library staff;
  • To inform the Board continually and completely regarding the finances, public services, physical plant, personnel, collection, and other developments, changes, and problems of the library;
  • The Librarian shall be secretary of the Board and be in attendance at all meetings of the Board except those at which his tenure or salary is to be discussed or decided.

Amendments to bylaws

 Amendments to these bylaws may be adopted at any regular meeting of the Board, provided that notice of proposed amendments be given to all members of the Board in advance of the meeting.

 

Reviewed Dec. 2006

Reviewed Dec 2010

Revised Feb. 2013

Reviewed Dec. 2014

Revised August 2018

Reviewed November 2022

Reviewed September 2025