Dubuque County Library Section: Administration Subject: BY-LAWS OF THE DUBUQUE COUNTY LIBRARY Article I: Name and Authority The name of this library shall be the Dubuque County Library. The library is established under Chapter 336 of the Code of Iowa. The Board exercises the authority and assumes the responsibility delegated to it by said Code for the provision of library service in Dubuque County, Iowa. Article II: Membership The Dubuque County Library Board of Trustees shall consist of five to nine members representing the cities belonging to the Dubuque County Library system, as well as members from rural Dubuque County. Library board members are appointed by the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors and the term of office for each trustee shall be six years commencing July 1st. The term shall coincide with the fiscal year. Trustees are eligible to be reappointed by the Board of Supervisors to a full, second consecutive term. Trustees shall receive no compensation, but will be reimbursed for necessary expenses related to their service as trustees. No member of the Board of Trustees shall be financially interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract, sale, or transaction that comes before the Board of Trustees for approval or other official action that pertains to the library. If a potential conflict of interest does exist for a trustee, that trustee shall abstain from voting on any item related to that potential conflict of interest. Article III: General Powers The Board will exercise its powers and duties as follows: a. Establish the mission of the Dubuque County Library. b. Employ a Master’s degree librarian to serve as director. The duties of the director are as follows: i. Work with the Board of Trustees to establish and implement the policies of the library. ii. Work with the Board of Trustees to develop an annual budget for library operations. iii. Hire and evaluate staff. iv. Oversee the selection of materials, supplies and fixtures for the library.

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c. d. e. f. g. h.

v. Care for and preserve the materials, supplies and fixtures of the library. vi. Serve as custodian of library records. vii. Oversee the courtesy and efficiency of library service. viii. Have a monthly report of the operations of the library at the meetings and appoint a secretary to assist in keeping minutes for the Board. ix. Prepare for Board approval an annual report of library services. x. Report to the Board on all matters pertaining to the Dubuque County Library. Evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the director in fulfilling his/her duties and responsibilities. This evaluation shall be performed annually. Adopt written policies to govern the operations and programs of the library. Approve the annual budget and amendments. Participate in the development of a mission statement and long-range goals and objectives for the Library, and work towards the achievement of those goals. Accept donations and gifts, and approve all library revenue and expenditures. Approve service contracts with cities and other agencies, Article IV: Officers

The officers of the Board of Trustees shall be Chair and Vice-Chair. They shall be elected annually at the May meeting. The Chair has the responsibility to manage Board meetings, to speak to the public, and sign contracts on behalf of the Board when so directed by the Board. The Vice-Chair has the responsibility to conduct meetings in the absence of the Chair and to keep current with Board activities in order to step into the Chair’s role in the event the Chair is unable to serve. If for any reason the office of Chair is permanently vacated, the Vice-Chair will immediately and automatically assume that office. If for any reason the office of Vice-Chair is permanently vacated, an election shall be held at the next regular meeting in order to fill the vacated office.

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Article V: Committees Section I: Standing Committees Permanent standing committees are Personnel and Finance. The members of Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Board Chair with the advice and consent of the Board. Standing Committees shall be comprised of active Board members. Committee chairs shall be appointed by the Board Chair. Reports and minutes of all Standing Committee meetings shall be submitted to the Director for distribution to Board members in advance of Board meetings Special committees or task forces may be appointed by the Chair at any meeting. Each committee shall arrange for its meetings and in the absence of any other arrangement shall meet on call of the chairman. Section II: Committee Membership and Responsibilities 1. Personnel Committee The Personnel Committee shall consist of at least two board members, shall oversee and review the position of Library Director annually, and attend to confidential staff matters as appropriate. 2. Finance Committee The Finance Committee shall consist of at least two board members. It shall meet regularly with the director, review the monthly financial reports, work with the Director to develop an annual budget proposal, suggest budget amendments, handle any financial issue that is appropriate for submission to the Finance committee, and assess the fiscal health and integrity of the library. It shall report to the board at each meeting. Article VI: Meetings Section I: Fiscal Year In accordance with Dubuque County policy, the fiscal year shall be from July 1st to June 30th. Section II: Conduct of Meetings The Dubuque County Library Board of Trustees meets monthly at library branch locations or other locations as needed on a rotating basis. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair of the Board as business warrants. A quorum will consist of a majority of the total number of Trustees appointed. In the absence of a quorum, a minimum of quorum minus one may approve payment of ongoing, operational expenses. All meetings are to be conducted in compliance with the Iowa Open Meeting Law and the parliamentary authority shall be Roberts Rules of Order, current edition, following the procedures for small boards, except as stated in these By-Laws. 3

Section III: Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting shall be held during the regular May meeting, unless agreed otherwise by the majority of the Board. This meeting shall include the election of officers. Elections shall be conducted as follows: A nominating committee will be appointed at the April Board meeting. The nominating committee will prepare a slate of officers and present the same at the May meeting. A motion to vote on the slate of officers will be made and orally voted upon, unless a paper vote is requested by one of the Trustees. Section IV: Public Hearing on the Budget As required by Iowa Code Chapter 336, section 13, a public hearing must be held on or before January 10th of each year to present an estimate of the annual amount necessary for the maintenance of the library for the next fiscal year. Following the public hearing, the Board shall transmit the estimate to the Board of Supervisors and the cities participating in the library system. Notice of the public hearing must be published according to Chapter 36 section 3 of the Iowa Code. Section V: Agenda The order of business at all regular meetings shall be consistent with Iowa law and shall include but is not limited to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Approval of agenda. Public comment. Approval of the minutes. Communications/Correspondence. Financial Reports. Director’s Report. Report of Committees. Unfinished business. New business. Date and time of next meeting. Article VII: Financial Reports

All expenditures/claims against the Library must be presented in written form and approved by a vote of the Board of Trustees with the exception of wages and salaries of employees set by union contract or by the Board of Trustees. Financial reports shall also include a statement of the account balance, including but not limited to revenues and expenditures.

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Article VIII: Annual Report The Dubuque County Library Board of Trustees will provide the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors an annual report of library services no later than ninety days following the closing of the fiscal year (i.e. September 30). Article IX: Amendments Amendments to these bylaws may be adopted by a majority vote at any regular meeting of the Board, provided that notice of the proposed amendments was given to the trustees, in writing, at least seven days prior to the meeting. “In writing” is defined to include electronic form.

___________________Chair ___________________Vice-Chair ___________________Date

Original date of signing: October 25, 1951 Amendments: September 1966 September 1979 September 1993 July 2005 Approved: February 2009 Revised: September 2012 Revised: October 2013

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