Create and adopt an action plan
The board, director, and staff need to create an action plan. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does need to list your to-do's for the next year and a half. As you can see from the handbook there is a lot that needs to be accomplished. The board, director, and staff need to identify those things, and the board needs to at least review the plan if not officially adopt it.
Where appropriate board members should volunteer to complete some of the duties listed on the action plan. Certainly the board will be responsible for adopting new policies, certain public relations duties, and overseeing the process. However there may be other duties where board members can help. For example obtaining insurance quotes or volunteering to review various documents that are being created. Each library is different and the board and director will need to find a healthy balance that works well for board members, the director, staff, and the community.
Board members need to frequently review the plan and check on the state of progress toward implementing it. When necessary board members may need to assist with certain duties, encourage staff to complete a duty, or in some cases remind staff and the director to be patient. Some items on the action plan will be relatively straightforward while others will take longer. This is a normal part of the process. The board is responsible for making sure that things are completed, but board members need to recognize that things are fairly fluid. There will need to be many adjustments along the way.
ASPeN: The New Library Directory
- Home
- Introduction
- Challenges of being a library district
- Joys of being a library district
- Contact Us
- Getting Started - Helpful Hints
- Develop an Action Plan
- Work/Life Balance
- Celebrate Your Successes
- Getting Started Checklist
- Working with the city and county during the transition
- County Actions
- City Actions
- Memorandums of Agreement
- Independent or with County
- City/County Transitions Checklist
- Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork!
- Employer Identification Number
- Name Change
- Notify Department of Administration
- Create List of Contacts
- Paperwork Checklist
- Accounting and other money matters
- Funding during the transition phase
- Decide how to handle accounting
- Paperwork and other details
- Transfer of cash and other liquid assets
- Develop agreements with the Friends and Foundation
- Funding for the First Year
- Accounting Checklist
- Payroll and Personnel
- Initial Decisions
- Take a class
- Notify Revenue Departments - State and Federal
- Personnel
- A note about independent contractors
- Payroll
- Payroll and Personnel Checklist
- Property and other assets
- Transfer Assets
- Obtain Insurance
- Maintenance, Repair, and Utility Costs
- Depreciation of Assets
- Assets Checklist
- The Library Board and its Duties
- Create and adopt an action plan
- Support library staff
- Adopt bylaws for the board
- Hire legal counsel
- Purchase errors and omissions insurance
- Begin work on a long range plan
- Begin adopting policies
- Adopt resolutions and a budget
- Election of board members
- Board Checklist
- Public relations and library services
- Keep the public informed
- Design a new logo and look
- Plan for new services
- Public Relations Checklist
- Reporting Requirements
- IRS Reporting
- Department of Administration Reporting
- Auditing the Library's Accountings
- Depreciate Assets
- Montana Department of Revenue Reporting
- Montana Department of Labor and Industry Reporting
- Montana Public Employees Retirement Administration
- Create an annual report for the library
- Montana State Library Reporting
- Reporting Checklist
- Conclusion
- Appendices