Procedures
Earlier we talked about procedures being practical rather than philosophical. Think of them as a way to keep your library running smoothly. They are very important for training new staff, so you should make sure you have the necessary procedures and that they are kept up to date. Procedures don't have to be fancy or long. They just need to tell the reader how to do that process. Your library probably already has some procedures, and hopefully even has a manual. Consider putting all of your procedures in one manual. This makes them easy to find. If your library doesn't have typical procedures written down, work with library staff to develop some. The person who does a particular job should be the one to write the procedure. Although procedures don't need to be approved by the library board, it can still take time to develop them. What procedures typically need to be included in a manual?
- Opening and closing the library
- Circulation: check-out, check-in, etc.
- Interlibrary Loan
- Ordering materials: how? who?
- Receiving/processing new materials
- Collecting statistics
- Setting up board meetings
- Special events, such as storytime
- Other special procedures, such as reserving the meeting room
- Emergency procedures: who to call in the event of an emergency, what to do
- Budget preparation
- Summer Reading Program
- Annual report
- Use of library meeting room
By now you should have observed that these procedures cover routine tasks. Tasks can be done daily, weekly, monthly or even annually. Some of these tasks may require special forms. Be sure to include a copy of the forms in the procedures manual.
A Policy List for Public Libraries
(Excerpted from the Montana State Library Trustee Handbook)
The following list of policies may be relevant to your needs. It is arranged in the form of an outline to show how policies relate to one another.
- Mission and Role Statement
- Board Bylaws
- Public Service Policies
- Eligibility for borrowing and services
- Resident and nonresident
- Programming and outreach
- Collection Management Policy
- Mission and goals with community description
- Responsibility for selection
- Selection criteria for each format
- Scope and priorities of collection
- Selection procedures and vendor relations
- Evaluation, weeding and maintenance
- Censorship, access and challenged materials procedure
- Intellectual Freedom Statement, Library Bill of Rights
- Gifts and donations
- Circulation Policy
- Loan period and renewal
- Confidentiality
- Reserved material
- Fines, damages
- Interlibrary loan
- Special collections
- Audiovisual equipment
- Fees
- Reference Policy
- Facilities Policy
- Hours of operation
- Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
- Security
- Meeting room use
- Exhibits and displays
- Copiers and other equipment use
- Community Relations Policy
- Cooperative borrowing agreements
- Relations with schools
- Volunteers
- Friends groups
- Patron Behavior Policy
- Unattended children
- Respect for staff, users and library property
- Internet Use Policy
- Eligibility for borrowing and services
- Management Policies
- General
- Responsibility and authority
- Budget, accounting and financial management
- Procurement, including gifts
- Personnel
- Responsibility and authority
- Job descriptions and classifications
- Salaries and benefits
- Hours, annual and sick leave, overtime, holidays
- Hiring, termination, resignations and nepotism
- Performance evaluation and promotion
- Continuing education/professional development
- Discipline and grievances
- Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
- Fair Labor Standards Act complianceSexual harassment
- Personnel records
- Facilities
- Responsibility and procedures for maintenance
- Acquisition and ownership
- Insurance and liability
- Emergency preparedness
- Americans with Disabilities Act compliance
- Use of equipment, vehicles, etc.
- General
ASPeN: The New Library Directory
- Home
- Introduction
- Wanted: A Library Director
- Contacts
- Montana Library Scene
- Montana Library Scene Overview
- Montana Public Libraries
- Montana State Library
- Montana Library Association
- Wired-MT and Focus
- Federations
- Continuing Education in Montana
- Certification
- Public Library Standards
- Montana Shared Catalog
- Library Director, Trustee, and Local Government
- Library Director, Trustee and Local Government Overview
- Library Laws
- New Library Staff
- Library Board Overview
- Responsibilities of the Library Board and the Director
- Tips For Working With the Library Board
- Getting Boards to Attend Meetings and Plan for the Library
- Policies vs. Procedures
- Policies vs. Procedures Overview
- Policies
- Procedures
- Public Service
- Public Service Overview
- Customer Service
- Reader’s Advisory
- Reference
- Reference Interview
- Circulation
- Interlibrary Loan
- Outreach
- Programs
- Visiting Senior Centers and/or Schools
- Services to the Homebound
- Bookmobiles
- Children Services
- Young Adult Services
- Adult Services
- Collection Development
- Collection Development Overview
- Assessing the Collection
- Collection Development Policy
- Collection Management Honor Roll
- Selecting Items for the Collection
- Acquisitions
- Weeding or Deselection
- Technical Services
- Technical Services Overview
- Organizing Your Collection
- Classification and Cataloging
- Processing and Mending
- Public Relations
- Public Relations Overview
- Library’s Image
- Publicity
- Programming
- Community Relations
- Role of Trustees
- Marketing
- Friends and Volunteers
- Friends and Volunteers Overview
- Friends of the Library
- How to Organize a Friends Group
- How to Revitalize Your Friends
- Volunteers
- Volunteer Programs
- Recruiting Volunteers
- Managing and Keeping Volunteers
- Personnel
- Personnel Overview
- Personnel Policy
- Hiring
- Interviewing
- Job Evaluations
- Discipline and Termination
- Grievance Procedures
- Important Employment Laws
- Finances
- Finances Overview
- Local Funding Sources
- State Funding Sources
- Information Access Montana Act
- Coal Severance Tax
- Federal Funding Sources
- Library Services and Technology Act
- Telecommunications Discount Program (E-Rate)
- Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
- Library Foundations
- Other Funding Sources
- Budgeting
- Budgeting Calendar
- Following the Money
- Planning for the Future
- Planning for the Future Overview
- Long Range Planning
- Preparing to Plan
- Describing Your Community
- Your Community’s Vision
- Questions That Should Be Answered
- Planning for Disaster
- Technology in the Library
- Technology in the Library Overview
- Planning and Evaluating Technology
- Automation
- Statewide Cooperative Projects
- E-Rate
- Montana State Library
- Montana State Library Overview
- Montana State Library Commission
- Montana State Librarian
- Library Development Division
- Montana Talking Book Library
- Montana Digital Library
- Publications
- Timeline of Required Paperwork
- Explanation of Paperwork Required by Montana State Library