What You Do
While there are many types and sizes of libraries, all have a governing authority that manages the resources and provides accountability to constituents. Some jurisdictions have advisory boards, some have elected or appointed trustees, others have board members. The titles vary but the duties are essentially the same. Library boards can be as small as 5 members or as large as twenty.
“The only qualification you need to run for office is that you love your community.”
Bethany Hallam
Allegheny County (PA) Councilmember, At-Large
Responsibilities
Library board members are responsible for establishing and maintaining the vision and mission for the library, the hiring and firing of library staff, setting policy related to library operations, and providing accountability to constituents. Library board members report to the city/town council governing the jurisdiction.
Board members attend meetings, review materials, attend events, represent the library in the community and at the city council. In recent cases, library board members, acting as a part of a coordinated extreme right wing effort, have engaged in highly controversial activities including banning books and preventing reading events by certain groups.
Helpful Skills
Familiarity and passion for libraries. Solid communication skills. Time to attend meetings in the evening.
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Salary and HoursDepending on the jurisdiction city/town councils meet every other week, or one time per month. You can view a sample council meeting agenda here. Often, members will serve in sub committees in addition to the council at large. In many cities and towns council members are reimbursed for travel, or they receive a salary for their service. Salaries on the low end are approximately $10,000 and the high end at $320,000. Some jurisdictions offer benefits like health care insurance and pensions. The staff supporting city/ town councils usually includes an attorney and at least one clerk and secretary. The president of the city council in larger jurisdictions may have their own Chief of Staff. Like their legislative counterparts, city/town councilors work hard, often spending their time away from the council chamber in the community meeting with or serving constituents.
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Sample CampaignA campaign for city council in Nebraska will look vastly different than a campaign in New York. The cost of campaigns is directly proportional to the size of the voting population: more people equals more money, smaller population equals more canvassing and person to person communication. Targeted communication, an essential component of a winning campaign, requires money for postage and other forms of paid media. Candidates don’t need millions – increasingly cities and towns are building public funding mechanisms for local campaigns – but every candidate will need the resources to communicate with the voters that can get them elected. Starting as early as 18 months out from an election will be super helpful in affording the time a candidate needs to build a winning campaign structure. Most local races are run and won with part time campaigns, and volunteer staff.
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Requirements to RunTypical requirements include: Be 18 years of age at the start of the term. Be a resident of the district that the individual is running to represent. Be a US citizen. Be free of felony convictions. Mentally capable to serve (not to have been determined mentally incapacitated by a court of law). Legal requirements to seek and serve on a city/town council vary by jurisdiction. Most places require that the candidate live in the district they seek to serve, either before the election or shortly after. Candidates must almost universally be registered to vote in the district. There are no particular education requirements.