On Saturday, August 20th, Pat Wauters and I attended a “Library Board Basics” workshop presented by the Public Library Services Branch at the Taber Public Library. The day-long workshop was attend by board members, staff and member library staff from within and outside the Chinook Arch Regional Library System. Although still in development, this workshop was extremely useful to me as it helped understand how a board should effectively function and work with their library manager.
The workshop focused on four key areas: a general overview of library service and values in Alberta and beyond, the roles and responsibilities of the library board, funding and finances, and board effectiveness. Kerry Anderson, Ken Feser, and Patricia MacNamee clearly explained each of these topics and answered all questions. Attendees were provided with helpful literature, such as a guide to The Alberta Libraries Act and Regulation. (Note: I have found it a bit tricky to view these documents online and have notified them.)
If you are a board member or a library manager, I would highly recommend attending one of these workshops. Being aware of how a board should work is an important step in delivering effective library services to your community. As a board member, you are legally responsible for your actions, so knowing the ropes is in your best interest as well. The Public Library Services Branch holds these workshops at interested libraries across the province when asked.
If you would like to attend a future workshop, keep an eye out for announcements and notifications from Chinook Arch or contact the presenters through their website: www.albertalibraries.ca.
P.S. For anyone else having problems with the documents, Kerry Anderson emailed me direct links to the files. You can get to them by clicking on the below linked words:
Thanks Kerry!
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