Recruiting
Without Misleading
Kentucky statute limits the time a trustee
may serve on a library board, resulting in a continual turnover
of members. As most boards readily recognize, recruiting new
trustees can be a daunting task. Every board wants its membership
made up of the best possible choices—a team of dedicated
individuals with a passion for public libraries in gen-eral
and the home library in particular. But how does one successfully
recruit such a combination of library advocates?
Like any relationship able to go the distance,
honesty is essential. While it may be tempting to tell “The
Big Lie” when approach-ing potential trustees, resisting
the temptation is always the best policy. What is “The
Big Lie?” It’s promising that all one will be
expected to do is attend a one-hour meeting each month. Prospective
board members need to know that monthly meetings are only
a part of their job as trustees.
Some libraries have held pre-orientations
for potential board members to give them an overview of what
trusteeship is all about. It would be wise to involve your
regional librarian, asking him to do an abridged version of
the regular New Trustee Orientation for this audience. Involving
him can serve two purposes: (1) it adds a layer of insulation
should the library director and current trustees think one
or more of the attendees are not well suited for this board
at this particular time; and (2) KDLA’s
regional representative can speak to the generalities
of trustee-ship, leaving the issues specific to a given library
for local input, which may or may not be addressed at this
time. Conducting a pre-orientation should in no way be construed
as a promise that an individual will be nominated should she
express interest.
Trustees can also spend some time looking
at their long-range or strategic plan to help determine what
specific skills they will need in the near future. Perhaps
a look at how one’s library rates in the Standards
for Kentucky Public Libraries might help identify needed
skills as well. Knowing what areas of expertise one needs
is an excellent first step in searching for new board members.
Once again, honesty is the best policy. If you are expect-ing
perspective members to provide certain skills—which
must be done pro bono—tell them before they are appointed.
