Clifton Community Library
Cranberry Lake, NY
Bylaws of the Board of Trustees
The following Bylaws are effective January 18, 2022 as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Clifton Community Library.
I – Name and Authority
The name of this board is the Board of Trustees of the Clifton Community Library (hereinafter, The Board). The Clifton Community Library was chartered by the New York State Education Department in 1983.
II – Purpose
The purpose of The Board shall be to extend and improve library service to the Town of Clifton.
III – Membership
1. The Board is comprised of five to nine members who maintain a residence within the Library’s chartered to serve area. There are currently five seats.
2. Any Board member who moves out of the Chartered to Serve Area becomes ineligible for membership on the Board. Any Board member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without excuse shall be deemed to have resigned.
3. Each Trustee, upon appointment to The Board, shall complete an Oath of Office within thirty (30) days of assuming such office. If the Oath of Office is not administered within this time, the Trustee’s position shall be deemed to be vacated.
4. All appointments to a full term or an unexpired term on The Board shall be by the Town of Clifton Town Board, with The Board’s prior approval and written recommendation to the Town of Clifton Town Board.
IV – Tenure of the Office of Trustee
1. The term of office of a Trustee shall be five (5) years, and the number of terms shall not be limited. All terms shall commence on January first of a given year. No more than two (2) Board member’s terms shall expire concurrently.
V – Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of a trustee/board member shall be as referenced in the “Handbook for Library Trustees of New York State”, under the heading “Trustee Duties and Responsibilities”.
VI – Officers
1. All officers shall be members of The Board.
2. The officers of The Board shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
3. The term of office for an Officer shall be one year.
4. Nominations for election of officers shall be made to The Board at the regular October meeting, one month prior to elections.
5. Officers shall be elected at the regular November meeting of The Board by a simple majority vote of the members of The Board. Officers shall assume their positions January 1st of the new year, the term shall end December 31st the same year.
6. Vacancies among the officers shall be filled by election at a regular meeting. A simple majority vote of the Trustees present shall determine the outcome.
7. Duties of President: The President presides at all Board meetings and appoints committees of The Board.
8. Duties of Vice-President: The Vice-President presides over meetings in the absence of the President and shall become President should a vacancy occur in that office between elections.
9. Duties of Secretary: The Secretary records Board minutes which are approved monthly by The Board and handles correspondence required of the office.
10. Duties of Treasurer: The Treasurer monitors the budget, financial records, reports, audits, investments, and is the chairperson of the Finance Committee.
VII – Meetings
1. Regular meetings shall be held at least eight (8) times each year at dates and times established by The Board at the beginning of the library year. All meetings of The Board shall be open to the public, except during executive sessions.
2. Special meetings may be held at the call of the President or by written request by two or more Trustees. The notice of the date, time and place of a special meeting shall be telephoned to each Member at his or her usual place of business or residence at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the time of the meeting.
3. A simple majority of the designated number of members of The Board shall constitute a quorum.
4. The order of business shall be as follows:
a. Approval of the Agenda
b. Public Comment
c. Correspondence/Communications
d. Minutes of the previous meeting
e. Report of the Finance Committee
f. Report of the Library Director
g. Committee reports
h. Nominations and elections
i. Old business
j. New business
k. Date, time and place of next meeting
l. Adjournment
VIII – Committees
1. The President of The Board shall appoint all committee members, as needed. Committees include, but are not limited to, the Finance Committee and the Budget Committee.
2. All committee actions are subject to approval by a simple majority of the Board.
IX – Library Director
1. The Library Director shall be considered the executive and administrative officer of the Library.
2. The Director shall be held responsible for the proper performance of duties as spelled out in the job description provided by the Board.
3. The duties of the Director shall include attending and reporting at meetings of the Board, including budget meetings or public meetings where action may be taken affecting the interests of the Library. The Librarian shall have the right to speak on all matters under discussion at Board meetings, but shall not have the right to vote thereon.
4. The Director implements all policies adopted by The Board, reports monthly to The Board, advises The Board, and recommends policies to The Board.
X –Amendments
These By-laws may be repealed, amended, or added to by a simple majority vote of the whole Board at a regular meeting. Such actions may be taken, however, only after the substance of the proposed repeal, amendment, or addition has been presented in writing at a prior regular meeting, and notice thereof has been given in the notice of the meeting at which it is to be considered.