Off the Shelf @ Your Library

Library Operations,
Part I: Who makes the rules?

By Kathryn E. Pillatzki
Assistant Director
Henry County Library System

  Before I started working in a public library, I never gave much thought to how they operate. I used and enjoyed library services, but that was about the extent of my interest. Apparently I suffered from a unique lack of curiosity; since I have worked in libraries, I’ve noticed that people ask me questions all the time about how they actually work.

  “Who owns the library?”

  “Who do you work for?”

  “Who buys the books?”

  The short answer to each of these questions is: you, the taxpayer. The nitty-gritty answer is that public libraries are regulated and funded by a patchwork of federal, state, and local sources. Recently, with communities feeling the strain of the recession, people are demanding accountability about how their tax dollars are spent, and rightfully so. This is the first of a two-part column that will attempt to explain some of the finer points of how your public libraries operate.

  The main entity responsible for library operations in Henry County is the Library Board of Trustees. The board has seven members; one member is appointed by each Henry County Commissioner, one by the Commission chair, and one by the Henry County Board of Education. Once a trustee is sworn in, their responsibility is to all of the libraries in the county and not just the one in their district. The Library Board sets policies that govern operation such as service hours, internet use, the price of copies, and holiday closings. The Library Board can also own property and sign contracts.

  In addition to the policies set forth by the Library Board, library operations are also governed by state regulations. For example, Georgia law requires the Library Board to meet at least four times a year. The Henry County Library Board usually meets on the first Monday of each month at 5:30 PM in the administrative wing of the McDonough library. However, state law prohibits board members from receiving any compensation for this service. All library board members serve as volunteers. 

  State law also requires that the Library Director have a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from a university accredited by the American Library Association, and a public librarian license issued by the Georgia Secretary of State.  The Library Board vests the Director with the authority for day-to-day operation of the libraries. The Director is responsible for enforcing board policies, overseeing regular library operations, preparing the annual budget, and representing Henry County libraries on various professional committees in Georgia.

  Henry County Library System is a member of PINES, Georgia’s Public Information Network for Electronic Services. PINES is essentially a resource sharing consortium. Anyone with a library card issued by a PINES library can borrow materials from any other PINES library at no charge, thus allowing many Georgia residents to enjoy a “borderless library”. PINES also provides our circulation software. For comparison, if HCLS had to buy our own circulation software, the cost would be approximately $300,000 plus $50,000 to $60,000 per year in maintenance fees.  In return for this service, Henry County libraries must comply with PINES policies, which specify how long you can borrow materials, fine rates for overdue materials, and holds policies. These policies are set by a statewide committee of representatives from PINES libraries. PINES is a program of Georgia Public Library Service, a division of the Board of Regents.

  At the federal level, legislation such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act and the Patriot Act affect some services and policies of the library system. For example, CIPA requires that all of the library’s computers be equipped with Internet filtering software. It allows filters to be turned off at the patron’s request, but failure to install the filtering software would result in the loss of our federal funding.

  Have I completely lost you yet? When you think about it, it’s a wonder we manage to get the doors unlocked and the lights turned on while staying in compliance with all the levels of rules and regulations.

   Join me next week as we move on to a discussion of library funding in Library Operations, Part II: Show me the money!

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