The name of these by-laws shall be known as the Roxbury Free Library By-laws.
Article VIII of the 2/22/1911 Roxbury Town Meeting stated: To see if the Town will elect a board of Library Trustees and instruct such board to make application
to the State Board of Library Commissioners under Section 878 and 879 of Vermont Statutes.
The June 30th 1912 Report of the VT. Library Commissioners declared the legal establishment of the Roxbury Free Library.
In each of the towns of Colchester, Grand Isle, Lowell, Middlebury, Roxbury, Troy, Weathersfield and Williamstown, we have established a free public library under the library law by giving to each town conforming to the requirements of that law a one hundred dollar collection of books selected with regard to the particular needs of the town.
The purpose of the Board of Trustees for the Roxbury Free Library is to oversee the operation of library in accordance with statutes of the State of Vermont and in accordance with the Roxbury Free Library By-laws.
The Roxbury Free Library shall be governed by a Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall consist of five members, all elected for terms of three years each at the annual Roxbury town meeting. Terms will be staggered.
Eligibility for the Board of Trustees shall be limited to adults who are residents of Roxbury.
Newly elected Trustees will take office at the first meeting following the annual Roxbury town meeting.
In the event of a board vacancy after the annual Roxbury town meeting the board will recommend an appropriate individual to the Roxbury Selectboard. The Selectboard will then appoint a trustee until the following annual Roxbury town meeting. The Selectboard may choose to appoint an individual of their own.
Trustees, as stated in VSA Title 22, Chapter 3, § 143, shall have full power to manage the public library, make and revise by-laws, elect officers, establish library policy and receive, control and manage property which shall come into the hands of the municipality of Roxbury by gift, purchase, devise or bequest for the use and benefit of the library.
Trustees shall also be responsible for long range planning of library services to the community; fundraising, budgeting and financial management of the library; maintenance of the library building; hiring a library director; maintaining and fostering strong relations between the library and the community; and serving as advocates for the library and library service.
All the actions of the Trustees shall be as a unit of the board. No individual Trustee of the board shall act on behalf of the board, on any matter, without prior approval of the board. No Trustee by virtue of their office, shall exercise any administrative responsibility with respect to the library nor, as an individual, command the services of any library employee.
Each Trustee shall have one vote, irrespective of office held.
A Trustee must be present at a meeting to have their vote counted.
Neither the library nor anyone affiliated with the library shall discriminate against any person or group on any arbitrary basis.
No compensation may be paid to the Trustees for their services. However, Trustees may be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing duties if so authorized by the Board. If individual Trustees wish to join Vermont Library Association, they will be expected to pay the dues themselves.
Trustees shall be under an affirmative duty to disclose their actual or potential conflicts of interest, either direct or indirect, in any matter under consideration by the Board or by a committee exercising any authority of the Board, and such interest shall be made a matter of record in the minutes of the meeting. A trustee or member of a committee having such an interest shall be permitted to make a statement with regard to the matter but shall not be permitted to participate in the discussion or decision of the matter.
Description of conflict. A conflict of interest shall include any situation where a person’s pecuniary or other significant personal interest, whether direct or indirect, in a matter before the Board conflicts with, or may tend to conflict with, such person’s fiduciary duties to the Library. Such interest would normally include any ownership or financial interest through business, investment, or family ties, and a compensation arrangement. A matter before the Board shall include a matter before a committee exercising any authority of the Board.
D. Termination of Board Members
The term of office of a Trustee may be terminated prior to its expiration in any of the following ways: (i) voluntarily by a Trustee upon notice to the Library; (ii) automatically upon failure to meet qualifications for office; and (iii) involuntarily for cause by vote of the Board of Trustees provided that the accused Trustee is given adequate notice of the charges (e.g., breaking the conduct articles above) and the opportunity to respond in person or in writing. A Trustee who is absent from two consecutive board meetings or three meetings in a year, unless excused by the Board, shall be presumed to have resigned.
The officers of the Board shall be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer, elected annually by the Board at the annual meeting in April each year. These officers shall serve for a period of one year. Vacancies of officers shall be filled by election of the Board.
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board, shall issue notice of all regular and special meetings, authorize calls for any special meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the Board of Trustees, serve as an ex-officio voting member of all committees, and perform other duties as determined by the board.
The Vice Chairperson, in the event of the absence or disability of the Chairperson, or of a vacancy in that office, shall assume and perform the duties and functions of the Chairperson.
The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Board and shall perform such other duties as determined by the board.
The Treasurer shall be the disbursing officer of the Board and shall perform such other duties as determined by the board.
In the absence or inability of an officer to perform duties, their duties shall be performed by such other members of the Board as the Board may designate.
The Board shall appoint a Library Director who shall be the executive officer of the library under the direction and review of the Board and subject to the policies established by the Board. They will develop and implement responsive, effective services for the community; will employ and direct the staff and volunteers; will operate the library under the financial conditions contained in the annual budget; and will share responsibility with the Board of Trustees for the care of the buildings and equipment.
The Library Director shall attend all board meetings except any portion of a meeting at which their appointment or salary is discussed or decided. The Library Director shall render and submit to the Board monthly reports and make recommendations of such policies and procedures, which, in the opinion of the Library Director, will improve efficiency and quality of library service.
An annual evaluation of the Library Director will be done by the Board.
A nominating committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson three months prior to the annual Roxbury town meeting. Other candidates interested in serving on the Board can obtain the necessary papers from the Town Clerk so they can be placed on the Town Meeting Ballot.
Committees for specific purposes may be appointed by the Chairperson. Such committees shall serve until the completion of the work for which they were appointed. Committees may include members of the community with particular expertise or interest, but there should be at least one Trustee on each committee.
All Committees shall make a progress report to the Board at each of its meetings.
No committee will have other than advisory powers unless, by suitable action of the Board, it is granted specific powers to act.
Regular meetings shall be held each month, the date and hour to be set by the Board. All Trustees are expected to attend all meetings of the board unless excused by the Chairperson for a particular reason.
Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the Chairperson or upon the request of three members for a specific purpose.
Executive session is available for a instances when board work includes sensitive matters or confidential information. Outside of executive session, all meetings of a majority of the Board are public meetings, during which members of the public may address the Board on any issue on its agenda, subject to reasonable rules to ensure order and civility.
The Trustees shall make a report at the annual Roxbury town meeting of the library activities, of the condition of the library and of the management and expenditure of moneys as have come into their hands.
A simple majority of the Trustees currently holding office shall constitute a quorum for conducting all business. If a quorum is not present at a regular meeting, the attending Trustees may set a date for another meeting to be held within two weeks, and the Chairperson shall notify the absent Trustees of this specially called meeting.
The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which shall be covered in the sequence shown unless circumstances make an altered order more efficient:
i. Roll Call of Members
ii. Secretary’s report
iii. Treasurer’s report
iv. Library Director’s report
v. Committee reports
vi. Unfinished business
vii. New business
viii. Period for Public Expression
ix. Adjournment
Agendas for regular and special meetings and minutes of meetings will be posted according to the Vermont Open Meeting Law.
Article 9: Budgetary and Financial Procedures and Responsibilities
The Trustees have “full power” to spend the voter-approved appropriation from the general fund, grants of money, as well as money raised by the library through fundraising efforts, as outlined in the library budget. Money shall be deposited in the library account kept by the Roxbury Town Clerk. Payments shall be made from this account against submissions of the library director when approved by the library treasurer of the board or upon submission approved by any two of the library trustees.
The operating and financial reports for the previous year shall be presented at the regular meeting in July.
The preliminary budget for the subsequent fiscal year, as prepared by the Library Director and Treasurer, should be presented to the Trustees in November each year.
The final budget for the subsequent fiscal year shall be presented (and approved by the Board assuming all is in order) at the December meeting.
These By-Laws will be reviewed annually in April. These By-Laws may be amended or repealed in accordance with the procedure set forth relating to adoption of ordinances and rules in VSA Title 24 Chapter 59, Section 1976.
The Roxbury Free Library Board of Trustees welcomes and encourages gifts and bequests which are consistent with the Library’s Mission Statement.
In accepting gifts and donations, the Library reserves the right to decide whether the donated materials should be added to the Library’s collection, in accordance with the guidelines of the Roxbury Free Library policies. All gifts and donations become the property of the Roxbury Free Library, and the Library reserves the right to display, store, discard, or sell all gifts and donations for the benefit of the Library in accordance with the wishes of the Board of Trustees.
Print and Non-Print Materials
The Library is pleased to accept print (books) and non-print (DVDs, CDs, etc.) materials when they comply with the Library’s Collection Development Policy. All gifts are accepted with the understanding that if the Library is unable to use the materials, they will be donated to the Library Book Sale. Unused donations cannot be returned to the donor.
We’re sorry, but we cannot accept donations of the following items: Encyclopedias, Textbooks more than 5 years old, and Reader’s Digest Condensed books.
Monetary Donations
Monetary donations may be made in a number of ways:
Memorial gifts: The Library will be pleased to select appropriate titles in memory of a relative or friend, as indicated on the donation form. A gift plate will be added to each purchased item with the name of the person being honored. Notification of the gift will be sent to the person designated on the donation form.
Roxbury Free Public Library Gift Fund: These funds, donated by individuals, groups or corporations will be spent as requested on the donation form. A gift plate will be placed in each purchased item with the name of the donor. Funds can be designated to purchase materials:
In a particular subject area
For a particular department
Or as an unrestricted gift.
Roxbury Free Library Endowment Fund: Funds will be preserved for future library needs, such as library expansion or capital improvements, that public funding alone cannot meet.
Gifts of Appreciated Assets: Through gifts of publicly traded securities such as stocks, bonds, or mutual fund shares, you have the advantage of seeing your donation at work helping the Library. Gifts of highly appreciated stock or securities provide you with a charitable tax deduction, avoidance of capital gains tax, and the satisfaction of helping the Library. You can also receive similar benefits from gifts of appreciated real estate.
Bequests: A bequest to the Roxbury Free Public Library creates a legacy for generations of children of families. Donors are encouraged to remember the Library as they prepare or revise their wills.
Other Gifts
Gifts and donations other than items which can be used in the Library’s collection (such as art, furniture, etc.) or monetary gifts (as listed above) must be discussed with the Library Director. All conditions pertaining to the donation must be clearly stated at that time. The Library Board of Trustees will make the final determination to accept or decline the gift.
These gifts will be considered in light of the following criteria:
Relevance to the Library’s Mission Statement
Space required to house or store the gift(s)
Cost to maintain or preserve the gift(s)
All gifts and donations accepted by the Board of Library Trustees become the property of the Roxbury Free Public Library and may be sold or discarded as the Board sees fit.
Gifts to Library Staff
Individual Library staff cannot accept gifts or any form of currency for the services they provide as library staff. Appreciative patrons are encouraged to make contributions to the library as a whole, or provide a gift that all staff can enjoy equally. This policy is to ensure that staff will treat all members of the public equally, and that no preferential treatment is shown or expected.
The purpose of this policy is to set clear guidelines regarding publication procedures for the Roxbury Newsy, a quarterly publication of the Roxbury Free Library (RFL) made available in print to Roxbury residents, and in a digital format to the general public on the RFL website.
The following guidelines are to provide equitable and standardized publication procedures to ensure that publications in the Roxbury Newsy are accurate and reflect public and group activities of public interest that are focused on the Town of Roxbury or provide information to assist our community members.
Newsletter Purpose
The primary purpose of the Newsy is to be an informational resource for community and cultural activities in and around Roxbury, Vermont. We provide an opportunity to the Town, its employees, community organizations, and Roxbury community members to publish information regarding governmental and community items of public interest.
The Newsy will also publish more personal art, poetry, or other creative work on a first-come, first-served basis that is subject to the same guidelines for publication as the informational articles and announcements. This is intended to enrich the newsletter and to celebrate the many diverse talents of our community.
Publication Procedures
Articles and other information submitted for publication in the Roxbury Newsy are published at the determination of the Roxbury Free Library Board of Trustees and the Library Director. All material will be submitted to and reviewed by the Director before being accepted. Work shall be submitted in as finished a format as possible, and may be edited for length or clarity while attempting to preserve the original “voice” of the author.
Submission Deadlines
All submissions intended to be printed in the Roxbury Newsy must be provided to the Library Director prior to the deadlines below for such submissions. The deadlines for submission are as follows:
December 15— to be published January 1
March 15— to be published April 1
June 15— to be published July 1
September 15— to be published October 1
Space Guidelines and Priority for Published Material
The Roxbury Newsy is limited on available space. Material will be published as space allows, with priority given to town governance, community organizations and library events. Personal submissions are published on a first-come, first-served basis.
Editorial Guidelines
The Newsy editorial board, consisting of the Library Director, the Board of Trustees or their designee(s), shall have the ability and responsibility to reject submissions that do not conform to these guidelines or to make such general editorial changes to all submissions, and to publish them within the Newsy in the most effective and cost effective manner. The Library Board of Trustees has final editorial control of all submissions.
In order to maintain non-partisan publications, the Newsy will not accept submissions that are partisan or political, that advocate for or against one position or another in a political manner, that advocate for or against any political candidate, whether a national, state or local candidate, or advocate for or against any religious or fraternal group or organization. Political or religious group meeting announcements are acceptable as long as they are open to members of the general public and do not violate any other section of this policy.
The newsy will not accept letters to the editor(s) or opinion pieces.
All submitted photos must be used with permission of the photographer, and permission of the person being photographed (if applicable).
All personal and community organization submissions must contain the author’s name and contact information.
All community organizations, committees or Town officers are fully responsible for reviewing and approving their group’s submission for accuracy before submitting.
Submissions by Individuals and Community Organizations
The RFL/Newsy will attempt to publish all submitted notices and articles by a community member or organization, unless there is insufficient space available or if deemed unacceptable for publishing by any section of this policy.
In order for a submission from individuals and/or community organizations to be considered, accepted and published in the Roxbury Newsy, the following criteria must be met:
The contributor or organization has a lawful purpose which does not pose a threat to public order, to the safety of the public, or to the safety of any individual.
The contributor or organization does not have as its primary purpose marketing products or services or making a profit, unless the event is determined to be a community event or community information benefiting the community in general.
Provides community with information about a community event or useful information to the community that is non-partisan.
For creative/personal submissions, must be the original work of the individual and meet all submission guidelines for acceptable content.
Any articles and notices submitted by individuals and community organizations may not contain profane language, sexual content, content that promotes, fosters or perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national original, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability, defamatory statements, content that advocates violence or unlawful activity, or which poses a threat to public safety or security, or towards any individual.
