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Board of Trustees Policy Manual

The purpose of this manual is to provide to the members of the Fairfax County Library (FCPL) Board of Trustees, the Library Administration and staff, all of the basic statutes, regulations and policies pertinent to the overall direction of FCPL

Addendum 9. Bylaws of Fairfax County Public Library Board Of Trustees

ARTICLE I. Name

The name of this organization shall be Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE II. Objectives

The objectives of the Library Board are to provide free public library services to all residents of the contracting jurisdictions in accordance with the Virginia Code; regulations of the State Library System; and local ordinances.

ARTICLE III. Membership

Section 1

The Library Board shall consist of not less than five members (Va. Code 42.1-35) and shall include such additional members as may be determined by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors or by contract entered into by the Supervisors with other jurisdictions to provide regional library service. 1 (Va. Code 42.1-34).

Section 2

A member whose term has expired may continue to serve until a successor is appointed. A member shall be eligible to serve an unlimited number of successive terms.

ARTICLE IV. Duties

The Library Board shall manage and control the Fairfax County Public Library (Va. Code 42.1-35).

  1. Establish and enact such policies as will promote the objectives of the Board.
  2. Approve annually a budget for Fairfax County Public Library services to be submitted to the appropriate governing bodies.
  3. Select and appoint a Director of the Fairfax County Public Library who meets the qualifications recommended by the Virginia State Board for the Certification of Librarians, and in other respects is qualified for the position of Director.

ARTICLE V. Elections

Section 1 Officers

  1. The officers of the Library Board shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a non-voting Secretary.
  2. The Library Director shall serve as the non-voting Secretary to the Board.

Section 2 Representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation

  1. A trustee shall serve one year as an ex-officio voting director of the Fairfax Library Foundation Board.2

Section 3 Nominations

  1. Each year at the April meeting, the Chair shall appoint a nominating committee of two Board members whose responsibilities shall be to establish a slate of officers to include Chair Vice Chair, and representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation Board. Neither the Chair nor the Vice Chair shall be eligible to be on the nominating committee.
  2. Each year at the May meeting, the nominating committee shall report its recommended slate of officers.
  3. Any trustee may submit their name or the name of another trustee to the nominating committee by two weeks before the May meeting.
  4. Only those persons who have signified their consent to serve, if elected, shall be nominated for election.
  5. Nominations shall be announced at the May meeting of the Board.
  6. Additional nominations may be made at the May or June meeting from the floor.

Section 4 Elections

  1. The Chair, Vice Chair, and representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation Board shall be elected by vote annually at the June meeting.
  2. If a quorum (a majority of the appointed trustees) is not present, a special meeting shall be called as soon as possible for the purpose of holding the election.

Section 5 Terms of Office

  1. The Chair, Vice Chair, and representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation Board shall assume their official duties on July 1 and shall serve for a term of one year or until their successor takes office.
  2. An officer shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, except the Secretary.
  3. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall serve for the remainder of the term.
  4. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice Chair, it shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board, five days’ notice of such election being given.
  5. In the event of a vacancy in the representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation Board, it shall be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the remaining members of the board, five days’ notice of such election being given.

ARTICLE VI. Duties of Officers

Section 1 The Chair shall:

  1. Preside at all Board meetings that they attend.
  2. Appoint all committees.
  3. Initiate, in consultation with the Secretary, an agenda for each regular Board meeting.
  4. Sign all documents and communications emanating from Board action.
  5. Be the spokesperson for the Board.
  6. Serve as an ex-officio voting director of the Fairfax Library Foundation Board of Directors.

Section 2

The Vice Chair shall act in the absence of the Chair and shall perform any other duties assigned by the Chair.

Section 3 The Secretary shall:

  1. Send notification of each meeting in hard copy and electronically to each Board member, not less than five days in advance of the date of the meeting. Such notice shall include the agenda of the meeting and minutes of the last regular meeting and any intervening special meeting.
  2. Provide notification of special meetings, stating the purposes of the special meeting and by whom it is being called.
  3. Record the minutes of all meetings.
  4. Maintain the minutes of all meetings online.
  5. Index and codify all current policies of the Board. Copies shall be kept online  available for public inspection.
  6. Present monthly statistical reports on library activities, financial reports, and other reports as requested by the Chair of the Board.
  7. Serve as an ex-officio voting director of the Fairfax Library Foundation Board.

Section 4

The representative to the Fairfax Library Foundation Board shall:

  1. Serves as an ex-officio voting director of the Fairfax Library Foundation and attends Foundation Board meetings.
  2. Report quarterly on the activities of the Fairfax Library Foundation.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings

  1. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held once each month, except August, the time and day to be determined by the Chair in coordination with the Secretary.
  2. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chair and shall be called at the request of any two Board members. Only those items listed on the notification agenda shall be discussed at the special meeting.
  3. Regular or special meetings shall be held at a public location within the County or City of Fairfax, or fully virtually in a declared emergency.
  4. A simple majority of duly appointed members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII. Committees

  1. The Board shall establish those committees required to accomplish the objectives of the Board.
  2. Each Board member shall serve on at least one committee.
  3. While committee members are specifically appointed by the Chair, non-committee members may attend a committee meeting and participate fully in the committee's discussion, including voting on issues.

ARTICLE IX. Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (current edition) shall govern this Board in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these Bylaws.

ARTICLE X. Amendment of Bylaws

  1. These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing as a consideration item at the immediately previous regular meeting.
  2. The requirements for the adoption of a revised set of Bylaws shall be the same as in the case of an amendment.

1 Each Fairfax County magisterial district is represented on the Library Board. In addition, there is an At-Large member. Fairfax City Council appoints one member of the Library Board. The School Board appoints one member of the Library Board. Trustees are nominated by each member of the Board of Supervisors, and appointed by the full Board of Supervisors”. Once appointed, a Trustee can only be removed if the full Board of Supervisors determines that the Trustee has committed misconduct or neglect of duty.

2 The Fairfax Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity established by the Library Board in September 1994. The Director of the Fairfax County Public Library, the Chair of the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees, and a member elected annually by the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees shall serve as ex-officio voting members.

April 14, 2021

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