Library Board Essentials Virtual Workshops – July 2020

During this time of pandemic, the State Library is not able to provide in-person board training. Yet, there is still a need and interest for training. The Colorado State Library is taking this opportunity to develop new virtual offerings, which will be introduced over the next few months. The first of these is a Library Board Essentials workshop, which will be available for both governing and advisory boards. Space will be limited for both trainings, but additional trainings will be offered in future months.

These free Library Board Essentials training workshops will be offered online using the Zoom platform. Each workshop will be limited to 25 participants, and advance registration is required. Please see below for additional details and links to register.

Library Board Essentials (for Advisory Boards)
July 22, 2:00-3:30pm
Register for July 22 workshop

Library Board Essentials (for Governing Boards)
July 29, 2:00-3:30pm
Register for July 29 workshop

Workshop Description:
Library boards play an essential role in the governance of a public library, and library trustees have a responsibility to serve their communities. This workshop provides a foundation of essential information to help Colorado Public Library Trustees be better prepared to meet the responsibilities of library board service. Topics covered in this workshop include the link between governance and operations, roles and responsibilities of library boards, open meeting requirements, core principles of public library service, and an overview of current library trends. This workshop will be interactive and allow for trustees to share ideas and ask questions.

For Library Advisory Boards:
Library advisory boards are typically found with municipal, county, and multi-jurisdictional (joint) libraries, and commonly serve in an advisory capacity to the library director and to the governing authority. This workshop is intended for public library trustees currently serving in Colorado who would like to gain a better foundation for their role as a member of the library advisory board. This workshop may also be beneficial to library directors, as well as other library administrators who work closely with the library advisory board.

For Library Governing Boards:
Library governing boards are typically found with library districts, and serve as the governing authority for the library. This workshop is intended for public library trustees currently serving in Colorado who would like to gain a better foundation for their role as a member of the library governing board. This workshop may also be beneficial to library directors, as well as other library administrators who work closely with the library governing board.

Additional library board training and support opportunities from the Colorado State Library will be announced in early August. If you have urgent or specific needs and would like to request training or support, please email Crystal Schimpf.