Article I. Membership
In accordance with the Home Rule Charter, adopted April, 1995, and amended by town meeting action June 26, 1995, the members shall be elected from the town at large and shall be seven members, all for three year overlapping terms of office.
Board of Library Trustee members may serve an unlimited number of terms.
Article II. Officers
Section 1. Officers of the Board shall be a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary.
Section 2. The officers shall be elected by ballots at the first meeting following town elections where Library Trustees have been on the ballot. Term of office shall be one year.
Section 3. Vacancies on the Board of Library Trustees shall be filled by the Board of Selectmen together with remaining members of the Board of Library Trustees in accordance with the provision of General Law.
Section 4. An officer may succeed himself
Section 5. The Chairperson of the Board shall preside at all meetings and generally perform the duties of the presiding officer. The Chairperson will appoint all committees and authorize calls for any special meeting. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson will preside. In the absence of both Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the Board may designate a Chairperson pro tem for that meeting.
Section 6. The Secretary of the Board shall keep a true and accurate account of all Board meetings, delegate issuance of notices of all regular meetings, have custody of the minutes and other records of the Board, and shall notify the Board of Selectmen of any vacancy on the Board.
Article III. Meetings
Section 1. The Board of Library Trustees shall meet on the third Wednesday of each month or at a time agreed upon by the Board.
The first meeting following the town elections where a Trustee has been elected will be the Annual meeting.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or upon written request of two members, for the transaction of business as stated in the call. Written notices stating the time and place of any special meeting and the purpose for which it was called shall be given each member of the Board at least two days in advance of the meeting.
All meetings of the Board shall be posted at the Town Hall.
Section 3. A quorum for transaction of business shall consist of four members.
Section 4. Order of business shall be as follows:
Call to order
Reading and approval of minutes
Old business
New business
Library Director’s report
Certification of bills
Adjournment
Section 5. Robert’sRules of Order, last revised edition shall govern the parliamentary procedure of the Board.
Article IV. Library Director
The Library Director shall be considered the executive officer of the Board and shall have sole charge of the administration of the Library and adjoining grounds identified herein as the Seekonk Meadows under the direction and review of the Board. The Library Director shall have an Employment Agreement in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 78, sections 33 and 34. The Library Director shall be responsible for the care of the building and equipment, for the employment and direction of the staff in accordance with the Union Contract, for the efficiency of library service to the public and for the operation of the Library under the financial conditions set forth in the annual budget. The Library Director may spend up to $5,000 for capital expenditures from monies appropriated by the Town or received by the Library as non-reoccurring grants or gifts without the prior approval of the Board. The Library Director shall attend all meetings of the Board and its Standing Committees except those at which his or her appointment or salary is to be discussed or decided. In any dispute between the Library Director and the Board, the Board is the responsible party and their decision shall be final.
Article V. Committees
The Board shall meet as a committee as a whole. Exceptions for this shall be for special committees such as Building or Finance when an unusual problem arises. Such special committees shall be disbanded as soon as their specific task has been completed.
Article VI. Amendments
The by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board with a quorum present, provided the amendment was stated in the call for a meeting.
Article VII. Legal Responsibilities of the Board
The by-laws, stating rights and responsibilities of the Board members and the Library Director, shall be regarded as legal and binding under the Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Town of Seekonk.
Revised: 6/85, 7/19/95, 3/19/98, 5/24/2006,2/17/2010.
Article VI Meadows Committee- amended May 21, 2014 and September 20, 2017
Article IV Library Director – amended September 20, 2017.
Article II, Section 5 -amended December 20, 2023.
Article II, Section 6 - amended December 20, 2023
Article III, Section 1 - amended December 20, 2023
Article VI pertaining to Seekonk Meadows Committee - removed December 20, 2023