Friends & Trustees of Libraries

Library Friends organizations and public library trustee boards may wish to consult the following Maine and regional resources:

Maine Library Trustee Handbook (Revised March, 2021)
Publication includes information about bylaws, policies, meeting procedures, board evaluation, hiring a library director, etc.
Trustee Toolkit: Hiring a Library Director
Hiring a director is one of the primary responsibilities of many boards. Sample tools and templates are a starting point for boards and are intended to be modified for local use. The resource includes many templates, including sample job descriptions, recommended interview questions, and a sample offer letter.
Non Profit Resources
Resources for non-profit boards from the IRS, the State of Maine and others.
Library Statistics
Information from annual reports submitted to the Maine State Library, such as salaries, budgets, circulation and other information about Maine’s public libraries. See ”Financial Statistics” and “Service Statistics” by population category for the appropriate statistical information.
Library Policies
Sample policies from Maine libraries and libraries in other states. Policies on library cards, internet use, collection development, circulation, reserving materials, library materials selection, and many other policies.
Maine Public Library Standards
Adopted by the Maine Library Association (MLA) and the Maine Library Commission in 2019.
Grants and Funding
Local and national grant opportunities, deadlines, and contact information
Maine Regional Library System
Information about the Maine State Library's statewide subject specialists and Interlibrary Loan.
Legislation
Legislation related to libraries, how to help, how to contact legislators, how to follow the text and status of legislative documents, the law and libraries, and confidentiality of library records
Calendar of Maine Library Events
Calendar of Maine library meetings, workshops and events
Related Library Organizations
Links to local and national library organizations