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Trustee Manual
Trustees and the Board : Getting Started
Continued Learning
Page last modified date: 9/27/2012
Effective library trusteeship requires ongoing learning and training. There are many opportunities for you and your Board to keep learning, including the following recommendations.
Montana State Library: http://msl.mt.gov
MLA: www.mtlib.org
ALA: www.ala.org
ALTAFF: http://www.ala.org/united/
MPLA: www.mpla.us
PNLA: www.pnla.org
Essential
Set aside time at each meeting to review an aspect of the library's administration or services.
Rotate meeting locations at branches of a system.
Good ideas
Join the Montana Library Association (MLA).
Attend MLA's annual conference and other events.
Attend Federation meetings.
Attend State Library-sponsored events.
Work through a chapter of the trustee handbook during meetings.
Other opportunities
Attend the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference.
Participate in professional organizations: Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA), the Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) and Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations (ALTAFF).
See Libraries and Library Organizations, for more information about the library organizations mentioned here.
Voluntary Trustee Certification
Trustees are welcome to certify through the Montana State Library's certification program for trustees. This is a voluntary certification that tries to recognize those trustees who are committed to continued learning. To become certified trustees must earn 15 continuing education credits in a 4 year period. 10 of those credits need to be in Library Administration . You can learn more about this certification program at http://msl.mt.gov/For_Librarians/Training/certification/default.asp or contact the State Library for more information.
Montana Library Event Calendar
This online statewide training/event calendar provides a focused source of information for library-related activities that trustees and libraries can use as a planning tool. The calendar is managed by the State Library.