Dear Library Trustee:

Thank you for serving on the Board of your public library. As a trustee, your role is to ensure that your library meets the information needs of your community. That's a challenging job these days.

While readers of all ages still relish the hours spent with a good book, there's no doubt that technology has revolutionized how people access and use information. Today's students are just as likely to do their research online as they are to page through reference books. Toddlers learn the alphabet via computer games, while senior citizens are the fastest growing category of new users of the Internet.

As people's information needs change, so do their expectations of their public libraries. As a result, the demand for services keeps growing. At the same time, costs continue to rise and resources remain limited.

So, yes, being a trustee is challenging. But it is a challenge that your community believes
you can—and will—meet.

This handbook can help. If you are new to the position, the handbook can serve as your starting point for learning about your new responsibilities. For those who have served as trustees for some time, it is a source book for refreshing your knowledge and honing your skills.

The Montana State Library offers other services for local libraries as well. We hope you will make full use of your trustee handbook as well as the rest of the support we provide. By working together, we can continue to improve library services for all Montanans.

Sincerely,

Karen Strege

Montana State Librarian