Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes 

(no meetings June and December)

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I: NAME 

1. This organization is and shall be known as the Tully Free Library, existing by virtue of the provisions in the Absolute Charter Number 9520, granted to the Regents of the University of the State of New York on September 29, 1967, and exercising the power and authority and assuming the responsibilities delegated to it under the said charter. 

2. Tully Free Library shall be governed by the laws of New York State, the regulations of the Commissioner of Education and by the following bylaws. 

ARTICLE II: MANAGEMENT 

1. The business and affairs of the Tully Free Library shall be managed and conducted by a Board of Trustees that shall be nine (9) in number elected by the Trustees at the Annual Meeting or the first meeting of the year. 

2. The responsibilities of the Board of Trustees shall be as follows: 

  • a. Determine the library policies.

  • b. Select the Director who is responsible for the internal management of the Library.

  • c. Advise in the preparation of the budget. Approve the budget. Work to obtain necessary funds.

  • d. Provide for new buildings, if necessary. Through the Director, supervise and maintain building and grounds.

  • e. Attend Trustee training and workshops.

  • f. Attend local board meetings.

  • g. Firmly advocate financial growth. Fundraising is the duty of Trustees, not the Director.

  • h. Be of service to the Director.

  • i. Devote time to work for the library. Serve on at least one committee each year. 

3. Board of Trustee Terms of Office shall be as follows:

  • a. The term of members of the Board of Trustees is three years and shall end on the fourth Thursday in January of the third year following the appointment unless the Trustees shall have resigned or otherwise terminated membership on the Board.

  • b. Tenures of members of the Board should be limited to two (2) consecutive full terms of three (3) years each.

  • c. The expiration of their terms of office shall be staggered so that not more than three shall be replaced at any one meeting unless due to resignation or death.

  • d. Exceptions to the two-term tenure of Board members shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all Trustees, not just a quorum.

  • e. Vacancies which occur for reasons other than expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term by the Board of Trustees. 

  • f. Any Trustee who shall fail to attend at least two-thirds of the regular meetings in a year shall be considered for removal from the Board at the discretion of a majority of the Board. 

  • g. The Board may remove a Trustee for misconduct, incapacity, neglect of duty or refusal to carry into effect the library’s educational purpose as provided in Education Law 226; subdivision 8. 

  • h. Each Trustee shall have one vote, irrespective of office held. 

  • i. A Trustee must be present at a meeting to have his/her vote counted.

  • j. A majority of the whole Board (including vacancies) is required for any motion to pass.

  • k. All actions of the Board shall be of the Board as a unit. No Board member shall act on behalf of the Board, on any matter, without prior approval of the Board. No Board member by virtue of his/her office shall exercise any administrative responsibility with respect to the library nor, as an individual, command the services of any library employee. 

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS 

The officers of the Board of Trustees shall be elected at the first regular meeting each year, and they shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, elected from among the Board of Trustees. 

1. Officers shall serve a term from the organizational meeting at which they are elected and until their successors are duly elected. 

2. An Officer wishing to step down from his/her position should notify the President 3 months before the term ends. 

3. The terms of office are as follows: 

  • a. Secretary and Vice-President is a minimum of 1 year.

  • b. President and Treasurer is a minimum of 2 years. 

4. The duties of the officers are as follows: 

  • a. The President shall issue notice and preside at all meetings of the Board, authorize calls for special meetings, appoint all committees, execute all documents authorized by the Board and may serve as a voting member of committees, and generally perform all duties associated with that office.

  • b. The Vice-President, in the event of the absence or disability of the President, or of a vacancy in that office, shall assume and perform the duties and functions of the President. The Vice-President should work closely with the President to learn the responsibilities of the position and to assist the President in any way possible. 

  • c. The Secretary shall keep a true and accurate record of all meetings of the Board, shall issue notice of all regular and special meetings at the request of the President, and shall perform other duties as are generally associated with that office. 

  • d. An Assistant Secretary, who need not be a Trustee, may be selected by the Board to assist the Secretary in the performance of those duties.

  • e. The Treasurer shall be the disbursing officer of the Board, shall perform such duties as are generally associated with that office and shall make a monthly itemized account to the Board. The Treasurer shall keep records which adequately reflect the operating financial condition of the Library at any time. The candidate for Treasurer should state his/her intentions early enough to spend at least 3 months working with the current Treasurer before assuming the role of Treasurer.

  • f. An Assistant Treasurer, who need not be a Trustee, may be selected by the Board to assist the Treasurer in the performance of these duties. 

5. The process for officer selection is as follows:

  • a. A nominating committee may be appointed by the President 3 months prior to the final meeting of the year, to designate a slate of trustees to replace retiring members for the next year.

  • b. A Trustee interested in holding an officer position should notify the Board President 3 months before the end of the year.

  • c. The President should announce potential candidates for each office at the next scheduled meeting.

  • d. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

  • e. If there are more nominations than positions available, those candidates receiving the most votes shall be elected. 

ARTICLE IV: DIRECTOR 

1. The Board shall appoint a Director who shall be the chief executive officer of the library corporation and shall have charge of the administration of the library under the direction and review of the Board. The Director shall be responsible for the care of the buildings and equipment; for the employment and direction of the staff; for the efficiency of the library's service to the public; and for the operation of the library under the financial conditions contained in the annual budget. 

2. The Director shall render and submit to the Board reports and recommendations of such policies and procedures, which, in the opinion of the Director, will improve efficiency and quality of library service. The Director shall attend all Board meetings except the portion of the meeting at which the Director's appointment or salary is to be discussed or decided. 

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS 

1. The regular meetings shall be held monthly except for June and December, unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Trustees. Notice thereof shall be sent to all Trustees by the President or Secretary at least one week prior to each regular meeting. 

2. Special meetings may be called by the President or Secretary, or at the request of at least one-third of the Trustees, for the transaction of business as stated in the call for the special meeting. 

3. In the event a special meeting cannot be attended by a quorum, the Trustees may be polled by telephone and may vote by telephone or electronic device on significant or controversial issues. 

4. A quorum for the transaction of business at any Board of Trustees meeting shall consist of five (5) of the Board members present. In the absence of a quorum, the Trustees present may adjourn the meeting to a date determined, and notice thereof sent to all Trustees. If it is determined prior to the meeting that a quorum will not be present at the meeting, arrangements can be made to reschedule to an agreed upon date. 

5. The order of business for regular meetings shall include, but not be limited to, the following items which shall be covered in the sequence shown as far as circumstances permit: 

  • a. Determination of quorum and roll call

  • b. Approval of minutes of previous meeting(s)

  • c. Period for public expressions

  • d. Treasurer’s report

  • e. Director’s report

  • f. Ad Hoc committee reports

  • g. Old Business

  • h. New Business

  • i. Announcements and Adjournment 

6. The Library Director shall attend all meetings, may participate in the discussions and offer professional advice, but shall not vote on any question.

ARTICLE VI: STANDING COMMITTEES 

1. Standing committees shall be appointed by the President as the business of the Board may require from time to time. These committees shall consist of one or more members. Committees shall be discharged upon the completion of duties.

2. All committees shall make a progress report to the Board at each of its meetings. 

3. No committee shall have other than advisory powers unless the Board has delegated specific power to act upon its behalf.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS 

1. The Board may amend, repeal or add to these By-Laws by a majority vote of all members provided notice of the proposed amendment, repeal or addition has been sent or delivered to each member of the Board two weeks prior to the meeting. 

ARTICLE VIII: PROCEDURE 

1. All procedures not specified herein shall be in accord with Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. 

Ratified by the Board of Trustees on 23-Aug-2011, updated 16-Jul-2022. 

Appendix to the TULLY FREE LIBRARY BY-LAWS 

Code of Ethics 

The Board of Trustees of the Tully Free Library serves the Community without compensation. The Board subscribes to a code of ethics that has as its base a belief that every citizen deserves free and equal access to Library services. 

The following standards shall be adhered to by the Trustees: 

  • a. No Trustee shall engage in any business transactions with the Library which might affect his/her judgment in any official act. 

  • b. No Trustee shall knowingly invest or hold investment or interest, local or beneficial for personal profit in any property real or personal in conflict with the Trustees’ official duties.