Week 3 Answers to Village Voice Questions
Below are my responses to the questions posed by the Salado Village Voice which will be printed in the newspaper on May 9, 2007.
1. What do you see the role of a Library Director as being? (100 words)
The Director manages the daily operations according to policies and procedures developed between the board, director and staff with input from the community. The director ensures adherence to the budget established by the board with oversight from the Finance Chair, prepares reports to ensure transparency and accountability to the community and the board, manages staff and creates an environment for learning, mutual respect, and innovation. The director must be a visionary leader who stays abreast of emerging technology, new theories of management, innovative programming, opportunities to meet community needs, grant opportunities, and resources from the state library and professional associations.
2. What is the relationship between the Library Board and the professional staff of the library? (100 words)
The library director’s role is articulated above. The Board’s relationship with the staff is to ensure that they have adequate tools to perform their job under the direction of the library director.
I will increase professional development opportunities for staff through a comprehensive professional needs assessment and funding for staff to access training through conferences, workshops, and free online opportunities provided by the Texas State Library, American Library Association and OPAL (online programming the for all libraries). The board and the director according to the long-range needs of the community will orchestrate these professional development opportunities.
3. What one thing would make SPL the best small town library in the state? (100 words)
Eliminate “small town”, “in the state” language and be THE best library in the country – period!
Writing this from a conference of library instructors in San Diego inspires me to say that we should:
1. recognize that technology and the talents and skills of our local citizens make it possible for us to enjoy the same resources, programming, and access to information available to large urban libraries,
2. teach our community how to access those programmatic and technological resources,
3. be innovative beyond what other rural libraries are doing,
4. provide professional development for staff.
(see: http://www.austin-pacific.com for details)
3. When the Library District was formed before Salado's incorporation, it was stated at that time that a referendum could be called to release a portion of the half-cent sales tax the Library District collects so that the Village could collect those taxes. Would you support such a measure? Why or why not? (100 words)
With rural libraries closing at unprecedented rates, we are fortunate the Salado library can meet its short-term financial obligations. However, it would be irresponsible to support a tax release while our reserves are inadequate to fully meet the current and anticipated needs, especially when our library’s contribution to the economic and cultural vitality of Salado can exceed the value of its meager half-cent sales tax. The library can be the unbiased source of information about Salado’s economic and cultural opportunities - an information portal for new and current small businesses and new families, and a destination for tourists.
Below are my responses to the questions posed by the Salado Village Voice which will be printed in the newspaper on May 9, 2007.
1. What do you see the role of a Library Director as being? (100 words)
The Director manages the daily operations according to policies and procedures developed between the board, director and staff with input from the community. The director ensures adherence to the budget established by the board with oversight from the Finance Chair, prepares reports to ensure transparency and accountability to the community and the board, manages staff and creates an environment for learning, mutual respect, and innovation. The director must be a visionary leader who stays abreast of emerging technology, new theories of management, innovative programming, opportunities to meet community needs, grant opportunities, and resources from the state library and professional associations.
---100 words---
2. What is the relationship between the Library Board and the professional staff of the library? (100 words)
The library director’s role is articulated above. The Board’s relationship with the staff is to ensure that they have adequate tools to perform their job under the direction of the library director.
I will increase professional development opportunities for staff through a comprehensive professional needs assessment and funding for staff to access training through conferences, workshops, and free online opportunities provided by the Texas State Library, American Library Association and OPAL (online programming the for all libraries). The board and the director according to the long-range needs of the community will orchestrate these professional development opportunities.
---96 words---
3. What one thing would make SPL the best small town library in the state? (100 words)
Eliminate “small town”, “in the state” language and be THE best library in the country – period!
Writing this from a conference of library instructors in San Diego inspires me to say that we should:
1. recognize that technology and the talents and skills of our local citizens make it possible for us to enjoy the same resources, programming, and access to information available to large urban libraries,
2. teach our community how to access those programmatic and technological resources,
3. be innovative beyond what other rural libraries are doing,
4. provide professional development for staff.
(see: http://www.austin-pacific.com for details)
--- 100 words ---
3. When the Library District was formed before Salado's incorporation, it was stated at that time that a referendum could be called to release a portion of the half-cent sales tax the Library District collects so that the Village could collect those taxes. Would you support such a measure? Why or why not? (100 words)
With rural libraries closing at unprecedented rates, we are fortunate the Salado library can meet its short-term financial obligations. However, it would be irresponsible to support a tax release while our reserves are inadequate to fully meet the current and anticipated needs, especially when our library’s contribution to the economic and cultural vitality of Salado can exceed the value of its meager half-cent sales tax. The library can be the unbiased source of information about Salado’s economic and cultural opportunities - an information portal for new and current small businesses and new families, and a destination for tourists.
---98 words---
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