Library Board

KANHIOTE – TYENDINAGA TERRITORY PUBLIC LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION POLICY

 

PURPOSE:    The library shall develop and implement programs of education, library service and cultural awareness relevant to Mohawk people at Tyendinaga and related institutions, organizations and groups.

See Mission Statement.

 

LIBRARY BOARD shall consist of four (6) members and one (1) chairperson, also the librarian and the Council representative.

 

LIBRARY BOARD functions as a Committee of Council under the rules of procedure for Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

 

  1. To secure adequate funds
  2. To hire capable trained librarian
  3. To determine library policies
  4. To approve expenditure of funds
  5. To receive gifts to the library
  6. To work actively for the improvement of the library
  7. To attend Board meetings regularly
  8. To become familiar with what constitutes good library service by reading, attending library meetings and visiting other libraries
  9. To support the library’s service program in daily meetings with the public at large and by volunteering in the library

 

BOARD MEETINGS are the first Tuesday of every month at the library at 5:00 p.m.

 

DUTIES OF THE LIBRARIAN

 

  • Board Meetings

    • Attend all Board meetings. Report regularly to the Board on library operation, including financial, acquisitions and circulation reports. Prepare and present for Board consideration any and all reports the Board is required to submit. Assist the Board in analysing the changing needs of the community and providing library service to satisfy those needs.

     

    Policy Development

    Administer the library in accordance with the policies formulated by the Board
    Make recommendations to the Board to assist them in reaching policy decisions
    Keep complete and accurate records of the library

     

    Financial

    Assist in preparing a draft budget annually
    Be responsible for financial expenditures as approved by the Board
    Maintain awareness of, prepares application for, and administer relevant government and non-government sources of funding which will enhance programs and services of the library

     

    Personnel

    Be responsible for selection, training, direction and evaluation of support staff
    Train, evaluate and supervise volunteers

     

    Public relations

    Promote and publicize the library and Board efforts in the community, Represent the Board and library at meetings pertaining to the library, Participate in library committees, workshops, seminars and conferences.

     

    Public Service

    Plans, organizes, coordinates and supervises the programs and services of the library. Oversee the selection, purchase, cataloguing and organization of books and other materials. Assume responsibility for children’s services, community programming and extension programs. Maintain awareness of current publishing trends, programming and technical services

     

    Other Duties

    Perform other related duties as may be assigned by the Board

     


    Collection Development Policy

    KANHIOTE TYENDINAGA TERRITORY PUBLIC LIBRARY

    COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

     

    INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION

    Tyendinaga Territory is approximately 17,000 acres, with frontage on the Bay of Quinte. Overall Band membership is +7,000, with an on-reserve population of 2300 (1931 registered members). Since 1985 and as a result of BillC31 reinstating Native people our population continues to grow steadily. Of the on-reserve population 11% are seniors and 18% are enrolled at Quinte Mohawk School, grades k to 8. The population is fairly evenly split between male and female with the largest sector less than 40 years of age. The library opened in temporary quarters May 1990 and moved to the present location May 1991.

     

    PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS

    It is the philosophy of Kanhiote Tyendinaga Territory Public Library to provide a well-balanced collection for residents of Tyendinaga; to focus on maintaining a Native resource/reference collection with emphasis on Iroquois, Mohawk; to function as an information centre on all aspects of our culture, history, traditions and language.

    The goals of Kanhiote are:

     

    1. To collect un-biased, non-stereotypical material on the culture, heritage and current issues facing Native people, with teacher’s guides when possible.
    2. To meet the informational needs of the people of Tyendinaga Territory.
    3. To provide resources for learning the Mohawk language.

     

    OBJECTIVES

    To meet the goals set forth in this policy statement, the following objectives have been adopted:

    1. Serve the population by making information available in many formats for personal and private use.
    2. Invite lectures, demonstrations and discussions to take place in the library building.
    3. Provide programming that has a cultural relevancy.

     

    PURPOSE OF THE POLICY

    The purpose of this policy statement is to clarify for the public and library staff and volunteers the criteria used for selecting material, as well as the responsibility for the collection. We have included goals and objectives and a description of the community and the philosophy of the library to put those criteria into perspective.

     

     

    SELECTION STATEMENT

     

    RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTION
    Final responsibility for materials selection rests with the librarian, who operates within the framework of policies determined by the library Board. The people are encouraged to recommend material for consideration.

     

    GENERAL STANDARDS OF SELECTION

    Selection is based on the merits of a work in relation to the information needs, interests and demands of Tyendinaga community. In no case should any book be excluded because of the race or nationality or the political views of the writer. The library will provide as wide a range of material as budgeting and space limitations will allow. Emphasis will be on material of historical and cultural knowledge, material of current and future interest, material which stimulates imagination and creativity, material which allows an individual to function as a productive member of society and also material that entertains. Material being considered should meet the standards set by the library Board in areas of level of writing, timeliness, authority of author /publisher /producer, quality of writing/filming/recording, popular appeal, format, price.

    The library will not collect textbooks. Only material lost from the Native collection will be automatically replaced. Material for special interests like foreign language will be obtained through inter-library loan.

     

    SUBJECT AREAS

    In order to meet the informational needs of Tyendinaga Territory the library will collect material in the following subject areas:
    Aboriginal culture with emphasis on Iroquois, self-teaching material in practical how-to-do-it subjects, recreation, family life, healthy lifestyle, environment and fiction.

     

    BOUNDARIES

    The library will provide material in the form of print, talking books, e-books, video, DVD and periodicals.

    Native material in all formats is a priority.

     

    GIFTS/DONATIONS

    Kanhiote encourages gifts of material or funding for material by groups or individuals. These gifts must meet standard criteria and will be accepted only if the decisions as to whether or not they are to be added to the collection and where they will be placed are left to the library. Any material the library cannot use will be sold at book sales or donated to other places.

     

    COLLECTION MAINTENANCE

    The collection of this library is maintained by judicious weeding of materials, which are out of date, are no longer of interest to the community, are not being used or are in poor condition. Book sales and distribution of weeded materials are done twice yearly. Books donated to the library may be sold or given away at this time.

     

    INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND CENSORSHIP

    It is the policy of this library to purchase material based on the criteria presented above. To meet its goals and objectives, this library must protect the freedom of all to choose their own information in the style in which it is presented. To the end, we subscribe wholeheartedly to the “Statement of Intellectual Freedom” and to the “Library Bill of Rights” which are appended to this document.

     

    CONSIDERATION OF OBJECTIONS

    Every effort will be made to consider objections keeping in mind the best interests of the community. Since differences of opinion do exist in our society, the following procedure shall be observed to recognize these differences in an impartial and factual manner. All criticism shall be presented in writing to the librarian. The REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION form shall be used. It should be filled out as completely as possible and be signed and identified so a proper reply can be made.

    The material in question shall be withdrawn from circulation until it is read and discussed by a library committee. The committee shall consist of the librarian, a community member and a member of the library Board. The committee will review the questioned material and all critical evaluations available. The material will be evaluated in its entirety. The librarian shall implement the final decision of the committee. The complainant shall be sent a copy of the evaluating report and decision. A copy of this procedure shall be available in the library.

     

    PROVISION FOR REVIEW OF POLICY

    This policy shall be reviewed at the first meeting of the Board every year and may be revised as time and circumstances allow.

     

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