BOARD BYLAWS 2026

BOARD BYLAWS

BYLAWS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF ZION-BENTON PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT

Article I – Identification

In compliance with the requirements of the Illinois Compiled Statutes pertaining to Public Library Districts (75 ILCS 16/), the following bylaws are established for guidance of the Board of Trustees and for the government of the Zion-Benton Public Library District.

Article II – Membership

Section 1 – The Library District is governed by a Board of seven Library Trustees.  Trustees must be residents of the library district. Trustees will serve a six-year term and be elected every two years at the regular election scheduled for trustees of public library districts under the Illinois Election Code. The election is held the first Tuesday in April of odd numbered years. The trustees’ terms are staggered.

Section 2- Vacancies will be declared in the office of trustee by the Board when an elected or appointed trustee 1) declines, fails or is unable to serve, 2) becomes a nonresident of the District, 3) is convicted of a misdemeanor by failing, neglecting or refusing to discharge any duty imposed upon him or her by the Public Library Act of 1991, or 4) has failed to pay the library taxes levied by the District.  Absence without cause from all regular Board meetings for a period of one year is a basis for declaring a vacancy.  Vacancies will be filled according to the provisions of the Public Library District Act of 1991. In the event of a Board vacancy, the Board can vote to appoint a trustee to fill the unexpired term. Appointed trustees serve on the board until the next election cycle at which point the trustee must be elected to continue serving on the Board. A Declared Vacancy unfilled for 90 days will allow the Illinois Secretary of State to make the appointment.

Article III – Officers

Section 1 – Officers of the Board will be elected by the members of the Board at an organizational meeting following the election.   Officers will serve two-year terms. They will not serve more than two consecutive terms unless by unanimous Board consent. In the event of resignation from office, an election to fill the unexpired term will be conducted by vote at the next regular meeting.

Section 2 – The regular organizational meeting will be held within 60 days of the biennial trustee election, in accordance with Statute.

Section 3 – A president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer will be elected.

Section 4 – President: The president will preside over all meetings, appoint members of committees authorized by the District’s regulations, and perform other duties specified by the District’s regulations, ordinances or other appropriate action.

Section 5 – Secretary: The secretary will oversee appropriate records for his or her term in office and will include in those records, a record of the minutes of all meetings, the names of those in attendance, the ordinances enacted, the resolutions and regulations adopted, and all other pertinent written matter affecting the operation of the District.

Section 6 – Vice-President: In the president’s absence, the vice-president will preside at meetings.

Section 7 – Treasurer: The treasurer will oversee accounts and records of the District during the treasurer’s term in office, indicating in those accounts and records, a record of all receipts, disbursements, and balances in any funds.  The treasurer may give bond to the District to faithfully discharge the duties of the office and to account to the District for all District funds coming into the treasurer’s hands.  The bond will be in an amount and with sureties approved by the Board.  The amount of the bond will be based upon a minimum of 10% of the total funds received by the District in the last previous fiscal year.  The cost of any surety bond will be borne by the District.

As an alternative to a personal bond on the Treasurer, the Treasurer may secure for the Library an insurance policy or other insurance instrument that provides the Library with coverage for negligent or intentional acts by Library officials and employees that could result in the loss of Library funds. The coverage shall be in an amount at least equal to 10% of the average amount of the Library’s operating fund from the prior three fiscal years. The coverage shall be placed with an insurer approved by the Board. The cost of any such coverage shall be borne by the Library. The system shall provide the Illinois State Library a copy of the district’s certificate of insurance at the time the Library annual report is filed. (75 ILCS 16/30-45).

Section 8 – A vacancy in any office will be filled by the Board for the unexpired term.

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1 – All official meetings of the Board will be open to the public and held in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

Section 2 – Board meetings will be held regularly.  The date and time of these meetings will be determined at the beginning of each fiscal year.  A meeting may be canceled, postponed, or changed by a majority vote at any official meeting.  If any changes are made, notice will be given in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

Section 3 – Special meetings may be called by the president or secretary or by any four trustees.  Only such business as is stated in the call may be transacted at such a meeting.  Notice of call will be given in accordance with the Open Meetings Act and will be sent and/or given to all trustees and the library director.

Section 4 – Four members of the Board will constitute a quorum for conducting business. If for lack of quorum, a meeting cannot be held, the vice-president/treasurer is authorized to approve the necessary regular monthly bills.

Section 5 – All votes on any question will be by ayes and nays and recorded by the secretary.  Absentees and abstentions from voting will be noted but will not be counted for or against the question being voted on.  The presiding officer will cast the final vote in all roll calls.  A simple majority of those present will determine the vote taken on any question unless a larger majority is specified in the Public Library District Act of 1991.

Section 6- E-mail to, by, between, and among Trustees shall be limited to procedural, non-substantive topics, and are subject to production per FOIA. E-mail may not be used for the transaction of business.

Section 7 – The order of business at regular meetings will be as follows:

1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Pledge of Allegiance

• Addenda to Agenda

1. Comments by Visitors
2. Consent Agenda
   1. Minutes
   2. Treasurer’s and Investment Reports and Bills
   3. Narrative reports
3. Regular Agenda

Treasurer and Investment Reports and Approval of bills

• Community Outreach Report
  1. Committee (if any)
  2. Special
• Unfinished Business

1. New Business
2. Executive Session (if necessary)
3. Adjournment

Section 8- A Trustee may participate via remote communications in a regular or special meeting of the Board provided that these requirements are met:

• Advance notice is given to the President that the Trustee wishes to participate via telephone or other communication device.
• The absence is the result of employment or personal or family illness or emergency, or due to unexpected chidcare obligation.
• As with all meetings, provisions of the Illinois Open Meeting Act will be followed.
• The minutes of the meeting will record the names of Trustees who participated in absentia.

Article V – Committees

Section 1 – The president will appoint those committees deemed necessary to formulate policy and efficiently carry out the financial and operational aspects of the Library District.

Section 2 – The standing committees of the Board are: Executive, Finance, Diversity and Inclusion, Strategic planning, Policy Review, Facility and Nominating committee.  The library director will be an advisory member of all committees.  Standing committees will serve until the next organizational meeting.

Section 3 – The president may also appoint task force committees for specific purposes other than those of the standing committees.  These committees will cease to exist upon completion of their charge.

Section 4 – The president may appoint other members of the Board to act as liaison between the Library and other institutions in the community.

Article VI – Duties of the Board of Trustees

Section 1- Legal responsibility for the operation of the Zion-Benton Public Library District is vested in the Board of Trustees. Subject to state and federal law, the Board has the power and duty to determine rules and regulations governing library operations and services.

Section 2– The Board selects, appoints and supervises a properly certified and competent library director who determines the duties and compensation of all library employees.

Section 3- The Board approves the budget and makes sure that adequate funds are provided to finance the approved budget.

Section 4- The Board will have exclusive control of the expenditure of all moneys collected, donated or appropriated for the library fund and will audit and approve all library expenditures.

Section 5- The Board supervises and maintains buildings and grounds, as well as regularly reviewing various physical and building needs to see that they meet the requirements of the total library program.

Section 6- The Board will study and support legislation that will bring about the greatest good to the greatest number of library users.

Section 7- The Board will cooperate with other public officials and boards and maintain vital public relations.

Section 8- The Board will approve and submit the required annual report to the Division for state library.

Section 9- Library trustees have authority only when acting as a body in a regular or special meeting of the board.

The Board of Library Trustees will not be bound by any statement or action by any individual library trustee except when such statement or action is in pursuance of an adopted board resolution or special instructions from the board, or under specified delegation of responsibility.

Section 10- Continuing education and participation in the extended library world is important to the effective governance of the library.

Expenses for professional association membership and reimbursement for expenses incurred for training and meetings will be reimbursed to the extent that the budget permits and policy allows.

Reimbursement will be made according to applicable policies only when attendance/participation has been approved following this procedure:

• Complete a Meeting Request form and e-mail to the Board President with a copy to the Library Director.
• The Board President has the authority to approve attendance for themselves and other Board Members.
• If the request is approved by the President, the Director will complete the event registration.
• Complete a request for reimbursement following current library procedures.

The Board President will maintain a record of trustee attendance and expenses. The Board President may deny a meeting request if, in his/her judgment, the library would be better represented by another trustee or if the budget cannot afford the expense.

Section 11- Attendance at the regular monthly Board meetings is considered proper fulfillment of the duties of a trustee.  Absence at three consecutive meetings will be subject to discussion in an executive session of the Board.

Article VII – Duties of the Library Director

Section 1- The Board will hire the Director whose responsibility it is to administer the policies adopted by the Board and supervise the total operation of the library.

Section 2- The Director is authorized to make expenditures against the approved operation budget and within the fiscal policy established by the Board without specific approval for each operation expenditure. A list of bills to be paid will be prepared and presented to the Board for approval at each regular meeting. The Board reserves the right to approve all expenditures for capital improvements.

Article VIII – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern the Library District in cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

Article IX – Amendment and Review of Bylaws

Section 1 – These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Library Board of Trustees by a simple majority vote.

Section 2 – These bylaws will be reviewed and revised at least every three years by a Board committee appointed by the president.  The committee will include the library director as an advisory member.  The revised bylaws will be approved according to the provisions of Article VIII, section 1, above.

Article X – Conflict of Interest

Section 1- Board members may not in their private capacity negotiate, bid for, or enter into a contract with the Zion-Benton Public Library in which they have a direct or indirect financial interest.

Section 2- A board member will withdraw from Board discussion, deliberation, and vote on any matter in which the Board member, an immediate family member, or an organization with which the board member is associated has a substantial financial interest.

Section 3- A board member may not receive anything of value that could reasonably be expected to influence his or her vote or other official action.

Section 4 – No person in the immediate family of current Trustees may be employed by the Library. The immediate family is defined for the purpose of this policy only as a Trustee’s spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, parent, brother, sister, child, or grandchild; or the grandparent, parent, brother, sister, child, or grandchild of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner; or the spouse or domestic partner of any of them. This also includes individuals for whom the Trustee is current legal guardian.

Adopted 09/25/01; Reviewed 01/25/05; Amended 6/20/06; Reviewed 8/30/10; Amended 1/25/11; Reviewed 9/25/2018; Amended 11/27/2018, Reviewed 1/31/2023, Amended 3/28/2023, Amended 1/30/2024, Amended 7/28/2026