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New Library Director Orientation Checklist

Financial issues 

  1. What process does your library use to develop and manage its budget?
  2. What standard policies and procedures do you use to manage library finances?
  3. Does your library apply for a State Aid to Libraries Grant?
    1. If so, what are the State Aid Grant to Libraries requirements?
    2. How does your library system meet them?
  4. How do you raise funds and solicit donations for the library?
    1. Learn more at United for Libraries. 
  5. Does your library apply for E-Rate?
    1. If so, what is the process? 
  6. Where can I learn about the Return on Investment in Florida public libraries? 

Planning and the community 

  1. What are the dates of your long-range plan? (If you get a State Aid to Libraries grant, your plan is on file in the DOS Grants System.) 
    1. How do you develop the plan?
  2. Who is responsible for the library annual plan of service? (Due December 1 to receive a State Aid to Libraries Grant.) 
    1. How is it developed?
  3. What are the State Aid Grant planning requirements?
  4. What do the Florida Library Association standards cover?
  5. What are some of the best ways for you to learn about your community?
    1. What groups or individuals should you meet with?
  6. How do you prepare your library annual report?
    1. Who do you share it with each year?
  7. What kind of technology planning do you do in your library?
  8. Where can you learn more about strategic planning (1:13:50)?
  9. Where can I get more information about Florida?  

Library policies 

  1. What is the library’s collection development policy?
    1. When was it last updated?
  2. Where can I take a course on collection development in a public library? 
  3. What are your Internet services, policies and access procedures?
  4. What other policies does your library have?
    1. When were they updated?
  5. What is the library’s confidentiality policy?
    1. How do you train staff and volunteers to follow the policy? 

Public library system, State Library, Bureau of Library Development 

  1. What documents established your library system? (If you get a State Aid to Libraries grant, your establishment documents are on file in the DOS Grants system.)
    1. How do they outline responsibilities?
  2. If your library has an interlocal agreement, what does it cover?
    1. When does it need to be renegotiated?  (If you get a State Aid to Libraries grant, your interlocal agreements are filed in the DOS Grants system.)
  3. If you are a member of a public library cooperative, who is responsible for what within the cooperative?
  4. If you are in a cooperative, how do you communicate and work together for the benefit of the whole system?
  5. Is the library a member of the Florida Library Association?   
    1. Who from your area is active?
  6. What is your library’s interlibrary loan policy?
    1. Read about the Florida Library Information Network (FLIN).
  7. Does your library participate in the public library delivery service (DILLY)?
  8. How does your staff access continuing education?
  9. How does your library take advantage of the Florida Library Youth Program (FLYP)? 
  10. Where can I learn about Library Day? The Florida Library Association traditionally hosts Library Day in Tallahassee every spring. The date is posted on their website.
  11. Where can I connect with Library Development through social networking and newsletters?

Legal issues 

  1. What are the State Aid requirements for free library service?
    1. See Florida Statutes 257.25.
  2. What are the key Florida laws that impact your library?        
    1. Confidentiality: Florida Statutes 257.261
    2. Sunshine Law: Florida Statutes Chapter 286
    3. Voter registration
    4. Special Districts
    5. Public Records
  3. Have you read Florida Statutes Chapter 257?     
  4. How does your library comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act? 

Personnel and employment 

  1. How is the library’s personnel handled within the library and county or city government?
  2. Who makes personnel policies in your system?
  3. For a library receiving a State Aid to Libraries Grant, what is in the Single Administrative Head job description?
    1. When was it last reviewed? 
  4. Where can I learn more about the Florida Retirement System?
  5. Where can staff get library staff professional resources?

Library facilities

  1. Who owns and is responsible for maintaining your library building?
    1. Where is a set of building plans?
  2. Where can you find a list of facilities constructed by a state construction grant?

Marketing

  1. How does your library market library services?
  2. Where can staff get training and marketing material on the Florida Electronic Library?

Library supporters

  1. Where can you learn about friends groups in Florida? 
    1. Ask [email protected].
    2. Go to the Florida Library Association. 
  2. What is the role of your Friends group?
    1. Who works with their leadership?
  3. What is the makeup of your library board?
    1. How often does it meet?

Library programs and services

  1. What is the Florida Libraries as... initiative? 
  2. Where can I learn more about E-Government? 
  3. Where can I get photographs, church records, recordings and other digitized records related to Florida?

Programs

For FY2023-24, the percentage of total costs for the Director Connections program financed with federal money is 67%; the federal dollar amount to be spent on the programs is $87,265. This program does not include any non-governmental funding.

imls180.for.panel.jpgMany of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Florida's LSTA program is administered by the Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.

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