Responsibilities and Authority of the Library Board

Responsibilities and Authority of the Library Board

Wisconsin public library trustees are charged by the legislature to operate libraries as they deem necessary, independent of direct control by municipal governing agencies. In structuring such governance, the legislature attempted to keep library operations under direct citizen control and outside of the political sphere of government. Library board actions are made independently of any further approval by other government bodies or officials, so long as such actions are within statutory authority. The independent authority granted to public library boards is intended to protect the historic role of the public library as a source of unbiased information.

Chapter 43, Wisconsin Statutes, particularly section 43.58, provides the basis and framework for the responsibilities and authority of the library board and individual trustees. Library trustees are required to maintain open records and hold open meetings under the requirements of Chapter 19, Wisconsin Statutes.

The Board of Trustees of the Platteville Public Library is governed by bylaws approved October 1, 2013. [See Appendix D]
Approved by the Platteville Public Library Board of Trustees