Hayward Library Commission Best Practices
Role and Meeting Structure
● The primary role of the Library Commission is to help the City Council make key decisions about the Hayward Library (see Appendix A).
● The Library Commission will strive to vote on meaningful recommendations, as often as is appropriate, that will be brought to City Council or staff in support of the Hayward Library.
○ Agenda item e. Recommendations will be added to the “Reports” section each month.
Commissioners
● Expectations
o Read all meeting materials in advance when available. o Once each year the Library Commissioners should tour the Main Library and the Weekes Library.
o In addition to the mandatory attendance requirements set forth by City Council (Commissioners can miss no more than 3 meetings per year), and mandatory Harassment and Ethics trainings, commissioners will be expected to volunteer 3 times per year for special projects, subcommittees, or other opportunities in support of the Library
o Share Library announcements, projects, and events with their network o The Library Commission may create Subcommittees as needed, for example:
▪ Welcome Committee
▪ Special Projects/Initiatives
▪ Liaison to other Library Programs (i.e. Friends of the Hayward Library, Literacy Council; etc.)
● New Commissioner Orientation
o A Welcome subcommittee of one or two commissioners will be formed to onboard new commissioners.
▪ The Welcome Committee updates the welcome packet that includes Commissioner bios, Library Commission Letterhead, as well as meets with new commissioners and provides an orientation within the first two months of their term.
o Welcome packet
▪ Provide a document outlining the staff roles within the Library and bios of each Library Commissioner with contact information, and information about prior Library Commission projects that they worked on. ▪ Provide basic information about the organizational structure and helpful links within the Library and City Council.
▪ Provide basic information (pamphlet, literature; etc.) about our primary partner organizations, such as the Friends of the Hayward Library ▪ View video about California’s open meeting law - The Brown Act:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BWG08wK-n0&t=65s
updated 11/16/22
by Best Practices Subcommittee
1 Attachment V
Officers● Election of Officerso There are two officers:
▪ Chair
▪ Vice Chairo The term of office will be two yearso Nominations for vacant or expiring offices will open at the September meeting ▪ Nominations will be submitted to the Library Director between theSeptember and October meeting ▪ Nominations must state: The Name of the Nominee, The Office, and abrief statement of why they were selectedo Elections will take place at the October meeting ▪ Commissioners must be present to vote
▪ Voting will occur as long as there is a quorum
▪ If a nominee is not present at the October meeting, they will have theoption to submit a statement at least 3 days prior to the meeting that willbe read on their behalf, or someone else can speak on their behalf.However, the vote will commence at the October meeting even if acandidate is not present. ● Duties of Officerso Chair: Chairs the meetings, is familiar with RobertsRule of Order, and CityCouncil meeting requirements, meets with Library Director to plan meetingso Vice Chair:Chairs the meetings when the Chair isabsent, chair for specialprojects as neededo Help build and manage the meeting agendas monthly and throughout the year.o Make sure that Action Items from the previous meeting are addressed at thefollowing meeting (or at a subsequent meeting) by creating aStanding ActionItemslog.
Hybrid Meeting Protocols● To be determined in the event that hybrid meetings are approved and implemented.
These Best Practices were approved at a meeting of the Hayward Library Commission onNovember 21, 2022. updated 11/16/22by Best Practices Subcommittee 2
Appendix AThe Role of the Library Commission
“I want to remind folks of what I think the Council sees as the main value of this group, which isto help us make big decisions about the Library. As a councilmember, I don’t have a lot ofbandwidth to spend on reviewing decisions about the Library because I’m deciding about 47other departments and you know whether to defund the police right now and things like thatand so that eats up all the oxygen. So we really look to the Library Commission to makerecommendations on how we should vote on certain things. You know last month was a greatexample of what I think was the primary value of the commission - you made arecommendation on the Fine Free Library change. Without the Library Commissionrecommendation that probably would have been a long discussion at the Council, but becauseyou had a recommendation, you really fleshed it out, you asked great questions, it got filteredinto the report, it just went through on consent at the council level. We trust you to make thatdecision on our behalf. There’s real power in that and I hope that you will exercise that andexercise that influence. And have a decision and a vote every meeting on something.
Just a few things … the reopening date - when should that happen? Under what conditionsmight we actually reopen the library? I’m sure Jayanti and the staff have some opinions on that.It’s ultimately going to have to be made by policymakers in the end I suspect. Grab the reins,make that decision, make yourself that Policymaking body by creating a recommendation.
The Children’s Story area, we’re having all kinds of problems with the carpenter getting the darnthing finished. At some point somebody is going to have to come in and make a decision andsay “enough is enough” it’s good enough, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just call it done andopen it, right. That’s a decision that you guys could make and help Jayanti make because I knowthat’s a challenging one.
When we do reopen what does that look like? Do we open all three floors or just one floor? Isthere a limit on the number of people? Is it about distance? Do we allow the meeting rooms toopen? All those kinds of decisions you can help make those. Of course, Jayanti and her staff arefully capable of making a lot of those decisions, but there are some that are tough, tough callsand they’re going to need help, they’re going to need a second opinion, they’re going to needthe community through all of you to weigh in.
And I would really encourage you to make sure that there’s a little bit of that every month -those kinds of decisions. We’re trying to cede some power and not just hoard it all for ourselvesat the council. Trying to give some to you. So take it, take it, exercise it, please.” -Councilmember Al MendallHayward Library Commission Meeting11/16/2020(52:00 minutes) updated 11/16/22by Best Practices Subcommittee 3