What does a Trustee do?
There are three main jobs of a trustee-
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Manage and approve the overall library budget
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Hire and evaluate the library director
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Advocate for the library
The main job of a trustee is to approve the Library Budget and to request the tax levy amount.
Budget and Levy are two different items.
Budget: Expected expenses of running the library-this includes: salaries, insurance, utilities, programs and materials.
Levy: Formal request of tax dollars.
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Our library will ask for the maximum amount allowed by our levy-
Here's Why:
A LIBRARY WILL NEVER GET THAT FULL REQUEST
The taxing body decides how much of the levy request that is going to be authorized. Usually a percent or so less than what was asked for, which can equate to millions of dollars. The library does not receive all of that is allowed. Why? Some people get an exemption for their tax bill and other people simply don't pay their taxes. That equals thousands less than we requested. As director and board work on the budget, we also have to take into consideration that in 2026, we are working with the tax dollars of 2025.
As a trustee, I take this part of my work very seriously. If you have questions about the budget use this link https://www.helenplum.org/board/finances-disclaimers to find finance information or contact me directly gkearney@helenplum.org
Online Material Access
Ever wonder why there is a wait list for an ebook or an audio book-here is the answer...Libraries pay more for these materials than the regular consumer. This information was presented to library trustees in the area at the Trustee Legislative meet up. At this meeting, Trustees have lunch with the state legislators to discuss how laws affect our local libraries. The issue of pricing of online materials is a very important discussion because it affects every library. Please see the information below and then reach out to your Illinois Representatives and Senators to tell them to support the Fair Pricing of online materials. Use the QR code to contact our legislatures to tell them to vote for the Fair Price Act.
