Source From the Public Library Act

Composition of public library board
9. (1) A public library board shall be composed of at least five members appointed by the municipal council. 2002, c. 18, Sched. F, s. 3 (8).

Board members
10. (1) A person is qualified to be appointed as a member of a board who is a member of the appointing council or, (a) is at least eighteen years old; (b) is a Canadian citizen; (c) is, (i) a resident of the municipality for which the board is established in the case of a public library board, a resident of one of the municipalities for which the board is established in the case of a union board, a resident of one of the participating municipalities in the case of a county library board, or a resident of the area served by the board in the case of a county library co-operative board, (ii) a resident of a municipality that has a contract with the board under section 29, (iii) a resident of the board area of a local service board that has a contract with the board under section 29, (iv) a member of an Indian band that has a contract with the board under section 29, or (v) a member of a second board that has entered into a contract with the board to purchase from it library services for the residents of the second board; and (d) is not employed by the board or by the municipality or county or, in the case of a union board, by any of the affected municipalities. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 10 (1); 2002, c. 18, Sched. F, s. 3 (9).

Number of council members on board limited

(2) The appointing council shall not appoint more of its own members to a board than the number that is, (a) in the case of a public library board or union board, one less than a majority of the board; and (b) in the case of a county library or a county co-operative library, a bare majority of the board. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 10 (2).
From the Public Library Act cont’d

Term
(3) A board member shall hold office for a term concurrent with the term of the appointing council, or until a successor is appointed, and may be reappointed for one or more further terms. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 10 (3).

Time for making appointments
(4) The first appointments of members of a new board shall be made at a regular meeting of council and the member shall take office as soon as possible thereafter, and thereafter appointments shall be made at the first meeting of council in each term, but if the council fails to make the appointments at its first meeting, it shall do so at any regular or special meeting held within 60 days after its first meeting. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 10 (4); 2002, c. 18, Sched. F, s. 3 (10).

 

Notice of vacancies

11. (1) The clerk of the appointing municipality or county or, in the case of a union board, the clerks of the affected municipalities shall give public notice of vacancies on the board by publishing a notice of them, inviting applications, in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 11 (1).

(2) The notice referred to in subsection (1) shall be in English or in both English and French, as may be appropriate. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 11 (2).

(3) Repealed: 2002, c. 18, Sched. F, s. 3 (11). Vacancies

12.Where a vacancy arises in the membership of a board, the appointing council shall promptly appoint a person to fill the vacancy and to hold office for the unexpired term, except where the unexpired term is less than forty-five days. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44, s. 12. Source From Trustee Tips Trustee Tip, Dec 2000, Issue 21

a. Board members are responsible for preserving the library’s facility and assets as well as nurturing their development on behalf of the community.

b. Must be able to work, collaboratively with CEO; council; and the community

Also
- Must be able to represent the community and protect their interests with respect to library service.
- Must be able to let council know what the library needs
- Must believe in the Library’s mandate