New Library Director Orientation Checklist
- Financial issues
- Planning and the community
- Library policies
- Public library system, DLIS
- Legal issues
- Personnel and employment
- Library facilities
- Marketing
- Library supporters
- Library programs and services
Financial issues
- What process does your library use to develop and manage its budget?
- What standard policies and procedures do you use to manage library finances?
- Does your library apply for a State Aid to Libraries Grant?
- If so, what are the State Aid Grant to Libraries requirements?
- How does your library system meet them?
- How do you raise funds and solicit donations for the library?
- Learn more at United for Libraries.
- Does your library apply for E-Rate?
- If so, what is the process?
- Where can I learn about the Return on Investment in Florida public libraries?
Planning and the community
- 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.)
- How do you develop the plan?
- Who is responsible for the library annual plan of service? (Due December 1 to receive a State Aid to Libraries Grant.)
- How is it developed?
- What are the State Aid Grant planning requirements?
- What do the Florida Library Association standards cover?
- What are some of the best ways for you to learn about your community?
- What groups or individuals should you meet with?
- How do you prepare your library annual report?
- Who do you share it with each year?
- What kind of technology planning do you do in your library?
- Where can you learn more about strategic planning (1:13:50)?
- Where can I get more information about Florida?
Library policies
- What is the library’s collection development policy?
- When was it last updated?
- Where can I take a course on collection development in a public library?
- What are your Internet services, policies and access procedures?
- What other policies does your library have?
- When were they updated?
- What is the library’s confidentiality policy?
- How do you train staff and volunteers to follow the policy?
Public library system, State Library, Bureau of Library Development
- 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.)
- How do they outline responsibilities?
- If your library has an interlocal agreement, what does it cover?
- 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.)
- If you are a member of a public library cooperative, who is responsible for what within the cooperative?
- If you are in a cooperative, how do you communicate and work together for the benefit of the whole system?
- Is the library a member of the Florida Library Association?
- Who from your area is active?
- What is your library’s interlibrary loan policy?
- Read about the Florida Library Information Network (FLIN).
- Does your library participate in the public library delivery service (DILLY)?
- How does your staff access continuing education?
- How does your library take advantage of the Florida Library Youth Program (FLYP)?
- 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.
- Where can I connect with Library Development through social networking and newsletters?
Legal issues
- What are the State Aid requirements for free library service?
- What are the key Florida laws that impact your library?
- Confidentiality: Florida Statutes 257.261
- Sunshine Law: Florida Statutes Chapter 286
- Voting
- Special Districts
- Public Records
- Have you read Florida Statutes Chapter 257?
- How does your library comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act?
Personnel and employment
- How is the library’s personnel handled within the library and county or city government?
- Who makes personnel policies in your system?
- For a library receiving a State Aid to Libraries Grant, what is in the Single Administrative Head job description?
- When was it last reviewed?
- Where can I learn more about the Florida Retirement System?
- Where can staff get library staff professional resources?
Library facilities
- Who owns and is responsible for maintaining your library building?
- Where is a set of building plans?
- Where can you find a list of facilities constructed by a state construction grant?
Marketing
- How does your library market library services?
- Where can staff get training and marketing material on the Florida Electronic Library?
Library supporters
- Where can you learn about friends groups in Florida?
- Ask dlis.bld@dos.myflorida.com.
- Go to the Florida Library Association.
- What is the role of your Friends group?
- Who works with their leadership?
- What is the makeup of your library board?
- How often does it meet?
Library programs and services
- What is the Florida Libraries as... initiative?
- Where can I learn more about E-Government?
- Where can I get photographs, church records, recordings and other digitized records related to Florida?