#MiddletownRI wouldn't be able to accomplish nearly what it does now without a group of dedicated volunteers. Take the Middletown Public Library, where there are a handful of openings for the Board of Trustees. Apply now before the Aug. 16 deadline.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
MAKING MORE AT THE MIDDLETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (AUGUST 5, 2024) – Without volunteers, it would be impossible for Middletown to accomplish a fraction of what it does today.
The dozens of people across the community selflessly give their time, serving as a quiet army working to improve the place they live, work and play.
Some in the name of the environment, others for development, finances, personnel and more.
Middletown Public Library Director Kimberly Usselman said the Board of Trustees, made up entirely of appointed volunteers, serves a vital role guiding the West Main Road operation.
Currently, there are a handful of vacancies being advertised for the library trustees board. To submit an application, visit https://mdl.town/Volunteer online or drop by the Town Clerk’s office during regular hours. The deadline to submit an application is Aug. 16.
“The library board is a group of dedicated Middletown residents whose perspective, guidance and support help ensure that the library serves and reflects the needs of our community,” said Sarah Mullen, Chair of the Board of Library Trustees.
Usselman reassured anyone interested that serving on the board isn’t a slog through some overwritten, boring novel.
Over the past couple years, she said trustees have tackled a number of weighty issues from filling her position to budget constraints and keeping the failing building open and operational. This all at a time when the role and expectations of a public library have grown and expanded.
“The library is one of the only spaces in Middletown where everyone in the community is welcome to spend time, connect with each other and access physical and electronic materials regardless of age, background, interests or ability to pay,” Mullen said. “Library resources provide entertainment, information, and opportunities for personal growth that allow our residents to live their best lives.”
While trustees aren’t involved in the day-to-day operation of the library, Usselman said the seven-member board clearly sets the direction. This includes:
- Directing how funding should be allocated for operations.
- Setting policies that help oversee the library.
- Determining the mission for the facility and its staff.
- Hiring the director.
- Overseeing the general management of the facility.
She said that libraries have been set up under state law to be under direct citizen control and outside the sphere of political influence as much as possible.
“Compared with other appointed boards, library boards have extraordinary powers and responsibilities,” Usselman said. “Many other appointed boards can only recommend actions to an elected board, council, or administrator higher up the ladder of government.”
In her mind, this independence was critical for a library trustee board to function properly, Usselman said.
“Library board actions are made independently of any further approval by other government bodies or officials, as long as such actions are within statutory authority,” Usselman said. "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.”
Sound interesting? Usselman said she hoped so because the library is always on the lookout for volunteers, including for the trustee board as well as the Friends of the Library, a group of volunteers dedicated to fundraising for the library and managing and running the library’s used bookstore.
“A lot of people say ‘I don’t have any experience, so I’m not going to volunteer,’” Usselman said. “That’s the beauty of getting involved. You don’t need any experience, just the desire to do what’s right and to help improve your community. Get involved and positively change your small part of the world.”
“The library is and will continue to be an invaluable resource for our town,” Mullen said. “Serving on the board is incredibly rewarding; helping our library and its staff to provide the best possible support for our patrons is one of the ways I feel I can most effectively give back to our community."
To view a full description of the trustee position, check out the library’s website at https://middletownpubliclibraryri.org/board-of-trustees/ online. The position description — recently approved by the library board — goes through the important information someone might want to know before committing to being appointed for three years, including when the Trustees meet, what the responsibilities are, what the time commitment is and if there is a monetary commitment to volunteer (Hint: There is not!).
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Library
