Created May 14, 2025
Article II of the Casey County Public Library bylaws establishes the existence of an Advisory Board to work in conjunction with the Board of Trustees and the Library Director. The Advisory Board is made up of no more than twelve (12) active participants at a time. The Board of Trustees is responsible for inviting Advisory Board members, and may dismiss Advisory Board members at any time, with or without cause.
Purpose
The Advisory Board consists of no more than twelve (12) individuals who live in Casey County and are interested in the library and its service to the community. Advisory members are requested to attend no less than six (6) board meetings per calendar year. During these meetings, they cannot make motions or vote, but are encouraged to make suggestions, offer advice, help with committees, and give general community feedback. Advisory Board members bring their own unique set of skills and expertise to act as advocates for the community inside the library, and advocates for the library out in the community.
Advisory Board members are invited for four-year terms, which can be resigned at any point. Once a term concludes, the member can then be re-invited, with no limit on how many consecutive terms they can be invited to.
Two positions on the Advisory Board will remain reserved at all times: one for a representative of the Friends of the Library and one for a representative of the Casey County Fiscal Court. Neither entity is required nor mandated to utilize these positions. However, they will be held open, even if vacant, for potential future appointments.
Advisory Board members may be nominated to Board of Trustee positions as vacancies occur. Representatives of both the Friends of the Library and the Casey County Fiscal Court may be ineligible for nomination, as determined by conflict of interest laws.
Eligibility
Advisory Board applicants must be over the age of 18, fluent in English, and live in Casey County. Familiarity with the library and library operations, along with being a card-holding patron, are preferred but not required.
The Board of Trustees recognizes the need for diversification among Advisory Board members so that a variety of segments and interests within the population are represented. The Board will attempt to ensure that all geographical regions of the county are represented by the Advisory Board. Special attention will be given to developing an array of professional experience that will benefit the Board’s decision-making abilities. Further, the Board recognizes the need for a diversification of gender, race, and ethnicity among its members to ensure that all voices in the community are heard. No applicant will be denied eligibility on any of these bases.
Accommodations can be made for applicants who have additional visual or auditory needs.
Application Process
Advisory Board applicants must fill out the Advisory Board Member Application in its entirety. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications are available in hardcopy at the front desk or digitally on the library’s website and may be turned in either in person at the library or by email to caseydirector@caseylibrary.org.
Completed applications will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees as vacancies occur on the Advisory Board, and applicants will be invited by the Board via letter to fill these spots. Applicants have 60 days from the date on the invitation letter to accept their place on the board. After 60 days, it will be assumed that the offer has been denied, and a new applicant will be invited.
Applications will remain active for three years after receipt and may be reconsidered in the instance of future vacancies. Submission of an application is not a guarantee of selection.
Separation
Advisory Board members are able to resign their position at any time, with no penalty for potential future invitations. Resignations must be written and presented either hardcopy or electronically via email to the Library Director.
Any Advisory Board member who misses more than six board meetings in a calendar year is considered to have resigned via non-attendance.
The Board of Trustees can also remove Advisory Board members with a unanimous vote, to be notified in writing, at any point with or without cause.
Advisory Board members who resign, whether willingly or via non-attendance, will remain eligible for re-invitation at a future date. Forced separation may or may eliminate eligibility, to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Retention
Advisory Board applications will be retained for three years and may be reconsidered in the instance of vacancies. Applications will be retained and disposed of per the Local Government General Retention Schedule.