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Trustees

The Manchester City Library Board of Trustees meet on the third Monday of the month at 4 pm. Agendas are posted on the website and in our buildings. To contact the Trustees you can send documentation to the Chair c/o the City Library 405 Pine Street, Manchester NH 03104 or via e-mail at library@manchesternh.gov or by contacting the Library Director, Denise van Zanten, at dvanzant@manchesternh.gov.

  • Vanessa Blais, Trustee Chair
  • Patricia Cornell, Trustee Secretary
  • Israel Piedra, Trustee Treasurer
  • Eleanor Dahar, Trustee
  • Bob Lord, Trustee
  • Martha Rossignol, Trustee
  • Ken Snow, Trustee
  • Anthony Sapienza, Aldermanic Liaison
  • Mayor Jay Ruais, Trustee Ex-Officio

Trustee Meeting Minutes and Upcoming Meeting Agenda

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF THE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

MANCHESTER CITY LIBRARY

 

ARTICLE 1 – NAME AND PURPOSES

 

Section 1.  Name.  The name of this organization shall be the MANCHESTER CITY LIBRARY (the “Library”).  The Library is a department of the City of Manchester.

Section 2.  Purpose. The Library shall be responsible for the care, maintenance and operation of the Manchester City Library and branch public libraries and its associated educational programs and activities and shall also perform such other duties as are prescribed by federal, state and local law. 

 

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION

 Section 1.  Board of Trustees. The management of the Library shall rest in the Board of Trustees consisting of seven (7) members who shall be appointed as provided in Section 2 below, plus the Mayor of the City of Manchester or their delegate, serving ex-officio.  The Trustees shall have those duties and responsibilities as are assigned by the Contract of the City of Manchester with the Manchester Atheneum, dated September 6, 1854 (the “Contract”), the Charter and ordinances of the City of Manchester and state law, all as amended from time to time.

 Section 2.  Appointment of Trustees.  Whenever a vacancy shall occur, whether by the expiration of a Trustee’s term, resignation or otherwise, the vacancy shall be filled by joint ballot of the Board of Trustees and the Aldermen.  The existing Trustees shall be responsible for nominating potential Trustees to be considered by the Board of Trustees and Alderman.  If a vacancy is created by the expiration of a Trustee’s term then the Trustee so elected shall hold office for the term of seven (7) years from the first day of the month next following that Trustee’s election.  Should the vacancy be created by any cause other than the expiration of a Trustee’s term, then the successor Trustee shall serve for the remainder of the term of the Trustee whose place is so supplied.  No member of the Board of Alderman shall be eligible to serve as Trustee except in an ex-officio capacity. 

 Section 3.  Library Director.  The Board of Trustees shall appoint a qualified Library Director who shall be the executive and administrative officer of the Library on behalf of the Board and under its review and direction.  The Library Director is responsible for maintenance of the appropriated budget, keeping the Board informed of demands made upon the Library and making recommendations of policy changes for Board consideration. 

 

ARTICLE III - OFFICERS

Section 1.  Officers.  The officers shall consist of a Chairperson, Clerk and Treasurer.

Section 2.  Chairperson.  The Chairperson shall preside over meetings of the Board of Trustees and shall be responsible for the agenda and general conduct of such meetings. 

Section 3. Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall have charge of trust funds and keep the financial accounts of the Board. 

 Section 4. Clerk.  The Clerk shall record the minutes of all meeting, attend to correspondence, and keep the records of the Library.  The Clerk shall issue notices to the Board of Trustees.

 

ARTICLE IV – ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  Nomination.  Nomination of officers shall be made at the regularly scheduled meeting held in the month of June. 

Section 2. Election.  Election of officers shall immediately follow nomination of officers.  A nominee receiving a vote of the majority of the Board of Trustees present at such meeting shall be deemed elected.  Elected officers shall serve for two years, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

Section 3. Vacancies.  Vacancies in offices shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of this Article.

 

ARTICLE V – MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular Meetings.  The Board of Trustees shall meet no less than ten (10) times during each calendar year, pursuant to an agreed schedule. 

Section 1A. Hybrid Meetings. The Board of Trustees shall have the ability to offer a remote attendance option to those board members who cannot attend in person. Any such hybrid meeting shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of RSA 91-A:2, III. 

Section 2.  Special Meetings.  The Chairman or any three (3) Trustees may call a special meeting of the Board of Trustees. 

Section 2A:  Action Without a meeting. When in the determination of the Chair of the Board of Trustees circumstances require the Board to act between regular meetings and a special meeting is not possible or feasible, the Board may take action without a meeting in the following manner:

The Director, or in the absence of the Director, the Chair shall contact each member of the Board via fax, email or telephone and shall read the text of the proposal to the Trustee, or include the proposed resolution in the email or fax message.  A Trustee may respond via return fax, email or phone, indicating whether the Trustee is in favor, opposes, or abstains from voting on the resolution; The Director, or Chair shall record all such votes and notify the Trustees in similar fashion of the outcome. Failure of a Trustee to respond by the end of the second business day following notification shall be considered a "No" vote.  A majority of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum for such action and a majority of the Trustees voting in favor of the proposal is required for passage. At the next regular meeting of the Board the action taken without a meeting shall be recorded in the minutes.          

Section 3.  Quorum.  The majority of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting.

Section 4.  Notice.  The Clerk shall notify each Trustee at least 24 hours prior to the date of any special meeting; such notice shall be in writing and shall specify the purpose of the special meeting.  No other business may be considered at a special meeting except that specified in the notice thereof.   Facsimile or email notice shall be sufficient for the purposes of this Section.   All meetings shall be held in accordance with NH RSA 91-A, as amended. 

         

ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES

The Board of Trustees may appoint special purpose and study committees as they deem necessary from time to time.

 

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Trustees at which a quorum is present, by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Trustees present and voting.  A draft of the proposed bylaws to be adopted shall be circulated to the Board of Trustees no fewer than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which such bylaws will be considered. 

 

ARTICLE VIII -  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, as amended from time to time, shall govern the Board in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws, the Contract, city ordinances or other applicable law.              

These Amended and Restated Bylaws were adopted by the Board of Trustees on June 19, 2006. 

Bylaws Article IV Section I was amended by the Manchester City Library Board of Trustees, NH on January 20, 2009.

Bylaws Article II Section II A added by the Manchester City Library Board of Trustees, NH on May 22, 2012.

Bylaws Article II Section II A added by the Manchester City Library Board of Trustees, NH on March 20, 2023.

           

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Manchester City Library

405 Pine St
Manchester, NH 03104
(603) 624-6550
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West Manchester Branch Library

76 North Main St
Manchester, NH 03102
(603) 624-6560

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