[Michlib-l] Student Advisor to a Library Board

[Sharon Crotser-Toy]

Hi everyone!

At long last I am sharing the responses I received in regards to including a non-voting high school student advisor on the board of trustees, pasted below.

As always, thanks so much for your time and your generosity!

-Sharon

I think the Negaunee Public Library had two non-voting student members in the 1970s or 1980s on the library board. I'll see if I can dig anything up for you.
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Baldwin and Birmingham have had student representatives for about 25 years. We took one school year off during Covid, but have had 1-2 student reps each year.

When I first started at Baldwin 7 years ago, it seemed like a dull volunteer opportunity. The student just sat at the board meeting looking really bored and didn't really contribute. We've revamped the program a bit and now the student speaks at each board meeting (either stating the mission statement or providing feedback from a teen perspective on a discussion topic - most times this is off the cuff). We also have the student pick out a project and work with the teen librarian to implement the project. One year, the student had a program where a local cat shelter came in with available cats and then teens crafted cat toys and cardboard cat homes for the shelter cats. I'm not sure what our teen is working on this year.

I will say that when we've had 2 reps for the year, the attendance record is not the greatest (Oh, I thought the other rep was coming to this meeting and so on).

I'm attaching the press release, parent letter, and application form we use. We work closely with the school district's community service organizer to recruit students.

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I think the Charlevoix Library has one. Ryan Deery is the director.
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Here's from back in 1986:

CHAPTER 59 - LIBRARY AND CABLE TELEVISION EDITORIAL BOARD

59.03 Membership. In making appointments to the Board, the Mayor shall endeavor to maintain at least two young people as members of the Board. In making appointments of young people, the Mayor shall seek and consider consultation from the Negaunee High School students or faculty, but shall not be bound by their recommendations. The Board may select ex officio representatives, which representatives may attend the Board meetings and speak to the Board on all issues and work on committees, but shall not have voting power. The number of ex officio members shall not exceed five. No member of the City Council may serve on the Library and Cable Television Editorial Board in any capacity.

There is no other explicit mention of the young people, and I wonder if they were part of the five members of the directorial board, or ex officio.


Sharon CrotserToy
Director
St. Ignace Public Library
110 West Spruce Street
St. Ignace, MI 49781
(906) 643-8318

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