Memorandum of Understanding (Operating agreement)
Between
The following will constitute
an operating agreement between the Rapid City Public Library (Board of
Trustees) and the Friends of the Rapid City Public Library. It will stand until and unless it is modified
by mutual agreement of the Friends Board of Directors and the Rapid City
Library Board of Trustees.
The Friends mission is to
maintain an association of persons interested in the library services,
facilities and needs, to help promote the use and enjoyment of the library, to
develop supplemental funding for the library and the actively support the Rapid
City Public Library. As a non-profit,
501c3 organization, however, it is a legally distinct entity and is not a part
of the Library.
The Library agrees to share
with the Friends the library’s strategic initiatives at the beginning of each
fiscal year and discuss with Friends how their resources and support might help
forward these initiatives.
The Library agrees to supply
the Friends with a “Wish List” each year that indicates the anticipated needs
for Friends support.
The Library agrees to include
the Friends promotional materials within library publications, staff support
for facilitating Friends use of the meeting rooms, and Friend’s sponsored programs
for the public.
The Library agrees to provide
public space for Friends membership brochures and promotional materials.
The Library agrees to provide
the Friends with space in the Library for book storage and sorting, and book
sales.
The Friends agree to publicly
support the Library and its policies.
The Friends agree to review
the Library’s wish list each year and indicate its areas of support for that
year.
The Friends agree to include
a member from the library’s administration as a non-voting presence at all
Friends’ meetings and to allow room on the agenda for a library report.
The Friends agree that any
and all monies raised will be spent exclusively for library programs, services,
and other Library defined needs unless otherwise agreed to by both the Friends
and the Library.
The Friends agree that the
Library Board of Trustees has the final say in accepting or declining any and
all gifts made to the library.
The Friends agree to engage
in advocacy efforts on behalf of the Library under the guidance of the Library
and the Library’s Board of Trustees.
The Friends agree to provide regular
reports to the Rapid City Public Library Board of Trustees on the activities of
the Friends and its financial status.
The Friends agree that if
they cease to actively fundraise and promote the Library, they will dissolve,
allowing for a new Friends group to be established in the future. Upon
dissolution any assets of Friends shall, after payment of any debts and
expenses of dissolution, be paid to the Rapid City Public Library Foundation.
The Friends and Library agree
to annually review their mutual relationship, review projects and progress from
the past year and to set goals for the next year. This would be done in January
at the beginning of each fiscal year.
The Friends and Library agree
that in the event of conflict between them which cannot be resolved through
standard policies and procedures, an Ad Hoc Committee will be formed to
establish resolution. This Committee
will consist of the Chairs of both Boards, the Friends liaison, Library Board
of Trustees Liaison and Library Director.
This Committee may, where appropriate seek legal counsel. Any recommendations made by this committee to
resolve the conflict must be approved by the Friends Board of Directors and
Library Board of Trustees.
Approved by
the
Signed:________________________________________________________________
Chair
Approved by the Friends of
the
__________________,
2006
Signed:________________________________________________________________
Chair