Traverse Area District Library Trustees are accountable for the resources of the Traverse Area District Library (TADL) as well as to see that TADL provides the best possible service to its community. Trustees recognize that their authority lies only within the legal actions of the Board and not with the individual actions of its members. Every TADL Trustee makes a personal commitment to contribute the time and energy to faithfully carry out their duties and responsibilities effectively and with absolute truth, honor and integrity.
Library Trustees have a vital duty to foster and protect intellectual freedom and freedom of access to the information, ideas, and creative expression upon which a free society depends. Our political system depends on the judgement and guidance of an informed and enlightened citizenry. Public libraries have a profound public responsibility to select, organize, preserve, and provide free and open access to information and ideas that serve the interests of present and future generations.
Ethical dilemmas occur when values are in conflict. This Ethics Statement articulates the values to which we, as Trustees, are committed, and the ethical responsibilities of the profession to serve the public. In order to protect the integrity of TADL deliberations and decisions, trustees, by their signature, accept their ethical obligations to:
- Comply with all local, State, Federal and Freedom of Information laws, rules and regulations that apply to them and TADL.
- Encourage and respect the opinions and participation of TADL trustees, staff, patrons, and members of the public in deliberation of matters before Board.
- Act independently of public pressure and partisan interests in fulfilling their responsibilities as Library Trustees.
- Support and protect all TADL patrons’ rights to access and to privacy in the use of TADL’s resources.
- Acknowledge and support the actions and decisions of the Board and to distinguish clearly in their public actions and statements between their personal opinions and attitudes and those of TADL.
- Respect and protect confidential information related to TADL business.
- Comply with TADL’s Conflict of Interest Policy, avoiding any situation in which personal or financial benefits for either themselves or others could result from their position on the Board or access to privileged TADL information.
- Disqualify themselves immediately whenever the appearance of or a conflict of interest exists.
- Avoid actions that would result in unwarranted TADL privileges or advantages for themselves or anyone else who uses and does business with TADL.
- Support the Library Director and avoid actions that interfere with the Director’s responsibility to manage TADL and supervise TADL staff.
- Uphold the principles of intellectual freedom, resist efforts to censor library resources, and support TADL librarians in responding to efforts by groups or individuals to censor library materials or programs.
Revised October 20, 2020