Governance

What kind of library are you?
Does EFCL belong to a library system?
How are you run?
Are you a department of the town?
Are you a branch of a larger library?
How many trustees are on your board?
What do I do if I’m interested in being on the library board?
How are you funded?
Who owns your building?
How did the library get started?
Is it possible to donate money to the library for a specific purpose?

What kind of library are you?

Up until 2006 the East Fishkill Community Library was an association library. An association library is a private organization that contracts with the municipality to provide library services for an agreed upon fee. After several years of flat funding, the library board decided to ask the community to vote on changing our charter. So in October of 2006, we became a special library district. In this model, we are a public library with elected trustees. The community has more of a voice in our budget and gets to vote on our budget should we want to make a change.

Does EFCL belong to a library system?

We belong to the Mid-Hudson Library System (MHLS), one of 23 library systems established by New York State law. MHLS is located in Poughkeepsie and provides its member libraries with vital services such as training on a wide range of subjects, providing the technical know-how to run the catalog and delivery of books and other materials from library to library.

How are you run?

We have a 9-member board made up of elected officials who live in the East Fishkill service area. Each board member serves for a 3-year term. It is the board’s responsibility to make policies, develop long range planning, secure adequate funding and hire a competent director to run the day to day operations.

Are you a department of the town?

No. As an independent public library, we are governed by our own board which makes all of the policy decisions for the library.

Are you a branch of a larger library?

No. The East Fishkill Community Library is an independent library, as are most of the libraries in the Mid-Hudson Library System service area. Several libraries do have branches although East Fishkill Community Library is not one of them.

How many trustees are on your board?

The library’s board is made up of 9 elected officials. Three run for office each year and they serve for 3-year terms.

What do I do if I’m interested in being on the library board?

If you’re interested in serving as a library trustee, the best thing to do would be to contact the board. A current board member can give you a good idea of the responsibilities and skills required. If you decide that you’d like to run, your nominating petition should be filed at the library at least 30 days before the scheduled vote. Nominating petitions are available from the Board of Elections or the Library.

How are you funded?

The majority of our budget is voted on by eligible voters of East Fishkill. A vote is only brought before the community if the library requests a change to the current funding level. We also get some money from New York State.

Who owns your building?

The library owns our own building. The current facility was built in 1988 and was expanded in 2000.

Is it possible to donate money to the library for a specific purpose?

You can donate money with a specific purpose that fits in with the library’s mission. In the past, some of these types of restricted donations have been to augment the children’s book and materials budget or to purchase mystery books, but there are other ways that you can target your financial gift to the library.