I. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide a process by which the Board of Directors ("Board") of the Madison Public Library ("Library") may review and assess the performance of the Library Director and to identify objectives for the Library Director which are aligned with the Library's strategic plan and/or other guiding documents approved by the Board. The Board shall strive to review the Library Director on an annual basis.
II. Policy Guidelines
The Board as a whole is responsible for evaluating the Library Director, however the President of the Library Board may appoint a special committee to implement this policy.
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Library Director Self-Evaluation. Upon request from the Board President or special committee chair, the Library Director shall evaluate his or her performance for the prior year. This self-evaluation may be done by completing a form or by such other means as the Board may determine. The Library Director will review his or her performance in the focus areas established for the prior year (if any), the Library Director's job description, and the success of Library programs.
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Board Evaluation of Library Director. Around the same time that the Library Director is performing his or her self-evaluation, each member of the Board ("Member") may evaluate the performance of the Library Director for the prior year by completing a form or by such other means as the Board may determine. Each Member will review the Library Director's performance in the focus areas established for the prior year (if any), the Library Director's job description, and the success of Library programs. Library staff shall ensure that each Member has access to the Library Director's job description and any focus areas established for the prior year. Members shall not be required to complete Library Director performance evaluations.
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Staff and Stakeholder Evaluation of Library Director. The Board may, in its discretion, ask certain Library staff members or other stakeholders to evaluate the Library Director. If the Board decides to seek evaluations from staff or stakeholders, then it shall ask the Library Director to identify 2-5 staff members or other stakeholders that may provide evaluations, and the staff or stakeholders shall evaluate the Library Director using the same or similar form or process as the Board Members.
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Review of Evaluations. After the Library Director has completed his or her self-evaluation, the Members have completed their individual evaluations, and any staff members or stakeholders have completed their evaluations (if any), the Board shall meet in closed session to review and discuss the evaluations. The Board shall identify (a) focus areas for the Library Director for the current year that align with the Library's strategic plan and/or other guiding documents approved by the Board and (b) any performance evaluation comments the Board wishes to provide to the Library Director. The Board may direct staff to compile evaluation responses from Board Members, staff members and/or stakeholders on a confidential basis.
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Establishing Focus Areas. The President or other Member appointed by the President shall communicate any performance evaluation comments from the Board, deliver a copy of confidential evaluation responses, and provide the list of focus areas identified by the Board to the Library Director. The Library Director shall have an opportunity to provide comments on the focus areas or any other aspect of his or her evaluation. The Board shall have ultimate authority to establish the Library Director's focus areas, provided that they are consistent with the Library Director's employment agreement and applicable law. The Library Director shall sign a form acknowledging receipt of the focus areas.
III. Policy History
The Board adopted this policy on July 6, 2017. This policy shall be reviewed by the Board at least every five years.