Pincher Creek’s library is looking for a new face for its board of directors. 

The Pincher Creek and District Municipal Library provides services to residents of the town, the MD and the village of Cowley. The opening is for someone living within town boundaries.

“The board provides direction to the library manager,” says library manager Kayla Lorenzen.

“They are the manager’s boss but they, for example, wouldn’t become involved in something like staffing. They do, however, do policy creation. They talk about the budget and the finances. They successfully work with the [provincial] government to run the library.”

Public library operations throughout Alberta are monitored by the municipal affairs ministry.

The board is made up of nine representatives. The town and MD have four members each — one elected councillor and three individuals from the community. A member-at-large from Cowley rounds out the nine.

Nine, under provincial guidelines, is also the number of years a director can be on the board, but exceptions can be made past the limit if there’s consensus among directors. Terms are three years.

“So, we have a couple of the board members that have served for a very long time and some who are brand new, which gives us a wide variety of experience,” adds Kayla.

She says the board traditionally meets nine times a year, on the third Wednesday of every month. Exceptions are July, August and December, unless something urgent comes up. 

“Typically, they last anywhere between 90 minutes and two hours. You’ll also need to give yourself time to read the documents that are sent out ahead of time so you’re able to actively take part in the discussions.”

There are also four subcommittees that meet, albeit not on a monthly basis, that are also part of the role, Kayla points out.

“There is one that will cover policies, another for personnel matters, a finance subcommittee and there is one that looks at expansion.”

She says being on the board can be very rewarding. Even more so, as the current facility looks to complete the first quarter-century of operation in 2024.

At its next meeting, the board will finalize the library’s plan of service. Details of the document included a survey with feedback from 160 residents, input from a community engagement session and pop-ups at events like the trade show. The focus, Kayla says, was around the question: What does the library in Pincher Creek look like for the future?

The board is expected to pick its top three choices at its October meeting, with a brochure to follow next month outlining the library’s direction.

Application forms are available on the town website at bit.ly/48OKIpC or can be picked up from the front desk at the town office.

Completed forms can be dropped off at the library or at the town office.

The position is volunteer and requires no previous experience.

“You just need a love for the library,” Kayla says.

It’s hoped the successful candidate can be in place by the November meeting, but there’s no timeline.