The Friends Board of Directors & Committees

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We are looking for passionate library lovers to join our Board. Please read below for a full description of the responsibilities of Board members and the qualities we seek in new members.

Organization

Founded in the 1970s, the Chestnut Hill Library Friends is dedicated to supporting the needs and values of the Chestnut Hill Library and to promoting literacy, encouraging lifelong learning, and inspiring curiosity. A 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, the Friends is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.

The Friends accomplishes its mission of supporting the library through material and monetary support, and advocating for the Library’s needs. The support for program materials and guest educators/program assistance comes from two sources: direct fundraising and net proceeds from the Friends-run bookstore, Hilltop Books.

The Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library has one employee—its Executive Director. Many activities that the organization undertakes are accomplished through volunteer and board action under the direction of the Director. 

Roles and Responsibilities of Board Members:

Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library board of directors is comprised of at least seven (7) members and no more than thirteen (13) members. Meetings occur at least three (3) times per year but more commonly bimonthly. Remaining legal requirements of the Board of Directors are listed in the organizational bylaws.

The Board of Directors is the governing body, overseeing vision, mission, and internal operations of the organization. Board members are elected for two-year terms. Board members hold overall fiscal and managerial oversight responsibility for Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library and Hilltop Books.

Directors are expected to regularly attend and prepare for board meetings and to serve on at least one board committee. Directors will commit to participate actively in board and other Friends of

the Chestnut Hill Library work. 

Other roles and responsibilities are (but not limited to):

•  Support and evaluate the Executive Director
• Participate in overall planning and assist in implementing organizational goals
• Ensure adequate financial resources by participating in fundraising activities and making a personally meaningful charitable contribution to the organization
• Provide financial oversight and ensure adherence to legal standards and ethical norms
• Clearly articulate the organization’s mission, accomplishments, and goals to the public and garner support from the community for the organization and the Chestnut Hill Library.

Qualifications

We encourage applications from individuals with experience in advocacy and organizing work,

media and promotions, volunteer management, community-based fundraising, event planning, DEI work, real estate management, and nonprofit governance and budgeting. We encourage you to apply even if you do not have experience with all these areas of expertise. In your letter of interest, please describe your experience in these areas, your capacity to contribute, and your working style. All candidates should show a familiarity and commitment to our mission and be active Library users.

To Apply: Please submit a letter of interest to boardcandidate@chestnuthilllibraryfriends.org.

Please also include a resume or document that describes previous work and/or volunteer

experiences. Candidates should send their materials by December 13, 2024.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: To achieve our goals and fulfill our mission, we need to include individuals with perspectives drawn from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, skill sets, areas of expertise, and lived experiences. We are publicly recruiting for board positions to ensure that we move beyond our immediate networks and honor our ongoing commitment to creating a board that is diverse in its composition, inclusive in its culture, and equity-focused in its approach to how it views its mission, its work, and the communities it serves.

Ann Marie Arment | Communications Committee Co-Chair, Fundraising Committee

John Autin | Communications Co-Chair, Finance Committee, Governance Committee

Lynne Brown |Fundraising Committee

Denise Connerty | Fundraising Committee

Stan Cutler | Programs Committee & Events Committee

Karen Freedman | Secretary, Gardens Committee Chair, Programs Committee 

Tiffany Kim | Treasurer, Finance Committee, Fundraising Committee

Jan LeSuer | President, Advocacy Committee Chair, Programs & Events Committee 

Laura Lucas | Fundraising Committee Chair, Programs & Events Committee Chair

Prather O’Donnell | Librarian, Programs & Events Committee, Gardens Committee, Advocacy Committee

Rona Sisson | Vice President, Governance Committee

President

To preside over and conduct meetings, to appoint all committees, except as limited herein, and to be ex-officio a member of the committees.

Vice President

To perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and to assist the President as requested.

Treasurer

To keep and maintain the financial records of the organization and support Committees with planning and solicitation and dues, contributions and gifts.

Secretary

To record attendance at all meetings and to take and distribute minutes of all meetings. To notify the Board of Director of the time and place of meetings.

Fundraising Committee:  Discusses fundraising lead of all types (grant, gov, corporate, individual), supports fundraising events, and coordinates on individual donor strategy.

Programs & Events: Cultivate  community engagement and lifelong learning with fun, interesting, and enriching programs. This committee works on both ongoing programs and one-time. Eg. game nights, author events, resume-writing etc.  Events might be at Library or Hilltop Books. 

Gardens Committee: Responsible for planning and maintaining the library garden, indoor plantings, and holiday decorations. The committee also promotes the use of the garden by the Library, Friends, and the community at-large. 

Advocacy Committee: Promotes full funding of public libraries and investing in libraries and the resources that they provide. This group coordinates with other branches  and also responds to new needs, with an interest in making libraries and their resources accessible to everyone.

Finance Committee: Ensures that FoCHL meets its financial obligations as a nonprofit, ensures the organization stays on budget and makes financially sound and sustainable decisions that are aligned with the mission to support the CH Library.