Board of Directors

Charged with the responsibilities of fiscal oversight and policy setting, the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors consists of 38 appointees from among the region's citizens. SELCO was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit corporation. As a federation of public libraries and counties, each public library member appoints a representative to the corporation to serve on the SELCO Board of Directors. County members have the option of appointing an existing Board member or to appoint their own trustee to represent their interests at the regional level. As defined by Minnesota Statues and the SELCO bylaws, terms of office are for three years, with a limit of three consecutive three-year terms. Terms start at the conclusion of the corporation's annual meeting held in July of each year.

By Minnesota Statutes the SELCO Board of Directors serves in a dual role as the SELS governing authority. In this capacity, the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors also has fiscal oversight and sets policies affecting regional multitype services.

The SELCO/SELS Board of Directors has an elected Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and four Members at Large. Officers are elected at the Annual Meeting in July. Much of the work of the Board of Directors is delegated to standing committees: the Executive Committee; the Finance Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Personnel Committee and Strategic Plan Goal Groups. Ad hoc committees are established as needed and have included such tasks as: the SELCO Technology Policy Committee, the SELS Multitype Grant Committee and the SELCO/SELS Structures Study Committee.

The SELCO/SELS Board of Directors meets quarterly as a full Board in July, October, January and April. During the intervening months, the elected Executive Committee addresses fiscal and policies decisions.

Advisory Committees

The SELCO bylaws call for an Advisory Committee to the Executive Director comprised of the library directors or head librarians from each of the 35 member libraries. This informal group meets bi-monthly the first Tuesday of August, October, December, February, April and June.

Minnesota Statutes requires a seven member SELS Advisory Committee with members elected from and representing the various types of libraries: academic, public, school and special. The SELS Advisory Committee meets quarterly, hosts a membership meeting, and appoints working groups as needed to provide advice about multitype programs and services to the SELCO Executive Director and the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors .