Director Briefing - September 3, 2024

OWWLDAC - September 6, 2024 at OWWLHQ

OWWLDAC is scheduled for Friday, September 6, 2024 at 10 AM. It will be in-person at System HQ, with an online option for anyone unable to make the trek.

Please note: Hybrid meetings may encounter technical difficulties. While we will strive to address these issues promptly, we cannot guarantee a completely uninterrupted experience.

Agenda and Zoom info here: https://docs.owwl.org/Members/DirectorsAdvisoryCouncilAgendaSeptember62024

Let me or Grace (Avon) know if there is anything you would like to see added to the agenda.

Minimum Standards Check for Division of Library Development on September 16

This same information is in the OWWLDAC agenda, but I want to bring it to your attention here as well. Before September 16, make sure the following are on your library's website:

• Bylaws (updated within the last five years)
• Long Range Plan
• Report to the Community
• Policies (updated within the last five years)
  • Your library needs to have at least:
    • Open Meetings Policy,
    • Confidentiality of Library Records Policy (including local acknowledgement for Systems Access Policy),
    • Conflict of Interest Policy,
    • Disaster Response Policy,
    • Collection Development Policy,
    • Meeting Space Policy,
    • Internet Use Policy,
    • Code of Ethics Policy,
    • Personnel Policy, and
    • Financial Control Policies (Purchasing/Procurement Policy and Petty Cash Policy).
  • State law requires other policies, the ones listed are the requirements for Minimum Standards. Click here for the full list of recommended policies.
• Budget (current fiscal year)

If a library is out of compliance, Local Library Service Aid will be delayed for the entire System (not just the individual library). The library will also be in jeopardy of losing System services and/or having its charter revoked by the New York State Board of Regents.

Libraries that are out of compliance on September 16, 2024, will receive a formal letter outlining compliance issues and the consequences directed to the Board of Trustees.

If a library cannot meet Minimum Standards for a justifiable reason, a variance can be filed with the System and sent to the Division of Library Development.

If a library needs additional time beyond September 16 to comply with Minimum Standards, please let me know, and we can work something out.

This Week in OSC Audits

Audit	Key Findings	Takeaways for Libraries
Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES	BOCES officials did not properly manage and monitor badge accounts used to access BOCES buildings. Badges that are not properly managed and remain active without a purpose can be lost, stolen or misused, potentially resulting in unauthorized building access. BOCES officials: Did not deactivate 48 badges (55 percent) that were no longer needed out of the 87 active non-employee individual badge accounts. Created 25 duplicate accounts in the building access system and physical badges for current BOCES employees who already had badges. Did not deactivate and could not physically locate the badges for 15 of 25 shared accounts we selected for testing. Discovered and deactivated, because of our audit inquiry, an additional 48 shared accounts since the badges were lost.	Building access is incredibly important for libraries. There should be policies and procedures for who may gain access to your building and for what purpose. These should be reviewed by the board, insurance company, and possibly an attorney.
Town of Otselic - Follow-Up	See the 2021 Audit - Records and Reports and Conflict of Interest here. Based on our limited procedures, Town officials have made almost no progress on implementing corrective action. Of the 11 audit recommendations, one was fully implemented, one recommendation was partially implemented, and nine recommendations were not implemented including the recommendation that the Board should require the Supervisor to provide accurate monthly financial reports.	All libraries must have a conflict of interest policy that upholds state standards. This is required by law. If a library is audited, they are required to correct the issues brought up in the audit. Audits of past organizations are a great way to learn what can be corrected before an audit.