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Trustee Toolkit: Open Meetings Law: Home

This guide will help your library comply with NYS's Open Meetings Law.

Welcome

This guide is an overview of New York State’s Open Meetings Law (OML) as it relates to public libraries.  We've used a Frequently Asked Questions format so it's easy to find the info you need. 

If you don’t see your question answered here, please contact FLLS.  You can also visit our Resources tab for more information.

Your Board

Thank you for volunteering to serve on your library's board.  As a board member, these core duties should guide your work:

  • Duty of care to protect the libraries resources
  • Duty of loyalty to protect the library's mission
  • Duty of obedience to the relevant policies, regulations, and laws.

Your Board's bylaws set forth the rules and regulations that are specific to your library board.  For example, the number of trustees, terms, and such vary by library.

Open Meetings Law

Open Meetings Law is rooted in the idea that:

“The public has the right to attend meetings of public bodies, listen to debate and watch the decision-making process.”

Last updated in May 2024, the text of the law can be found here: https://opengovernment.ny.gov/open-meetings-law-text-last-updated-may-28-2024 

Your library* must follow Open Meetings Law.

Libraries, boards, and individual trustees can face legal consequences if Open Meetings Law is not followed.

*This includes association, municipal/public, school district, and special legislative district libraries.

This project is administered by the South Central Regional Library Council.