The Board of Trustees of the Barberton Public Library supports the ongoing work of the Friends of the Library as a worthwhile community endeavor, which benefits the Barberton Public Library and community collectively.
 
All Friends of the Library projects should be undertaken only with full knowledge and approval of the library director or his/her designee who regularly attends Friends of the Library meetings as liaison.  It is the wish of the Board of Trustees to receive information about Friends meetings, officers, plans, and purposes. This may be done through the library director or designee.
 
The Friends of the Library and the Library Board of Trustees are two distinct and separate entities and each cannot assume the duties of the other.
 
Since Friends are volunteers, distinct and separate from library personnel, library staff members may act only in advisory capacities for Friends activities.  Operating expenses of the library are provided through allocation of public funds, which are audited by the State Auditor.  Friends’ funds and library funds cannot be integrated except through gifts by Friends to the library.
 
Friends of the Library publicity should be undertaken by the Friends public relations chairperson with the approval of the library director or his/her designee, in order to maintain a consistent message between Friends’ efforts and the library’s public relations program.
 
Statement adopted by the Barberton Public Library Board of Trustees on May 24, 2012.