Sign up for our email list
I was wondering if Friends of the Library were subject to Open Meetings Law. I am a new member of the board and wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing.
It is wonderful that you are volunteering your time with a library board and showing an interest in open government.
The library board itself is subject to the Open Meetings Law. However, a Friends of the Library board, as a separate and independent entity, would not be subject to the Open Meetings Law. Friends of the Library organizations are typically incorporated as non-profits, and while governmental entities are bound by the Open Meetings Law, non-profit organizations generally are not.
That said, although the Friends of the Library board is not legally required to comply with the Open Meetings Law, it can choose to do so voluntarily. Providing public notice of meetings and inviting the public to observe and comment is always a better practice.