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The number of trustees on a public library board varies from one library to the next, depending on rules established by the political jurisdiction the library serves. Ordinarily, a public library board consists of 6 to 12 trustees. Local laws almost always require trustees to live in the community they serve. Ideally, board members will reflect the various segments of their community. For example, trustees often come from a variety of cultural, economic, and professional backgrounds. Although most trustees have no professional experience as librarians, they are typically well educated and politically active. Trustees rarely receive financial compensation for their work. The director of a public library is hired by the board of trustees. In virtually all public libraries in the United States and Canada, the director has professional training as a librarian. The director should also have strong organizational skills and leadership abilities. Aside from carrying out the policies established by the board, the director usually develops the library's budget, which is then subject to approval by the board and the local government. The director and trustees also meet with political and business leaders, the media, and the general public to obtain input and feedback, to promote the library's services, and to advocate for public funds. Because most public library revenue comes from local taxes, the financial security of public libraries depends on the director's ability to secure popular support. The public library director also manages the library's personnel and directs staff members in the most critical library functions, such as selecting library materials and performing reference work. A large public library may divide its personnel into separate departments, each with a different function or specialty. A typical large public library may feature administrative departments such as reference services, to assist users with research; children's and young adult services; audiovisual services, to manage materials such as videotapes and compact discs; circulation services, to facilitate the borrowing of materials; technical services, such as cataloging and classifying materials; and public relations services. Depending on the size of the library, each department is supervised by a department head, and individual librarians perform the specialized duties of their own particular department. In a small public library, where personnel and financial resources are limited, the library's director and a few assistants may provide all of the library's services without specializing in any particular area. A9Funding In the United States and Canada, the idea of publicly funded libraries first gained widespread support in the 19th century. In nearly every community, local citizen groups and public officials petitioned municipalities to direct public funds for the establishment of libraries to serve the public free of charge. Public libraries quickly spread across the continent as advocates championed the library's ability to function as the "people's university," where people of limited financial means could educate themselves at no cost to gain the knowledge and skills required to achieve upward mobility in society. Over time, local governments have developed municipal libraries, which they directly fund with the budgets of villages, towns, cities, or counties. Today, nearly 80 percent of all public library revenue in the United States comes from local tax sources, especially from local property taxes. Some communities also fund their municipal libraries with other kinds of taxes, such as personal income taxes, sales taxes, and special taxes on specified products and services such as alcohol, tobacco, and entertainment. Although the bulk of public library budgets comes from local municipal budgets, the federal government also provides various grants to local public library districts for specific development projects.

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