care of funds, supervision of expenditures, determination of the
library's policy, general direction of choice and purchase of books,
selection of librarian and assistants, close watch of work done, and
comparison of the same with results reached in other libraries.

A large board ordinarily transacts business through its chairman,
secretary, treasurer, and one or more committees. It is doubtful if
the librarian should act as secretary of the board. The treasurer, if
he holds the funds in his hands, should always be put under bonds.
It is well to have as many committees as can be actively employed in
order to enlist the coöperation of all the trustees.

The executive committee should take charge of the daily work of the
library, of purchases, and of the care of the building; they should
carry their duties as far as possible without assuming too much of the
responsibility which properly belongs to the full board. It will be
best to entrust the choice of books to a book committee appointed
for that purpose purely. The finance committee should make and watch
investments and see that purchases are made on most favorable terms.

5) _Relations with the librarian_.--The trustees are the responsible
managers of the library; the librarian is their agent, appointed
to carry out their wishes. If they have, however, a first-class
librarian, the trustees ought to leave the management of the library
practically to him, simply supplementing his ability without impeding
it. They should leave to a librarian of good executive ability the
selection, management, and dismissal of all assistants, the methods
and details of library work, and the initiative in the choice of
books. A wise librarian the trustees may very properly take into their
confidence, and invite his presence at all meetings, where his advice