Join your public library colleagues to learn or refresh your understanding of the library's and Board of Trustees' legal responsibilities for adhering to the State's  Access to Public Records and Open Meetings Laws. Once you understand your responsibilities, you can establish or update procedures for your library. Having procedures in place will make the process easier when there are requests for library records or the library is challenged about access to meetings or records of their proceedings. (The subject and objectives of this program are distinct from the Public Library Records Management program scheduled for March 20.)

You will learn how to determine when the Open Meetings Act applies to the libraries' meetings and when an executive session is appropriate. Other statutory requirements for meetings, such as posting notices, amending agendas, and maintaining minutes will be discussed.

Special Assistant Attorney General Lisa A. Pinsonneault will describe how to determine whether a document is a public record and how to respond to a citizen's request. Important procedural provisions will be discussed, including the way to respond to public record requests and establishing guidelines for public access.

Frequent trouble areas and significant legal cases will also be reviewed for both laws.

Lisa A. Pinsonneault is joined the Office of the Attorney General, Civil Division, in January 2011. Since then, Lisa has been focused on general litigation and open government matters. She graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law in 1998.

The session is recommended for library directors, administrators and trustees.