The library is governed by a Board of Trustees, which represents all the communities in Branch County. The Board meets on the third Monday of each month at 5:30pm. The Board's bylaws are available online. View a timeline of those serving on the BDL Board since our inception in 1991.

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Board Members

Role Trustee Name Representing Began Serving Current Term Expires Email
President Benjamin Jewell City of Coldwater 1/1/2014 12/31/2025 JewellB@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Vice President Susan Smith Quincy Township 1/1/2015 12/31/2025 SmithS@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Secretary Kimberly Langworthy County-at-Large 2/28/2018 12/31/2023 LangworthyK@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Trustee Susan Brooks County-at-Large 9/17/2018 12/31/2024 BrooksS@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Trustee Robert Hostetler City of Coldwater 4/26/2022 12/31/2026 HostetlerR@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Trustee Joseph Lynch Union Township 5/25/2022 12/31/2025 LynchJ@BranchDistrictLibrary.org
Trustee Karen Smith Bronson Township 7/9/2019 12/31/2025 SmithK@BranchDistrictLibrary.org


    Committee Assignments

    Committee Members
    Building Committee Benjamin Jewell
    Kimberly Langworthy
    Joseph Lynch
    Carole Bolton (Coldwater Branch Advisory Board)
    Finance Committee Susan Brooks
    Kimberly Langworthy
    Karen Smith
    Personnel Committee Robert Hostetler
    Benjamin Jewell
    Susan Smith
    Public Services Committee Susan Brooks
    Robert Hostetler
    Sue Smith
    Ad-Hoc/Bylaws Committee Susan Brooks
    Benjamin Jewell
    Joseph Lynch


    Becoming a Trustee

    The Coldwater representatives to the BDL Board are appointed by the Mayor of Coldwater and the other five BDL trustees are appointed by the Branch County Board of Commissioners, with input from the other local cities, villages, and townships partnering with the library to provide library service. Any member of the community interested in becoming a BDL Trustee may contact the Coldwater Mayor or fill out and return this form to the Branch County Board of Commissioners at least a couple of months before the term of a sitting BDL Trustee comes to an end.


    Meeting Minutes

    All of our meeting minutes are available online.