Minutes_Library Board of Trustees 11.20.25City of Dubuque
City Council
CONSENT ITEMS
#1.
Copyrighted
January 20, 2026
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of January 5, 2026; Airport
Commission of October 28, 2025; Arts and Cultural Affairs
Advisory Commission of September 30, October 28, and
November 18, 2025; Library Board of Trustees of August 28,
September 25, and November 20, 2025; Proof of Publication
for City Council Proceedings of December 15, 2025; Proof of
Publication for Expenditure Reports presented at the
December 15, 2025 City Council meeting.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 1 5 26 City Council Minutes
2. Airport Commission Minutes of October 28 2025
3. Arts Commission Minutes October
4. Arts Commission Minutes September
5. Arts Commission Minutes November
6. August-28—Library Board Minutes
7. September —Library Board Minutes
8. November-20—Library Board Minutes
9. City Council Proceedings of December 15, 2025
10. Proof of Publication for Expenditure Reports
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Carnegie -Stout Public Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes of November 20, 2025
The Board of Trustees of the Carnegie -Stout Public Library (C-SPL) met in the Lacy
Board Room at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 20, 2025.
Present: President A. Alanda Gregory, Secretary Diann Guns (online), Trustee
Jessica Connery, Trustee Victor Lieberman, Trustee Christy Monk (4:10 pm),
Trustee Pam Mullin, Library Director Nick Rossman
1. President Gregory called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.
"Moved to adopt the meeting agenda of November 20, 2025."
Motion: Lieberman
Second: Mullin
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
2. Board President's Report:
A. Communication with Dubuque City Council, September, 2025
"Moved to receive and file the communication with the Dubuque City Council
from September 2025. "
Motion: Mullin
Second: Connery
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
3. Approval of Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes of September 25, 2025."
"Moved to approve the Board Meeting Minutes of September 25, 2025. "
Motion: Mullin
Second: Lieberman
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
4. Motion to Receive and File Informational Items:
A. Library Director's Report Summary and Update:
1) Library Financial Report Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 — Rossman reported that
October marks approximately 33% of the fiscal year. The library has spent
35% of our budget to date. Current expenditures have seen some larger
annual payments hit in October, as well as October having three payrolls.
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The expenditures being a bit high for this time of year should not be too
much of an impact for the full fiscal year.
Revenue collected at 21 % of projected budget.
2) Library Use — Rossman reported a 6% increase in circulation statistics
comparing September 2025 to September 2024 and a 1 % increase
comparing October 2025 to October 2024.
The library saw a 2% decrease in visitors comparing to September 2025 to
2024 and a 6% decrease comparing October 2025 to 2024.
The library saw a 7% increase in internet and wireless usage comparing
September 2025 to 2024 and a 4% decrease comparing October 2025 to
2024.
Patrons used curbside pickup 82 times in September and 80 pickups in
October.
Rossman reported there were 2,602 Hoopla downloads in September and
2,765 in October. (Hoopla is a web and mobile library media -streaming
platform for audio books, comics, e-books, movies, music, and TV.)
3) Library Programs, Partnerships, and Grants Report - Rossman provided the
following report:
The Quilts of Valor program had some great promotion with KCRG
featuring two stories. One for the ceremony held at the library, and
one featuring the Breezy Hill Quilters.
The Art @ your Library show for October had a nice turnout. A
committee organized from the Dubuque Forward initiative has put a lot
of effort and received a grant to promote First Friday events. The
library has been included in these efforts.
Library Director Nick Rossman attended the Iowa Library Association
Conference in Sioux City, IA and had a great experience. It was nice
to connect with librarians from all over the state, attended some
sessions about Library/City relationships, Library Design, and
Carnegie Libraries in Iowa Project, as well as a couple of wonderful
key note speakers discussing intellectual freedom and collaboration of
librarians across the country.
Staff Development Day was held on October 13. Staff were presented
with fire and active assailant/safety training from the Dubuque Fire
and Police Departments, held department meetings, and finished the
day with team building work lead by Team Building Blocks at the Four
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Mounds ropes courses. A collage of photos from the afternoon is
included in the packet.
On October 16, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
unveiled the top ten ideas for the Envision 2030 project. Among the
top ten is Book and Build: Expanded Library Services. The idea
description is as follows:
"Deepen connections between local libraries and communities
by establishing neighborhood branches and mobile units,
extending operating hours, and enhancing access to everyday
necessities, from technology to tools."
A "Make it Real" event took place on November 10. Danielle Day,
Maggie Turza, and Nick Rossman from library staff, Paula Connors
from the Library Foundation, and Christy Monk from the Board of
Trustees all attended. There were several community members that
engaged at the library table. The meeting consisted of updating the
community members some of the work the library has done to this
point to work on a future vision, with some brainstorming of other
ideas for ways to meet community needs. Another meeting is
scheduled to take place at the library on Tuesday, January 13 at 5:30
pm.
The library will be hosting the tree lighting ceremony as a First Friday
event this year. Friday, December 5 from 5:30 — 7 pm will be the
event, with the tree lighting to start at 6 pm. Including a new format,
the library has also purchased a new tree, standing at 12-feet tall and
is pre -lit. The new tree will be on the safer side for staff and volunteers
to set up and decorate and will also be featured with some new
ornaments. The previous tree and ornaments are over 20 years old
and many are very brittle. One element of the event will include an
ornament making station which will give visitors the option of taking
their ornament home with them, or leaving them at the library to help
decorate our tree. The postcard for the event is included in your
packet.
The library is encouraging patrons to drop off food items for the
Dubuque Food Pantry at the library. We will be accepting donations
until Wednesday, November 26.
The Library Foundation is organizing a puzzle competition fundraiser
for Saturday, January 31 at the Grand River Center. The library will be
assisting in promoting the event. Teams can sign up to compete at
two different times (10 am or 2 pm) and the cost is $80/team.
The library received notice from the Carnegie Foundation that they
were offering $10,000 to all Carnegie libraries. Paperwork has been
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submitted to receive the unrestricted funding, which is supposed to
arrive in January.
4) Library Space Needs — Library Director Rossman reported that library staff
is continuing to meet with FEH Design to begin refining the conceptual
plans before they are sent to the Board of Trustees for approval to go out
to bid. There was discussion involved taking a closer look at the collection
usage stats to help with decision making process of moving collections
and right -sizing collections as the construction process moves forward.
5) Department Updates — Rossman provided highlights of the past month for
Adult, Circulation, Information Technology, Marketing, and Youth
Services.
B. Comment Cards — Two comment cards were received and filed with a little
discussion regarding the large print collection.
"Moved to receive and file the informational update from the
Library Director including the Library Operational Expenditures, Revenue
and Budget Financial Reports; and, Library Use Report, Marketing
Report, Library Programs, Partnerships, and Grants Report, and, Library
Department Updates."
Motion: Lieberman
Second: Mullin
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay — 0
5. Action Items (Action):
A. Library Expenditures FY-26: Operating Expenditures September, Period 3
and October, Period 4 — The Board reviewed the detailed expenditures
reports.
"Moved to approve the library expenditures for FY-26 September,
Period 3 and October, Period 4. "
Motion: Monk
Second: Guns
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay — 0
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6. Library Board Adjournment — The Board adjourned at 4:47 pm.
"Motion to adjourn."
Motion: Mullin
Second: Lieberman
Vote: Aye— 6; Nay — 0
12-18-2025
Diann Guns, Board Secretary Date
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