Update_Library Board of Trustees 5 26 11Carnegie -Stout Public Library
Library Board of Trustees' Update
From the Meeting of
May 26, 2011
Present: Diann Guns, President; Vice President; Paula Connors, David
Hammer, Fred Miller, and Kristen Smith Mike Willis
Excused: Elizabeth Leeper
• April marked 83 percent of the fiscal year lapsing and expenditures were
on target at 82 percent. Revenue stands at 70 percent of projections.
• Circulation increased eight percent from the same time last year. We will
begin tracking circulation of downloadable materials as this format is on
the rise.
• The Art Subcommittee has identified areas in the library to hang the
permanent collection. Friday evening, June 3 from 5:30 — 7:30 will be the
debut of Gail Chavenelle's welcoming sculpture titled "Family Reads"
which will be located outdoors between the trees just west of the main
entrance. The sculpture was made possible by a grant from Mediacom.
The Art @yourlibrary exhibit which also opens on Friday, June 3 at 5:30
includes an exhibit of origami by local students who worked with the
Dubuque Art Center.
• The Operations Committee and director have begun attending a weekly
meeting with City Engineering staff and Barry Lindahl to discuss and work
toward resolutions of outstanding renovation issues.
• The Library has been notified of a bequest from the estate of James
Mutschler. When the check arrives a new trust fund will be established.
The Board of Trustees designated the funds for expansion of library
services and will begin, over the next year, to evaluate the need and
desire of residents to have west side library services and in what form
those services might be provided.
• The Library was awarded a grant from the DRA and the Library
Foundation for a "Lending Library." A "Lending Library" is a vending
machine which will dispense library materials with the use of a library card.
The machine will be located at the Hy -Vee store on Asbury Road. The
grant includes the installation of a multi -media materials return box which
will be a drive -up style. The DRA funded half of the request which
represents one third of the total cost. The Library Foundation increased
their contribution to cover half of the remaining balance. The Library
Board of Trustees voted to cover the balance needed to fund the project
from the Maher Trust Fund.
• The Library Board discussed the Library Department participating in
quarterly line -item analyses of the operating budget as other city
departments have recently begun doing. They instructed the director to
continue to provide general information, but reaffirmed their responsibility
to monitor the overall budget and right to reallocate funds from budgeted
line items at the Board's discretion. As such, as long as the Library
remains within its budget, the Board does not perceive a purpose for line
item reports except during the annual budgeting process.
40.4—) ,e,—)
Diann Guns, Board President
Kristen Smith, Board Secretary
Paula Connors
David Hammer
Elizabeth Leeper
Fred Miller
Mike Willis
Library Board of Trustees
Susan Henricks, Director