Minutes Library Update 8 31 05
** Personnel: Alison Boomershine has accepted the job of Clerical Assistant in Administration and will
work 20 hours a week. Her primary duties will be processing purchase orders/invoices, managing
meeting room reservations and special projects as assigned. Interviews for two Library Clerks and a full-
time Library Aide will begin by mid-September.
** Staff Development Day was held August 25th. The morning session was a poverty simulation. This
was an interactive, role-playing session. Staff were put in families of 1, 2, 3, or 4 members and given a
set offmancial and family circumstances. They had a month to get through given their resources. During
this month they interacted with the Police department, welfare/food stamps, legal aid, transportation,
bank, landlords, utility companies, grocery store, food pantry, school and more. This simulation
heightened awareness of library staff to this population which we serve on a daily basis. Through
increased awareness we can empathize and tailor customer service to meet the needs of those in poverty.
The afternoon session was an overview of providing excellent customer service.
** Library security was reviewed. On June 8th incidents began to be recorded in addition to the problem
patron log. Between June 8 and August 15 the Library was open 58 days. There were a total of97
incidents recorded. 55 incidents were not serious and were handled by staff and/or the security guard
(running, cell phone use, disruption, loud talking, etc.). 43 incidents were more serious and involved the
security guard escorting people from the library including property damage, theft, people harassing
patrons out of doors, or pulling up flowers.
** The Board recommended continuing the incident log to determine how much staff time is required to
deal with problem patrons as well as the seriousness of incidents. It can then be determined whether we
should hire a security guard year round. Based on that review it may become necessary to seek personnel
funding for a security guard in FY 2007.
** The Board approved the holiday closing - the library will close Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the
week of Christmas and the week of the New Year holiday. Half of staff will take a floating holiday on the
Thursday before the holiday and half on the Monday following the holiday.
** 8% of the new fiscal year has passed and 5% of the budget has been expended and revenues are at
13.8% of the budget.
** During the last fiscal year, through Unique Management (collection agency), the library has recovered
$10,080.24 in materials and $9,150.64 in cash. Since the library began contracting with this company in
1998 the return has been $3.69 for each $1.00 invested, or a 4: 1 ratio.
** Library managers met with OPN Architects on August 23 to proceed with the conceptual design of
the library's renovation plan. Some changes were suggested based on the inability to fully use the space
the draft called for. (Draft called fro reclaiming the space that is across from the auditorium, behind the
storage rooms, which is now empty.) Next step is to review the list of spaces required and the targeted
square footage for each space.
** Library board approved hiring Faye Clow (Public Library Association Certified Facilitator) to
facilitate the long range planning process. Ms. Clow will begin with a staff orientation so all understand
their role in the process. At the next board meeting a sub-committee will be selected to identifY
community members who will be invited to attend the planning sessions. The process will begin in
January.
** A Library service center located in the western part of the city was discussed and the board requested
that communications with the school district continue. It is possible that a service point could be located
in the Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School. Minimally this would include materials return drop boxes
(Foundation has committed to fund these.) It is possible to expand this to a drop/off pick-up point.
Regardless of the type of service center it will not be possible without a library vehicle.
** The Friends of the Library granted $2,700 during their last meeting to fund a move license agreement
which allows public performance rights for most major movie studios films. Also funded is a die-cutting
machine that will help us to create handouts, bulletin board decor, nametags, puppets, lettering, and
bookmarks to name some uses. The Friends annual book sale will be Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 1
** The Noon Optimist Club donated $500 to the library to be used for a start-up collection of Leap Pad
products. LeapPads are battery-operated book/readers which help children develop and practice a variety
of skills including reading, writing, math, science, and more. Subjects and topics can be changed by
inserting a new book and cartridge into the reader. Two readers and 15 book/cartridge sets were
purchased and will circulate to the public.
** The Board approved the loan of Grant Wood's Appraisal and Victorian Survival to the Smithsonian
Museum's Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. from March - July 2006.
** The Iowa Library Association will be in Dubuque October 19-21 at the Grand River Center with a
mininimum of 600 librarians are expected to attend.
** A list of 16 items requested for funding was presented in priority order to the Foundation totaling
around $240,000. This list will be used by the Foundation as part of their annual fund raising drive.
Alan Avery, Board President
Susan Henricks, Director
Sue Lindsay, Vice President
Kristen Smith, Board Secretary
Diann Guns
Beverly Kolz
Michael Shubatt