Minutes_Library Board of Trustees 7 25 13Carnegie -Stout Public Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes of July 25, 2013
0000,\.,
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, July 25, 2013.
Present: President Paula Connors; Board Secretary Frederick Miller;
Trustee John Anderson - Bricker; Trustee Daniel Boice; Trustee
Jenny Weiss; Library Director Susan Henricks; Recorder Denette
Kellogg, and Secretary Jennifer Long
Excused: Trustee Diann Guns and Vice President Mike Willis
1. President Paula Connors called the meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. and the
agenda was adopted.
"Moved to adopt the meeting agenda of Thursday, July 25, 2013."
Motion: Anderson - Bricker
Second: Weiss
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
2. Approval of Library Board of Trustees' Minutes of Thursday, June 27, 2013.
"Moved to approve the Board minutes of Thursday, June 27, 2013."
Motion: Boice
Second: Anderson- Bricker
Vote: Aye - 5; Nay — 0
3. Board President's Report:
A. Communication with Dubuque City Council for June 2013.
"Moved to receive and file the Communication with the Dubuque
City Council from Thursday, June 2013."
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson - Bricker
Vote; Aye — 5; Nay — 0
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4. Motion to Receive and File Informational Items:
A. Library Director's Report Summary and Update: Henricks provided a
written summary of the following items to the Library Board with
additional comments:
1) Library Financial Report Fiscal Year (FY 13) — Henricks reported
that June 30 closed FY 2013, with expenditures at 99 percent and
revenue at 123 percent of projections. During July carry overs
will be requested for unfinished Capital Improvement Projects
(CIPs) and for the continuing education and travel /conference
lines to pay expenses for the American Library Association
conference which started in FY 13 and ended in FY 14. Miller
asked Henricks why the revenue was higher than expected.
Henricks responded that the increase is due to more fines and
fees being collected than anticipated and an increase in the
revenue from meeting room usage, which was up 22 percent.
Henricks also stated that more State funds were received for
Open Access.
2) Library Use Statistics — Henricks reported that the month of June
reflected a sharp decrease in business. Henricks identified the
following factors as contributors to the decrease: a predicted
decrease in business after the dramatic increase post- renovation,
economy rebounding, lack of awareness of what the library
offers, lack of digital material availability, and perception of
crime /safety in downtown Dubuque. However, when comparing
the end of FY 13 to the end of the last year pre- renovation, a 25
percent increase in use remains. The Board discussed the
suggested reasons for the decrease in Library use. Weiss noted
her support and need for a west -end branch to provide Library
services. Henricks stated that ideas to overcome these
challenges include marketing and outreach which will be
discussed during the upcoming strategic planning sessions.
3) Facility Update — Henricks reported that Lange Sign Group has
been contacted and will work with the City's Planning Department
regarding the replacement of the Library's exterior signs with the
new design. The Building Service Department of the City
provided the funding so that handrails can be installed on the
stairs leading down on the east side of the historic entrance and
the project should be completed within a few weeks.
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4) Marketing Update — Henricks reported that the Geek the Library
campaign will launch on August 1, 2013, and will run for six
months. Weiss noted that the Saturday morning Farmer's Market
in the summers draws a large number of people, many of which
may not come downtown except at that time, and suggested the
Geek the Library campaign utilize this to draw people to the
Library. Anderson - Bricker noted that the 18 -35 age group is
lacking in the marketing plan in reference to programs, as most
of the programs seem targeted to families. Anderson - Bricker
noted that this age group generally seeks free or low cost
programs that the Library could provide. Henricks stated that she
would discuss programs targeting this age group with the Adult
Services Department.
5) Personnel Update — Henricks reported that Andrea Tschiggfrie has
joined the Circulation Department and the department is now
fully staffed. Henricks also reported that the American Library
Association conference was very popular with library staff
members who attended and presented the Board with a summary
of employees' experiences.
6) Library Services Advisory Committee Update — Henricks reported
that the Committee met on July 12, 2013. The group discussed
the proposed focus group and online /paper survey questions.
The group is scheduled to meet again on August 6, 2013, and will
discuss the focus groups, half of which will be open to the public
and half of which will be invited by the libraries. Each library will
nominate several community members as candidates to invite to
one of eight focus groups. Survey Monkey will manage the online
survey with each library director responsible for entering any hard
copy surveys that are collected online.
7) Library Art Subcommittee Update — Henricks reported that the
subcommittee met on July 15 and discussed the recent donation
of artwork, deaccession of some artwork, and the request for loan
of the Library owned artwork, the Appraisal.
8) Library Accreditation — Henricks reported that the Library received
accreditation from the State, which is valid until June 30, 2016.
B. Library Comment Cards - The Library Board reviewed the two
comment cards received. Henricks provided a verbal update about a
comment card received about the current Art @ Your Library® display
and a patron's comment about an artwork.
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"Moved to receive and file the informational update from the
Library Director on the Library Financial Report FY13, Library Use
Statistics, Facility Update, Marketing Update, Personnel Update, Library
Services Advisory Commission Update, Library Art Subcommittee
Update, Library Accreditation, and Library Comment Cards "
Motion: Weiss
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
5. Items for Action /Discussion:
A. Donation of Art Work — Henricks reported that the library recently
received a donation of books from the Allison family collection along
with five paintings. Four of the paintings were portraits by Joseph
Walter, and one was a landscape by an unidentified artist. The art
subcommittee reviewed the art works and recommended that the
paintings be offered to the Dubuque Museum of Art. The Board
discussed the cost of restoring the paintings and concurred with the
recommendation of the Art Subcommittee.
"Moved to approve the donation of the five pieces of art to the
Dubuque Museum of Art, and if they do not accept them, the pieces
will be offered to another non-profit organization."
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson - Bricker
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
B. Deaccession of Artwork — Henricks presented the recommendation
from the art subcommittee to deaccession two pieces of art, neither of
which are associated with the Lull Trust Fund or any particular piece of
art. The pieces are a marble pedestal that is cracked and has a hole
near the base and an antique picture frame that is around five feet tall
and very fragile.
"Moved to approve the recommendation of the Library Art
Subcommittee to deaccession the marble pedestal and antique picture
frame in accordance with City guidelines."
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson - Bricker
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
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C. Request for loan of Appraisal— Henricks informed the Board that the
Dubuque Museum of Art was asked to loan Grant Wood's Appraisal for
exhibit to the Panhandle - Plains Museum in Canyon, Texas. The Board
discussed the recommendations by the Dubuque Museum of Art and
the Art Subcommittee.
"Moved to send the Library's regrets to the Panhandle - Plains
Museum in Canyon, Texas and to deny their request for loan of the
Library owned artwork "Appraisal';'
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson - Bricker
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
D. Meeting Room Policy Review — Henricks presented the Board with a
revised Meeting Room Policy for their review. The revisions include
limiting the period of time in advance a meeting room can be reserved,
adding a fee if the reserving party does not cancel a room reservation,
and increasing the flat rate charged to government entities.
"Moved to approve the Meeting Room Policy as presented to the
Board."
Motion: Boice
Second: Weiss
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
6. Library Board Adjournment - The Board adjourned at 5:08 p.m.
"Motion to adjourn."
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson- Bricker
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
Frederick K. Miller, Board Secretary
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