Minutes_Library Board of Trustees 10 24 13Carnegie -Stout Public Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes of October 24, 2013
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, October 24, 2013.
Present: President Mike Willis; Vice President Jenny Weiss (entered at
4:06 p.m.); Board Secretary Frederick Miller; Trustee John
Anderson - Bricker; Trustee Daniel Boice; Trustee Paula Connors;
Library Director Susan Henricks; Recorder Denette Kellogg, and
Secretary Jennifer Long
Excused: Trustee Diann Guns
1. President Mike Willis called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. and the agenda
was adopted.
"Moved to adopt the meeting agenda of Thursday, October 24,
2013."
Motion: Boice
Second: Connors
Vote: Aye -5, Nay -0
2. Approval of Library Board of Trustees' Minutes of Thursday, September 26, 2013.
"Moved to approve the Board minutes of Thursday, September 26,
2013 with the change to page 2, Section 4. A. 1) third paragraph to report
the date of October 24, 2013, instead of October 28, 2013."
Motion: Connors
Second: Anderson- Bricker
Vote: Aye - 5; Nay — 0
3. Board President's Report:
A. Communication with Dubuque City Council for September 2013.
"Moved to receive and file the Communication with the Dubuque
City Council from Thursday, September 26, 2013."
Motion: Anderson- Bricker
Second: Connors
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
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Weiss entered the meeting at 4:06 p.m.
4. Motion to Receive and File Informational Items:
A. Library Director's Report Summary and Update: Henricks provided a
written summary on the following topics to the Library Board with
additional comments:
1) Library Financial Report Fiscal Year (FY14) — Henricks reported
that the first quarter of FY14 has lapsed with expenditures at 24
percent and revenue at 27 percent of projections.
2) Library Use Statistics — Henricks reported that Library check outs
were down 4 percent; however, items checked out to Dubuque
residents increased 4.8 percent year -to -date. There has been a
decrease in the items being circulated to Open Access patrons
due to the restrictions on borrowing. Five of the online databases
showed very strong increase in use for the first quarter. Once the
"Leek the Library" campaign ends, Henricks stated she would
look into marketing online resources to increase use of all
databases.
3) Personnel — Henricks reported that the City Manager approved a
recommended staffing reorganization. Deb Stephenson is now
the Technical Services Supervisor, Bill Carroll is the Circulation
Supervisor, Brian Jones is a full -time IT Assistant and the library
is advertising for a half -time library assistant in Circulation and a
library clerk for Technical Services. Henricks also announced that
after 41 years of service, Maintenance Supervisor John Young has
decided to retire. Henricks stated she would like to promote
Dave March to the supervisory position since he has been with
the Library for five years, is intimately familiar with the heating
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) issues and other
remaining renovation issues, and has technology skills to bring to
this position. Henricks noted that Katelyn Wolff, a library
assistant in the Circulation Department, has submitted her
resignation, so a second library assistant will be needed in that
department.
The Board requested that John Young's 40 years of service be
recognized by a recognition plaque and a photograph of
Carnegie -Stout Public Library at night.
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4) Library Services Advisory Committee (LASC) Update — Henricks
reported that the focus groups have concluded and about 60
people attended. The presence of participants at the library
location were the lowest, and facilitator Molly Menster pointed out
that most often people will not attend a focus group unless they
have concerns, criticisms, or issues with the organization hosting
the sessions. After reviewing the notes from each focus group
Henricks identified three themes:
a. Focus group attendees are not as satisfied with the
county library system as they are with the city libraries
and mentioned facilities, programs, and collection as their
reasons.
b. A strong message was delivered for equal services
throughout the entire county.
c. Although it is evident that the participants tried to
brainstorm ways in which equality can be achieved, the
ideas are not strong enough to support what it will require
in resources to make it happen.
Willis asked what the next steps are now that this data has been
received from the focus groups. Henricks responded that a
meeting will be called to discuss the information among the
members of the LASC and determine how to proceed.
5) Strategic Plan Update — Henricks reported that the Planning
Committee met and discussed three specific service responses:
Stimulate the Imagination (providing popular materials and
supporting popular topics), Create Young Readers (early literacy
emphasis), and Satisfy Curiosity (lifelong learning). Three
underserved populations identified by the committee are
Hispanics, west side residents, and the younger adult population
that often quit using the library once they begin driving until they
have their own children.
Library staff members brainstormed ideas for delivering these
three service responses during Staff Development Day with a
focus on outreach to these populations and these results were
sent to the Planning Committee. After reviewing these, the
Planning Committee will make a recommendation to the Board.
6) Grants — Henricks reported that the local John Deere Works
awarded a grant for a "Story Book Walk ", which will take place in
the spring of 2014. The Library received permission from popular
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children's author Mo Willems to reproduce two of his picture
books and texts on individual large posters that will be mounted
into the ground with wooden landscape stakes. Parents can stop
to read the books as they stroll through the Arboretum and a
downtown park.
Henricks also informed the Board that Best Buy awarded the
library a grant to be applied to the Maker Space Project.
B. Library Comment Cards - The Library Board reviewed the comment
card received and concurred with the response.
"Moved to receive and file the informational update from the
Library Director on the Library Financial Report, Library Use Statistics,
Personnel, Library Services Advisory Commission Update, Strategic
Plan Update, and the Library Comment Card,"
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson- Bricker
Vote: Aye -6; Nay -0
5. Action Items:
A. Request for Loan of Library Owned Artwork, "Appraisal" by Grant
Wood — Henricks presented the board with a request from the
Cincinnati Art Museum to use the Grant Wood "Appraisal" for an
exhibition to run from August 30 to November 16, 2014. Connors
asked if a recommendation had been received from the Dubuque
Museum of Art on this loan and Henricks responded that they
recommended the loan. Willis requested that the library receive
photos of the installation and any printed material that the Cincinnati
Art Museum hands out for the show.
"Moved to accept the Cincinnati Art Museums request for the loan
of the library owned artwork "Appraisal" by Grant Wood."
Motion: Connors
Second: Miller
Vote: Aye -6; Nay -0
B. FY15 Budget — Henricks provided the board with a list of capital
improvement projects to be presented at the FY15 Budget Hearing.
Willis questioned the need for the website refresher, and Henricks
responded that the City is currently refreshing their site and it has
been several years since the library's website was designed. The
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board discussed the various items on the list and asked Henricks to
evaluate the circulation of video games further before including it in
the improvement packages.
"Moved to approve the FY15 budget with the point about
circulating video games to be further evaluated by the director and
after evaluation she will determine whether to include it"
Motion: Connors
Second: Weiss
Vote: Aye -6; Nay -0
6. Library Board Adjournment - The Board adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
"Motion to adjourn."
Motion: Weiss
Second: Anderson - Bricker
Vote: Aye — 6; Nay — 0
Frederick K. Mil er, Boar Secretary
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