Minutes_Library Board of Trustees 1 23 14Carnegie -Stout Public Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes of January 23, 2014
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, January 23, 2014.
Present: President Mike Willis; Board Secretary Frederick Miller; Trustee
John Anderson -Bricker; Trustee Daniel Boice; Trustee Diann
Guns (entered at 4:09 p.m.); Library Director Susan Henricks;
Recorder Denette Kellogg
Excused: Vice President Jenny Weiss and Trustee Paula Connors
1. President Mike Willis called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m. and the agenda
was adopted.
"Moved to adopt the meeting agenda of Thursday, January 23,
2014."
Motion: Anderson -Bricker
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye — 4; Nay — 0
Guns entered the meeting at 4:09 p.m.
2. Approval of Library Board of Trustees' Minutes of Thursday, December 19, 2013.
"Moved to approve the Board minutes of Thursday, December 19,
2013."
Motion: Miller
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
3. Board President's Report:
A. Communication with Dubuque City Council for December 2013.
"Moved to receive and file the Communication with the Dubuque
City Council from Thursday, December 19, 2013."
Motion: Anderson -Bricker
Second: Boice
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 on the following topics to the Library Board with
additional comments:
Henricks updated the Board on some new off-site programs to be
offered by Library volunteers to help raise the awareness of the
Library. The first program "While You Wait" is a Library business
partnership program that brings books to local businesses and
organizations that have waiting rooms. The second program delivers
library materials to homebound patrons, similar to the Library's
"Extension" program that delivers materials to local nursing homes.
This program is still in the planning stages.
Henricks reported on the two recent leaks in the Staff Lounge resulting
from a failure of a heating coil and controller. Total Maintenance, Inc.
(TMI), the Library's Heating Ventilation and Air -Conditioning vendor,
has fixed the Teaks, and after some further investigation has made
changes to the programming of the system in an effort to prevent this
from happening again.
Henricks reported on moving forward with the ultraviolet protection
(UV) on the Library windows project that is coming up short of needed
funds. The project, covering 139 windows and with a project cost of
$33,600, would allow for library materials to begin to be protected
from the damaging UV rays. Henricks recommended that the Maher
Trust funds (unrestricted funds) be used to fund the balance of the
project,just over $12,488. The Board concurred with this
recommendation and requested Henricks move forward with the
project.
Henricks provided an update on the Library's Integrated Library
System (ILS) project. Two vendors are allowing hands-on experience
with the new systems, this will allow for staff feedback. The Board
encouraged moving forward with this Capital Improvement Project
(CIP) as soon as possible to ensure the budget funds remain available.
1) Library Financial Report Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) — Henricks
reported that 50 percent of the fiscal year has lapsed with
expenditures at 51 percent and revenue collected at 66 percent of
projections.
Revenue for the City has decreased in the current fiscal year. This
may impact the library's budget.
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2) Library Use Statistics — Henricks reported that Library check outs
were down four percent compared year-to-date. Circulations to
Dubuque residents increased 3.3 percent compared to Fiscal Year
2013 (FY13)-to-date and Open Access (OA) transactions were
down 1.6 percent compared to the previous year. Visits have
decreased one percent and new library card registrations were
down 3 percent compared to year-to-date FY13.
The circulation of e -Books has increased 26 percent compared to
FY13. The use of databases shows seven with increased use and
six with decreased use. With the exception of Heritage Quest,
the increases were larger than the decreases seen.
3) Library Services Advisory Committee (LSAC) Update — Henricks
reported that there was no meeting in January due to time
constraints caused by the budget process for the interim director
of the County Library. Jeff Goldsmith, Chair of the LSAC, has
requested a meeting in February. Henricks met with the
Dyersville and Cascade library directors and discussed
partnerships that they have had with the county system in the
past as well as other opportunities that have been presented
more recently to the county library.
4) Open Access Update — Henricks provided updated statistical
reports of open access usage by the Dubuque County Library.
An increase in state funding in support of this program was
received, which along with new policies implemented that restrict
reserving materials made a significant difference in our bottom-
line cost of providing service to Dubuque County residents.
Overall, 51 percent of all circulations to Dubuque County
residents are from the three other public libraries in Dubuque
County, and 45 percent are from Carnegie -Stout. The Board
discussed the need for this State Library program to be reviewed
to better address the problems with the program. Discussion was
also held on the need for the State Library to review the public
libraries accreditation program.
5) Foundation Update — Henricks reported that the Foundation met
on January 16 and they will begin developing a long-range plan
with goals and objectives in the coming months. Funding
requests in support of library programs were submitted for the
following:
• Storybook Walk $500
• Fingerplay Rhyme Book $2,866
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• Portable Digital Media Lab Equipment $5,250
• Vending Machine Library Collection Boost - $8,000 for the
lease of multiple copies of fiction and non-fiction books
The Foundation will make a decision on the funding requests in
the near future.
6) Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) Grant Requests — Henricks
reported that grant ideas have been presented to the Library
Foundation and the Friends of the Library. The Friends will not
meet again until February and they will decide on which project
they would like to support at that time. The proposals are:
• Hoopla — Digital movies, music, and audiobooks (our focus
would be on movies)
• Introduction of iPads in the library for in-house use
• Portable digital media lab equipment — specifically a 3-D
printer and laser cutters
The library's management team has met and discussed the
circulation of iPads in greater detail following last month's board
meeting and it was agreed that the iPads would be for in -library
use. The team agreed that an iPad is a more stable format for
e -Books, easier to use, provides a wider range of reading
conditions, and was more accessible for disabled people than the
current e -Readers.
In-house use of iPads would not take the place of our current
computer offerings, rather this equipment will enhance what we
provide.
7) City Ordinance Revisions — Henricks reported that city ordinances
are currently under revision so that wording is more similar.
Henricks has submitted the Library's comments and suggestions.
B. Library Comment Cards - The Library Board reviewed the one
comment card received.
"Moved to receive and file the informational update from the
Library Director including the Library Financial Report, Library Use
Statistics, Library Services Advisory Commission Update, Open Access
Update, Foundation Update, Dubuque Racing Association Grant
Requests, Dubuque City Ordinance Revisions, and the Library
Comment Card."
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Motion: Boice
Second: Anderson -Bricker
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay— 0
5. Action Items — Review of Library Hours: Henricks reported on the review of
Library service open hours that was prompted by the decrease in visits to the
library this past summer and the likelihood of a perception of safety possibly
influencing travel to the Library. A full cost -analysis was given to the board
during a two-week period of time in the summer, and again in early December
when darkness comes much earlier. Henricks noted visits between 8:00 p.m.
and 9:00 p.m. were slower than any other service hour of the day, with
Thursday evenings slower both in summer and winter. Henricks suggested that
continued review take place along with another analysis done in the spring
before recommending any changes to open hours. The Board reviewed and
discussed the information provided and concurred with Henricks'
recommendation to conduct another analysis in the spring for further review.
6. Communications/Public Comment — Anderson -Bricker reported on problems
when trying to use the demagnetizing feature of the self -check machines for
items checked out. He noted that the help video that shows patrons how to use
the self -check and demagnetize their items is inaccurate. When he takes his
items to the Librarian for assistance they demagnetize the items differently than
in the video. Henricks reported she will investigate this problem and get it
remedied as soon as possible.
7. Library Board Adjournment - The Board adjourned at 5:29 p.m.
"Motion to adjourn."
Motion: Guns
Second: Boice
Vote: Aye — 5; Nay — 0
Frederick K. Miller, Board Secretary
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