Minutes Library Board 5 24 07Carnegie-Stout Public Library
Library Board of Trustees Update
From the Meeting of
Mav 24, 2007
Present: Michael Shubatt (chaired the meeting); Sue Lindsay, Vice President; Kristen
Smith, Secretary; Diann Guns, Becky Hauder and Beverly Kolz
Excused: President Alan Avery
• April marked the passage of 83 percent of the fiscal year and 81 percent of the
budget has been expended. Revenue is ahead with approximately 99 percent of
the projected income already collected.
• Total circulation is up 3 percent and is attributed to Dubuque residents although
Open Access (users from other libraries/reciprocal borrowers) did increase
slightly this month for the first time this fiscal year. Again, the increases are in
the area of the DVD circulations. Reference service continues to decrease with an
11 percent drop over this time last year. This is not unexpected as more library
users access information online. Recall last month's quarterly report on library
databases. Use of these databases has increased with a low of a 61 percent
increase, and a high of 143 percent increase. Librarians' role in information will
continue to move toward information literacy (teaching users to become savvy
consumers of information) as their role in answering reference questions
decreases.
• Visits to the Library have increased 6 percent compared to April of last year and
the average number of weekly visitors is 54,435.
• The Board heard from three citizens who requested that the program on the
history of tarot cards and the symbolism of the cards be canceled for religious
reasons. These citizens felt that because some people who use tarot cards follow
the Wiccan religion that such a program would be inappropriate for the Library.
The Board determined that the program would be held because it is not going to
have anything to do with religion. No comments will be made about religions
using tarot cards, and no information or opinions on any kind of religion will be
presented during this session which is planned strictly for entertainment.
Cancellation of this program would set a dangerous precedent. The Library
represents many different points of view and presents a very diverse collection to
the community some of which could be considered controversial. Requests to
cancel other programs, or withdraw material, can easily follow.
• Resident Campaign Manager, Maynard Phillips provided an update on the capital
campaign. The Campaign Cabinet is fully established and the members are:
Jim Normandin, Campaign Chair; Tim Conlon, Kim David, Donnelle Fuerste,
Patrick Niemer, Bob Peacock, Paul Peckosh, Brian Southwood, Nancy Van
Milligen and advisors to the cabinet are Laura Chandlee and Charlie Glab.
Division chairs will be appointed soon. Donna Bauerly, C-SPL Foundation
President will head the division for Foundations and will begin work by soliciting
donations from the Library Foundation before moving on to explore grant
opportunities from other foundations locally. One hundred percent of the
Library Board of Trustees has committed to this renovation financially with a
total gift of $63,125.00
• Henricks reported receiving a favorable response from the Roy J. Carver
Charitable Trust who has extended the deadline in order that we can submit a
grant that will be decided upon in July of this year. She' 11 begin work on this
grant immediately. Also, the Iowa Great Places grant is being resubmitted to
include additional information. The Library is applying for a grant of $250,000.
A decision on this will be made by the end of June.
• The Board reviewed a proposal to extend the loan period of two Grant Wood
paintings to the Museum of Art for 10 years. The current loan arrangement does
not have a term and either party can break the agreement with sixty days notice.
The new proposal requires a change in language to clarify conditions of a recall
should one become necessary. This will be reviewed at the next board meeting.
• Anders Dahlgren of Library Planning Services met with the Board to discuss west
side library service. Dahlgren is a building consultant and is evaluating west side
service as part of the Envision 2010 idea. He asked Board members for their
vision of what west side service might look like. After this meeting he was
meeting with members of the Asbury Library Committee for their ideas. He will
be evaluating information collected from this visit and have one more on-site visit
before submitting his final report. His consulting was made possible by a grant
from the State Library of Iowa.
• Youth Services Manager Jean Gullikson has resigned her position at the Library
to pursue other opportunities. Ann Straley has returned to the Library as the
interim Youth Services Manager until the recruitment process has completed and
anew manager hired.
Library Board of Trustees
Alan Avery, Board President Susan Henricks, Director
Sue Lindsay, Vice President
Kristen Smith, Board Secretary
Diann Guns
Becky Hauder
Beverly Kolz
Michael Shubatt