Report_Library Board of Trustees 12 17 15 Carnegie-Stout Public Library
Library Board of Trustees Update
From theMeeting ofDecember 17, 2015
Present: Vice-President, Patty Poggemiller; Angela Allred, Secretary; Paula
Connors, Pat Maddux, and Jon Trotter
Excused: Jenny Weiss, President; Mike Willis
• November saw 42% of the fiscal year lapse. Approximately 41 % of the
budget was expended and revenue collected is at 49% of projections.
• Checkouts show a 3% decrease compared to November of last year. This
decrease can be attributed to materials cataloged as adult. Circulation to
Open Access patrons is down 7% and 2% to Dubuque card holders
• The Library Foundation pledged $45,000 to fund the library's maker space
(a digital media lab) project at their meeting on December 10. This
generous gift represents 28% of the total cost of the project and a
significant investment in the library's future. This, with the pledge from the
Friends of the Library, has secured 31 % of the cost. The Foundation also
agreed to support a grant to the DRA in early 2016 that will be written for
the furniture in the space. Henricks is pursuing grants to fund as much of
the balance as possible.
• Work on removing barriers associated with parking continues and this
week the parking meters around the library that were previously one or
two-hour meters have been upgraded to four-hour meters.
• Library staff members have been actively involved in the creation of a plan
of service, which is intended to support the strategic plan and provide for
specific goals and objectives to meet in their daily work. The Planning
Committee will meet in the beginning of January to review this proposal
and it will be included in the January board packets for discussion and
approval.
• Changing Lives Through Literature is a community-based alternative
sentencing program for offenders of all ages. It can be jail diversion or a
condition of probation. People in this program attend a 10-week session
at the library and participate in book discussions as well as write in a
journal to reflect their personal thoughts and on what they are reading.
Books selected cover themes that offenders often face — racism, poverty,
breakdown of family and community bonds, friendship, loyalty, and
consequences. A judge and university professor started this program as
an experiment in MA in 1991 . It was so successful that the state of MA
began funding it and the program has spread to other states. The
program boasts a 20% recidivism rate. Funding may now be available for
us to try this program in Dubuque, which would begin with mid-risk teens.
The City Manager requested an improvement package be written to
support the program.
• The Board approved three policies: social media; bulletin board, leaflet
and exhibits; and unattended children. The polices were reviewed and
approved with no changes.
• The Board approved the loan of the Grant Wood painting Appraisal next
year for exhibit at the Brandywine museum in PA and the High Museum in
GA
• The Board approved attendance for the library director to attend the PLA
conference in April using funds from the general gift trust.
• The Board approved an expenditure of $50,000 for marketing and
promotion for 2016 from the Maher Trust fund.
• The Board approved moving forward with a marketing campaign after
reviewing the recommendations for evaluation of the initiative.
• We will work with the City Attorney on an opinion regarding Board
authority to manage the library's budget, which has been challenged by
the City Manager. The Board understands its authority stems from the
Iowa Code and it will be important for us to reach agreement on this prior
to the budget process going forward.
Library Board of Trustees
Patty Poggemiller, Vice-President
Jenny Weiss, Board President Susan Henricks, Director
Angela Allred, Board Secretary
Paula Connors
Pat Maddux
Jon Trotter
Mike Willis