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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting 06/15/2017Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting June 15, 2017 The Ames Public Library (APL) Board of Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, June 15, 2017 in the Dale H. Ross Board Room, 515 Douglas Avenue, with Acker, Barchman, Kluesner, Linch, Marshall, and Rohret in attendance. Briese, Butler, and Glatz were excused. Library Director Carey was also present. Call to Order: Board President Acker called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Consent Agenda: Moved by Linch, seconded by Marshall, to adopt a resolution approving the following items on the consent agenda: 1) Resolution accepting donations: a) From Alan Maximuk for Inter-library Loan expenses .................................... $110.00 b) In honor of Herb Harmison from Ann Harvey .................................................. $15.00 c) In memory of Esther Harmison from Larry and Sara Mitchell ........................ $25.00 d) In memory of Karen Ann Wren from: i) Suzanne Ammerman ................................................................................. $100.00 ii) John and Donna Marjean Fawcett .............................................................. $60.00 2) Motion approving minutes of the regular meeting of May 18, 2017 3) Motion approving payment of claims 5/1/2017 – 5/31/2017 Vote on Motion: 5 -0 (Unanimous approval.) Resolution No. 2017-L020 adopted. Public Forum: None. Board Education: Maryann Mori, the State Library of Iowa’s Central District Consultant, addressed the Board on the topics of intellectual freedom, censorship and confidentiality. Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Report: Trustee Kluesner stated that the APLFF’ s 2017/18 budget was finalized this month, with projected revenue of a little over $150,000 and anticipated expenses just over $250,000. The Board is looking forward to moving APL from good to great with some reserves that are now built up. Kluesner noted that three Board members termed out in June and three new directors were voted in. Carey noted that Kluesner was one of the retiring directors; he served on the APLFF Board for 6 years and was instrumental in the merger that took place in 2011. Administrative Staff Report: Carey said staff is very busy with summer programming, wrapping up the 2016/17 budget year, and preparing to attend conferences. She said that Youth Services Manager Jerri Heid will represent the Library at the All American Cities Conference in Denver, where Ames is in the running for an All American Cities Award. Heid will also serve on a panel at a co-conference with Grade Level Reading. Sarah Bohlke will attend a national volunteer conference in Seattle next week and several people, including Trustee Barchman, will attend the American Library Association Conference in Chicago. Carey said the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Program began June 5. An AmeriCorps member, an APL intern, and some returning youth volunteers are running the site at the Library. Between 70 and 80 children were fed each day to start, but the number continues to grow and has exceeded 100. Carey said a grant from United Way allowed 2 APL to purchase coolers and a refrigerator so that unused food may be kept overnight. APL offers programming around the lunch hour and the teen volunteers initiate conversations to help teach the children how to sit and socialize over a meal. City officials and department heads have been invited to stop in and participate. Carey said Police Officer Nick Schaffer, the community school liaison, is helping serve lunches and talk with the kids; he also hangs out with them afterwards and plays video games. The lunch hour runs from 11:45 to 12:45 and adults who attend may purchase a lunch for $3.50 or bring their own. Carey said about two-thirds of the meals include meat sandwiches, the rest are vegetarian; participants must eat on site. The Library is now also providing mid-afternoon snacks. Carey spoke about the State Library’s electronic database contract for fiscal year 2017/18, about which there continues to be much uncertainty. APL’s “add-on” subscriptions with the current vendor (the enhanced version of Consumer Reports, for example, and the book jacket images and content rivers in the online catalog) depend on having the basic versions that were obtained through the current contract that will end June 30. Other enhanced content will come with the subscriptions the new vendor is providing, but staff has not had a chance to look at the products. Carey said some of the other Iowa Urban Public Libraries formed a small consortium of their own in order to approach the current vendor about extending under a separate contract. A decision is due tomorrow, but there is a budget consideration along with all the unknowns. APLFF Honor and Recognition Wall Policy: Moved by Barchman, seconded by Kluesner, to adopt a resolution accepting the terms of the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation’s Honor and Recognition Wall Policy. Discussion took place over a question about how long the Library will be responsible for maintaining the donor wall and what would happen if it were moved. Acker said that considerable leeway was allowed for procedural development and the committee had agreed to leave that matter for later discussion. The issue had not been addressed during the building campaign, and there was agreement to move ahead with the policy without it because some people were waiting to donate. Concerns were raised about how people might feel if they were to find out later that there might be an “expiration date” on their memorial. Donors have not raised the issue yet, however, and the committee felt it should be part of a larger discussion. Vote on Motion: 4-1 (Barchman, Kluesner, Marshall, Rohret voting in favor; Linch opposed). Motion carried. Resolution No. 2017-L021 adopted. Strategic Plan Annual Review: Carey said the State Library would like dates applied to the plan, so she placed the activities into appropriate calendar quarters after last month’s review. She said the plan is designed to flow and many pieces are interconnected, but she believes this approach will allow for shifting as necessary. She proposed that the quarterly schedule be appended to the plan in hopes that it will be satisfactory in the eyes of the State Library. She noted that, at some point, the Library may want to extend the plan into a future year, add new things, or possibly drop a few things off. Carey was asked if she felt there were a way to cross reference the list and apply it to the larger document or mark tasks off as completed, and if she believed in using SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused and time-bound) goals. Carey replied that the managers had conducted a SWOT Analysis (of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) as they worked to develop the plan, but pre-assigning measures and a specific timeline did not seem the best way to carry it out. 3 Moved by Linch, seconded by Barchman, to affirm that the Board has reviewed the 2016-2018 Strategic Plan, finds that the content of the plan is still working, and endorses moving ahead with the quarterly schedule of activities that was presented. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion carried unanimously. Trustee Comments: None. Adjournment: Moved by Kluesner, seconded by Marshall, to adjourn at 8:25 p.m. Vote on Motion: 5-0. Approved unanimously. The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, July 20, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the Dale H. Ross Board Room, Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue.