HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Ames Public Library Board of Trustees Minutes of the Regular Meeting 01/17/2013Ames Public Library Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes
January 17, 2013
The Ames Public Library (APL) Board of Trustees met in regular session on Thursday, January
17, 2013, in the City Council Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue, with Acker, Bradley, Campbell,
Meier, Rawlins, Schill, and Stow in attendance. Manus arrived at 7:06 p.m. and Budd was
excused. Interim Director Carey, Jacob Rawlins, and Roger Kluesner were also present.
Call to Order: Board President Stow called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Consent Agenda: Moved by Bradley, seconded by Acker, to adopt a resolution approving
the consent agenda:
1) Donations
a) From Ames Downtowners Group ...................................................................... $50.00
b) From Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation, Inc. for Library Renewal Project ....$15,000.00
2) Minutes of the regular meeting of November 15, 2012
3) Claims Report 11/1/2012 – 11/30/2012
4) Claims Report 12/1/2012 – 12/31/2012
Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted.
Public Forum: None.
Presentations:
ISU Grant Writing Partnership - Jacob Rawlins, graduate instructor in the Department of English
at Iowa State University, thanked the leadership and staff at the library for participating in a
grant writing partnership that began in the spring of 2012 and continued through the fall
semester with another instructor, Greg Wilson. Rawlins described the process that was followed
and how the students learned about the library, found funding organizations and projects that
would be suitable for the library, and prepared grant applications. Mary Logsdon and Lynne
Carey provided them with valuable feedback on their final, polished presentations, and the
Library will be able to hold on to the proposals until it is ready to submit them. The project gave
the students tangible experience writing and presenting real applications. An added bonus was
that the project gave the students an opportunity to connect with the Ames community.
Manus arrived at 7:06 p.m.
Interim Director Carey said that the Library had known about three or four of the nine granting
opportunities the students selected, but didn’t have the resources to pursue them; the students
discovered the others. She said that she was astounded by the quality of the projects and loved
how the students took ownership of both the project and the Library. She is looking forward to
continuing this collaboration with an upcoming on-line course.
Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Strategic Plan - Roger Kluesner, President of
the APLFF Board of Directors, presented that Board’s recently adopted Strategic Plan. He said
that its basis came from work that was initially done when the Friends of APL and the Ames
Public Library Foundation merged. At the time, the groups were interested in reducing
duplication of efforts, but wanted to continue all work that was being done to support the library
and its mission. Therefore, their work was distilled down into the four goals that now appear in
the Plan—raising funds, managing those funds, supporting the library through people and
donations, and engaging in promotion and advocacy. Kluesner said that a committee structure
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was created to support those goals; the committees are chaired by board members, but may
also bring in people from the community.
Kluesner spoke briefly about the capital campaign for the building project, saying he was
pleased to announce that the APLFF now has pledges and donations in excess of the $1 million
that the Trustees requested last year. He said that the capital campaign, sale of books, and
bake sales sponsored by the Teen Advisory Group had been major activities for much of the
last year, and now the fundraising committee is examining the APLFF’s procedures with respect
to endowments. He said the Board of Directors wants to keep alive the momentum that has built
up around the Library Renewal Project. That includes perpetuating the Board itself and making
sure the “renewed” library thrives and flourishes.
Trustee Meier said that she had seen the APLFF grow and take off in the last three years. Acker
agreed and remarked that the unification of the two boards resulted in dynamism and a more
professional, future-oriented organization. Carey complimented Kluesner for his passion,
commitment, and excellent leadership over the last several years.
Financial Reports: Trustee Meier stated that the expense reports showed expenditures for the
first half of the year. She said spending is right on target, but the budget adjustments discussed
in November have not yet been made and will probably not be reflected on these reports until
April. Meier explained some of the expenditures that had caught her attention, noting that the
move into the temporary locations altered the typical flow of activity in some areas.
Activity Reports:
Staff Report - Interim Director Carey provided information on happenings since the November
meeting:
• The Library was informed that it had not been awarded the challenge grant by the
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), but did receive a grant in the amount of
$15,000 from the Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation, Inc.
• The Library’s capital improvement plan (CIP) was presented to the City Council by
Carey on January 15. The Council was complimentary about the efforts made on the
building project and is pleased with its progress.
• The budget adjustments were discussed earlier in the day with the City Manager; he
was also pleased with the library’s proposals.
• The new self-check-out machines in the temporary building have not lived up to
expectations. Although the impact on customers has been kept to a minimum and they
seem to be pleased, there are many unresolved problems with the staff modules. Carey
said that Mark Harris spent many, many hours trying to resolve the issues and the
vendor has now acknowledged that the software provided APL was not ready for
installation. A technical support person is being sent to the library next week to install
the software that was demonstrated and he will stay until the library is 100% satisfied.
This is an important development, as this product will be carried forward into the new
building.
• Candidates for the Information Services Librarian position will be interviewed in the next
two weeks. Carey said staff was thrilled with caliber of the applicants and their
excitement about the possibility of living in Ames.
• Programming at the library is starting again. Staff has been experimenting with the use
of different locations in the library.
• A collaborative effort involving APL, Children’s Theater, and Iowa State Center, will
culminate January 18, 19, and 20 with the original work of local students being
presented on a professional stage at Fisher Theater. Stow added that the program,
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called Play on Words, began with the “Writers of the Oblong Table,” a summer program
at the library.
Ames Public Library Friends Foundation (APLFF) Report - Trustee Acker said that the Board of
Directors met the new Teen Librarian this month. They learned that the inviting and cozy
Literary Grounds area in the new facility has resulted in much higher in-library sales of donated
books. As Mr. Kluesner had mentioned, she said the board has been spending time on the
concept of the endowments and how they integrate with fundraising and operations, as well as
the creation of policies on funding the endowments, conflict of interest, and donors’ rights.
Library Building Project Update:
Relocation and Temporary Facilities – Carey said staff was thrilled with how the move went and
the board’s support for the approach that was chosen. Staff was overwhelmed by the support of
community members, city staff members from other departments, and library volunteers. Having
fresh volunteers arrive every shift helped library employees maintain a high level of energy.
Because the actual move got done early, employees were able to do a complete inventory of all
materials—something that had not been done in 15 or 20 years. They also took the opportunity
to make sure everything was in proper order on the shelves, so the collection was in the best
possible shape at the time the doors opened. Carey said the public was excited and staff is also
happy with the way the temporary library turned out. Carey gave kudos to Bo Duckett, whose
level of skill and expertise really allowed for the move to be a success.
Carey mentioned that the parking lot at Lincoln Center is very busy and no one could be found
to paint the crosswalk at this time of year. Duckett tried, but paint will not stick to asphalt when
the temperature is low. The City has provided a portable “yield to pedestrians in crosswalk” sign
and Trustee Acker suggested that the library consider using flags on sticks, as they do in
Washington, D.C. Carey said the library is working on a plan to incorporate them and allow kids
to get involved in their own safety. The re-painting and posting of signs at handicapped parking
stalls will be done as soon as it is practical.
Status of Construction and Construction Testing Contracts – Carey said that the construction
testing contract with Allender Butzke Engineers was approved by the City Council in December;
the materials in the packet were provided for the Trustees’ information.
The Samuels Group has started pulling sheetrock off to see the condition of the walls in the old
building and held a meeting earlier in the day to discuss a construction staging area. Carey said
the first load of materials has been delivered and the construction fence will go up next Monday.
A LEED kick-off meeting was also held earlier in the week and, at this point, it appears that the
entire project is still on track for a late summer 2014 grand opening.
Asbestos and Lead-based Paint Abatement Jobsite Progress - Carey said the contractors had
thought the asbestos abatement was done, so they cleaned up and went home, but today more
asbestos-containing mastic was discovered. Its removal will probably cost about $4000.
Change Order No. 1 with Terracon Consultants, Inc. - Stow said that the City Council approved
the additional expenditure of funds being requested with Change Order No. 1 in December
(because it will take the total cost of the contract over $50,000), but the Library Board, as the
body that awarded the original contract, also needs to approve the change order.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Bradley, to adopt a resolution approving Change
Order No. 1 to the contract for Asbestos and Lead-based Paint Abatement Services
for the Renovation and Expansion Project with Terracon Consultants, Inc., to allow
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for an additional 10 days of on-site work at a fee not to exceed $15,470.
Acker asked for information about the abatement completion date. Carey said the contractor
completed the work it was originally contracted to do by the deadline, but the scope needs to be
extended now that more asbestos has been discovered. The rest of the asbestos abatement
and the removal of lead-based paint will be done at a later date, under the coordination of the
general contractor.
Campbell asked if the Board could see a report on what materials were removed from the
building. Carey said she thought some information could be pulled together.
Vote on Resolution: 7-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted.
Project Cost Summary: Carey pointed out changes that had been made this month, including:
the cost of construction testing; estimates for furniture, fixtures, and equipment; asbestos
testing; and the inclusion of the Automated Materials Handling System (AMHS). She said the
decision to include the AMHS in the project, rather than with funds from local option sales tax,
was made after the bids came in so favorably and because the timing can be adjusted so that
the equipment can be in place when the building opens. Carey said the updated amount of cash
on hand shown on the summary includes $610,000 that the APLFF had transferred to the City
as of January 11, 2013; the money from the bequest funds; and grants from both the Roy J.
Carver Charitable Trust and the Kinney-Lindstrom Foundation, Inc.
Library Renovation Project Financial Report: Carey said that a new column showing the
Kinney-Lindstrom grant money will be included next month. The check was received by the
library at the end of December, but wasn’t processed by the Finance Department until January.
She said that as work progresses on the project and new cash flow projections are received, the
library will work to find meaningful purchases for which to use both grant funds.
New Business:
Review/approval of contract with Story County Libraries - Moved by Manus, seconded by
Schill, to adopt a resolution approving continuation of the Contract for Library
Service for Story County for Fiscal Year 2013/14 as presented.
The Board reviewed the contract, as required by paragraph 8, and determined that the stated
provisions were satisfactory.
Vote on Resolution: 7-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution declared adopted.
Extension of Interim Director’s Appointment – Stow said the Executive Committee had met with
Carey in December to discuss whether the Board should conduct a national search for a new
director or continue the current employment status. With all that has happened in the last six
months, Stow said they decided to extend Carey’s appointment until the end of the fiscal year.
The State of Iowa requires a city the size of Ames to employ someone with a Master of Library
Science (MLS) degree, and the committee members determined that they would like to support
her pursuit of the degree.
Moved by Campbell, seconded by Bradley, to adopt a resolution extending the
appointment of Lynne Carey as Interim Library Director through June 30, 2013, and
approving tuition assistance and work release for Ms. Carey to pursue educational
opportunities with the intent to meet the qualifications set by the State Library of Iowa
for appointment as Library Director.
Agenda Item 2
Meier asked about the time frame for compliance with the state regulations. Stow said that the
degree had to be obtained within two years of the date of appointment. Carey was directed to
ask the State Librarian to verify the details and to find out if any of her prior work would apply.
Meier said she would like to have the State Librarian’s response in writing, and added that it
was her understanding that it usually took three years to complete an MLS. Campbell agreed
that it would be an ambitious endeavor and that was recognized by authorizing work release for
that purpose. Carey expressed appreciation for the Trustees’ support and confidence in her.
Vote on Resolution: 7-0. Motion approved unanimously. Resolution adopted.
Appointment of Nominating Committee - Stow announced that Rawlins and Meier had agreed to
serve on the Nominating Committee and will recommend a new slate of officers next month.
Interim Director Evaluation Committee – Stow said that the Executive Committee had been
working with the Interim Director and the members would continue to serve in that capacity.
Trustee Comments:
Schill stated that he has heard good reports about the temporary location; it seems that people
were expecting much less than what has been provided.
Manus thanked Roger Kluesner for his presentation and attendance at the meeting. She also
thanked Bo Duckett and the rest of the library staff members for all their hard work on the move.
Meier said she feels the temporary location is very welcoming and it’s nice that Literary Grounds
is more visible.
Rawlins agreed.
Campbell thanked everyone for doing such a good job of anticipating needs; he also feels the
temporary location was very well done.
Bradley said that feedback she’s received from the community is that they find the new space
light, bright, clean, and well-organized. She expressed congratulations on receipt of the grant.
Acker said it was a pleasure to see how well planned the move was. She was also happy to see
people lined up at the door when the library reopened.
Stow noted that many communities would be happy to have a permanent library as nice as
Ames’ temporary one.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 8:20 p.m.
The next regular meeting will be on Thursday, February 21, 2013, at 7:00 p.m., in the City
Council Chambers, 515 Clark Avenue.
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Karen C. Thompson, Administrative Assistant Laura Rawlins, Secretary of the Board
Agenda Item 2