MUSSER PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2007 – 4:30 P.M.
LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM
PRESENT:
Drake, Durham, Johnston, Koehrsen, Martin, Ward.
STAFF:
Chaudoin, Collins, Lucas, T.Schulte, Warschauer.
ABSENT:
Coffman, Lande, Nus.
M I N U T E S
I.
CALL TO ORDER:
President Johnston called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.
II.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Koehrsen moved to approve the agenda as printed.
Second by Durham. All ayes. Motion carried.
III.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Durham moved to approve the minutes of the
April 18, 2007 meeting as printed. Second by Drake. All ayes. Motion carried.
IV.
BILLS FOR PAYMENT:
Ward moved to approve payment of the bills dated
5/01/07 totaling $3,428.63, and those dated 5/15/07 totaling $5,697.65. Second by
Durham. All ayes. Motion carried. Trustees asked if money left over from the
current fiscal year could be earmarked for director search expenditures. Chaudoin
will ask the Finance Director.
V.
CITIZENS SPEAK:
No report.
VI.
COMMUNICATIONS:
A.
Staff Liaison
– T.Schulte reported on the new Java Client circulation
program currently being implemented. A new feature is the instant messaging
system called PALS Chat. A new set of problems are arising since our former 33-
library system merged with the enormous 199-library Prairie Area Library
System.
Betty Collins reported on changes to the children’s programming.
1)
She has increased Baby Lapsit (0-3 yrs) to three sessions per week for the
summer.
2)
The Summer Reading Program begins June 12 with a mystery theme
“Get a Clue at Your Library”. If the challenge of 17,000 books is met this year, a
huge “mystery box” will be opened.
3)
Through a grant from IPTV and the State
Library, Family Books Clubs are being implemented throughout Iowa to help
connect libraries with the Latino community. In cooperation with MCC and the
Y’s Latina women’s group, the monthly book club encourages reading aloud
more and watching TV less, and when watching TV, choosing public television
programming. The Family Book Clubs are done in Spanish, teaching parents how
to read to children, ask questions, and teach new words. The Library will get
media coverage from participating in this project.
B.
Director’s Report
-
1)
An HNI challenge grant was received to help keep
our Hispanic Librarian until the middle of December.
2)
The Library Fund in the
Community Foundation is now up to $160.33.
3)
Big Brothers/Big Sisters
thanked the library for helping to support the Teen Pregnancy Prevention with a
window display.
4)
Chaudoin and Warschauer cleaned out the director’s office,
clearing surfaces, sorting files, rearranging furniture and moving some file
cabinets out. A tour was given at the end of the meeting.
5)
New computers have
been installed for two staff with a third one coming soon. The new genealogy
computer has also been installed.
6)
The Library reverts to Summer Hours the
first weekend in June. Saturday hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we’ll be
closed on Sundays until after Labor Day.
7)
Home Delivery Coordinator Jenny
Howell gave birth to a baby boy on April 25. Volunteers Leon Carson, Brenda
Fikes, Pauline Curry and Mary Ann Britt are taking care of some of her clients
until she returns in early June.
8)
Today is the last day for applications for our
vacant position of Page/Clerk. We hope to have a full staff in a few weeks.
9)
KWPC radio held an on-air auction last Thursday which included bids on
Grossheim Photograph Gift Certificates. This show may continue and is a good
way for the library to get free advertising for its Grossheim collection.
10)
Postage rates raised this past Monday. As a comparison, the cost of interloaning a
single paperback book or CD last week was $1.51; but this week it is $2.02.
11)
Thursday evening Warschauer will be doing the last of four Speakers Bureau
presentations for the year. Chaudoin has one more presentation left of about ten
since August.
12)
The board approved a press release written by Warschauer
about Peter Press’ retirement. It will be sent out to all of southeast Iowa media
agencies and to the Southeast Iowa Library System libraries.
13)
Drake moved to
gift to Peter Press the MacIntosh laptop computer he used as library property.
Second by Durham. All ayes. Motion carried.
VII. COMMITTEES:
A.
Long Range Planning
– On June 13 and 14, from 1:00 to 3:00 each day,
the L R P Design Subcommittee will meet with the two architects about plans and
sketches. This will generate visuals to take to the public prior to the next step. A
stipend of $10,000 to Frye Builders will be paid from the Library Trust, and
$10,000 to HGA will be paid by the Art Center for these services. HGA has
requested another meeting on May 24 at the Art Center for clarification.
B.
Operations:
1.
Solicitation of Gifts Policy
(C41) – Working well. Marked
“Reviewed 5/16/07”.
2.
Internet Acceptable Use Policy
(C23) – Wording for an
additional paragraph explaining wireless policy was discussed. People
who use wireless know the risks. The wireless policy will be posted
around the library, and a copy of the complete policy kept at the Internet
Desk. Marked this policy “Reviewed and Amended 5/16/07”.
3.
Gifts & Memorials Policy
(C19) – Working well. Marked
“Reviewed 5/16/07”.
4.
Appointment of Nominating Committee
– Rather than table
discussion of this to the June meeting, Koehrsen moved that the current
officers remain in place for the next fiscal year. Second by Durham. All
ayes. Motion carried. The officers are: President – Eugene Johnston; Vice
President – Jerry Coffman; Secretary – Paula Durham.
VIII. OLD BUSINESS:
A.
New Director Discussion
- Durham was appointed chair of the Search
Committee. Others committee members are Koehrsen, Johnston, Martin,
Children’s Librarian Betty Collins, City Human Resources Manager Stephanie
Romagnoli, and Art Center Board Member David Meloy. Plans for organizing the
search are being made via email.
B.
Buffalo Prairie Contract Negotiations
– An Email was sent out to board
members concerning a Buffalo Prairie patron worried about losing library service
due to the increase in the contract amount. She wondered if the library would be
open for negotiation. Chaudoin sent her statistics showing the township’s level of
library usage and the current breadth of discrepancy. Trustees discussed the
possibility of a gradual payment plan to move in the direction of fulfilling the new
contract requirements.
IX. NEW BUSINESS:
A.
Request for usage of Grossheim photos in publication
– Tom Savage,
owner of Muscatine Books & More, is helping to write a book about the historic
downtown district, for which he is requesting the use of lots of photographs from
our Oscar Grossheim collection. Our policy normally requires a fee of $25 per
photo. Koehrsen moved to give permission to Mr. Savage to use Grossheim
photographs for the book, but ask that Musser Public Library be given: 1) photo
credit, 2) four copies of the book, and 3) a negotiated percentage of the sales to
come back to the library for the preservation of the archive. Second by Ward. All
Ayes. Motion carried.
B.
Echo discussion of Morter’s proposal
– At the last meeting it was
decided not to pursue the levy this year. Private donors will receive a letter
thanking them and explaining the reasons why the board didn’t go ahead with the
levy. Trustees did not want to ask for more funding. They expressed sadness to
see the Echo go, and there will probably be an outcry from the public. Publication
director Sam Morter has done a great job, and ending the Echo in no way reflects
on the quality of his work. In addition to the letter to donors, there will be an
editorial thank you citing the hope that the City will get out of its dire financial
situation in future years and be able to support the Echo in future. The June/July
2007 issue of Echo will be the last.
C.
Trustee residency requirement
– Durham has moved into the County.
Until a replacement is found she can remain on the board. Ward, the current
county representative, has two years remaining as a Library trustee. County
representation has always been limited to one person, based on the relative
percentage of county patrons to city patrons. With the increase in county
cardholders, it may be possible to allow two representatives on the board. Each
County Board of Supervisors. Ward and Durham will talk to the Mayor and
encourage him to discuss it with Supervisor Chair Kas Kelly.
D.
Research proposal for referendum
- A research company was emailed
regarding the proposal to interview likely voters before a special election for the
bond referendum. While research is an option, trustees agreed that obtaining the
architects’ ideas and then identifying the finance sources should come first.
X.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Paula Durham, Secretary
/iw