Musser Public Library
    Board of Trustees Meeting
    Wednesday, October 20, 2010
    Library Conference Room
    Present
    – Knoernschild, Lande, Nus, Olson, Rodriguez, Stelzner, Wojtecki
    Absent
    – Durham, Koehrsen
    Staff
    – Anderson, Collins, Woods
    Friends Rep
    – Gabbard
    Guest
    – Kristin McHugh Johnston from Muscatine History and Industry Museum
    Call to Order
    – President Stelzner called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m.
    Approve Agenda
    – Knoernschild moved to approve the agenda as amended to move Old
    Business item concerning the Grossheim prints to the beginning of the agenda. Second by Nus.
    All ayes. Motion carried.
    Approve Minutes
    – Nus moved to approve the minutes from Sept. 15, 2010 as written. Second
    by Olson. All ayes. Motion carried.
    Bills for Payment
    – Knoernschild moved to ratify payment of the bills listed below. Second by
    Rodriguez. All ayes. Motion carried.
    9-17-10……..$198.00 – Special Bill – YA Literature Conference
    10-4-10……..$500.00 – Special Bill – Scott Norman Pumpkin Carving Programs
    10-7-10……$9,119.65
    10-22-10…$13,660.18
    Staff Liaison
    – Woods reported that the leased books are moving well. More and more people
    are using the self-check machine, and security guard Ralph Strong has made it a point to help
    patrons when needed. Staff member Cindy Eggenburg will be off work for 8 weeks recovering
    from knee replacement surgery. Former staff member Katy Doherty will be filling in during this
    time.
    Friends Report
    – Gabbard reported that the Friends have sent a renewal letter out to their
    members and quite a few have sent in their checks. President JoAnn Carlson has compiled a
    database of members’ addresses. The Friends will have a booth at the Senior Health Fair on
    Oct. 21. Two checks totaling $5,500.00 were received from the estate of Louis Eisner.
    Director’s Report
    – Collins turned in her written report and added the following:
    The library has received a check in the amount of $40,052.65 from the sale of the IRA
    bequeathed to us by Louis Eisner. This money was deposited into the Trust. Nus will try to get
    the address of a surviving son-in-law so that we can send a thank you note.
    Upcoming programs are: Encore - “The Golden Age of Radio”, “Candle Lit” - The story of Mary
    Shelley and the writing of her book Frankenstein
    presented for several classes of middle school
    students, and Voices & Visions - “Hispanics in Muscatine Agriculture” in October and “World War
    II Homefront” in November. Local authors will be featured during the Holiday Open House on
    Nov. 14.
    Old Business
    Autograph Collection
    – Collins recommended that the collection be sold through an auction
    house, with the exception of the Buffalo Bill autograph which would be given to the Buffalo Bill
    Museum in LeClaire IA. The funds from the sale would go into the Trust and would be earmarked
    for needs of the Grossheim Collection or Special Collections. Several auction houses have
    expressed an interest in selling the collection, and each one would sell the autographs
    individually rather than as a group.
    Wojtecki moved to donate the Buffalo Bill autograph to the Buffalo Bill Museum in LeClaire IA.
    Second by Knoernschild. All ayes. Motion carried.
    Wojtecki moved to select an auction house and give them the authority to sell the collection for at
    least 80% of the appraised value, with the proceeds designated to go into the Trust. Second by
    Lande. All ayes. Motion carried.
    Releasing Grossheim Prints to the Public
    – Collins recommended that a few selected images
    be released each year to River’s Edge Gallery to be printed and packaged for sale, with 25-33 %
    of the selling price paid to the Library. No discounts in pricing would be allowed. The prints
    would be sold by River’s Edge and at the History and Industry Museum.
    Nus moved to release up to six general Grossheim images and three button industry Grossheim
    images per year, as selected by the Library Director. Second by Olson. All ayes. Motion carried.
    Quad Link
    – Collins updated the board regarding the ongoing discussion between members of
    the former Quad Link Consortium as to the feasibility and value of breaking away from PALS.
    Presentations to the QL group by three system vendors indicate that, cost-wise, leaving PALS
    seems to make sense. However, at this time there are many unanswered questions and
    unknown ramifications involved with forming a new consortium. What is
    known is that the State
    of Illinois is in financial trouble and things will probably get worse before they get better. Funding
    for PALS is behind schedule and could be cut more in the future.
    New Business
    Dissolve PALS and Create PrairieCat as a Separate Legal Entity
    - The Iowa Illinois
    Intergovernmental Agreement is needed to protect the assets of PrairieCat and allow it to legally
    function. PrairieCat currently provides our catalog. With the dissolution of PALS, PrairieCat will
    also take over the consortium and the delivery service which are both currently funded by the
    State of Illinois.
    Wojtecki moved to sign the resolution providing for the dissolution of PALSGROUP and the
    termination of the agreement between PALSGROUP members and the Prairie Area Library
    System for an automated library system. Second by Lande. All ayes. Motion carried.
    Wojtecki moved to sign the resolution providing for the execution of an Intergovernmental
    Agreement establishing PrairieCat and authorizing membership in PrairieCat. Second by Olson.
    All ayes. Motion carried.
    The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 p.m. The next meeting of the Library Board of Trustees will
    be Wednesday, November 17 at 4:30 p.m.
    Respectfully submitted,
    Bev Knoernschild
    Secretary
    /ta

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