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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-18-18 BPL Minutes FinalBozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Bozeman Public Library—Board Room Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 Minutes Attendance Vice Chair John Gallagher; Trustees Ken Spencer, Kelly Dowdell; Bozeman Public Library (BPL) Director Susan Gregory; BPL Department Heads Kit Stephenson, Jason Greenwald, Mary Jo Stanislao, Lois Dissly; Administrative Assistant Lauranna Cossins; City Commissioner Terry Cunningham; BPL Foundation Director Janay Johnson; Friends of the Library Vice President Bruce McLeod, Friends of the Library board member Priscilla Dolan. Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Gallagher at 4:00pm. Approval of the Minutes Trustee Spencer moved to approve the minutes from the June 20th, 2018 meeting. Trustee Dowdell seconded. The Board voted unanimously to approve the amended minutes. Correspondence Susan Gregory shared correspondence from the community. Someone wrote to say that the Computer Services staff was very kind and helpful in their time of need. Someone just wrote ‘Weston.’ A visitor suggested the Library sell hot chocolate (the coffee shop does). Someone else wrote to say they were pleased that the Bookmobile attended their watershed festival. The Southwest Montana Master Gardener Association wrote to say that they are exploring alternative sites for their test garden. They established a test garden on Library grounds in 2014, and it has been fairly successful, but there has been yearly damage from snow plows, as well as from pets and humans. Director and Staff Report Susan Gregory reported that she is working with Mike Grey in Facilities to get an update on the parking project. She said that Lois Dissly and Cindy Christin represented the Library at the June 25th City Commission meeting, while she was in New Orleans for a library conference. She thanked the Commission for approving the full-time custodial position for the Library, as well as a new Library car. Gregory said that the American Library Association conference was wonderful, that she heard Michelle Obama speak, and saw the movie The Public (about a Cincinnati public library taking in homeless people during a cold winter). Gregory said she heard from David Kingman that the labyrinth project will begin construction in a few weeks, and will be completed this summer. She noted that Jason Greenwald’s last Board meeting is today. He is moving to Washington state with his family and will work as a school librarian. Mary Jo Stanislao reported on her research on fine free libraries in Montana. She said she attended a workshop on fine free libraries at the Public Library Association conference this spring, which was put on by some Colorado librarians, a state in which many of the libraries are fine free. She explained that BPL staff have been discussing why the Library charges fines, what it costs to collect them, and if going fine free could remove barriers to access and make the Library more user friendly. At a previous Board meeting, Stanislao had presented some initial information to the Board, and the Board had asked her to talk to some libraries in Montana about their experiences going fine free. Stanislao corresponded with library directors from West Yellowstone, Butte, and ImagineIF (Flathead County). She shared a summary of her findings with the Board, which were very positive. She added that Lewis and Clark library in Helena is also considering eliminating fines, and Livingston is fine free. The Board asked some questions about whether materials get returned on time at fine free libraries, and Stanislao said that if BPL went fine free, patrons would still receive phone calls and notices when their items are overdue, and would go to collections if items are six weeks overdue. Kit Stephenson noted that the Bookmobile has never charged fines and there have been no big issues with materials coming back, and in fact patrons have been very enthusiastic to find out about the fine free policy. Janay Johnson asked about where fine revenue goes, and Stanislao replied that it goes to the City’s general fund. Terry Cunningham said that it was his understanding that the City’s finances would not be impacted by the Library going fine free, and will find out if this matter needs to be taken to the Commission. Stanislao added that the Library already waives a large amount of fines, both through Readaway Fines, as well as Food for Fines (and through everyday judgement calls by staff when a patron has extenuating circumstances and cannot return items on time). Kit Stephenson reported that she attended the American Library Association Conference in New Orleans. She attended a workshop on entrepreneur hubs at libraries, since BPL will have an Americorps VISTA starting at the end of July to work on BPL’s very own entrepreneur hub. She talked about the Our Yellowstone program that will take place during the month of September. The program will celebrate Yellowstone and include speakers, an audio archive set up in the Library, and a day of children’s activities on the front lawn. Yellowstone Forever is sponsoring the program with a $3,000 contribution, and the Library Foundation has committed $8,000 in marketing efforts. Board Business The Board welcomed a new Trustee, Kelly Dowdell. With the former Board Chair Judy Mathre finishing her term at the last meeting, a new Chair and Vice Chair need to be selected. The Board decided to vote on this at the next meeting, as Trustee Pawlak and Trustee Price were absent. City Report Commissioner Terry Cunningham reported that the City is finished with the budgeting process, and that a new budget cycle starts on July 1st. He said the City will learn what the revenue is in August. The City is in the middle of redoing several plans, including the growth plan, the neighborhood conservation overlay plan, and the downtown plan. He will have more details to report at the next meeting. Friends of the Library Report Friends of the Library Vice President Bruce McLeod reported that the June book sale made $16,200, the highest earning sale the Friends have ever had. He said that the Lindley Perk coffee shop is under new ownership, and things seem to going smoothly. Priscilla Dolan said that the Friends have another popup sale coming up, and that book sales are brisk this summer. Susan Gregory noted that the June door was 41,064, which was a new record for BPL. Foundation Report Janay Johnson reported that the Heebs barbeque fundraiser is coming up on August 10th, and that volunteers are needed. She said Music on the Green has had two events so far, with about 350 people attending the most recent one. The Foundation is working on invitations for the Gala. Last year the Foundation raised $26,000 in sponsorship dollars (which are a large chunk of revenue for the Gala) and this year there is already $36,500 in sponsorships raised. The Foundation is still seeking items for the auction. Johnson said that the Foundation has found a new architect who is willing to work on the lobby door project. Other Business Vice Chair Gallagher requested to move the next Board meeting to August 22nd. The Board and Library staff agreed to move the meeting. Adjournment There being no further business, adjourned the meeting at 5:00pm.