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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-16-11 Library Board of Trustees Minutes Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Regular Meeting Library Board/Staff Conference Room Bozeman Public Library Wednesday,November 16,2011 4:00 p.m. Attendance Present: Trustees: Jacki McGuire; Judy Mathre; Holly Brown; Chris Kukulski, City Manager; Sean Becker, City Commissioner and Mayor-Elect; John Gallagher, Friends of the Bozeman Public Library; Paula Beswick, Foundation; Lois Dissly and Terri Dood, Bozeman Public Library Dept. Heads, and Susan Gregory, BPL Director. Guest: James Goehrung, City Superintendent of Facilities. Absent: Ron Farmer, Chair, Library Board of Trustees. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m.by Jacki McGuire in the absence of Chair Ron Farmer. Jacki welcomed new Bozeman Public Library Director, Susan Gregory, to her first Library Board of Trustees meeting. Susan said that she was thrilled to be in Bozeman and to have the opportunity to work with a superb staff in such a wonderful Library. Approval of Minutes Approval of the minutes was delayed until Trustee Holly Brown arrived and a quorum would be established. Correspondence Suggestions and comments from patrons included a request for more parking and the suggestion that the Library parking lot be expanded. A patron asked that small group computer classes be held at times in addition to Saturdays to accommodate working adults and homeschoolers. A patron requested that the Library purchase The Ice Master,by Jennifer Niven, and asked that a place be added to the library website that clearly asks for patron material suggestions. Another patron commented that the Library has very little poetry in its collection, especially by E.A. Robinson, Lord Byron, and Lovecraft, and asked that more poetry is added. A library patron who lives nearby has observed the same man urinating on the east patio several times and asked the library to report this to the police. Library staff talked to the police,who asked that the patron call the police when this is observed so they can deal with it appropriately; the report was forwarded to the Bozeman Police Patrol Supervisor so that patrols will be increased in the area. Two frequent library patrons got into a verbal altercation in the Montana Room over a lost newspaper. Library staff was able to intervene and calm them down. One of the two filled out a complaint stating that homeless men were a problem because they loiter in front of the Library as well as inside. Susan reported that two probation officers had come into the Computer Services area on the second floor to ask library staff for information on a customer who is on parole but hasn't reported into his parole officers in a long time. They had gotten a report that this individual was in the Library frequently and came here to use our computers. They were alarmed because he is a convicted sex offender. They asked for information on his visits, so staff directed them to Susan. Susan talked with them privately about our confidentiality policy and said that the library would be happy to help them if they would bring a subpoena or court order of some kind that would allow us to give them information about his use of our computers. They agreed to get a court order and said they would be back. Susan called the City Attorney's office and confirmed with Tim Cooper that they would have to get a court order to obtain information about a library customer's visits and use of library materials. Friends Report John Gallagher, the Friends of the Bozeman Public Library President,reported that the Friends have lost two FOL Board members, Amy McNamara and Mara Johnston. The Friends Annual Membership Gala on October 28th drew approximately 250 people to the Library for an evening of food,wine and jazz. The Friends welcomed new Library Director, Susan Gregory, at the event and raised $3,000 in membership renewals and donations.John was elected President for another term at the meeting following the gala. The Friends Book Sale on November 18th—20th will be bigger than ever: over 400 cartons of donations have been received. The Friends Board is still negotiating a new lease for the coffee shop, the Lindley Perk, and hope to have that finalized by the end of the year. The FOL Board is looking for alternatives to the current situation regarding the dog stations outside the library. They are hopeful that they will have someone new to service the stations in the near future. Foundation Report Paula Beswick, Bozeman Public Library Foundation Director,reported that the three workshops for College Prep Week at the Library were well-attended; she plans to expand these workshops to offer them again in the spring. The Foundation had a wonderful year of fundraising: they brought in 68% over their projected budget amount. The Children's Festival of the Book was a grand success: 1300 people attended the sessions with three nationally-known children's writers and illustrators. The Country Bookshelf sold $5,000 in books, with 20% going to the Foundation. The Friends' coffee shop had their best day of sales ever. Plans are underway for the 2012 Festival with illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky and,hopefully,writer Jon Scieszka. The Flag Raising Ceremony on the east plaza of the Library on Veterans Day,November 11"',was very moving. It was attended by 85 people,including Senator Jon Tester and a representative from Senator Max Baucus' office and Rep. Rehberg's office,Mayor Jeff Krauss, members of the MSU ROTC and National Guard,Jack and Elaine Atkins, and Nelson Brown, the Boy Scout who completed the project by raising money for the flagpole as his Eagle Scout project. Paula gave a tour of the building on November 14th to an architecture professor from MSU and a group of local architects who are working on LEEDS certification. Paula is working with Rob Pertzborn, Intrinsik Architects, on a grant to study the feasibility of reconstructing the Bozeman Train Depot on Library grounds. The 2011 Christmas Stroll will be held at the library on Saturday,December 3rd, and will feature cookie decorating, an afternoon and evening of musical performances by local schoolchildren,plus hayrides on wagons pulled by Clydesdale horses, donated by Bridger Bowl resort. Directors Report Susan reported that 37% of the FY 2011-2012 budget has been expended and that 73.5% of the budget remains. She discussed the October, 2011, statistics with the Board and highlighted both the drop in interlibrary loan transactions and the increase in adult programs, adult program attendance,meeting room usage and door traffic at the Library. The Children's Staff worked with the Foundation to produce the highly successful Children's Book Festival,which featured authors and illustrators David Shannon, Marla Frazee, and Liz Scanlon.Pam Henley and Lois Dissly attended programs on the Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP)to learn about the software,peripherals, marketing tools and broadband needs that are going to be addressed as a result of the BTOP project. Liz Babbitt resigned from her reference desk position to take a new job with the Montana State Library. Katy Chambers Lowder, our Information Desk Manager, coordinated migration to new meeting room management software, Event Management Systems Lite (EMS). A meeting room calendar is now viewable from the library's website. Items for James Goehrung reported that he should have final information from the Discussion/Action; insurance company and architects regarding their plan for repair of the Library Update on Library roof by January. He shared a memo from Mark Headley, AIA,which suggested Roof Repair; that the best window for the project is to begin on July 5,2012,and continue for the Development of duration of the project,which is estimated at 6-8 weeks. The skylights will be removed Library Depreciation and a temporary watertight system will be installed. They are not recommending Library Reserve Fund/City closure but recommend that the Library open at noon;the construction company will Capital Improvement begin at 7 a.m. and get the noisy work done for the day by noon. Clear plastic will be Program used to cover the library stacks. Mayor-Elect Becker stressed to Superintendent Goehrung that the Library must stay open during this construction period. Goehrung and City Manager Kukulski both said that there are no final plans in place for when the Library will be closed but that they would work with library personnel to find the best times. They observed that the public meeting rooms and Children's Department shouldn't be affected due to their location. The Library Depreciation Fund was discussed. Kukulski said that the Library roof repair remains the priority and that the Depreciation Fund would be used for that,if needed. The Library Board members agreed. If the funds are not used for the roof repair,they will be available for the purchase of three items recommended by staff. a new public address system, microfilm/fiche scanner and another self-check station. The fund has$248,000 in it as of FY 2012. A fourth item on the Depreciation Fund list sent for Board review by Anna Rosenberry was for sidewalk widening on the east side of the Library's south parking area. Library Board member Holly Brown stated that sidewalk repair should be funded by the City,not the Depreciation Fund. She said that her concern was that the Depreciation Fund would become a mechanism for funding projects that the City should pay for. Becker responded that the City Commission granted the ordinance that created the Fund. The Board had not been aware that the sidewalk needed to be widened. Becker said that he felt that it would be prudent to schedule the sidewalk expansion. The Board agreed to have library staff prioritize the Library Depreciation Fund requests and present them to Anna Rosenberry by the deadline of December 3rd as approved. Board Members Trustee Jacki McGuire announced that with Holly Brown's arrival,they had achieved a City Reports quorum and needed to approve the October 191'minutes. Brown moved to accept the October 191'minutes as presented and Mathre seconded and they were approved unanimously. The Board discussed the vacancy created by departure of Trustee,George Cole,and the need to replace him. Brown,McGuire and Mathre agreed to recommend Donna Swarthout as the new Board member to the City Commission. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 5:42 p.m. The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 21,2011 at 4 p.m.in the Library Board/Staff Conference Room.