HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-20-2016 BPL MINUTESBozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Regular Meeting
Bozeman Public Library—Board Room
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Minutes
Attendance Board Chair Ron Farmer; Trustees Judy Mathre, Jennifer Pawlak, Bozeman Public
Library (BPL) Director Susan Gregory; BPL Foundation Director Paula Beswick, FOL President
Pam Henley, BPL Department Heads Mary Jo Stanislao, Kit Stephenson, and Jason Greenwald
& Library Staff Lauranna Cossins
Absent: Trustee John Gallagher, Trustee Ron Price, & City Commissioner Library Liaison I-Ho
Pomeroy
Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Board Chair Ron Farmer at 4:04pm
Approval of the Minutes Trustee Jennifer Pawlak moved to approve the minutes from the
February 17, 2016 Board meeting. Trustee Judy Mathre seconded. The Board voted unanimously
to approve the February minutes.
Public Comment: No Comment
Items for Discussion/Action:
Policy Review: Governance; The Board was provided a copy of the current Governance
policy posted on the Library website. The Board discussed the Governance policy;
Trustee Pawlak had a few questions and request for clarification regarding Board duties.
Action: The Board will review the Governance policy and propose edits and changes
individually at the next Board meeting.
Security System: Board Chair Ron Farmer recommended postponing the security system
discussion for the Library until a future time. The Library Board and Library
administration would like time to assess the impact of the new Bozeman Police
substation and increased police presence in the Library before considering additional
security.
Trustee Pawlak asked for details of the Police presence. Library Director Gregory said
that the officers will use the substation as a base to operate from for Beat Three of the
City and will come and go as needed. There will be a designated parking spot for a police
vehicle, in the front section of parking spots for maximum visibility.
Action: Board agreed to postpone security discussion, awaiting impact of new police
substation and presence in the library.
.
Correspondence: There were three comments: a gentleman stated that he likes the new standing
computer desks but would like more standing work stations. Another patron was concerned
about the sink arrangement in the women’s bathroom in that her physical injury makes it hard to
reach the faucets. Director Gregory advised she would share these comments with the City
Facilities Manager for possible resolution or change. Another patron from Gardiner requested the
Library look at other libraries including those in Oregon to determine how they handle the use of
cell phones in the library. Gregory stated finding quiet space in the Library is an ongoing
concern and that we do have designated areas in which cell phone use is prohibited; the quietest
place is currently the Montana room. The last comment was that Gregory and Beswick received
an email from the MSU Leadership Institute requesting the Library Board participate in
“Boardroom Bobcats”, a program to allow upper level under grads/ graduate students to work
alongside a nonprofit board as a nonvoting board member. Director Gregory will follow up with
the institute.
Director and Staff Reports:
A copy of the Library Director’s report was provided to the Board prior to the Board meeting for
review. The highlights were reviewed and discussed. Director Gregory gave an overview of the
changes to the Library Performance Measures categories used in the City budget book every
year. Updated categories that the Department Heads added include the number of annual visitors
through the Library building; patron program attendance, which was separated into two
categories, adult and children; volunteer hours, public computer use and meeting room use
statistics. Gregory reviewed the Monthly Statistics sheet and advised that we had 35,000 patrons
come through the building last month. Gregory advised that she received a certificate of
appreciation from the Montana State Librarian for participation in the “Library Development
Study Task Force”. She attended the Broad Valley Federation Workshop in Butte last Friday and
Saturday, and promoted the upcoming Library Journal Design Institute in May to attendees.
Discussion at the meeting included, making sure that libraries are recording their stories about
how they are using their state aid. Now is the time to let our state legislators know how
important state aid is to our programs and services for the public.
Department Head Mary Jo Stanislao stated that she and Lois Dissly went to Lewis & Clark
Library in Helena to look at their new self-check stations, as ours are becoming obsolete and will
either need to be upgraded or replaced. They learned a lot from the visit and then advised that
they would be going to PLA in Denver, CO next month and have the opportunity to visit with a
few vendors that specialize in self-checks, such as Tech Logic. Stanislao reported that our self-
check machines currently check out about 70% of our items, as compared to Helena’s self-check
use of 20%. We are looking at replacing the four self-check machines that we have and adding
one for upstairs.
Department Head Kit Stephenson advised Freegal, the Library’s free online music downloading
service, did very well in its first month. Stats of Freegal located on last month’s stats sheet were
provided.
Department Head Jason Greenwald advised that he and a small committee which includes the
Director and Foundation Director are working on the Library logo redesign with marketing
consultant Doug Webber and will update the Board as more information is provided.
Friends of the Library Report – Pam Henley FOL President: Henley advised that the Friends
would like to be part of the logo redesign project and update their logo to be complementary with
a new Library logo. The Spring Book Sale made slightly more than $13,000. The bag sale
changes were very successful and the Friends are looking into possibly selling different size bags
on that day for the next book sale. The coffee shop bookstore made $2200 last month. She
advised that the FOL Board has two new Directors, Katherine Ball and Stewart Moore. She also
stated that the Friends of the Bozeman Library will be part of the Give Big online nonprofit
fundraising day on May 3rd.
Foundation Report – Paula Beswick BPL Foundation Director: Beswick advised that the
Foundation held its annual Cornerstone Celebration on March 5th in the Library; they don’t have
the final fundraising figure but have already reached their fundraising goal of $20,000. She read
a thank you note from Valerie Hemingway, in which she said that she was delighted to have been
chosen as an honoree along with Patrick and Carol Hemingway for the Cornerstone award.
Beswick announced that the Foundation received a $500 donation from a family stating they
follow the activities of the Library and want “to support your mission”. She provided a rundown
of the Moveable Feast bookmobile fundraiser at Ale Works, which featured Assistant City
Manager Chuck Winn and Library staff at different stations providing information on the
Bookmobile. Banners and decals are up downtown advertising our campaign “It’s happening
BPL!” Beswick and Foundation Development Officer Sarah DeOpsomer are working on the
Library’s Summer Concert Series and a summer joint fundraiser with the Gallatin Valley Land
Trust, the Gallatin Art Crossing, the Library Foundation, Bozeman Fire Department and the
Bozeman Police Department, which will be held on the Library grounds. She shared that Library
supporter and well-known local musician, Kelly Roberti, passed away but the Foundation will
continue the long running Library program he produced, Jazz and More, in his honor. His
memorial will be held on April 10, 2015 at the Eagles Lodge on Main Street, where a day of
performances by area musicians of all genres will honor his contribution to Bozeman’s cultural
richness.
Adjournment There being no further business, Board Chair Ron Farmer adjourned the meeting at
5:20pm