BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
July 15, 2008

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, July 15, 2008. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL.

Roll call indicated the following board members were present: Maria Bahamon, Matthew Bogusz, Eldon Burk, Noreen Lake, George Magerl, Rhys Read, Elaine Tejcek.

Also present: Sandra Norlin, Holly Richards Sorensen, Carol Kidd, Heather Imhoff, Karen McBride, Veronica Schwartz, Wally Meyer, Jim Wozny, David Wiltse.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

None

OATH OF OFFICE

Elaine Tejcek took the Oath of Office.

SPECIAL FAMILIES NEED SPECIAL LIBRARIES GRANT PRESENTATION – Veronica Schwartz.

Veronica Schwartz, Head of Youth Services, spoke about one of four “Family Time” programs hosted by the library and paid for with funds from the grant “Special Families Need Special Libraries.” Veronica explained that four volunteers from Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy came to the library with their dogs giving autistic children the opportunity to brush, feed and play with the specially trained dogs.

Veronica also explained that grant funds were used to purchase library materials, host special programs on autism and pay for aides to assist with the four Family Times. The library was awarded $13,517 for this grant from the Illinois State Library.

PER CAPITA GRANT REQUIREMENTS

David Wiltse, Attorney for City of Des Plaines, discussed the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act and answered questions from the Board. The Board reviewed these acts to comply with the requirements to apply for the FY2008 Illinois Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants.

Eldon Burk entered the meeting at 4:25 p.m.

The Board also discussed Serving Our Public: Standards for Illinois Public Libraries – Chapter IX “Facilities – Implications of Technology on Designing/Remodeling a Building”, which was also a requirement for the application of the Per Capita Grant.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE – Alderman Martin Moylan.

Alderman Moylan was not in attendance.

CONSENT AGENDA

George Magerl and Carol Kidd asked that IX. Consent Agenda. D. Acceptance of Reports. 1. Director’s Report be removed from the Consent Agenda.

Carol Kidd asked that IX. Consent Agenda. D. Acceptance of Reports. 1. Director’s Report be removed from the Consent Agenda.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve the Consent Agenda, as amended. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board agreed to continue to have statistical information in the graph form per month by year, which was previously eliminated.

Carol Kidd asked that the percentage for Total Card Ownership be changed to reflect the YTD 2008 Totals.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to accept the Director’s Report, as amended. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

CONSENT AGENDA

Following monthly reports to be reviewed and placed on file for audit:

1. Over the Counter Receipts	$	11,361.92
2. Petty Cash Expenditures	$	15.00
3. Budget Expenditures for June	$	595,811.27
4. Expenditures Year to Date	$	3,026,937.09
5. Revenue for June	$	31,391.48
6. Revenue Year to Date	$	3,160,279.37

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures authorized by the Library Director and Board Representatives for library Warrant Registers as follows:

June 02, 2008	$	82,259.02
June 16, 2008	$	44,461.42
Total	$	127,420.44

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Bogusz, Burk, Lake, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures for salaries made by the Library Director as follows:

June 04, 2008		$ 118.586.29
June 18, 2008		$ 117,831.42
Total		$ 236,417.71

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Bogusz, Burk, Lake, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Please note:  I have received no official requests for confidential patron information since my last report.

I.  PERSONNEL

The following employee has resigned, effective June 28, 2008: Cuyler Jenkins, Page.

New employees are Krystyna Wyrwal, Technical Services Assistant; Patricia Nelson and Victoria Heller, Part-time Youth Services Librarians; Mary Ann Wrobel and Jonathan Diores, Pages.

II.    STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Four staff members attended the American Library Association Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA. They are Holly Sorensen, Sara McLaughlin, Sue Pirie, and Christina Tropea.

Our entry in the Des Plaines 4th of July Parade was an opportunity to showcase our bookcart drill team, the CartWheels, as well as other members of our staff who were joined by family members and friends. Thanks to Noreen Lake, Board President, for walking with us.

III.    PATRON SERVICES

Our Summer Reading Club has very active participation in both the reading incentive program and in attendance at weekly entertainment and educational programs. Thus far, 1666 children have registered in the SRC program. This is slightly higher than last year’s record-breaking participation.

We are making progress in registering residents for library cards. This month we have 1,663 more registered borrowers than at this time last year.

Please note that our staff made 53 in person visits to community events or services in June. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to make a distinction between our internal and external connections to our website. IT staff is working on the solution. Computer use in the adult area is down slightly, year to date, and significantly in the youth services area; however, the monthly statistics show an increase in use in the youth services area over last June. Please note the significant (33%) increase in use of our online reference products.

The library is honored to have been chosen as a location for the installation of the Portrait of a Soldier art exhibit. Lt. Governor Pat Quinn and State Senator Dan Kotowski are sponsoring this exhibit and will be present for a brief press conference at its opening on Friday, July 11 at 10 AM.

IV. OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

I attended the Library Production Studio (LPS) Executive Committee meeting on June 19 and the Advisory Committee meeting on July 1. I hosted the new library director of the Evanston Public Library for a tour and discussion on June 23 and attended my last meeting of the NSLS Board of Directors as a Director. I attended the Friends of the Library meeting on June 24. On June 27 I attended a visitation for Allen Meyer, the Director of the Vernon Area Library District, who died on June 22 following a long illness. On July 10 I will attend an information meeting on the Per Capita Grant program, along with Holly Sorensen and Carol Kidd. The meeting is hosted by the Illinois State Library at the NSLS headquarters.

NEW BUSINESS

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to suspend the rules to allow Jim Wozny to speak at the meeting. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

New Year’s Eve on the Plaza Chairman, Jim Wozny, asked members of the library board if the diamond drop could be dropped off the fourth floor balcony, rather than using the flag pole. The Board discussed the cost to the library for the extra staffing needed to accommodate this request and asked Mr. Wozny to request approval from the City Council to use the library building and plaza.>

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Matthew Bogusz, to approve the request by the Special Events Commission to hold a portion of the City of Des Plaines New Year’s Eve celebration at the library and to drop the diamond ball from the fourth floor balcony rather than use the flag pole and to have library security at the library for the installation and removal of the equipment for the diamond drop. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Matthew Bogusz stated that he will not attend the July 21 City Council meeting. Noreen Lake volunteered to attend the meeting.

Elaine Tejcek will attend the August 4 City Council meeting, Eldon Burk the August 18 meeting and Matthew Bogusz the September 2 meeting and George Magerl the September 15 meeting.

Sandra Norlin reported that the agreement between the Des Plaines Public Library and the Village of Rosemont for Mobile Library Service to Rosemont will renew automatically on September 1, 2008, unless either party terminates the agreement.

Sandra Norlin recommended that service be offered to Rosemont for another year at an increase of 4.8%. The Consumer Price Index for the Chicago area shows an increase for all items is 4.5%, and for fuel, 17.3%. The new cost would be $12,900.00.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to renew the agreement to provide Mobile Library Service to the Village of Rosemont for 2008/2009 in the amount of $12,900.00, which is an increase of 4.8%, and to review the contract in four months to adjust the amount of the contract to reflect changes in fuel costs. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: MOTION CARRIED.

The Board discussed the current practice of paying for flowers for the funerals of next of kin of library employees. Sandra Norlin stated that flowers were sent a total of 19 times since 2004. The board consensus was to continue the practice of paying for the flowers.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by George Magerl, to approve payment to Kasco Printing in the amount of $5,428.00 for printing the library newsletter, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Bogusz, Burk, Lake, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin reported that RFID tagging will begin shortly and that all library employees will be required to do tagging. The goal is to complete the tagging by October 2008.

Sandra also reported that roof repairs will begin the end of July.

The Board was invited to attend the Illinois Library Association Conference at Navy Pier on September 25 for Trustee Day. Board members were asked to contact Carol Kidd if they would like to attend.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

MOTION by Committee, to close nominations for the slate of officers for the Library Board of Trustees for 2008/2009. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Committee, to reaffirm the slate of officers, Noreen Lake, President, George Magerl, Vice President and Carol Kidd, Secretary, by acclamation. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Noreen Lake took the oath of office for President, George Magerl took the oath of office for Vice President and Carol Kidd took the oath of office for Secretary.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by George Magerl, to enter into an Executive Session at 5:50 p.m. to discuss Compensation, Discipline or Performance of a Specific Employee. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The regular session reconvened at 6:02 p.m. and was called to order by President Noreen Lake.

President Lake encouraged the board to attend “Portrait of a Soldier”, currently displayed in the front hall of the library.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to adjourn the regular meeting. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Meeting adjourned at 6:08 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd.

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