BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
January 20, 2009

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.

ROLL CALL.

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

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Carol Kidd, Margaret Scholl, Holly Richards Sorensen, Heather Imhoff, Christina Tropea, Roberta Johnson, Jacob Post, Sara McLaughlin, Maria Bahamon, Kathryn Inda, Denise Fleischer.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to accept the agenda, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

PRESENTATION – MARIA G. BAHAMON.

President Noreen Lake thanked former trustee, Maria Bahamon, for serving on the library board from 2006 - 2008. Sandra Norlin presented an engraved crystal paperweight to Maria and expressed her appreciation for the good work that Maria did for the library.

STAFF BONUS AWARD WINNERS – Sandra Norlin.

Sandra Norlin presented bonus awards to two staff members for outstanding service to the library. Jacob Post, Part-time Reference Assistant, and Sara McLaughlin, School Liaison Librarian, each received a staff bonus award. Erin Kocourek, Page II, was also a recipient of a bonus award, but was not at the meeting.

STAFF PRESENTATION – CHRISTINA TROPEA

Christina Tropea demonstrated how online databases are used by library patrons and the public. Christiana explained how database usage is tracked and explained the process for choosing a database to purchase.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

None.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE – Alderman Martin Moylan.

Alderman Moylan was in attendance at the City Council meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve the Consent Agenda, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

CONSENT AGENDA

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

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

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

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

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

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

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

PERSONNEL

New employees: Melinda Burkemper, Part-time Page, 01/07/09.

Resignations/Departures: Kishan Patel, Thomas Lemke, and Mary Ellen Lunde, all Pages.

The transition of employment from the library to Outsource Solutions Group took place successfully on January 2. All eight library employees in IT Services were given the opportunity to make the transition. All but one chose to be employed by Outsource Solutions Group.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The Circulation Services Staff, led by Susan Farid and Mei-Na Chen, deserve special recognition for their flexibility, cooperation, and good will during their recent move out of and back into the circulation workroom as the construction progressed for the remodeling project.

The whole staff cooperated in preparing our collection with RFID tags, a project that is nearly complete. The first phase involved tagging adult fiction and non-fiction books from the adult collection. That phase was completed remarkably quickly and provided an opportunity for staff members to work in pairs with staff from other departments. The last portion of the collection to be tagged is the music collection and is nearly completed.

Readers Service staff member Cathy Friedman has worked with Jason Slowinski, Assistant City Manager, to prepare an application for a Public Library Innovation Grant from the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) for a joint project to gather information about human services programs for local residents in one location and to make it accessible at the library and at city hall as well on both the city’s and library’s websites. The deadline for application was January 9; awards will be announced in February.

Karen McBride is presenting brief tutorials on topics and features of the electronics and computer environment. The most recent topic was iPod and iTunes.

PATRON SERVICES

The use of the library increased in 2008 in the following areas of service: Items circulated increased by 2.08%; use of the self-check equipment by 5.26%; in-library computer use by 9.29% (youth computers) and 2.71% (adult computers); and use of our online reference/information resources by 27.53%. Patrons made 862,978 visits to our website; 8,516 visits to our PlainTalk blog; and 4,278 visits to our Positively Ellinwood (Readers’ Advisory) blog in 2008.

Our new online tutoring service, Help Now is live and available through our website.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

On 1/2 Roberta Johnson, Liz Bialobrzewski, and I hosted a visit from two Polish residents who were visiting Des Plaines on invitation from the Mayor. We toured the library, had lunch, and discussed mutual projects. On 1/3 my husband and I hosted the couple for an afternoon at Steppenwolf Theatre and dinner. I attended the Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee meeting on 1/7 and the Board meeting on 1/8. I will attend the Chamber breakfast on 1/15, which is the Mayor’s annual address to business and industry. Also on 1/15 I will attend a meeting of the Library Production Studio Executive Committee.

On 1/16, Gary Valente and I will meet with Matthew Dusckett and John Laux to discuss maintenance of the plaza and to plan for repair of the library roof and ceiling during the 2009 construction season.

NEW BUSINESS

Elaine Tejcek will attend the February 2 City Council meeting; George Magerl the March 2 meeting; and Myrtle Klebe the March 16, 2009 meeting.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve payment to Outsource Solutions in a sum not to exceed $350,000, which is a budgeted expense and in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to approve payment to Lexis Nexis Library Express in the amount of $5,600, which is a budgeted expense and in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by George Magerl, to affirm the request to add $81,354.00 to the Library’s appropriation request for 2009 to cover the Parkway Construction costs that could not be paid in the 2008 appropriations. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve payment to Arlington Heights Memorial Library for Library Production Studio for February 1, 2009 through April 30, 2009, in the amount of $8,114.75, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Matthew Bogusz entered the meeting at 4:45 p.m.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve payment to Sirsi Dynix 3M in the amount of $23,028.00 for one RFID Freestanding Self Check System for the second floor of the library, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Myrtle Klebe, to declare the following equipment surplus property and to direct Library Director Sandra Norlin to send a memo to City Manager Jason Bajor explaining that the library is required to offer the property to the City of Des Plaines for the first right to purchase such property for public or corporate purposes and to give the City of Des Plaines 30 days to respond to the request and to direct Sandra Norlin to contact other libraries to ask what their policy is for the disposal of surplus property. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bogusz, Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Surplus Property
3M Equipment

Additionals:

Product	Type	S/N
Selfcheck	6210	6211322
Selfcheck	6210	6211271
Selfcheck	6210	6211328

Eldon Burk reported that the Management Committee met on January 13, 2009 and reviewed and approved the newly created position of Manager of Creative Services and asked for board approval.

MOTION by Committee, to approve the newly created job description for the Manager of Creative Services, which replaces the position of Public Information Assistant. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Eldon Burk also reported that the Committee discussed adding Volunteer Leave to the Personnel Policy, but did not approve the policy change. Sandra Norlin stated that she would ask Department Heads to discuss how staff might be rewarded for volunteering their time in the community and bring those results to the next Management meeting.

Eldon stated that the Committee also discussed waiving fines for senior citizens and voted that it was not necessary at this time and that the Committee would not pursue this issue. Eldon also stated that library staff is very understanding of hardship cases and Sandra Norlin stated that staff is trained to deal with hardship cases on a case by case basis.

Eldon reported that the Committee approved a personnel policy change to approve unpaid sick leave for part-time employees and that this change in policy would allow part-time staff to be absent from work up to six work days per calendar year.

MOTION by Committee, to approve the following policy change to the Personnel Policy D-7, Leaves Without Pay:

    C. Other Unpaid Sick Leave

         1. Part-time employees who are not eligible for paid sick leave may use unpaid sick leave for absence due to illness, injury, exposure to contagious disease that is communicable to other employees, and illness in the employee’s immediate family (spouse, parent, child, step-parent, step-child.)

         2. Unpaid sick leave is limited to six work days per twelve months.

         3. Employees are responsible for informing their immediate supervisors of any absence from work and the reason for the absence prior to starting time, if possible, but no later than thirty (30) minutes after starting time. A signed absence form must be submitted with the timesheet covering the date of the absence.

         4. An employee whose unpaid sick leave for personal illness extends for more than five (5) consecutive work days must present upon return to work a written statement from the employee’s physicican that the employee is able to return to work.

VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin will clarify the policy to specify how sick day hours are counted.

Elaine Tejcek reported that the Art Committee met on January 13 and discussed a mural project for the wall of the parking garage that leads to the library and discussed possible art projects for the interior of the library. Elaine also reported that staff will prepare an informational handout that would include pricing and logistics for a multi-screen and display unit for the Youth Services Department. The Art Committee will meet again on February 3 at 4:30 p.m.

George Magerl reported that the Planning Committee met on Tuesday, January 6 and discussed staff progress on the library’s strategic plan for 2008 – 2010. The Board received a detailed chart outlining nine objectives and various activities either completed or planned.

President Lake asked Board members if they would attend the 2009 National Library Legislative Day in Washington, D.C., May 11 – 12. Eldon Burk, Elaine Tejcek and Sandra Norlin volunteered to represent the library.

President Lake also asked Board members if they would attend the 2009 Legislative Breakfast on February 16 at the Arboretum Club in Buffalo Grove. Board members will contact Carol Kidd if they plan to attend.

President Lake asked Board members if they would attend the North Suburban Library System Membership Awards Banquet on Friday, March 20 at the Cotillion Banquets in Palatine. Elaine Tejcek and Noreen Lake will attend.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve payment to Brainfuse/HelpNow in the amount of $7,000.00, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library.ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bogusz, Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve payment to Corporate Concepts in the amount of $10,059.98 for reconfiguration of workstations for the redesign of the circulation workroom, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bogusz, Burk, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Read, Rozovics, Tejcek. NAYS: Bogusz. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin attended the Chamber Breakfast: Mayor’s Address to Business on Thursday, January 15. Sandra stated that the library will receive a portion of TIF surplus and the amount will be proportional to the property tax the library receives.

Sandra Norlin reported that she and Gary Valente met with the Acting Head of Public Works, John Laux, to discuss several ongoing issues. Sandra asked John Laux if he would contact David Wiltse, City Attorney, to follow-through with Firestone on getting the roof repaired. These repairs were to be completed in the spring of 2008. Sandra also asked that library snow removal be a priority for the city. Sandra stated that she has had patron complaints about one of the clocks in the clock tower not working and that the flag pole in front of the library is not properly lit and that the lighting is not strong enough to illuminate the flagpole. John Laux stated that the Public Works department has had to deal with budget cuts and staff layoffs and therefore was not encouraging about honoring our requests.

The library will host a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 3 to celebrate the completion of the remodeled atrium and to introduce the newly installed RFID system to the public.

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

Meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd

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