Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
January 20, 2004

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, January 20, 2004. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 4:03 PM.

Members Present: Eldon Burk, Susan Burrows, William Grice, Noreen Lake, Jeremiah Mahony, Rhys Read, Elaine Tejcek.

Members Absent: Susan Weinberg.

Also Present: Mayor Anthony Arredia, Sandra Norlin, Martha Sloan, Hector Marino, Carol Kidd, Leslie Steiner, John Syer.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

MOTION by William Grice, seconded by Susan Burrows, to accept the agenda, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

Mayor Anthony Arredia thanked the Board and staff of the library for their help in hosting the City of Des Plaines New Year's Eve celebration at the library. Mayor Arredia reported that approximately 1,500 people attended the celebration.

Rhys Read and Eldon Burk entered the meeting at 4:07 pm.

John Syer, a Park Ridge resident, asked the Board to consider installing a safety barrier along the second floor railing in the Youth Services department. Sandra Norlin reported that City Attorney David Wiltse recommended contacting Gallagher Bassett, the administrator for the City of Des Plaines insurance plan to assess the situation. William Grice, Chair of the Building and Grounds Committee, asked Sandra Norlin to gather information on this issue and report back to the Board at their February meeting. In February the Board will decide if this matter should be referred to the Building and Grounds Committee.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE - Alderman Carla Brookman.

Alderman Brookman absent. No report.

CONSENT AGENDA

Sandra Norlin asked that V.E.1. Administrator's Report be removed from the Consent Agenda.

Sandra Norlin asked that the Administrator's Report for January 20, 2004 be corrected to "Our total collection includes 292,848 items, 250,457 (86%) of which are books, so we, like most other public libraries, show 44% of our circulation from 14% of our collection."

Sandra Norlin reported that the construction on the Heritage Room may begin the week of January 19, 2004, with a completion date of March 2, 2004.

Sandra Norlin also reported that the cost of a floor to ceiling mural for the Children's Storytime Room will be $8,000.00. Sandra will ask for financial support for this project from the Friends of the Library.

The Friends of the Library will celebrate their 50th anniversary on May 21, 2004 and the library will add two pages to their spring newsletter commemorating this event.

Sandra Norlin reported that the library incurred expenses that were not anticipated after hosting the City of Des Plaines New Year's Eve celebration. President Lake will send a letter to Mayor Arredia asking for reimbursement of these costs.

Sandra Norlin reported that book carts normally stored in the Circulation Services hallway are in violation of the fire code and must be moved. Sandra has met with staff and several options have been discussed.

Sandra Norlin invited the Board to attend the North Suburban Library Systems Awards Banquet on March 12, 2004 and to inform Carol Kidd if they plan to attend.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Burrows, to accept the Administrator's Report, as amended. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to accept the Consent Agenda, as amended. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to approve the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting, December 16, 2003, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to approve the minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting, January 6, 2004, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to approve the Financial Reports for December 2003. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

1. Over the Counter Receipts $ 15,743.31
2. Petty Cash Expenditures $ 30.24
3. Budget Expenditures for December $ 489,344.06
4. Expenditures Year to Date $ 4,618,401.27
5. Revenue for December $ 113,282.41
6. Revenue Year to Date $ 4,621,486.64

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

December 01, 2003 $ 80,167.30
December 15, 2003 $ 86,644.89
Total $ 166,812.19

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, . NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures for salaries made by the Library Administrator as follows:

December 11, 2003 $ 98,065.12
December 22, 2003 $ 98,621,20
Total $ 196,686.32

ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, . NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT

PERSONNEL

New employees for December/January are David Schousboe and Jitendra Patel, both Pages, part-time, in Circulation Services.

Resignations/separations: Hattie Banks and Joyceann Pierozzi, both Pages, part-time, in Circulation Services.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

We enjoyed excellent attendance at the staff holiday party held on December 17. Thank you to the library board of trustees, the Friends of the Library, and the library Department Heads who all contributed funds for this event.

PATRON SERVICES

The big news this month is the continuing increase in use of our materials and facilities. Each year since we opened the new library we have increased our circulation from the previous year by over 12% (12.66; 12.7; and 12.08 %), for a total increase from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2003 of 44%. In 2003, patrons have used self-check for 23% of all circulation. Audio-visual items account for 44% of the total circulation, 32% of children's and 52% of adults'.

Our total collection includes 292,848 items, 250,457( 86% ) of which are books, so we, like most other public libraries, show 44% of our circulation from 16% of our collection.

We passed a milestone in 2003 by circulating over 1 million items to our library patrons.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

No regular professional meetings were scheduled during this time of year, however, I did attend the Do the Dewey Committee meeting, the Friends of the Library special meeting, and the Family New Year's Eve celebration at the Library on 12/31. I will host the Library Cable Executive Committee meeting on 1/15 and attend a SLURP farewell dinner for Carol Larson on 1/16.

Note: No official inquiries or requests for confidential information have been received since the last report.

NEW BUSINESS

MOTION by Committee, to approve the revised job description for the Library Administrator with the following change to Minimum Qualifications: 2. Fifteen Twelve years work experience. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Committee, to approve the Foreign Language Materials Collection Report and to add Section IV to the Collection Development as an appendix. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by William Grice, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve payment to Ebsco Subscription Services in the amount of $33,191.52, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Noreen Lake will attend the February 2 City Council meeting, Eldon Burk the February 17 meeting, Jerry Mahony the March 1 meeting and Noreen Lake the March 15 meeting.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Burrows, to approve grant funds from the poetry grant as payment to Young Chicago Authors in the amount of $5,850.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board reviewed the Downing Charitable Trust Fund Report.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Susan Burrows, to accept the Downing Charitable Trust Fund Report, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board reviewed the proposed Email communications policy.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve the Email Communications Policy, as presented. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin reported that Wagner Office Solutions, Inc. submitted a proposal for the upgrade of public and staff photocopiers. Sandra explained that the current lease for staff and public photocopiers was held by U.S. Office Solutions, Inc., but they are no longer in business. The contract proposed by Wagner Office Solutions, Inc. is for five years at a cost of $2,686 per month. Panasonic Corporation has agreed to waive the $58,847.04 owed on the current lease if the library enters a new leasing agreement with Wagner Office Solutions/Panasonic for this equipment.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Susan Burrows, to accept the proposal submitted by Wagner Office Solutions, Inc. that will upgrade public and staff photocopiers at a cost of $2,686 per month for five years, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin announced that the Rotary Club of Des Plaines and the Des Plaines Public Library will host the second annual "Do the Dewey" on Saturday, April 17, 2004.

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

The meeting adjourned at 5:28PM.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd.

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