Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
June 15, 2004

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, June 15, 2004. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 7:08 PM.

Members Present: Eldon Burk, Susan Burrows, Noreen Lake, Jerry Mahony, Rhys Read, Elaine Tejcek, Susan Weinberg.

Members Absent: William Grice, Mary Ellicson.

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Martha Sloan, Hector Marino, Carol Kidd, Leslie Steiner, Holly Richards Sorensen, Avis Nowak, Alderman Carla Brookman.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to amend the agenda by removing VIII. Nominating Committee. B. Oath of Office. and adding under VI. Old Business. A. Foreword Column. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Elaine Tejcek entered the meeting at 7:10PM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

Alderman Carla Brookman stated that she was asked by a Des Plaines resident why the library charges .15 cents for a photocopy. Sandra Norlin responded that the cost to the library for photocopying is between .13 & .14 per copy. This cost consists of leasing the machines, maintenance and supplies.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE - Alderman Carla Brookman.

Alderman Brookman did not give a report.

CONSENT AGENDA

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

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Burrows, to approve the Financial Reports for May 2004. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

1. Over the Counter Receipts $ 11,339.27
2. Petty Cash Expenditures $ 48.67
3. Budget Expenditures for May $ 372,000.90
4. Expenditures Year to Date $ 1,936,658.77
5. Revenue for May $ 34,238.62
6. Revenue Year to Date $ 2,241,030.46

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

May 03, 2004 $ 56,697.74
May 17, 2004 $ 49,252.68
Total $ 105,950.42

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

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

May 13, 2004 $ 103,608.95
May 27, 2004 $ 100,491.88
Total $ 204,100.83

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

MOTION by Committee to approve proposed changes to Policy A-13, Internet Access Policy. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

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

PERSONNEL

New employee for May/June 2004 is Gloria Kozak, Technical Services Assistant.
Resignations/ Separations for May/June 2004 are Jesse Rivera, Part time Page, Circulation Services and Janine Kostecki, Part time Reference Librarian.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Several staff members attended the American Booksellers' Association Book Expo in Chicago June 3-5. Martha Sloan spoke as a panelist at a preconference for small, independent publishers. Department Heads met with Diane Grigg on May 19 to learn Ms. Grigg's framework for handling difficult conversations. Four Department Heads attended two seminars led by Technology Consultant Joan Frye Williams regarding communication between technology staff and public service staff and current trends in technology that will benefit library customer's convenience and staff productivity. Department Heads will meet with Dick Sem of Sem Security on June 9 to develop an assessment of current security practices and plan for improvements to our system.

Holly Richards Sorensen is organizing the library's entry in the Des Plaines Fourth of July Parade.

Veronica Schwartz is organizing a library Relay for Life team for the event on July 30/31. Several Library Staff are planning to participate.

PATRON SERVICES

The library staff is organizing a voter registration service to accommodate the anticipated demand for registrations during the last four days before the registration deadline, October 2-4.

Circulation decreased from May 2003, with all circulation down in nearly all collections. The collections with substantial increased usage were DVDs in both the youth and adult collections. Audio-visual circulation accounted for 33% of the youth services circulation and 51% of the adult, with an overall proportion of 45% of circulation for May.

Patron attendance and patron assistance in some departments have also decreased. Activities associated with holds, patron reserves, and interlibrary loan have all increased as have patron assistance in several areas of adult services. Staff assisted interlibrary loan activities have decreased.

The meeting rooms were used 102 times in May, with a total attendance of 1886.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

I attended the Friends of the Library 50th Anniversary event on Friday, May 21, the Friends of the Library meeting on May 25, met Joe Caprile of Lohan, Caprile, Goettsch on May 28, and attended special meetings of the City Staff and City Council to discuss the flood preparation activities of May 23 through 28.

OLD BUSINESS

Leslie Steiner, Head of Public Information Services, asked that the Board provide a name for their new column in the Foreword newsletter.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Rhys Read, to name the column the Board will write for the Foreword newsletter, "Splinters from the Board." VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board discussed the topic for their first column in the Foreword newsletter. The Board consensus was to write about Internet filtering and to postpone the previously approved column on library artwork.

MOTION by Susan Weinberg, seconded by Eldon Burk, to postpone the Foreword column on library artwork and to use the first column written by the Board for an article featuring an explanation of the library's current Internet filtering policy. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board asked Susan Burrows to write the first column for the Foreword newsletter.

NEW BUSINESS

Holly Richards Sorensen, Head of Adult Services, presented to the Board the proposed vision, key beliefs and goals for 2005-2007, as prepared by the library Department Heads.

The proposed visions statement is "The Des Plaines Public Library advances the visions and ideals of our community as a catalyst, advocate and place."

The proposed key beliefs are:

We believe:
" That a free public library is essential to the public good.
" That all library users are entitled to the highest level of service.
" That all library users have the right to privacy, confidentiality and intellectual freedom.

The goals for 2005 - 2007 are:

1. The residents of Des Plaines have the skills they need to engage in respectful, productive conversation on topics of interest in order to create and build community.
2. The tweens of Des Plaines have dedicated space and guided activities that encourage and support the exploration and discovery of their creative abilities, talents, and interests to enrich their lives and effect their personal growth.
3. Des Plaines residents will have access to library services and resources to support their personal growth, enrichment, entertainment, education and information needs at home, work, or school.

Sandra Norlin explained that if the Board approved the goals, that the staff would begin planning activities and objectives for the next three years.

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to accept the vision statement, key beliefs and goals presented to the Board by the Planning staff team. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

President Lake asked that the meeting time for the December 21, 2004 board meeting be changed to 4:00PM to accommodate any Board member wishing to help serve food to the disadvantaged at Grazie! This discussion was tabled and will be discussed at a future meeting.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Jerry Mahony to approve the regular monthly Board of Library Trustees meeting dates, every month except January 2005, which would convene at 4:00 PM, for the period August 2004 through July 2005. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg to increase the Non-Resident Fee from $197.00 per family per year to $215.15 per family per year for the period July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.

Rhys Read asked that the motion be amended to read: to increase the Non-Resident Fee from $197 per family per year to $215.00 per family per year for the period July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005. VOTE: AYES: ALL. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Jerry Mahony, to approve the Library Closings for the period August 2004 through July 2005. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to purchase 20 Dell laptop computers at a cost of $1,951 each. The laptop computers will be used for training classes for the public and staff.

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve the purchase of 20 Dell laptop computers at a cost of $1,951 each for a total price of $39,020, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to approve payment to ReferenceUSA in the amount of $12,195.00, which includes Business Database, Residential Database and Health Care Database. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve the slate of officers, Noreen Lake, President, William Grice, Vice President and Carol Kidd, Secretary, by acclamation. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin reported that the Friends of the Library will meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month beginning with their June 2004 meeting.

Noreen Lake reported that the Job Reclassification Committee met in June and reviewed several job descriptions.

Sandra Norlin reported that Advocate Lutheran General asked to use a library meeting room to dispense flu shots at a cost of $15. The Board discussed this request and asked that Library Director, Sandra Norlin, use her own discretion as to whether this request was feasible for the library.

OTHER

Sandra Norlin invited the Board to march in the Fourth of July parade with library staff.

Sandra Norlin also reported that the City of Des Plaines Special Events Commission has asked to use a library meeting room on Friday nights for concerts on the plaza in case of inclement weather. Sandra reported that only two dates were available for use. The Board consensus was to refuse the City's request.

Sandra Norlin reported that artist, Fred Nagelbach, has begun to hang the artwork on the walls of the fourth floor. One piece of artwork has been attached to the wall with brackets and Sandra Norlin reported that the brackets could be covered by ¼" drywall. The Board asked Sandra Norlin to check on pricing for the drywall installation.

Noreen Lake reported that the Illinois Library Association will host Trustee Day at their annual conference on October 2, 2004.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Susan Burrows, to enter into an Executive Session at 8:36 PM to discuss Semi-Annual Review of Executive Session Minutes. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The regular session reconvened at 8:40 PM and was called to order by President Noreen Lake.

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

The meeting adjourned at 8:41PM.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd.

back