Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
February 15, 2005

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, February 15, 2005. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.

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

Members Absent: William Grice.

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Martha Sloan, Carol Kidd, Leslie Steiner, Hector Marino, Patricia Thompson, Jeanette Jacoby, Wayne Serbin.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

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

Eldon Burk entered the meeting at 7:03 PM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.

None.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE - Alderman Carla Brookman.

Alderman Brookman absent. No report.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to accept the Consent Agenda, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to approve the Financial Reports for January 2005, as presented. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

1. Over the Counter Receipts $ 13,263.14
2. Petty Cash Expenditures $ 11.84
3. Budget Expenditures for January $ 247,915.79
4. Expenditures Year to Date $ 247,915.79
5. Revenue for January $ 12,061.94
6. Revenue Year to Date $ 12,061.94

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

January 03, 2005 $ 56,885.11
January 17, 2005 $ 74,244.35
Total $ 131,129.46

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

MOTION by Susan Burrows, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures for salaries made by the Library Director as follows:

January 06, 2005 $ 104,333.65
January 20, 2005 $ 108,332.14
January 27, 2005 $ (-64,760.76)
Total $ 147,905.03

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

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

I have received no official requests for confidential information since my last report.

PERSONNEL
New employees for January/February are David Ayala and William Jahnke, full-time Monitors, and Randall Lush, part-time Monitor.

David Rouse, part-time Reference Librarian, has resigned.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Planning is underway for the March 8 All-Staff Meeting and the May 6 In-Service Day. Dick Sem conducted an all day training seminar on security for the full staff of the Building and Security Services department on Saturday, January 29.

PATRON SERVICES

Our patron use is increasing in some areas and decreasing in others. Circulation decreased by nearly 3% as compared with January 2004, as did patron attendance, reciprocal borrowing activities, in- person patron assistance in all departments. The areas of service that increased were Interlibrary Loan activities (14%), the use of online reference products (25%), and meeting room use (8%). It's too early to tell, but these may be signs of shifting use of our programs and services.

The shift from print to non-print use continues. This month 45% of our total circulation was in audio-visual materials; in children's materials, the portion was 30% and in adult materials, the portion was 53%. This trend is being noticed in most other public libraries in the North Suburban Library System.

Our holdings have increased to 302,422 items. We have two capital improvement projects scheduled and budgeted for 2005 to address the change and growth in our collections. We also are gradually increasing our number of card holders.

A new service was launched this month by the Public Information Department. The first edition of our e-newsletter was published and sent to 61 active subscribers. We plan to publish a minimum of six issues a year.

We received news that our library will be featured in a new professional library publication Grants for Libraries: A How-To-Do-It Manual, for our successful Poetry Project.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITES

I attended a meeting of the Wish List Committee of the Friends of the Library and served on the selection committee for the Synergy program through Illinois State Library on January 20. I attended the monthly NSLS Board Meeting (1/24), the Friends of the Library Roundtable Meeting (1/25), the CCS Governing Board meeting (1/26), the Chamber/City Advisory Committee meeting (1/27), and the Do the Dewey Committee meetings (2/2 and 2/9), and the CCS Executive Committee meeting (2/9).

I attended part of the Security Monitor training (1/29) and the Betty Ritter Memorial Service (2/12). I have been interviewed by two current library science students at Dominican University (2/2 and 2/4).

OLD BUSINESS

Sandra Norlin reported that filtering software installed on all library computers has caused few complaints by patrons and that computer usage has increased by 12.2% from 2003. Sandra Norlin distributed a report that listed filtering problems from August 2004 - February 2005. Eldon Burk asked that the public be made aware that filtering of all library computers will continue and that computer usage has not been adversely affected.

NEW BUSINESS

Sandra Norlin asked the Board to approve library closings from January 2005 - January 2006. Sandra stated that the library newsletter will list all the closing dates for the year and the library's telephone message will change giving patrons the option to listen to all library closings for the year.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve the library closings from January 2005 through January 2006. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to host the "Do the Dewey" fundraiser with the Rotary Club of Des Plaines on April 16, 2005.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to approve the "Do the Dewey" fundraiser with the Rotary Club of Des Plaines.

Susan Burrows asked that Eldon Burk and Susan Weinberg withdraw their motion, because of their involvement in this years planning. Susan Burrows stated that the "Do the Dewey" fundraiser was an idea conceptualized by the Board, and should be endorsed and supported by all board members. The Board discussed whether they would continue to support the "Do the Dewey" fundraiser.

Eldon Burk stated that he would not withdraw his motion and Susan Weinberg asked that a roll call vote be taken.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Susan Weinberg, to approve the "Do the Dewey" fundraiser with the Rotary Club of Des Plaines.
ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Ellicson, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to advertise for bids for the janitorial contract for the library and mobile library that will expire June 2005.

MOTION by Rhys Read , seconded by Susan Weinberg, to advertise for bids for the janitorial contract for the Des Plaines Public Library and Mobile Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin reported that the North Suburban Library System Membership Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, March 18, 2005 and that President Noreen Lake will receive the Trustee of the Year award.

MOTION by Jerry Mahony, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve payment to NSLS for up to 20 staff and Board members to attend the Annual NSLS Banquet on March 18, 2005. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Ellicson, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The Board discussed topics for their next article in the library newsletter, Foreword. Eldon Burk will write an article about the reading preferences of the Board members.

Sandra asked for board approval to order additional shelving from Midwest Library Systems at a cost of $19,900.00. Sandra explained that this shelving was included in the 2005 library budget.

MOTION by Susan Weinberg, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve payment to Midwest Library Systems in the amount of $19,900.00, which has been budgeted for in the 2005 library budget and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, Burrows, Ellicson, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin distributed information on the library's online resources. Sandra explained that Elaine Tejcek had inquired about how services the library provides to patrons both online and by remote access are publicized.

Noreen Lake reported that Mayor Tony Arredia made a generous donation to the Des Plaines Public Library Fund.

CORRESPONDENCE

The Board received a copy of the letter sent to President Lake from US Bank stating that the bank would not oppose the library in seeking a remedy to terminate the Kenneth W. Downing Charitable Trust for economic reasons.

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

The meeting adjourned at 8:12PM.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd.

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