Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
December 19, 2006

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, December 19, 2006. Vice President William Grice called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Roll call indicated the following board members were present: Mary Bahamon, Eldon Burk, William Grice, George Magerl, Rhys Read, Elaine Tejcek.

Members Absent: Mary Ellicson, Noreen Lake, Jerry Mahony.

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Martha Sloan, Hector Marino, Leslie Steiner, Carol Kidd, Alderman Carla Brookman, Wayne Serbin.

PRESENTATION – ATRIUM ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

Michael Barnes from Lohan Anderson gave a presentation on proposed enhancements to the atrium and lobby. The design would improve the traffic flow and be more welcoming to patrons. Changes would include a self-service pickup for items on hold, displays for popular materials, better positioning for the self check machines and a new design for the registration desk.

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.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Wayne Serbin stated that some libraries in the Chicagoland area have extended hours and Mr. Serbin asked that this information be made available to Des Plaines Public Library patrons who may want to use another library after the Des Plaines Public Library is closed.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE – Alderman Carla Brookman.

Alderman Brookman was present, but did not give a report.

CONSENT AGENDA

George Magerl asked that A. Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting – November 21, 2006 be removed from the Consent Agenda.

Sandra Norlin asked that D. Acceptance of Reports – 1. Director’s Report and 2. Friends of the Library Minutes be removed from the Consent Agenda.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by George Magerl, to accept the Consent Agenda, as modified. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

George Magerl stated that the Acceptance of Financial Reports for November 2006 was not clearly defined in the minutes.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Eldon Burk, to accept the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting – November 21, 2006, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin asked that the following change be made to the Director’s Report:

I represented the library, along with Veronica Schwartz, by acting as one of seven judges for the Voice of Democracy Contest, sponsored by the American Legion Veteran’s of Foreign Wars on December 2.

Sandra Norlin asked that the Friends of the Library minutes dated November 28, 2006 reflect that she was at the Guadalajara Book Fair and not on vacation.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to accept the Director’s Report and the Friends of the Library Minutes, as modified. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

1. Over the Counter Receipts $ 13,210.91
2. Petty Cash Expenditures $ 17.78
3. Budget Expenditures for November $ 434,839.55
4. Expenditures Year to Date $ 5,098,098.46
5. Revenue for November $ 27,979.32
6. Revenue Year to Date $ 6,177,047.97

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

November 06, 2006 $ 49,499.85
November 20, 2006 $ 77,618.87
Total $ 127,118.72

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

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

November 08, 2006 $ 121,243.52
November 21, 2006 $ 117,170.79
Total $ 238,414.31

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

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

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

PERSONNEL

New employees for November 2006 are: Margaret Scholl, Administrative Assistant Clerk (PT), Joanna Sojko and Elyssa Salinas, Pages (PT), Kimberley McDuffee, Technology Page (PT).

Resignations/separations: Eugene Park, Page (PT).

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The annual staff holiday party was held at the library on Tuesday, December 12 from 8-10AM. We combined our quarterly staff meeting with the social event, which was planned and hosted by the Department Heads. The budget for this event comes from gifts of money from the Friends of the Library, the Library Trustees, and the Department Heads as well as a small amount of returns from the vending machines in the staff lounge. We very much appreciate the opportunity to hold this event at the library at no cost to the staff members so that all can attend. Thank you to Noreen and Mike Lake for attending and making staff feel welcome.

PATRON SERVICES

As predicted, we surpassed a million circulations during the month of November and are recording an increase of 3% over last year’s total circulation, year to date. Fifty-two percent of all items circulated were print materials. It’s interesting to note that circulation of fiction print materials from the youth collection is higher than in the adult collection and that we are showing increases in both youth and adult foreign language fiction materials. Patrons used self-check to check out 22% of the items circulated from the main library. Susan Farid and her staff are monitoring the difficulties that patrons experience in using the self-check and staff is more actively encouraging the use of self-check by assisting first-time or reluctant patrons.

The number of registered borrowers has increased by 577 over last year at this time, taking us to 63% of our population.

Overall attendance is up by 12% over this period in 2005, with meeting and program attendance up by 7.5%

Computer use in the adult floors increased by 24% and in the youth services department by 99%. Our content databases were accessed over 12,000 times in November, but this was a decrease of 32% from November 2005.

In response to patrons’ comments about the playability and condition of our DVDs, we purchased disc cleaning equipment, and, in 6 months, the staff has cleaned over 1,000 DVDs.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

I attended the Guadalajara Book Fair from November 26 through 29, along with Hector Marino, Martha Sloan, and Christina Tropea. I was there to help further our plans for cooperation with our Sister Library, the Benjamin Franklin Public Library at the University of Guadalajara. Hector was my translator as well as a very busy presence at Sister Library events and committee meetings. Martha and Christina were responsible for visiting the publishers’ booths and placing orders for Spanish language materials through two vendors who assist us with the ordering, customs regulations, and billing. This was my first visit to the fair and Guadalajara and I was amazed by many things: the hospitality and warmth of all participants, the vastness and high quality of the selections, and the large turnout (500,000) of people from all walks of life who attend the Fair.

I attended the lighting ceremony at Metropolitan Square on December 1. I represented the library, along with Veronica Schwartz, by acting as two of seven judges for the Voice of Democracy Contest, sponsored by the VFW on December 2. I attended a Public Library Administrators Forum at the College of Lake County on 12/5, a two-day seminar on Negotiation Skills 12/7 and 12/8; I took photos of children with Santa at the Lake Park Winter Festival on 12/9, attended (briefly) the Literacy Classes’ end of term buffet lunch on 12/11; chaired the Board Effectiveness Committee meeting at NSLS on 12/11; attended a luncheon for Susan Burrows and presented her with the board’s gift of a crystal paperweight marking her years of service as a library trustee; helped host the reception for John Burke honoring him for his receiving the Studs Terkel Award on 12/12. On 12/13 I will attend a final meeting of the New Year’s Eve celebration planning committee; on 12/14 a Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting; and ring the bell for the Salvation Army at Dominick’s (as a Rotarian) on 12/15.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Sandra Norlin reported that a brokerage account was opened at the First Midwest Bank to be used for donations. The signators on the account will be the Library Board President, Vice President and Chair of the Finance Committee and two signatures will be required to withdraw funds.

NEW BUSINESS

MOTION by Elaine Tejcek, seconded by George Magerl, to approve payment to Proquest Information and Learning Company in the amount of $13,294.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve payment to Proquest Information and Learning Company in the amount of $15,855.80, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Maria Bahamon, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve payment to 3M Library Systems in the amount of $18,771.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve payment to Newsbank, Inc. in the amount of $9,910.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve payment to Thomson Gale in the amount of $11,798.48, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra explained that proposed changes to the FY2007 budget were due to a decrease in costs for health and dental insurance.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcke, to approve the FY2007 budget, as presented. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by George Magerl, to approve the transfer of funds within the 2006 Library Budget to cover all 2006 appropriation deficit categories and to transfer any remaining balance to the Library Fund for 2007. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve the 2007 appropriation and the 2006 levy and to direct Carol Kidd to deliver the information to the City of Des Plaines. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

A report on parliamentary procedure was given by Elaine Tejcek. She attended Parliamentary Procedure Workshop at North Suburban Library System with President Noreen Lake and Library Director Sandra Norlin on October 23, 2006. Vice President Grice asked that copies of Elaine Tejcek’s report be included in the January 2007 board packet.

The Board discussed topics for their column, Splinters from the Board, for the April/May issue of the library newsletter, Foreword. Eldon Burk volunteered to write an article about the many databases the library now offers to patrons.

Sandra Norlin invited the Board to attend the North Suburban Library System Legislative Breakfast on Monday, February 19, 2007.

Hector Marino, Coordinator of Computer and Technical Services, gave a report on the proposed technology plan for the library for 2007. Vice President Grice asked that copies of the report be included in the January 2007 board packet.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to amend the Salary Schedule for 2007 to increase the end of range bonus from 0 – 3% to 0 – 5%. Sandra explained that this was a recommendation from the reclassification committee. Sandra stated that the reclassification committee was not recommending an increase to the salary schedule because the current salaries are competitive with similar libraries in the area.

MOTION by Rhys Read, second by George Magerl, to approve an increase to the end of range bonus from 0 – 3% to 0 – 5%, which was a recommendation from the reclassification committee. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve the current Salary and Classifications Schedule for one year and to ask the Reclassification Committee to review the schedule in 2007 for the 2008 budget. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Rhys Read, to approve the purchase of a backup and storage computer server from CDW in the amount of $6,825.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library and is a budgeted expense. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Bahamon, Burk, Grice, Magerl, Read, Tejcek. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin reported the library would be receiving a donation of stock from a patron.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Rhys Read announced that his wife, Alma Read, has been elected President to the Des Plaines Area Hispanic Council.

Sandra Norlin announced that the library will begin celebrating 100 years of service to the community by hosting an after hours reception on Saturday, January 20, 2007. The reception is open to everyone.

George Magerl will attend the January 3, 2007 City Council meeting.

Sandra Norlin reported that all correspondence regarding the library roof leak has been forwarded to David Neimeyer, City Manager and Raymond Bartel, Assistant City Attorney.

George Magerl reported that the Illinois Library Association Trustee Forum Workshop will be held on February 24, 2007 at the Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to enter into an Executive Session at 9:08 p.m. to discuss Semi-Annual Review of Executive Session Minutes. VOTE: Ayes: All. Nays: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The regular session reconvened at 9:15 p.m. and was called to order by Vice President William Grice.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, not to release any Executive Session Minutes on file because the need for confidentiality still exists as to all of the remaining Executive Session minutes. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m.