Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
May 16, 2006

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, May 16, 2006. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 7:02PM.

ROLL CALL.

Roll call indicated the following board members were present: Eldon Burk, William Grice, Noreen Lake, Jerry Mahony, Rhys Read, Elaine Tejcek, Susan Weinberg.

Members Absent: Mary Ellicson.

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Martha Sloan, Hector Marino, Leslie Steiner, Carol Kidd, Alderman Carla Brookman, George Magerl, Paul Go, Sue D’Hondt.

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

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

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

None

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE – Alderman Carla Brookman.

Alderman Brookman was in attendance, but did not give a report.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by William Grice, to accept the Consent Agenda, as written. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Rhys Read, seconded by William Grice, to approve the Financial Reports for April 2006, 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 $ 12,166.50
2. Petty Cash Expenditures $ 18.46
3. Budget Expenditures for April $ 469,106.03
4. Expenditures Year to Date $ 1,669,783.44
5. Revenue for April $ 87,379.59
6. Revenue Year to Date $ 2,269,248.21

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

April 03, 2006 $ 72,513.22
April 17, 2006 $ 23,828.08
Total $ 96,341.31

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

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

April 13, 2006 $ 120,229.99
April 27, 2006 $ 118,109.10
Total $ 238,339.09

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

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

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

PERSONNEL

New employee for March/April: Ancy Thomas, part-time Page, Circulation
Services.
Separation: Jeanne Meyer, Readers’ Services Assistant.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The annual all-staff in-service day will be held on Thursday, May 11. The theme of the day is understanding teens. The entire program has been planned and will be presented by library staff, under the direction of Martha Sloan. Guest speaker Amy Alessio has served as a consultant to the planning committee and will make several presentations throughout the day.

Bob Blanchard and I attended the ALA National Legislative Day(s) in Washington, DC, May 1-3. We were part of a large delegation from Illinois and the North Suburban Library System. Bob received a $500 scholarship and I received a $300 stipend from NSLS to help with the expenses of the trip. After being educated on the library issues ALA wanted us to focus on, we were able to meet with representatives from Jan Schakowsky, Dick Durbin, and Barack Obama’s support staffs.

Eight staff, including me, will attend the annual Reaching Forward conference for library assistants on Friday, May 19 at the Rosemont Convention Center.

Hector Marino has been elected to serve on the ALA Council, representing the International Relations Round Table.

PATRON SERVICES

Circulation slowed by 1% since last April, but year to date circulation has increased by 4%. Patrons used self-check for 19% of the items checked out from the main library. Of the items checked out, the trend toward audio visual materials continues, although slightly less this April. Fifty-four percent of all items checked out are print; 69% of the children’s materials and 46% of the adult collections circulation are print.

Computer use increased by 16% on the adult floors and 47% on the children’s floor this April over April 2005. Use of our databases has also increased by 74% over last April. There was a decrease in use of our meetings rooms, attributable in part to the dates of the Friends’ book sales. Last year the sale was held in April, this year in March.
Our card holders have increased by 740 over last year at this time.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

I am serving on the Scholarship Committee of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and am engaged in reviewing the scholarship applications submitted for this year’s awards. I also reviewed the applications for the District 62 Foundation’s Grant awards.

I attended the Library Cable Network Executive Committee meeting and the Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon on April 20, participated in the Do the Dewey Fundraiser on April 22, attended the NSLS Board Meeting at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago on April 24, the Friends of the Library Roundtable meeting on April 25, a workshop on Community Surveys at NSLS and a Strategic Planning meeting at the Des Plaines Senior Center on April 26. On April 27 I met with Ron Winner from the Illinois State Library to discuss our continued participation in the Project Next Generation Grant program. May 1-3 I participated in the ALA National Legislative Day events in Washington, DC.

NEW BUSINESS

Mary Ellicson will attend the June 5 City Council meeting; Eldon Burk the June 19 meeting; Jerry Mahony the June 26 meeting and Susan Weinberg the July 17 meeting.

President Noreen Lake asked for volunteers to serve on the nominating committee. Susan Weinberg, William Grice and Elaine Tejcek offered to serve on the Committee.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to purchase software from Outsource Solutions Group in the amount of $9,722.00. Sandra asked Hector Marino, Coordinator of Computer and Technical Services, to explain how the software would be used. Hector Marino explained that the software will allow centralized management of all library computers. Hector Marino reported that four proposals were received and that Outsource Solutions Group was the lowest proposal.

MOTION by William Grice, seconded by Jerry Mahony, to approve payment to Outsource Solutions Group (OSG) for Desktop Authority Software in the amount not to exceed $9,722.00, which was the lowest proposal received. VOTE: AYES: Burk, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Sandra Norlin asked for Board approval to continue to share in Library Cable Network expenses at a cost of $31,320.00 per year. Sandra explained that Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Prospect Heights and Skokie are all members of Library Cable Network and that there are 200,000 potential viewers in the four participating communities.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Elaine Tejcek, to approve payment to Library Cable Network in the amount of $31,320.00, which is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: Burk, Grice, Lake, Mahony, Read, Tejcek, Weinberg. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Alderman Brookman reported that the City Council will offer City of Des Plaines volunteers a $20.00 voucher to be used at the Taste of Des Plaines for their service to the community. Alderman Brookman also reported that Board members are considered volunteers and would be eligible to receive a voucher. President Lake stated that according to Illinois Library Law library trustees cannot accept any compensation for serving on the Board. The board consensus was to let each trustee make his own decision whether or not to accept this thank you gift from the city.

President Lake asked for Board approval to purchase a wreath to be presented at the Des Plaines Memorial Day ceremony, which is held at the Lake Park.

MOTION by William Grice, seconded by Jerry Mahony, to authorize Library Director Sandra Norlin to purchase a wreath for the Memorial Day ceremony in an amount not to exceed $100.00 and to present the wreath at the ceremony. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin commended Martha Sloan, Coordinator of Public Services and the In-Service Day committee for planning and facilitating the library’s in-service day on May 11. This year’s theme was understanding teens.

Sandra Norlin reported that Hector Marino, Coordinator of Computer and Technical Services, was elected to serve on the ALA Council, representing the International Relations Round Table, and Sara McLaughlin will chair the American Library Association Publishing Committee.

President Lake thanked Board members for their help with the “Do the Dewey” fundraiser.

President Lake reported that she received a resignation letter, effective immediately, from Board member Susan Burrows. President Lake has contacted State Representative Elaine Nekritz and asked that a proclamation be written for Susan. Sandra Norlin stated that Susan will be asked to attend a future board meeting so that she can be honored for her 27 years of service.

Martha Sloan, Coordinator of Public Services, reported that public forums were being held in conjunction with the LSTA grant, Building Communities through Creative Conversation. Martha Sloan stated that the public forums were successful and welcomed board members to attend.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by William Grice, to enter into an Executive Session at 7:45p.m. to discuss Probable or Imminent Litigation and Compensation, Discipline or Performance of a Specific Employee. Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The regular session reconvened at 8:27 p.m. and was called to order by President Noreen Lake.

MOTION by Susan Weinberg, seconded by William Grice, to affirm the decision made in Executive Session regarding Compensation, Discipline or Performance of a Specific Employees. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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

The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Carol Kidd.

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