HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-07-08 PLB MINUTES•
•
•
Englewood Public Library
Board
Call To Order/Roll Call
1000 Englewood Parkway, Englewood, CO 80110
303-762-2560 Voice 303-783-6890 FAX
Minutes
Englewood Public Library Board
July 8, 2008
Library Board Chair, Mark Adams at 7:01 p.m, called the meeting of the Englewood Public Library Board
to order.
PRESENT: Mark Adams , Trish Elley (arrived late), Margaret Freeman (arrived late), Julie Grazulis
(arrived late), Tom Kruk, lai n Lumsden, Megan Nordlander , Karen Pilgrim , School Board Member, Shelley
Thompso n, Yout h member Nathaniel Barragan , and Counci l Member , Randy Penn.
ABSENT : Yvonne Russell (e x cused).
Also Present: Hank Long, Library Director and Joan Clayton, Recording Secretary.
The Board welcomed Nathaniel Barragan as the new Youth Member for the upcoming 2008 -2009 school
year. Mr. Barragan will be a junior at Englewood High School in the fall . Introductions were made of each
Board Member.
08 -09 Motion: That the minutes of the meeting of May 13, 2008 be approved as written .
Moved by: Trish Elley
Seconded by: Karen Pilgrim
The Motion passed .
Mr. Long reported that the Friends of the Library will have their next meeting on Wednesday, August 27 at
6 :30 p.m. to plan the Fall Book Sale .
Mr. Adams related to the Board his recent experience in Santa Fe at a National S k i Patrol meeting. He
said that because of his ex perience with running Board meetings and his experience with the Five Year
Planning Group , he was able to run a good meeting of volunteers and lead them in a good discuss ion of
ideas. He said he was most grateful for his experience with running the Library Board meetings and
looked forward to using his experience in the future in the community.
Mr. Long ex plained the Food for Fines program for Mr. Barragan 's benefit. Since its inception the program
has brought in close to $35,000 in non -perishable food items for lnterFaith Community Services Food
Bank.
Mr. Long had a 2009 Budget update for the Board's information at the meeting . The City Manager has
asked that each department propose a budget of 2 % and 5% increase for 2009. Given inflation, even a
5% increase will translate in to a status quo Library budget. On July 301
h Mr. Long will meet with the City
Manager to go over the 2009 Proposed Budget requests. On September 22 City Council will meet with the
Department Heads to determine the 2009 Budget. Mr. Penn said that he feels the Library is doing a good
job, given the money that is budgeted for the department. He went on to say that Council had recently
approved raises for the Police and Fire Departments, raises that did not go over a 5% increase .
-1 -
Mr. Adams asked if there was any discussion of the 2009 Budget as proposed by the memo passed ou t at
the meeting tonight. There was no further discussion . •
08-09 Motion: The Public Library Board would like to voice their support of the 2009 Budget proposal as
presented to them by Mr. Long at the meeting on July 8, 2008 .
Moved by: Margaret Freeman
Seconded by: Julie Grazulis
The Motion passed unanimously.
It was noted that City revenues are up for the period through the month of June. There was a brief
discussion of fuel costs which can affect City costs. There is also the factor of unknown costs which cause
everything else to rise.
Mr. Long discussed the upcoming week, August 4 -10 , when the Library will be closed for it's annual
"weeding " of the collection. This is when outdated and damaged items are removed from the collection .
These discarded items are then sold at the Book Sale in September. An average of 7 ,500 -10,000 items
are discarded per year. Being closed for a week also affords time for staff training. This year staff training
will consist of emergency procedures . It's also a time for building "touch -up" and cleaning .
Next under discussion is the proposed change to the Library's "Lost & Found " policy. The change is from
60 days to 30 days when an item may officially be disposed of if unclaimed.
08 -10 Motion: That the Library's "Lost & Found" policy time for disposal of left items be changed to 30
days .
Moved by: Tom Kruk
Seconded by lain Lumsden
Mr. Long next explained the reasoning behind his memo to forego the proposed RFID (Radio frequency
Identification) system . This system over the past 5 - 6 years has become very common in libraries as a
way of inventory control and self-service . When the project was first proposed 2 years ago and approved
as a Capital Item, the costs were much more reasonable than they are currently. The project had been
delayed due to the installing of the Patron Internet Self Registration System . This spring the City put out an
RFP for the system . Three bids were turned in ; 2 were way over budget with the 3r coming with in budget.
The ongoing annual costs for the system have doubled since the initial proposal had been made. Th is led
Mr. Long to make the decision to not do the project and turn the money back to the City's Capitol Year
Budget for use by the City.
Mr. Adams said he hoped that City Council would see the wisdom of Mr. Long's decision and be mindful of
it when discussing the 2009 Budget. Mr. Penn acknowledged that this would be noted at Budget
discussions.
There was discussion about the low turn out for the programs held in the spring, particularly the Volunteer
Recognition Program that was held on June 14. It has been decided to move this program back to early
May next year. Ms . Pilgrim offered to personally write thank -you notes to the benefactors listed in the
program from the Volunteer Recognition. Mr. Barragan and Ms. Grazulis also said that they would be glad
to help .
Sean Crow, a new Computer Specialist has been hired, and will begin on August 4 .
A color printer will be added at the Public Internet Printer Station. After surveying many other libraries to
determine charges for these prints, it has been decided to charge 50 cents per color copy.
- 2 -
•
•
Mr. Adams asked if there was any discussion of the 2009 Budget as proposed by the memo passed out at
the meeting tonight. There was no further discussion.
08-09 Motion: The Public Library Board would like to voice their support of the 2009 Budget proposal as
presented to them by Mr. Long at the meeting on July 8, 2008 .
Moved by : Margaret Freeman
Seconded by: Julie Grazulis
The Motion passed unanimously.
It was noted that City revenues are up for the period through the month of June. There was a brief
discussion of fuel costs which can affect City costs. There is also the factor of unknown costs which cause
everything else to rise.
Mr. Long discussed the upcoming week, August 4 -10, when the Library will be closed for it's annual
"weeding" of the collection . This is when outdated and damaged items are removed from the collection.
These discarded items are then sold at the Book Sale in September. An average of 7,500-10,000 items
are discarded per year. Being closed for a week also affords time for staff training. This year staff training
will consist of emergency procedures. It's also a time for building "touch -up" and cleaning.
Next under discussion is the proposed change to the Library's "Lost & Found" policy. The change is from
60 days to 30 days when an item may officially be disposed of if unclaimed.
08 -10 Motion: That the Library's "Lost & Found" policy time for disposal of left items be changed to 30
days .
Moved by: Tom Kruk
Seconded by lain Lumsden
Mr. Long next explained the reasoning behind his memo to forego the proposed RFID (Radio frequency
Identification) system. This system over the past 5 -6 years has become very common in libraries as a
way of inventory control and self-service. When the project was first proposed 2 years ago and approved
as a Capital Item, the costs were much more reasonable than they are currently . The project had been
delayed due to the installing of the Patron Internet Self Registration System. This spring the City put out an
RFP for the system. Three bids were turned in; 2 were way over budget with the 3r coming within budget.
The ongoing annual costs for the system have doubled since the initial proposal had been made . This led
Mr. Long to make the decision to not do the project and turn the money back to the City's Capitol Year
Budget for use by the City.
Mr. Adams said he hoped that City Council would see the wisdom of Mr. Long's decision and be mindful of
it when discussing the 2009 Budget. Mr. Penn acknowledged that this would be noted at Budget
discussions .
There was discussion about the low turn out for the programs held in the spring, particularly the Volunteer
Recognition Program that was held on June 14. It has been decided to move this program back to early
May next year. Ms. Pilgrim offered to personally write thank -you notes to the benefactors listed in the
program from the Volunteer Recognition . Mr. Barragan and Ms. Grazulis also said that they would be glad
to help.
Sean Crow, a new Computer Specialist has been hired, and will begin on August 4.
A color printer will be added at the Public Internet Printer Station . After surveying many other libraries to
determine charges for these prints , it has been decided to charge 50 cents per color copy .
-2 -
• ...
•
•
•
Member's Choice
Mr. Kruk invited all to the summer play, "Fiddler on the Roof' to be held Aug . 1, 2 & 3 at Eng lewood High
School. He has the part of the butcher in the play. His 2 older daughters are also in the play.
Mr. Barragan said he is here to help promote the library and its programs to the youth of the community.
Ms . Nordlander said her children just love the Summer Reading Program . They are having a very good
summer.
Ms. Freeman said it has finally gotten too hot! She has been to New Orleans to visit her son and
grandchildren and will be going in 2 weeks to Chicago to see her other son and grandchildren.
Mr. Penn welcomed Mr. Barragan to the Board. He said that he had gotten his first retirement check . He
leaves on Friday for a vacation in Mexico .
Ms . Grazulis said she is officially an "empty-nester''. Her younger daughter Kirsten has moved out to
Utah to live with her older sister, Kendra and her husband .
Ms . Thompson said that the School Board has officially acknowledged that they are not pleased with
student performance in the Englewood Schools . The School Board will be looking at new benchmarks and
changes of how business is being done . The feeling of the School Board is that there is a lot of catching
up that needs to be done.
Ms . Elley said that she had had an awesome Fourth of July weekend with hikes and a 15 mile bike ride.
Mr. Lumsden said he and his wife had done a road trip to Santa Fe and truly enjoyed the trip . It was their
first time in Santa Fe .
Ms . Pilgrim said summer seems to be flying by. She has joined a book club and they are reading "Prodigal
Summer" by Barbara Kingsolver.
Mr. Long reminded the Board that in August the meeting would be held in the Story time room due to the
discarded books being brought in to the Board Room for the Book sale in early September.
Mr. Adams suggested that since the City's Board and Commission Appreciation Night at Pirate 's Cove is
Monday, August 11, that the Library Board suspend the August 12 meeting.
08-11 Moti o n: That the Library Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, 2008 be cancelled .
Moved by: Margaret Freeman
Seconded by: Megan N o rdlander
The Motion passed unanimously.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 7 :55 p.m .
- 3 -