HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-06-11 PLB MINUTES..
Englewood Public Library
Minutes
Englewood Public Library Board
June 11, 1996
Call To Order/Roll Call
The regular meeting of the Englewood Public Library Board was called to order by
Vice Chair Margaret Giffin at 7:05 p.m .
PRESENT : M. Giffin, Council Member A. Habenicht, A. Leonard , R. Greiner, F.
Clayton, B. Williams, M. Schwindt, and S. Smithers.
REGRETS: S. Williams, S. Ostema and M. Dounay.
ALSO PRESENT: Hank Long, Library Director , and Joan Clayton , Recording
Secretary.
Roll call was taken and a quorum was declared present.
Scheduled/Unscheduled Visitors
Sunday Aigbe, former Library Board Member.
Old Business
96 - 9 Motion: That the Minutes of the Library Board Meeting of April 9, 1996
be approved as written.
Moved by: Bervette Williams
Seconded by: Ame Leonard
The Motion passed .
Mr. Long referred to the draft proposal for a coffee cart in the library that was included
in Board Members packets. This is a draft of the bid proposal based upon the proposal
used in the Golf Course bid for the food operation . Some things included in this draft
are not needed and will be deleted. Mr. Long will be gathering feedback from this draft
and incorporating it into a final bid. Ms. Leonard asked about Pat's Coffee Garden cart ,
which had been at the Book Sale, and how business had been for them. Mr. Long •
indicated he was unsure but thought the response had been generally disappointing. e .
If anyone on the Board has feedback for Mr. Long they were asked to contact him by
June 28. The hope is to have the bid for a coffee cart go out in July.
Ms. Leonard reported that the Penny Drive in the schools sponsored by the Save the
Bookmobile Committee had gone very well. Over $1,000 in pennies was collected.
Four public schools participated this year, the fifth school, Bishop Elementary, declined
to participate. The winning school was Clayton Elementary this year , just beating out
Charles Hay Elementary . NorWest Bank was very helpful in counting and rolling all the
change .
At this time unscheduled visitor , Sunday Aigbe arrived to speak to the Board. Mr.
Aigbe had asked to speak to the Board concerning a new venture he has undertaken .
Mr. Aigbe and several others have formed Global Cultures International, Inc . This is a
group who are seeking to help inmigrants with their transition to this country through
education. He is seeking support of a monetary nature as well as in kind services.
Brochures were handed out to those present . These brochures are also to be
available at the Reference Desk. Ms. Giffin thanked Mr. Aigbe on behalf of the Board
for coming to speak to them about this new venture. She also expressed the Board's
pleasure in seeing Mr . Aigbe again since his departure from the Board in February of
1996. .
Ms. Smithers reported for the Friends of the Library. The Second Big Book Sale was
very successful, realizing a profit of $3,600. Approximately 400 volunteers hours were
put into the successful effort. Ms. Smithers thanked Ms. Leonard for taking time to
evaluate older books that were donated prior to the sale. Ms. Smithers expressed a
hearty thanks to Mr. Long and Ms. J. Clayton for all their time and help prior to and
during the sale. Ms . Smithers indicated that she and Ms. Marilyn Brenengen who co
chaired the event would be putting together a file for the next chair of the Book Sale .
Ms. Giffin complimented all those involved with the sale 's set up and display . Ms.
Leonard thanked the Friends for the certificates given out to those children
participating in the Englewood Schools Summer Program allowing each student to get
a free book at the sale. Ms. Leonard related that her daughter had received a
certificate and insisted on coming to the sale to redeem it and in the process
purchased more books. Ms.Smithers mentioned that this had been the idea of Friend 's
Member, Bill Clayton. The Board officially thanked the Friends of the Library for all
their hard work .
Mr. Long next reported on the APAL joint Library Board Committee. Mr. Long asked for
input from the full Board as to how they felt about pursuing the joint sponsorship of a
public "debate " between representatives from Focus on the Family and People for the
American Way. Currently this "debate " is tentatively scheduled onSeptember 28
during "Banned Books Week ", at the Aurora Central Library . This will be open to the
public and to be jointly sponsored by the Boards of the four APAL libraries .
96 -10 Motion : The Englewood Public Library Board endorses the continuation of
support of the upcoming APAL "debate · between representatives
from Focus on the Family and People for the American Way .
Moved by: Sonie Smithers
Seconded by : Marge Schwindt
5ayes
1 abstain
Vice Chair Giffin not voting.
The motion passed.
Next on the Agenda was discussion surrounding the statistics for the months of April
and May. Due to the cancellation of a May Library Board Meeting the statistics from
both months were under discussion. Mr . Long was complimented on his graph of the
Bookmobile usage. All present felt it was very readable as well as helpful for
comparison. Ms. Giffin noted that when ciruclation from both the Bookmobile and Main
Library are added together that the general circulation is not as low as it first appears .
All present felt after discussion of reasons for dropping circulation figures that keeping
track of other services such as data base use is most important.
Ms . Leonard felt it worthy of note that the Bookmobile driver had just taken her first sick
day in over a year . Mr. Long mentioned that a new "People Counter " is currently on
order for the Bookmobile. Ms. Leonard also noted for the record her feeling that the
maintenance charge assessed by the city of $370 per month for the Bookmobile was
very high for very little return. This charge is currently paid by the Save the Bookmobile
Committee through donations and fund raisers such as the recent Penny Drive.
A question was raised concerning a line item in the Library Board Expenditure Fund
Report. Mr . Long explained that even though a certain line item may be entered one
year but not used the next year, the item will still appear as a line item in the report.
New Business
Ms.Giffin gave the Board Chair report in Ms. Dounay 's absence . A letter from Larry
Nisbet , Executive Director of the Englewood Education Foundation , had been
received and was read by Ms . Giffin. The letter thanked the Public Library Board for
their donation of $30.00 for the Summer Enrichment Program . This letter was in
response to the letter sent to Dr . James Walpole accompanying a $30.00 check, a
. copy of which was in the Board packet for the June Meeting.
Mr. Long's report outlined the recent staff changes as listed in the Agenda for the June
11 meeting . He went on to report that the two new "Kids Komputers · will be placed in
public area in the next week . These computers will replace the old "Kids Komputers ·
which had worn out from use .
Mr . Long brought forth the idea of volunteer recognition to be jointly sponsored by staff
and the Board. The idea is to recognize all volunteers from the Bookmobile , those in
the library and those local businesses who have been supportive of the Library and its
programs . Ms . Greiner and Ms . Leonard volunteered to represent the Board.
Discussion followed about types of gifts for the volunteers. The general feeling being
the gifts should be useful as well as "showy ".
The equipment for the visually handicapped is still behind the scenes where Mr. Long e ·
is being trained so he in tum can train staff and others in its use.
The EPL 2000 Committee report will be given at the July meeting so that Ms . Dounay ,
a member of the committee as well as Board Chair can be part of the discussion.
All Board members were given brochures on the upcoming CLA I CEMA conference to
be held in Denver August 15 -18. Any Board Member who wishes to attend all or part
of the conference is asked to let Mr. Long or Ms. J. Clayton know prior to June 30. Ms .
Giffin noted that the conference is well worth attending and she highly recommends it.
Mr Long mentioned that the City's facility study should wind up in June and he will
keep the Board advised of such.
Member's Choice:
Ms. Habenicht thanked the Board and staff for their expressions of sympathy on the
passing of her mother. On a happier note, Ms. Habenicht's daughter, Tania graduated
from Ithaca College, cum laude . She was awarded a music award at corrmencement
as well as singing at pre commencement activities. Congratulations were noted by all
present. Ms. Habenicht went on to mention a recent South Metro Chamber of
Commerce workshop she had attended . At this workshop Jennifer James was the
speaker who spoke about coping in the next millennium. Ms. James has wriitten a e
book entitled," Thinking in the Future Tense ". Ms. Habenicht has purchased the book
and said she will donate it to the library when she has finished reading it.
Ms. Smithers mentioned her upcoming vacation to Hawaii.
-Ms. Leonard asked about the newspaper article in the packets mentioning a ·bag tt
man who had sued a town in New Jersey. Have we seen him in our library as it is
mentioned in the article that his new address is Englewood , Colorado. Mr. Long said
that he and staff are not aware of this individual being in our Library.
Ms. Habenicht mentioned the forums being held throughout the City regarding the
Cinderella City redevelopment. The last scheduled forum is Wed., June 12 at 7 p.m . at
Sinclair Middle School .
Summary of Decisions:
Voted to endorse the continued participation in the planning of the APAL tt debate ".
Volunteers , Ruth Greiner and Ame .Leonard will help plan with staff a volunteer
recognition.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m.
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