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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-11-12 PLB MINUTESEnglewood Public Library Call To Order/Roll Call Minutes Englewood Public Library Board November 12, 1996 The regular meeting of the Englewood Public Library Board was called to order by Chairperson , Mary Dounay at 7:05 p .m. PRESENT : M. Dounay , R. Greiner, A. Leonard, M. Schwindt, S. Smithers , M. Giffin (late), S. Ostema , S. O'Leary and B. Williams. REGRETS: Council Member Habenicht. ALSO PRESENT: Guests Dena Zocher and Derek Williams, Assistant Fire Marshall , Ben Greene, Hank Long, Library Director, and Joan Clayton, Recording Secretary. Instead of Roll Call Board Chair Mary Dounay asked that each Board Member introduce themselves in order to welcome new Board Member, Shannon O'Leary. After this had been done a quorum was declared. Guest Derek Williams, Board Member Bervette Williams grandson, of Boy Scout Troop 456 was introduced. Derek accompanied his grandmother to the meeting as part of satisfying his Citizenship badge for Boy Scouts . Also introduced at this time was Dena Zocher, neighbor of Board Member Ruth Greiner. Scheduled Visitors Assistant Fire Marshall, Ben Greene was introduced by Mr. Long. Mr. Greene had been asked to talk to the Board concerning the Mure installation of sprinklers in the Library 's public area and address conc~ms about the sprinkler system in the Library. Several handouts showing the affect of sprinklers on fires in libraries with and without a sprinkler system were given out. Studies have shown that the monetary loss in library fires is less when sprinklers are present. Mr. Greene addressed the concern that if one sprinkler goes off then the whole system is triggered. He said this idea has been furthered by Hollywood and that sprinkler systems are designed not to do this but to only go off where and when necessary. Actual Sprinkler heads of the type to be used in the future in the Library were passed around. These were metal sprinkler heads which have a core that must "metr from heat before the sprinkler itsetf is set off. Sprinklers are used for a dual purpose; 1.) to detect the point of origin of a fire and 2.) to set off and alarm alerting the fire department to a fire. Each sprinkler head covers a A 225 sq. foot area, approximately a 15 x 15 square. Mr. Greene said that in looking at w the shetf configuration presently being used in the Library there won't be any trouble in locating sprinklers even if shelves are moved from their present location. A question was asked about the type of heat which will set off the sprinklers. Only very high heat would set them off, not a match held under the sprinkler head . Another question was asked about the possibility of using chemicar sprinklers as opposed to water. Chemical systems are very expensive. Also once the chemical has been set off there is no more chemical to be used whereas with water there is more water from fire fighting equipment once the sprinklers have been set off . Both the National Archives and the Library of Congress use water sprinkler systems . Presently the public area of the Library has fire extinguishers which are of very limited use. Ms . Dounay thanked Mr. Greene for coming to talk to the Board. If there are questions in the future Mr. ·Greene encouraged the Board to contact him. Old Business 96 -17 Motion: That the Minutes of the Library Board Meeting of October 8, 1996 be approved as written. Moved by: Sonie Smithers Seconded by: Ame Leonard The Motion passed . Ms. Smithers reported for the Friends of the Library. The Bake Sale held Friday, October 24 and Sat ., October 25 was very successful. The sale raised $540 which will be used for the children 's Summer Reading Program next summer. Ms. Smithers thanked all of those on the Board who baked , bought and helped with the sale . She was very pleased with the community support. Ms. Smithers added that a vote had been taken at the sale and Ms . Dounats chocolate chip cookies were voted the best. The money from the Friends Big Book Sale in June has been used to purchase a 30 volume set of Time Life medical videos, which are now available for checkout; a lounge chair seating arrangement Which is now across from the front desk as you enter the Library and 2 "jukeboxes " for the -Kids Komputers, which are waiting to be installed by Mr. Long. Next year's Book Sale in June will be chaired by Bervette Williams . At the last meeting of the Friends the group voted to give $200 to fund a grant .. for a Reading Project at Maddox Elementary. This grant had been presented to the Friends by Ms. Joan Clayton who knew of the need from the Englewood Education Foundation, of which she is the treasurer. The grant will provide books and activities to be checked out by kindergartners to be taken home and done with their families. The Library donated canvas bags to be used in this project . Ms . Dounay thanked the Friends on behalf of the Board for all their hard work. She said it was gratifying to see that the group had progressed so well in their endeavors. Ms . Ostema said that the October 29 meeting of the book discussion group had been very well attended . Local author, Sybil Downing had been at the meeting to talk about her book, "Fire in the Hole" and sign copies of the book as well. Ms . Downing has a new book coming out in May about woman in the gold stock exchange in Nevada in the early 1900's. Ms. Ostema thanked Mary Lou Tatum for her help in obtaining "Fire in the Hole" and Ms. D<>Wning through information Ms. Tatum had gotten at a recent CLA convention. Ms. Ostema thanked Ms. Smithers .for her help with the publicity for the last book discussion group meeting. Ms. Ostema indicated that she would like to see other authors come to the group, possibly on a quarterly basis, and she would certainly ask Ms. Downing to come again. The next book under discussion will be, "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stenger, a book suggested by Ms. Downing. Ms. Dounay reported that the promised $5,000 check from the Rocky Mountain News for the Bookmobile had arrived. She gave the check to Ms. Clayton for deposit in the Bookmobile account . Ms. Dounay suggested that Mr. Long write a thank-you note to the Rocky Mountain News on behalf of the Library thanking them for their generous, albeit late, contribution. The plaque honoring late Board Member, Fielding Clayton, has been ordered and will be unveiled at the Volunteer Recognition Saturday, January 25, 1997. For this first recognition , 3 long time volunteers will be honored. The three will be notified in early December, and general invitations to all volunteers, businesses who have donated to the Library and others will be invited. Mr. Long said that Ms. Clayton's parents have also been invited to the Recognition ceremony. Mr . Long had included in the meeting packets a letter from Ms. Clayton's mother stating she was enclosing a check for $1,000 from Fielding's estate to be used for the purchase of books for the Library in Fielding 's memory. Mr. Long also had an copy of the booklet produced by Moore & Co. in which First American Heritage Trtle had purchased an full page advertisement for Englewood Public Library in memory of Fielding Clayton. Ms . Leonard said she had attended her first meeting of the Cultural Arts Commission which she serves as a liaison from the Library Board. She said that the group is a very diverse one. Plans are being made for an Art Auction to be held Feb.8 at the Englewood Reereation Center. All pr0ceeds from the auction will go toward the funding of a feasibility study. Donations ar·e being solicited from local artists. LaPorta Art Gallery has donated a Bev Doolittle print to be given away. To enter the drawing a $25 or more donation must be given towards the feasibility study and then the donor will be entered in the drawing. Plans for the future of the Commission are to get more art work in the community , Belleview Park was mentioned as a possible site. There was no discussion of the reports and statistics for October. New Business Ms . Dounay expressed pleasure that Amendment 17 had not passed in the recent election. She noted that City Council has interviewed Michael Heberling for the vacant Youth Member position on the Board. She expects him to be officially appointed at the November 18 City Council Meeting and then he should be at the next Board meeting in December. Mr. Long said he was very pleased that at their Novemebr 4 City Council Meeting, Council had approved $33,000 to be spent for Internet connection in the Library. Mr. Long credited City Manager, Doug Clark with being the force behind finding money for approval. The money had been originally set aside in a contingency budget waiting to see if a grant from the State Library would be awarded for Internet connection. A When this grant was not awarded Mr . Clark helped get the money moved from the • contingency fund to be spent immediately. It was suggested that the Board should write a tha~ -you to Mr. Clark. 96 -18 Motion : That two letters of thanks be written, one to City Manager, Doug Clark, and one to City Council, in appreciation of funding Internet for the Library . Moved by: Margaret Giffin Seconded by : Ame Leonard The Motion passed. It was noted that at the 1997 Budget discussions with City Council and staff in September Mayor Bums and Council Member Clapp had also supported having Internet in the Library. Mr. Long brought up for discussion limiting access to the Internet. Presently no library in the state is using "limiting software " ( eg "Net Nanny ") with their Internet terminals . All present expressed their opinions about limiting access. The consensus was not to limit access at this time. Mr. Long said that no other directors have reported problems with Internet and the lack of limiting access. The point was made if Internet is to be limited then all materials will have to be re-examined for content. Several members present felt parents need to take more responsibility for what their children check out , look up, etc. Ms. Giffin expressed her concern with what is on the Internet and therefore available to children . Ms. Ostema mentioned that federal legislation controlling the Internet is currently being worked on and soon the point could be moot. Ms. Williams stated that she felt that it would be best to not limit access unless a problem arose and then address it and make policy at that time . 96-19 Motion: The Motion was made that no "limiting software "(Net Nanny) be used on Internet terminals at the Englewood Public Library . Moved by: Sonie Smithers Seconded by: Ame Leonard Aye -8 Abstain - 1 The Motion passed. Next discussion centered around the placement of the 8 Internet terminals. Mr. Long wanted the feeling of the Board as to keeping all 8 terminals in an area near the front entrance in full view of both service desks; or to possibly have 6 terminals in this area and 2 terminals over in the children's area. A straw vote was taken with 5 supporting ··keeping all the terminals together and 4 supporting a split of 2 and 6. Comments were solicited regarding the proposed "Dear Parenr bookmark. Favorable comments were made regarding the wording and the spirit of the bookmark. 96-20 Motion: The Motion was made to support the "Dear Parents" Bookmark as proposed by Mr. Long , and that the bookmarks should be printed and disbibuted. Moved by: Sandi Ostema Seconded by: Sonie Smithers The Motion passed. The ·sophie " equipment will be available to the public in the next 4 weeks. Currentty the staff is being trained in the use of the equipment. When the equipment is ready for the public Mr. Long would like to have a well publicized event inviting the donor's husband,( the donor is house bound) the press, City Council, Beyond Sight , the supplier of the equipment and others. At this time a plaque honoring our donor will be placed on the wall with her name engraved on the plaque. In addition our anonymous donor has given the Library an additional $2400 to be used to lease audio tapes from Landmark Books in Boulder. These will mosUy be unabridged tapes, a total of 50 tapes ; then the colledion is rotated much like the McNaughton Book Lease program. At present 37 tapes have been ordered. There also has been a gift from the same donor of $300 to be used to purchase DVS videos for the visually impaired; 15 videos will be purchased with this money. For the 6th year in a row , the Food For Fines Program will be held during the holiday season , November 12 -December 20 . The suggestion was made that a simple explanation of the program could be given to the schools to use during their morning announcement. Members Choice Ms . Ostema related to the Board her frustrations of several weeks ago which had caused her to call and resign from the Board, a decision she later rescinded after her anger had passed . After several days she said she had sorted out her frustrations and things were better . She said she has no intention of resigning from the Board. Ms . Leonard invited all to the upcoming Clayton Elementary Craft Fair. Ms. Zucher thanked the Board for having her this evening. Ms. O'Leary said she was glad to be on the Board. Ms. Clayton clarified the events surrounding Ms. Ostema's call to her. Ms. Douany noted the article in the Board packets regarding the San Francisco Library. Meeting adjourned at 9: 10 p.m.