HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/22/04 Library Board MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD
OF THE
CITY OF THE COLONY
January 22, 2004
A REGULAR SESSION of the Library Board of the City of The Colony, Texas, was called
to order by Chair Gehrke at 7:07 p.m.
Present:
Sandi Gehrke Place 1
Diana Kruzich Place 2
Lorraine Clark Place 4
Jayme Skelton Place 5
Wayne Bullard Place 6
Sue Parks Place 7
Joan Sveinsson Library Director
Jo Chantrill Library Secretary
Absent:
James Althaus Place 3 (medical)
1. Citizens input.
None.
2. Consideration and approval of minutes of the board meeting held December 4, 2003.
The minutes were approved as corrected. (Member Parks was present at that meeting,
but her name was omitted from the attendance list in error).
3. Elections of Officers.
Member Parks moved that Diana Kruzich be elected as Chair and Jayme Skelton as
Vice-Chair; the motion was seconded by Member Bullard and passed unanimously.
4. Review of Library Policies.
a. Discussion and consideration of revisions to the Guidelines for Posting Material on
the Community Bulletin Board.
Director Sveinsson presented a substantially updated and revised policy for the
Board's consideration, based on her review of sample policies from other libraries
and on TCPL staff experience. She also asked the Board members to discuss two
concepts found in another library's policy that she did not include, but which she
wanted feedback on from the Board. It was the consensus of the Board that the
policy drafted by Director Sveinsson, with some clarification added to the wording,
be brought back for consideration at the March 2003 meeting.
5. Library Director's Report:
a. Status report re: operations
Alice Harris resigned from the 25-hour/week circulation clerk position as her family
is relocating to Arizona. Circulation Clerk Karen McCuistan has accepted that
position, leaving her 19-hour/week position vacant; Circulation Supervisor Collins is
interviewing some of the temporary clerks for the 19-hour/week vacancy. For
health-related reasons, Technical Services Librarian Sanders has temporarily
reduced her work schedule to 32 hours/week.
Director Sveinsson has been working with the librarian staff to identify and address
some of the stressors on staff working the Reference Desk. The problem behavior
on the part of teens in the juvenile area around the Youth computers and study
tables has become a major problem; it creates a negative atmosphere for younger
children and their parents seeking materials in the juvenile fiction and Easy areas.
It is very difficult to monitor this area, as it is around the corner from the Reference
Desk and thus staff does not have line-of-sight supervision of the area. Monitoring
the area has become labor-intensive and pulls staff away from reference service.
Reference Librarian Cervantes proposed relocating the computers to the area in
front of the Reference Desk, where the staff will have direct line-of-sight supervision
of the activity around the computers. Director Sveinsson has been working with the
electrician, Facilities Maintenance, and IT staff on the logistics; the relocation is
tentatively scheduled for February 23rd.
The Library Quiet Room was used for a construction meeting for the Hawaiian Falls
Adventure Park. Director Sveinsson attended the ground breaking ceremony for
Park.
This month, the Library hosted the HealthLINE meeting; HealthLINE is a resource-
sharing group for medical librarians; the membership is interested in increased
networking with public library staff. Technical Services Librarian Sanders is a
member of the organization and hosted the meeting. Reference Librarian
Cervantes participated in the speakers' panel, presenting information regarding
Internet access for the public from a public library perspective.
All employees and Board members are invited to attend the reception honoring City
Secretary Patti Hicks upon her retirement. The reception will be held on January
23, 2004, at Recreation Center from 2-4:00 pm.
b. Status report re: Denton County Library Funding
Director Sveinsson reported that County Judge Horn has been quite clear that she
believes "the time has come to being eliminating" Denton County library funding.
Director Sveinsson noted that citizens need to contact their elected representatives
on the Denton County Commissioners Court if those citizens want the services and
access enabled by the Denton County Library Funding to continue. Denton County
has been contributing to the support of public libraries serving Denton County
residents for the past 18 years.
c. Status report re: grants.
The Library has applied for the Highsmith Library Award, based on the Library's
program of services to children in day care. The winner of the $1,000 award will be
announced at the 2004 Texas Library Association Annual Conference in March.
NTRLS has been disseminating information regarding grant sources. Director
Sveinsson is collecting information regarding potential grant entities to apply to for
funding for additional furniture and shelving.
The contract for the Loan Star Libraries grant has been signed and returned to the
State Library; however, the funds have not yet been deposited in the City's account.
d. Update re: Friends of the Library activities
"Bundles of Love", beautifully ribboned bundles of paperback romance books, will
be sold in February for the Iow price of $2.00 per bundle.
The Friends will conduct a survey of the membership to gain a better understanding
of what the members want in terms of programs to be held in conjunction with the
annual business meeting, as well as what other activities the members would like
FOTCPL to host. The annual business meeting will be held on the evening of
Saturday, April 17, 2004.
A stamp collection was donated; the Friends are seeking information as to the value
of the donation.
The next used book sale will be held on Saturday, March 6th, from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
in the multi-purpose room.
e. Long range planning.
Director.Sveinsson is working on the Library Department's submission for the CIP
plan that includes capital and new personnel requests for the next six years.
The next Library Board meeting will be held March 25, 2004.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
~ Chantrill, Secretary