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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/23/95 Library Board MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY FEBRUARY 23, 1995 A REGULAR SESSION of the Library Board of the City of The Colony Texas, was called to order by Temporary Chair Barton at 7:05 p.m. Present: Ken Wood Place 1 Dorian Barton Place 4 Jayme Skelton Place 5 Wayne Bullard Alternate 2 Toby Pollard Council Liaison Joan L. Sveinsson Library Director Valeta J. Eimer Secretary Absent: Patricia Riggs Alternate 1 (Health reasons) Diana Kruzich Place 2 (Family event) James Althaus Place 3 (Business) 1. CITIZEN'S INPUT. None. 2. CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING HELD JANUARY 26, 1995. Minutes stand approved as presented. 4. NTRLS LAY REPRESENTATIVE'S REPORT. None. 5. NEW TECHNOLOGIES COMMITTEE REPORT. None. 6. LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT. A. Questions/comments re: January monthly report: It was noted that January 1995 circulation is up 12% over January 1994, and that January 1994 had been up 15% over January 1993 -- yet there has been no increase in circulation staff to handle this increased workload. It was noted that all reported activity levels had increased this January, while number of employees was down 25% and employee hours were down 21%. Statistics provided in the January 1995 report distributed at the meeting yielded the following information: Cardholders: 17,173 (up 11% from January 1994) Collection: 48,722 (up 6% from January 1994) Circulation: 9,757 (up 12% from January 1994) Patron Visits: 7,166 (up 3% from January 1994) Incoming calls: 682 (up 1% from January 1994) Revenue: $ 1,263.88 (up 30% from January 1994) Volunteers: 20 (up 5% from January 1994) Volunteer Hours: 224 (up 17% from January 1994) YA Volunteers: 1 (up 100% from January 1994) YA Vol. Hours: 2 Operating Hours: 187 (up 6% from January 1994) Employees: 5.950 (down 25% from January 1994) Employee Hours: 1,023 (down 21% from January 1994) B. Director Sveinsson has been informed by the Public Works Director that the structural engineer did not recommend the proposal by the mud-jacking company for applying that process to the building's foundation. The situation is still under review. The Public Works Director is considering recommending that the doors be re-framed and that we continue to monitor the movement of the building. It was noted that the current entry doors are not very A.D.A. friendly. Also, if the Meeting Room is converted to house the Adult Fiction collection, provisions would need to be made to deal with materials security and circulation control. It was suggested that an option of expanding the lobby to accommodate A.D.A. friendly power doors and relocation of the circulation desk and security system to serve both sides of the building should be explored. C. Staffing: 1) A total of five applications were received for the Youth Services Librarian position; first round interviews have been completed. Director Sveinsson will meet with the Librarian staff Friday to review the results; it is hoped that the position will be filled early in March. 2) Technical Services Librarian Pam Allen has notified Director Sveinsson that she is accepting a position with Flower Mound Public Library. She will be leaving towards the end of April. 3) Director Sveinsson reported re: the new staff schedule plan that will go into effect March 7. The goals of the new plan are a) to provide the best possible service given the available resources, and b) to enable/empower staff to meet Goal #1 by devising staff schedules which provide additional support when most needed, which provide improved consistency, which ~romote harmony among the staff, and which reduce the stress in our working environment. The plan was presented to staff the first week of February. 4) A reorganization of office work space is also planned; it will have to be phased in. The Board discussed staffing concerns, including the non- competitive salaries, stressful workloads and schedules, and staff morale. During this discussion, Chairman Wood arrived, the time being 7:39 p.m. D. Staff has contacted the typewriter company re: suggested options for the coin-op typewriter service and is waiting for a response. 3. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. Chairman Wood reported that he has not been able to arrange a meeting with the local editor for the newspaper re: distributing the survey via the paper. He will contact Vice-Chair Kruzich and Alternate Riggs to ask that they handle this task. 7. DISCUSSION OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND LONG RANGE PLANS. The major discussion item was the need for more facility space. The Board studied the original architect's drawing for the Municipal Complex; concerns were expressed re: the feasibility of expanding the existing facility for library use. It was suggested that the facility could be converted for other City uses, including much needed office space, if the library were to be relocated to another site. Site availability, future development plans, population projections, parking requirements were discussed; it was decided that the Board needed further education in these areas. Director Sveinsson will contact City Planner Sam Chavez and Economic Development Coordinator Lori Harlan re: meeting with the Board to provide insight into such areas. It was noted that phases of the Library's development need to be planned; the long-range plan might include short-term, interim, and long-term development of facility space. Councilman Pollard suggested including options in the 5-year capital projects plan. The Board drew up a list of considerations for facility design: access, storage (supplies and equipment), work space (task oriented, staff compliant, power & cabling, telephone jacks, wireless telephones for service desks), circulation desk design, separate service desk for issuance of library cards, fire suppression (zoned), balanced HVAC, parking.requirements, A.D.A. compliance, an architect with experience in designing library facilities, a knowledgeable library building consultant, and a practical plan for any future expansion. Board members may want to visit other libraries to talk with their staff members re: what they like and dislike about their facility designs. Other areas of development to be considered in the long-range plan include automated self-checkout (not available with the Library's current software), internet access, improved automation software, networking with other libraries, collection development (in all formats), keeping current with technology. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. ~1~~--~ U~ Ken Wood, Chair %faleta JU Elmer, Sedretary