HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/24/08 Library
MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD
OF THE
CITY OF THE COLONY
July 24, 2008
A REGULAR SESSION of the Library Board of the City of The Colony, Texas, was called to order
by Vice-Chair Skelton at 7:02 p.m.
Present: Sandy Gehrke Place 1
Diana Kruzich Place 2
Wanda Spears Place 3
Jayme Skelton Place 5
Wayne Bullard Place 6 (arrived 7:15 p.m.)
Joan Sveinsson Library Director
Jo Chantrill Library Secretary
Absent: Lorraine Clark Place 4 Personal
Sue Parks Place 7 Personal
1. Citizens Input.
None.
2. Consideration and approval of minutes of the board meeting held on June 19, 2008.
The minutes were approved as presented,
3. Review of Board member notebooks.
Member Gehrke moved to table this item to the next meeting. Member Kruzich seconded the
motion. The motion passed unanimously.
4. Discussion and consideration of recommendations regarding proposed revisions to the fee
schedule.
Director Sveinsson reported that there were no further recommendations other than the one
discussed last month to raise the exam proctoring fee from $10 to $15 per exam. Member
Spears moved to approve the recommendation as proposed. Member Gehrke seconded the
motion; the motion carried unanimously.
5. Library Director's report.
a. Status re: operations.
Director Sveinsson was invited to be the speaker at the July Chamber of Commerce
luncheon. She spoke about TCPL's services, with a heavy emphasis on the electronic
resources, and distributed an informational brochure containing a brief description of each
of the electronic resources, a listing of TCPL's on-site services, and sporting the
"Information, Imagination, Inspiration, Innovation - Find it at The Colony Public Library"
graphic designed by Technical Services Librarian Charters. The presentation was well-
received.
Director Sveinsson is experimenting with calling customers who have overdue materials
for which another customer has placed a hold; so far, the experiment has had good results
with a number of items being returned.
Director Sveinsson has evaluated the DVD purchases for the past 11 Y2 months. Director
Sveinsson found that the majority of the DVD's purchased that were available in a wide-
Library Board 07-24-08 Page 2
screen format were purchased in that format. Staff is conducting an online and in-person
survey regarding preferred DVD formats and genres.
Staff is also conducting an online and in-person survey regarding adult program topics.
Director Sveinsson and Youth Services Librarian Snyder are developing a plan for
redesigning the layout of the Juvenile area, to include lowering the height of the free-
standing shelving, moving more single-faced shelving onto the perimeter of the room, and
replacing some of the upholstered seating. The preliminary FY 08-09 budget includes
funding for replacing the remainder of the original carpeting.
Director Sveinsson is taking advantage of the PARD marquee to promote library use and
programs.
TCPL's Live Homework Help service will expand next month. Currently, the service is for
grades 4 _ Introductory College. Beginning August 1, LHH will serve grades K - Adult.
Member Spears helped establish the Writers Circle, a TCPL-sponsored gathering of local
writers to discuss their current projects, seek suggestions from fellow writers, and share
insights into getting their works published. Member Spears reported on the success of this
project and noted that these writers might be potential speakers for library programs.
Member Spears has also successfully established a new TCPL-sponsored book
discussion group for mystery lovers, the "Who Done Its".
Director Sveinsson reported that NTRLS committee signups are open for the upcoming
year.
Director Sveinsson reviewed the list of upcoming library events for August, as well as the
upcoming events in the city that may provide a venue for increasing visibility for TCPL in
the community:
Director Sveinsson has been invited to give brief presentations at Griffin Middle
School's orientations on August 15th.
TCPL will have a booth at PARD's Back to School Bash on August 19th to issue
library cards and promote TCPL's services, particularly the Live Homework Help
and electronic resources. Member Kruzich suggested that Director Sveinsson look
into the possibility of giving out custom printed pencils with the Library's website
address and phone number printed on them.
The organizers of "Pirate Days in The Colony", which will be held October 18-19 in
Stewarts Creek Park, have discussed the potential of working with TCPL to
establish a storytelling venue as part of the event and possibly funding the
storyteller fees.
Director Sveinsson is also interested in having TCPL presence at the National Night
Out celebrations on October th and the Veterans Day event at Stewarts Creek Park
on November 8th.
b. Status report re: grant projects:
Staff is continuing to expend the Loan Star Libraries grant funds for the approved projects;
most of the funding has now been encumbered or spent.
Adult Services Librarian Boykin is ordering the audio books on cd funded by the Texas
Book Festival Grant; approximately one-half of the grant funds have been expended. A
display of these audiobooks with a sign noting that their purchase was funded by the grant
Library Board 07-24-08 Page 3
is in place on the shelves outside of the Quiet Room. Gift plates acknowledging the grant
are being placed in each item.
Two of the Summer Reading Club programs were funded in part by grants from the Texas
Commission on the Arts.
The CoServ Charitable Foundation Grant to fund Live Homework Help was presented at
the July 7th City Council meeting.
c. Update re: Friends of the Library activities.
The next officers meeting will be held on August 14th at 7:00 pm.
The next book sale will be on September 6th in conjunction with the Meet the Authors
event.
The next Library Board meeting is scheduled for August 28, 2008.
The meeting adjourned at 8: 18 p.m.
tdt~
. .0 Chantrill, Secretary