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Home My WebLink AboutMinutes 02 18 2021 LABMinutes 02 18 2021 LAB Page 1 Library Advisory Board February 18, 2021 Assembly: The Library Advisory Board met in Regular Session on Thursday, at 2:00 p.m. via WebEx. Board Members Baish, Mary Alice PRESENT Brewington, Jan PRESENT Chadurjian, Denise EXCUSED Conlon, Dennis PRESENT Damutz, Amy PRESENT Dodd, Scott PRESENT Guenther, Joy PRESENT Maurer, Kevin PRESENT Miles, Linda PRESENT Montwieler, Katherine PRESENT Smith, Ida PRESENT Zimmer, Ronna PRESENT Staff Members & Board Reps. Tom Brimberry (FOL Rep), Paige Owens (Library Director), Melody Loomis (Admin) Welcome Chair Jan Brewington convened the meeting at 2:01 p.m. The meeting was conducted remotely via WebEx. Public Comment No members of the public present Agenda Review Agenda accepted. Approval of previous minutes The minutes from the last board meeting on January 21, 2021 were sent to the board prior to the meeting for review. Motion: Ronna Zimmer MOVED, SECONDED by Katherine Montweiler, to accept the minutes of the 01/21/21 meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Correspondence Paige Owens shared a letter from Assistant District Attorney Connie Jordan thanking the library for services offered during “this difficult time.” She wrote that “The system the library put in place to facilitate checking out books during the pandemic has been a god send [for her mother].” She recognizes “the inherent risks your staff has faced.” Friends of the Library Tom Brimberry presented the following report:  The board continues to meet on zoom. Minutes 02 18 2021 LAB Page 2  Friends continues to collaborate with Downtown Rotary Club to recognize outstanding students at Williston School.  Book sale carts in library branches have been doing very well.  LEAD award application process staff programs and projects is open and the Friends are continuing to seek proposals. Deadline is the end of March.  Friends are working with Susan DeMarco on enhancing Story Walk opportunities at 4 locations.  The board provided holiday brunch for staff at all library locations for Valentine’s Day Library Foundation Ronna Zimmer reported on end of year fundraising as documented by Yvette Mays: $5,000 Pine Valley $3,288 General Fund, including $2,000 from the Adele Paynter trust $2,171 Children’s Programs $200 Endowed book fund The board plans to grant approximately $50,000 to the library in 2021. Director’s Report Paige Owens presented the following report: Health and Safety  One library employee was hospitalized in December due to complications from COVID- 19 but is fully recovered and back at work Operations  Service model remains the same for the foreseeable future. o Schedule: M-Th 10-6; F 10-5 o Curbside and limited indoor services with no seating o Computer use limited to one hour Staff  Staff are being called up for emergency assignments related to the vaccination effort.  Vacancies: o Program Manager: Interviewing underway o Reference Services Librarian: Interviewing underway o Marketing and Technology librarian: interviewing underway o Library Assistant: decision made, waiting on paperwork o Library Associate: will post after Program Manager hired Facilities  Pine Valley o Contracted for automatic doors to adult reading room using McCartney Trust funds o Design started on performance deck and walkway to be paid for with funds from Foundation Pine Valley fundraising o EcoExplore  North Carolina Arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) initiative for children in grades K-8. Children make photographic observations of plants and wildlife, and upload their findings online, in order to earn prizes, badges. Minutes 02 18 2021 LAB Page 3  Main Library o Third floor staff areas undergoing a major rearrangement (3rd floor space flip) o Basement clean-up: items going to auction in March o Story Park: Master Gardener program interested in partnering  Northeast o Status quo  Pleasure Island o New tenant next door (an online business) Budget  FY20-21 spending is on-track  FY21-22 proposed budget due January 22. Will cover in new business. Library Director goals FY20-21  Community survey: Suspended until Program Manager on board  Main Library basement clean-up: Continues  Social work internship: will be responsibility of new program manager  Fine relief: Budget request for elimination of overdue fines on children’s materials  LSTA grant application: Applying for funds to support online programming-- APPLICATION DUE MARCH 1, 2021  Pine Valley landscape: underway  Policy review: Team led by Leigh Thomas is developing recommendations  Contract with new public printing vendor by end of FY SPRING 2021: Included in county’s RFP for a new copier/printing vendor. Committee Reports None. New Business Scott Dodd asked if the library needs advocacy to benefit from the funds earmarked for the community following the sale of the hospital. Paige explained that there is a community foundation handling the grant funds, and there are strict guidelines for how that money can be used. Paige said the process is just getting started and she’ll be able to share more in the future. Project Grace Paige shared new developments regarding Project Grace. A memorandum of understanding between Zimmer Development and New Hanover County has been published. A public hearing and possible vote by the commissioners will take place March 15, 2021. Paige gave a brief history of the redevelopment project which spans the downtown block that houses Main Library. Jan reminded the board that there is a Project Grace committee, and the committee will be responsible for taking next steps. Kevin Maurer mentioned that he is on the Cape Fear Museum board, and that the museum is concerned about parking and space issues. He volunteered to communicate between the boards to coordinate a response to the commissioners. Minutes 02 18 2021 LAB Page 4 Jan said that we have limited information at this point, so the board should wait for the committee to meet. Paige expressed the desire for enhanced library services downtown and said museum staff feel the same way about the museum. The wording of the memorandum of understanding raises come concerns about whether the library and museum needs will be met in the project. A primary concern is that the MOU leaves out 8,000 square feet in shared space between the library and museum. Another concern is that by building on Chestnut Street, the library will be displaced during construction. There is also concern about the library and museum functions that were left out of the original plan with the understanding that they would be housed somewhere else. There’s no accommodation in the plan for these spaces. Joy asked if there is a public library standard for square footage. Paige said she will research that question. Paige explained that the county will own the ground and lease the library and museum spaces to the developer. The developer will build the library and museum and sublet the buildings back to the county for 4.5 million a year for 20 years. At the end of 20 years, the facilities will revert back to the county. Jan said she is concerned that this process is moving too fast. She said she will communicate with the Project Grace Committee and the committee will decide on how to proceed by early next week. Old Business None. Adjournment Chair Jan Brewington adjourned the meeting at 3:1pm. Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board meeting. Next meeting will be held on March 18, 2021