Minutes 03 18 2021 LABMinutes 03 18 2021 LAB Page 1
Library Advisory Board
March 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 PRESENT Conlon, Dennis PRESENT
Damutz, Amy PRESENT Dodd, Scott PRESENT
Guenther, Joy PRESENT Maurer, Kevin PRESENT
Miles, Linda EXCUSED Montwieler, Katherine EXCUSED
Smith, Ida PRESENT Zimmer, Ronna PRESENT
Staff Members & Board Reps.
Tom Brimberry (FOL Rep), Paige Owens (Library Director), Yvette Mays (Admin),
Sheryl Kelly (Asst. County Mgr.)
Welcome
Chair Jan Brewington convened the meeting at 2:00 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 February 18, 2021 were sent to the board prior to the
meeting for review.
Motion: Ronna Zimmer MOVED, SECONDED by Dennis Conlon, to accept the minutes of the
02/18/21 meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Correspondence
Paige Owens shared a thank you note from The Woods at Holly Tree to our book sale
coordinator, Trish Hatcher. They greatly appreciated the large print books she had donated to
them for their collection.
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Friends of the Library
Tom Brimberry reported that the Friends are working on the following:
• LEAD Awards for library staff
• Looking for a new Treasurer
• Donations to Williston school with the Rotary program
• Downtown library tour
Library Foundation
No report at this time
Director’s Report
Paige Owens presented the following report:
Health and Safety
• Library employees all have opportunity for first vaccination by the end of this week
Operations
• Reopening task force with 8 workgroups submitted draft plans for reopening
• Initial changes to begin late April
Staff
• Staff continue to be assigned as needed to the vaccination effort
• Library Social Work Program Manager, LaCretia Keith, starts March 23
• Currently interviewing for Local History interns and Reference Service/Electronic
Resources Management librarian
Facilities
• Pine Valley
o Deck and walkway are completed; waiting for ADA handrail and electrical
supply. Foundation funds made this project possible.
o Pyramid net play structure planned. Waiting for engineering assessment of the
slope. Foundation funds made this project possible.
o Coastal Landscape Initiative is purchasing plants and will install soon. Friends of
the library contributed $10,000 to Pine Valley landscaping which helps pay for
this.
o Automatic door openers to adult reading have been installed with funds from the
McCartney Trust
o Manager Patricia Dew is researching an indoor book drop and reference staff
station
• Main Library
o New chairs (96) have arrived
o Other purchases and enhancements depend on the outcome of Project Grace
• Northeast
o Fire Services administration has moved out of the EDC; Board of Elections will
move in May
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• Donated books are piling up because we haven’t been able to have sales. We hope to be
able to hold a sale in the fall.
• Pleasure Island
o No updates
Budget
o FY21-22 departmental budget presentations were made March 9. Paige gave the board a
brief overview of her presentation.
.
Library Director goals FY20-21
• Community survey: On work plan of new program manager
• Main Library basement clean-up: Many items up for auction. Auction ends 3/28.
• Social work internship: On work plan of new program manager
• Fine relief: Part of FY21-22 budget request
• LSTA grant application: Application submitted for equipment to enhance virtual
programming
• Pine Valley landscape: underway
• Policy review: 2 policies to be presented to the Library Advisory Board this month
• Contract with new public printing vendor by end of FY SPRING 2021: CopyPro
awarded NHC contract to include library public printing
Committee Reports
None.
New Business
Library Policy Updates: 1.0 Privacy and 2.0 Facilities
Both policies and new drafts were sent to the board prior to the meeting.
Paige Owens fully reviewed the policies and explained the changes to both and the reasons
behind these decisions.
Review Role of Intellectual Freedom Committee
Paige Owens reported that March 2nd was an enlightening day for the library.
• Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced they will cease publication of six Dr. Seuss books due
to insensitive art and wording. Most libraries will keep existing copies of these books on
the shelves to die a natural death. This is the route NHCPL will also follow.
• A staff member was filling a patron’s request for a music CD (Louis Armstrong’s
Greatest Hits) and found the cover art offensive. The CD featured art by renowned 20th
century caricaturist Al Hirschfeld. However, without the context it is offensive.
Paige stated that we need to start exploring the issue of racially insensitive content and how this
affects public libraries. Libraries are committed to intellectual freedom, but what about racially
offensive content in our collections?
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Jan Brewington asked the entire board to do some research on how other libraries are handling
this and bring ideas to the board.
NOTE: Ronna Zimmer left the meeting prior to any discussions regarding Project Grace.
Old Business
Project Grace
Jan Brewington recognized Sheryl Kelly and opened the floor the board to make comments or
ask questions regarding Project Grace.
Jan Brewington: The board’s letter was picked up by the press and WHQR. I also attended the
County Commissioner’s meeting and was pleased to see we got the 8,000 sq. feet and were
invited to be part of the process.
Scott Dodd shared his support for the final message and mentioned receiving positive feedback
from one of the commissioners.
Jan Brewington: If the Board of Elections goes into the EDC in May, where will the library’s
Admin office move to?
Sheryl Kelly: We need to determine first where the new building will be located (Grace or
Chestnut).
Jan Brewington said one of the commissioners told her Board of Elections would not be moving
into the EDC.
Sheryl Kelly: The Board of Elections will be moving into the EDC on May 1st and will remain
through the 2022 elections. However, it is a temporary move until a new permanent site is found
for Elections.
Jan Brewington: Will library board representatives be included in the design process?
Sheryl Kelly: Yes. Along with other experts in the field and county/library staff.
Amy Damutz asked if the wording of the MOU is typical for this type of project.
Sheryl Kelly: The MOU outlines our commitment to move forward. A more detailed document
will come out in the next stages of the process.
Mary Alice Baish: Will there be a consultant experienced in our needs?
Sheryl Kelly: Normally the consultants are part of the architect’s team.
Jan Brewington: Is there a plan for a new space needs assessment?
Sheryl Kelly: There was reference to a fresh look at the last county commissioner’s meeting.
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Jan Brewington: Is green space being considered?
Sheryl Kelly: This would be developed later in the project. That was the process with the new
government center.
Following the discussion, Jan Brewington stated that the developer, architect and guests from the
county will be at our next meeting. She will send out an email to the board asking them to draft
some questions for the group along with information to educate them on modern library design.
Adjournment
Chair Jan Brewington adjourned the meeting at 3:10 pm.
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board
meeting.
Next meeting will be held on April 15, 2021