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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 03 17 2022 LAB Library Advisory Board March 17, 2022 Assembly: The Library Advisory Board met in Regular Session on Thursday, at 3:30 pm via WebEx. Board Members Assael, Shaun PRESENT Baish, Mary Alice EXCUSED Conlon, Dennis PRESENT Dodd, Scott PRESENT Grant, Amy PRESENT Guenther, Joy PRESENT Kozik, Lynn PRESENT Maurer, Kevin EXCUSED Miles, Linda EXCUSED Montwieler, Katherine EXCUSED Smith, Ida PRESENT Zimmer, Ronna PRESENT Staff Members & Board Reps. Paige Owens (Library Director), Leigh Thomas (NE Branch Mgr.), Yvette Mays (Library Admin. Coord.) Not Present: Tom Brimberry, FOL Rep Welcome Chair Scott Dodd convened the meeting at 3:30 pm. Public Comment No public comments. Agenda Review No changes suggested. Approval of Previous Minutes The minutes from the last board meeting on February 17, 2022, were sent to the board prior to the meeting for review. Motion: Shaun Assael MOVED, SECONDED by Amy Grant, to accept the minutes of the 2/17/22 meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Correspondence Paige Owens reported, the Friends of the Library received a donation from a patron that included a note. The note stated their high regards to Kipp Register and the crew at the Pleasure Island Library. Friends of the Library None Library Foundation None Director’s Report Library Director Update March 2022 COVID Update • New Hanover County COVID test positivity rate 7%! Staff • Senior Librarian at Main Library: promoted Brianna Davis, Main Reference Librarian • Posted and/or interviewing: o Reference Librarian (Main) newly vacant o Local History Librarian open since 9/10/21. Candidate visit end of month. o Pine Valley Library Supervisor open since 1/24/22 ▪ Two excellent candidates interviewed by management and Pine Valley staff ▪ Decision to be made within days o Associate (Main) open since 2/8/22 ▪ Internal posting with 4 strong candidates • Assistant County manager Shery Kelly is retiring from New Hanover County in early May • 30-year NHCPL employee Vanessa Causey retiring end of June Facilities • Shifting of collections underway at Northeast to move Young Adult materials adjacent to new teen area • Tables and chairs ordered for Northeast new children’s program room • New shelving under consideration for Pine Valley Large Print and adult nonfiction • New Hanover County contracted for window cleaning. Main and Northeast scheduled week of 3/14 Budget • Joint dept. heads budget meeting held March 8—library requests presented Programs • Indoor story times being scheduled at Main library in April; outdoor story times continue at other locations • Planning for Read across the County sponsored by the Friends is underway. Book selection nearing completion. Library Director Projects and Goals • Project Grace planning o Library design has moved to stacks layout o Brianna Davis added to the team • Northchase Library on track • Digital Inclusion initiative: o Contract awarded, equipment and software being ordered week of 3/14 • Continued policy review and strategic plan update o Volunteer Policy draft on today’s meeting agenda o Strategic Plan update pushed to next fiscal year • American Rescue Plan Adapting Technologies Grant application awarded o $40,000 for installation of holds-pickup lockers at the Senior Resource Center by June 30, 2022 o Awaiting commissioner approval at 3/21 meeting to spend funds • LSTA Planning Grant application submitted 2/25/22 for Archival management assessment for Local History by national consultant. Awards to be announced in June. Committee Reports Below is the list of LAB committees and members: Library Advisory Board Committees Each Board member is assigned by the Chairman of the Board to one or more committees. Each committee meets only when there is business to be conducted and the meetings are generally held at breakout sessions during regularly scheduled board meeting. If necessary additional meeting may be called at a time convenient for the majority of committee members. STANDING COMMITTEES Strategic Issues: This committee assists the Library’s Management team in its annual review of the Strategic Plan. The committee helps ensure that the objectives and measures used to validate the plan make sense to the general public and relate to Library’s mission. This committee also reviews any long range or strategic incentives considered by the Library. Committee Members: Mary Alice Baish, Ronna Zimmer, Katherine Montwieler, Dennis Conlon Policy Committee: This committee reviews the Library Rules and Regulations and recommends to the Board any revisions that are proposed by the staff to keep the document current. Committee Members: Mary Alice Baish, Ida Smith, Linda Miles Intellectual Freedom: This committee meets only when an item in the Library’s collection has been formally requested by a patron for reconsideration. Library staff provides members of the committee with appropriate reviews and other documentation to help evaluate the request. The committee then recommends to the entire board what if any actions should be taken. Committee Members: Joy Guenther, Dennis Conlon AD HOC COMMITTEES These are generally sub-committees of an existing Standing committee assigned to do the preliminary work associated with a major initiative. Members of these committees are assigned by the Board Chair and meet only when necessary. From time-to-time the Chair may create additional stand-alone Ad Hoc Committees to address issues not covered by an existing Standing Committee. Strategic Issues: Project Grace: This committee works with the Library Director and staff to ensure that the plans for design of a new downtown facility meet the community’s needs and adequately address the space and furnishing needs of the service. Committee Members: Katherine Montwieler, Dennis Conlon, Ida Smith New Business Policy Update: 11.0 Volunteers Policy Leigh Thomas presented the updates that have been made to our Volunteers Policy which was last revised in 2007. Q: Scott: Are volunteers allowed to work with children? A: Leigh: Our volunteers are mainly shelving and sorting materials. All story times are done by professional staff members only. Q: Joy: With children moving thru the library, how do you supervise them around children? A: Leigh: There is always a staff member present in the children’s room A2: Yvette: We also have a policy that children must be supervised by an adult/guardian. With no other questions/concerns the policy was accepted. Meeting Location for April 21st Scott Dodd suggested the board meet in person in April. Shaun agreed with an in-person meeting but stated the 3:30 time was not good for him. Amy requested a hybrid of in person and remote. Motion: Shaun Assael MOVED, SECONDED by Dennis Conlon, to hold the April meeting in person at the main library with the option of joining remotely. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Various times were discussed by the board. Motion: Scott Dodd MOVED, SECONDED by Shaun Assael, to change the meeting start time to 2:30pm. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NOTE: Paige Owens will be out for town for the April meeting. She will assign a library staff member to serve in her place. Budget Presentation Paige Owens had to leave the meeting early. She will submit this for another time. Old Business None. Final Comments Shawn Assael said that he lives in the historic district and loves the library kiosks. He asked is they were partnered with the library. Yvette replies, these are the Little Free Library boxes. They are done by individuals and not through the library. However, the Library and Parks department have created “Park Pages” library boxes at were installed in all NHC Parks and are maintained by library volunteers. Leigh said that each library site has their own inside version of free library books or book exchanges. Trish Hatcher, who is the library’s book sale coordinator, is always working with groups who need books for various reasons. Adjournment Scott Dodd adjourned the meeting at 4:23 pm. Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board meeting. The next meeting on April 21st will be in person at the Main Library and will start at the new time of 2:30 pm A WebEx video link will also be sent to those who prefer to meet remotely.