Minutes 09 15 2022 LAB (2)
Library Advisory Board
September 15, 2022
Assembly:
The Library Advisory Board met in Regular Session on Thursday, at 2:30 pm at the Main Library,
201 Chestnut Street with a remote option via Zoom.
Board Members
Assael, Shaun PRESENT Baish, Mary Alice PRESENT
Carbone, Liz PRESENT Conlon, Dennis PRESENT
Dodd, Scott PRESENT Grant, Amy PRESENT
Hennessey, Christine PRESENT Kozik, Lynn PRESENT
Lawler, Patricia PRESENT Maurer, Kevin Excused
Miles, Linda Excused Smith, Ida PRESENT
Staff Members & Board Reps.
Present: Paige Owens (Library Director), Tom Brimberry (EXCUSED) (FOL Rep), Ronna Zimmer
(EXCUSED) (Foundation Rep); Leigh Thomas (Northeast); Melody Loomis (admin)
Welcome
Chair Scott Dodd convened the meeting at 2:30 pm.
New Board Members: Liz Carbone, Christine Hennessey, Patricia Lawler
Public Comment
No public comments.
Agenda Review
No changes suggested.
Approval of Previous Minutes
The minutes from the last board meeting on August 18, 2022, were sent to the board prior to the
meeting for review.
Motion: Dennis Conlon MOVED, SECONDED by Lynn Kozik, to accept the minutes of the 08/18/22
meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Correspondence
None received.
Friends of the Library
Tom Brimberry was unable to attend, but submitted the following report:
The FOL met on Monday of this week to conduct general business and establish a nominating
committee and plan for fall election of officers.
Library Foundation
No report.
Director’s Report
Library Director Update September 2022
Staff
• Several positions in various stages of hiring:
o Casual part-time (3 vacancies)
o 20-hour permanent Library Assistant, Pleasure Island
o Pine Valley Children’s Associate
o Main Library Adult Associate
o Technical Services Assistant
o Technical Services Associate
o Library Director
• Staff Development Day
o October 10. LIBRARIES CLOSED.
Facilities
• NHC administration working to reduce impact of unsheltered living on the block of Main Library
through combination of security and social services. Expecting additional information later this
month.
• New shelving installed at Pine Valley to ease crowded shelves and improve browsing
Budget
• Initial consultation on FY24 budget scheduled 9/21
Programs
• Read across County and Summer Reading wrapped up
• NHC Communications to provide information on Transportation sales tax referendum at
upcoming children’s events
• Fiction to Fashion registration now open for teens
• Spooky Storytime Saturday, October 15 at Pine Valley Library
Major Initiatives
• Project Grace
o Local Government Commission expected to vote on financing Sept. 22
• Northchase Library
o Interviewed 4 architectural design teams Sept. 7
o Successful team: Little Diversified with ReThinking Libraries
• Digital Inclusion initiative—new computers and software for public use
o Staff online training held Sept. 15
o Final installation and in-person training dates TBD
• American Rescue Plan Adapting Technologies Grant—Holds Pickup lockers at Senior Resource
Center
o Delivery and installation expected November
o Staff work group assigned to plan workflow
• LSTA Planning Grant Archival management assessment for Local History
o Staff documenting location and general contents of collections
o Community survey now active. Link on library homepage.
Committee Reports
No report
New Business
Holiday Hours
Paige Owens presented proposed holiday hours for the 2023 calendar year to the board for review.
Dennis Conlon suggested other days we could take off, such as Yom Kippur. Paige said that staff do have
the option of taking a floating holiday that the county provides.
New Slate of Officers Nominations
Scott Dodd & Ida Smith presented the following slate of new officers:
Chair – Linda Miles
Vice Chair – Mary Alice Baish
Secretary – Lynn Kozik
Motion: Scott Dodd MOVED, SECONDED by Dennis Conlon, to accept the slate of officers as presented.
Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Policy Update
Prior to the meeting, the board was emailed Policy 6.0 Exhibits & Displays policy for review.
Leigh Thomas presented the updates as follows. Changes include having more diverse topics and
objections to follow the process for reconsideration.
Patricia Lawler suggested we add area code to the phone number since we now have another local area
code.
Paige Owens brought up the collection development policies. In the local history policy, it says materials
are retained indefinitely, but we really don’t keep them forever. Because we have the consultant
working with us, we are going to create a deaccession policy. We are replacing the “retained
indefinitely” statement to: Local History deaccession guidelines are being drafted and are expected to
be completed by 6/30/23.
Old Business
Scott notes that it is Paige’s last board meeting, and the board wishes her the best.
Adjournment
Scott Dodd adjourned the meeting at 3:15 pm, seconded by Dennis Conlon.
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board meeting.
The next meeting on October 20th will be in person at the Main Library and will start at 2:30 pm.
A video link will also be sent to those who prefer to meet remotely.