Minutes 11 18 2021 LAB
Library Advisory Board
November 18, 2021
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 PRESENT
Conlon, Dennis PRESENT Dodd, Scott PRESENT
Grant, Amy PRESENT Guenther, Joy PRESENT
Kozik, Lynn EXCUSED Maurer, Kevin PRESENT
Miles, Linda PRESENT Montwieler, Katherine PRESENT
Smith, Ida PRESENT Zimmer, Ronna PRESENT
Staff Members & Board Reps.
Paige Owens (Library Director), Sheryl Kelly (Asst. County Mgr.), Tom Brimberry (FOL
Rep.), Yvette Mays (Library Admin. Coord.), Leigh Thomas (NE Branch Mgr.)
Welcome
Chair Scott Dodd convened the meeting at 3:34 pm.
Public Comment
No comment was made, but one member of the public (Mike Hassel Shearer) was present via WebEx
and observing the meeting.
Agenda Review
No changes suggested
Approval of Previous Minutes
The minutes from the last board meeting on October 21, 2021, were sent to the board prior to the
meeting for review.
Motion: Dennis Conlon MOVED, SECONDED by Amy Grant, to accept the minutes of the 10/21/21
meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Correspondence
Paige Owens reported that the library did receive one email from a citizen who was pleased with the
new CORE Senior Exercise classes that are being offered at the library and for a staff member who
brought her books out to her. She recommended High Fives for both employees.
Friends of the Library
Tom Brimberry submitted the following report:
• Friends of the Library membership increased by 166 in anticipation of the Fall Book Sale at
Northeast Library. Membership dues and book cart sales at libraries provide annual operating
funds. Thank you all for your support.
• Grants to library staff for leadership, experimentation, advocacy, or development (LEAD) was
awarded and $6,000 budgeted for 2022. Biodegradable beach toys, team-building activities, an
electrical energy audit kit for checkout, common legal needs addressed in a new kit, and more
were funded this year.
• Story Walk boards cleaned and installed at Long Leaf Park, Smith Creek Park and Carolina Beach
Lake Park. Thank you to the Library Foundation for funding new storyboards that Friends and
Library staff installed.
• Awarded 14 Williston Middle School students with books and school supplies for month of
November with Rotary Outstanding Student recognition ceremony.
• Friends of the NHC Library President Kathy Sartarelli hosts a social luncheon for all board
members of the Library Foundation, Library Advisory Board and Friends Board, at UNCW Keenan
House, 1705 Market St., Monday, December 6. Doors open at 11:30 and lunch is served at 12
noon. Please attend to celebrate our collective efforts and chat with like-minded people to
support the library in our community.
Library Foundation
Ronna Zimmer reported the Foundation board met earlier today.
• They will be mailing out a year end appeal to raise funds for Children’s programming.
• The board agreed to fund a new shelter at NE.
• Kate Baynard was elected President of the board.
• Collaborated with FOL on Story Walk boards.
Director’s Report
Paige Owens presented the following report for November 2021:
Operations & COVID Update
• New Hanover County test positivity rate has dropped to 2.5%
• NHC mask mandate lifted Friday, November 12
• OSHA regulation requires unvaccinated employees to wear masks
• NHC Schools maintain mask requirement
Staff
• New staff:
o Christine Ingram: Local Interest Librarian Main
o Brianna Davis: Reference Services Librarian Main
o Clelia Tufts: Library Assistant (multi-branch), NE
• Interviewing for Senior Librarian, Main
• Interviewing for Local History Librarian
Facilities
• NHC IT Dept. has identified spaces at NE for moving adult computers out of the lab and clear the
space in front of the lab. This is the first step toward turning the computer lab into a children’s
program space and the space in front of it into a YA zone.
• Waiting for work to start on entry landscaping at NE
• Security cameras ordered for the 1st and 2nd floors at Main Library
Budget
• Budget Kickoff held today, Nov. 18
• Next year the library will be administering Cape Fear Literacy’s nonprofit vendor contract. CFL is
one of the county’s community partners.
Programs
• Storytimes now taking place at the Arboretum and Carolina Beach State Park
• Children’s manipulatives (Legos, puzzles, etc.) are still stored. Staff will review protocols in
January.
• Our CORE (adult outreach) team is offering a book discussion group and fitness class in person
• This month CORE began supplying materials to patrons through the Home Delivered Meals
program
Library Director goals FY21-22
• Project Grace planning
o Consultants were on site Nov. 8-10
o Design development underway with goal of completion in January
• North Chase Library request for qualifications (goal: February)
• Digital Inclusion initiative: RFP being readied for release early December.
• Continued policy review and strategic plan update
o Registration and Loans policies finalized and to be presented at today’s Library Advisory
Board meeting. Other policies under review.
o Strategic Plan work group begins in January. NHC Chief Strategy Officer will meet with
the work group.
Committee Reports
None
New Business
Public access to information regarding LAB meeting time & place
Scott Dodd questioned the boards accessibility to the public without creating a disruption to normal
board business.
Paige stated the board’s meeting date and WebEx link are available on their website.
Public Guest, Mike Shearer, spoke up and stated he had asked a library staff member about the meeting
and was shown how to access it.
Discussions were held on ideas to make our meetings more accessible and transparent.
Motion: Linda Franklin MOVED, SECONDED by Dennis Conlon, for the library to add an online form to
the board’s web page for the public to submit questions and/or comments to the board. These forms
will be emailed to Paige Owens and Yvette Mays. Upon receipt, they will forward them to the board.
Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Policy Updates
Leigh Thomas submitted the library’s policy updates for Loans, Interlibrary Loans and Registrations to
the board prior to the meeting.
She presented an overview of each policy.
Annual Report
The library’s FY20-21 annual report was distributed prior to the meeting. Paige Owens presented slides
illustrating trends in library use and collections over the past 3 years. The past year, print and physical
collections represented 47% of usage and electronic formats 53%. While this trend is expected to
continue over time, physical library collections remain very important to our community.
Old Business
Project Grace Update
Paige Owens reported that the library met ReThinking Libraries on Nov. 8-10th to look at essential needs
for staff. We are in the design development phase.
Final Comments
• Katherine Montwieler asked about the Library of Things
o Leigh Thomas replied that it is relatively new. In 2018 she started the Livelong Learning
kits with funding from the Friends of the Library LEAD Award Grant.
https://libguides.nhcgov.com/Things
• Mary Alice Baish asked when the report from Project Grace library consultants will be
completed and shared with the board.
o Paige Owens replied that ReThinking Libraries are not doing a written report. They are
working along side library staff and project managers to inform us on ideal possibilities
based on their expertise.
• Mary Alice Baish asked if a new name for Project Grace was selected by the County.
o Paige Owens replied that a name was not chosen. After the County Commissioners
looked at the suggestions, the ultimate decision was that no one name rose to the top.
It was decided to wait vs. rushing to pick a name.
o Kevin Maurer stated that he took the Alex Manley suggestion to the Museum board.
o Paige Owens said the reason not to use a given name is based on the NHC guidelines
that prevent it.
Adjournment
The January meeting will continue to be virtual and future meeting locations will be determined at that
time.
Scott Dodd adjourned the meeting at 4:40.
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board meeting.
Next meeting is January 20th via WebEx. Starting at 3:30 pm