Minutes 04 20 2023 LAB
MINUTES 04 20 2023 LAB 1
Library Advisory Board
April 20, 2023
Assembly:
The Library Advisory Board met in Regular Session on Thursday, at 1:30 pm at the Main Library,
201 Chestnut Street.
Board Members
Assael, Shaun PRESENT Baish, Mary Alice PRESENT
Carbone, Liz EXCUSE Conlon, Dennis EXCUSED
Dodd, Scott PRESENT Grant, Amy EXCUSED
Hennessey, Christine PRESENT Kozik, Lynn PRESENT
Lawler, Patricia PRESENT Maurer, Kevin PRESNT
Miles, Linda PRESENT Smith, Ida PRESENT
Staff Members & Board Reps.
Present: Dana Conners/Library Director, Ronna Zimmer/Foundation Rep, Yvette Mays/Admin
Absent: Tom Brimberry/FOL Rep.
Welcome
Chair Linda Miles convened the meeting at 1:30 pm.
Dana Conners introduced our new Assistant County Manager, Jessica Loeper. Jessica was originally the
NHC Chief Communications Officer.
Public Comment
No public comments.
Agenda Review
No changes.
Approval of Previous Minutes
The minutes from the last board meeting on March 16, 2023, were sent to the board prior to the
meeting for review.
Motion: Shaun Assael MOVED, SECONDED by Patricia Lawler, to accept the minutes of the 03/16/23
meeting as written. Upon vote, the MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
MINUTES 04 20 2023 LAB 2
Correspondence
None received.
Friends of the Library
Tom Brimberry was unable to attend the meeting, but submitted the following report:
We all are having a kick-off for national American Library Week with local best-selling and award-
winning authors Nina de Grammont and Wiley Cash talking with WHQR moderator on how libraries
shaped development of their art. The program was suggested and arranged by our new board member,
two-term former LAB member Katherine Montwieler from UNCW Theater Dept. Please plan to attend
this Saturday at 1:00 pm at Northeast Library in the room where book sales occur. It will be a great one-
hour program to recognize Library Week!
Library Foundation
Next meeting is in May.
Working on plans for an Author Luncheon in the Fall. Date TBD.
Director’s Report
Dana Conners reported:
Jessica Loeper
• New Assistant County Manager over the Library
Projects
• Project Grace
o Cape Fear Commercial
• Northchase
o Now in the schematic phase – meaning the architects and consultants will take all they
learned and begin sketching out possible designs for the project. This phase takes about 10
weeks to complete.
• Pleasure Island
o Expansion to next-door store front for programming. Anticipated to open this summer.
• Holds Lockers
o Installed at the Senior Resource Center.
o Working on software issues.
Staff
• New Staff
o Lisa Coats – Part time at Main library
• Vacancies
o Part time at Pine Valley
MINUTES 04 20 2023 LAB 3
• Stellar Awards
o Flavia Lemieux (Northeast Children’s Dept)
o Max Nunez (Northeast Children’s Dept)
o John Marshall (Pine Valley Circ Dept)
Other
• Concerns and Challenges
o Reconsideration Policy – the board has been reviewing the Library Bill of Rights, the
American Library Association’s Freedom to Read statement, the NHCPL Collection
Development policy, the NHCPL Reconsideration policy, and various other relation
documents.
o The board held a lengthy discussion on the standards, policies, and processes. The library
will create a revised copy of the Reconsideration policy to present to the board at the May
meeting.
Committee Reports
Scott Dodd requested to be added to the Intellectual Freedom committee.
New Business
None.
Old Business
None.
Adjournment
Chair Linda Miles adjourned the meeting at 2:24 p.m.
Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Library Advisory Board meeting.
Next Meeting May 18th at 1:30 pm