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Minutes 02 18 2010 LAB 1 Library Advisory Board February 18, 2010 Members Present: Rick Andrews, Mary Hatcher (Chair), Carroll Jones, Conrad Luhmann (Secretary), Marilyn McConnell, Ellen O’Malley, Gwen Rohler, Evelyn Smith, Staff Members: Harry Tuchmayer Absent Members: Kemp Burdett, Bettie Harrison, Jacqueline O’Grady (Vice Chair), Paul Walker Meeting began at 2:00 PM The meeting was called to order by the presiding officer, Mary Hatcher. Public Comment & Agenda review: No members of the public were present this month. However, Mary Hatcher wanted to make a comment before the board. The Star News just ran an article on Old Books on Front Street’s bookstore. The bookstore is owned by LAB member, Gwen Rohler. Ms. Hatcher noted that the article is asking for assistance to pack up and move 150,000 books because the building they are in is being condemned due to structural issues. On February 27th at 8AM please come out and help with the move to a temporary location in the basement of the Old Bullock Hospital Building down the street. The bookstore is located at 22 N. Front Street. Agenda: The February Agenda was approved. Minutes: The January 2010 minutes were approved. CORRESPONDENCE Mr. Tuchmayer reported that the library had received several favorable emails which he shared with the board. We did receive one complaint from a patron regarding a reserve that was never filled. Harry and the IT Dept checked the logs and found no record of a reserve call begin made. Harry did respond to him and he was pleased with the feedback. All correspondence distributed to the board for review. 2 FRIENDS REPORT Anne Langan, President of the Friends of the Library, was unable to attend the meeting today. Marilyn McConnell was gracious to submit the following report on her behalf: Report from the Friends of the Library The work on the Spring Book Sale is making good progress. The sale is from Friday evening, Mar. 19th, through Weds., March 24. We have some new volunteers assisting with the administration of the sale. Anne Langan currently is in Fla, visiting a very successful Friends group in Gainesville, Fl, who holds two yearly sales – the last one netting $167,000. They give $400,000 a year to their library. You can learn more by visiting their website: www. Folacld.org (They are a university town, not much larger than we are. They get discards not only from the city library, but also the University of Fla and the local community college, and many private collections from university professors.) The FOL board plans to adopt a mission statement this year, as well as strengthen their organizational organizational procedures, and may revise the by-laws. UNCW students have offered to assist us with the revision of our website. This we hope will add content and make it more user-friendly. Marilyn McConnell can fill you in on the publicity efforts for the Booksale, and we encourage you to remind all your friends about it! Anne Langan President, FOL Marilyn McConnell updated the Board on the Booksale Publicity. She shared the posters and flyers that had been printed for this year. Board members were encouraged to stop by the Northeast Branch to pick up posters/flyers and help to distribute them. The Friends are still accepting donations for the Booksale. Board members were encouraged to become members of the Friends, if they did not already have a membership. NEW BUSINESS Strategic Planning Meeting Mary Hatcher reported that the Library is meeting to create a new Strategic Plan. The group is made up of ½ staff & ½ public members. The Library has received a grant to pay for this project and the consultant to spearhead it. 3 Harry Tuchmayer stated that the Consultant, Mark Livingston, had asked the group to write a vision story about what the Library would look like in 2020. Mr. Livingston commented on how well these stories were written. Harry shared the first piece of the Strategy Map and Plan what showed how all the stories focused on the same key elements of: Maintaining facilities that are inviting, convenient and capable of meeting customer needs. Provide access to new technologies Deliver current and accurate information Develop exceptional collections of popular materials Train staff and volunteers capable of exceeding customer expectations Build partnerships that expand resources and minimize costs Foster community support for the resources necessary to meeting their needs. Gwen Rohler commented that it appears as though the group has really touched on all the main focus points. Mary Hatcher commented that technology will be a main focus along with teaching the public how to use and access it. Carroll Jones stated that she has noticed that students are not reading books at the level of past generations. Where does that put Library’s in the future? Harry Tuchmayer responded that because technology is rapidly changing, we have to be adaptable and able to provide material & information to the public in different ways. For example, we now provide email reminders for past dues and reserves. Marilyn McConnell asked, “How do we get the word out about what we offer?” Carroll Jones suggested that the Library could use their newsletter (Scuttlebutt) to focus on book/services we offer. IE: Chilton’s Repair Manuals on line. Marilyn McConnell stated that this may be something that we can promote at future book sales. Ellen O’Malley asked about how we promote our Homework Help product. Harry Tuchmayer responded that staff members, Susan Wood & Jimi Rider, have been busy visiting local High School Seniors and showing them the advantaged of Tutor.com. The information is also sent out to school libraries and teachers. Donations Mary Hatcher reported that the Foundation Board met earlier and will be donating $5,000 to the Library this year. $3,000 has already been earmarked for the following: $1,000 to Park Project $1,000 to Local History Intern $1,000 to Collection Development 4 OLD BUSINESS Grounds Enhancement Committee Mary Hatcher reported that the committee met with Jim McDaniel, NHC Airlie Gardens/Parks Director and a local landscape architect after the board’s last meeting. Mr. McDaniel agreed to allow the Library to take over control of the park. The group hopes to have plans completed by this spring and to begin planting in the fall. Plan ideas consist of ideas such as: Moving the bike rack away for the front door entrance. Removing the fountain and moving the center structure in it into the garden area as a piece of artwork. Finding ways to better utilized the Stage area. Harry Tuchmayer commented that the Library staff has made plans to use the Stage area for programs in April-May. These will be held after Story-time so that we can recapture that audience after the program in the Library. Joint Meeting w/Ms. Elkins @State Library Mary Hatcher reported that Ms. Elkins was unable to make it to this month’s meeting due to another commitment. Our meeting with her has been rescheduled for April 15th at noon. DIRECTORS REPORT In addition to the Directors report that was sent out the Board, Harry Tuchmayer reported that the Library is very busy. Paige Owens, NE Branch Manager, ran a comparison report on statistics from Jan. 2009 vs. Jan. 2010 for all branches. The results were that Library hours are down 10%, Reference questions are up 42%, Directional questions are up 27%, Door Counts are up 4%, Part Time Hours are down 21% and Circulation is up 4%. Harry will be meeting with Budget to share these stats. In our budget, we have requested: Two Capital Improvement Projects: Expansion of the Myrtle Grove Branch and Self Checkout Stations system-wide Two new position requests: Library Assistants for Northeast & Myrtle Grove and Resource Officers to replace Library Security Mary Hatcher commented that she had recently spoken with Mike Taylor in Pender County regarding the new library being built in Hampstead. He had stated that they found a source of cheap loans and that the new branch would be a Green building. Publicity The board discussed the need to better inform the public of the new and interesting resources available via the library’s website. Harry Tuchmayer suggested that the Board could go online and look at E-Resources available. Then, let him know what you see there that would be of interest to you and the library would use these identified services as the items to be advertised. 5 March Meeting Mary asked the Board if they have any pressing issues that would require a meeting in March. After discussion, it was decided that there would be no meeting in March unless pressing business comes up. Mark Your Calendar March 19-24 Friends of the Library Booksale Meeting adjourned at 3:25 p.m. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 15th at noon at the Main Branch. The Foundation & Library Advisory Boards will have a joint meeting with Ms. Elkins from the State Library.