Lebanon Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Monday, November 9, 2015
Board members in attendance: Linda Cappello, Crystal Catchings, Julie Ford, Luanne Holper, Sy Korte, and Melissa Tinzmann. Kelly Wilhelm, Librarian, attended the meeting. Paula Gross, Lacy Mesarchik, and Miranda Wright-Kauffmann were not present. No guests were present at the start of the meeting.
- Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 7:09 p.m. by Sy Korte.
- Welcome Guests and Opportunity for Public Comment
No guests were present at the beginning of the meeting.
- President’s Report
No verbal report was given, as the President was absent.
- Recording Secretary’s Report
Minutes of October 2015 board of trustees meeting – Motion made by Crystal Catchings, seconded by Linda Cappello, to approve the October 2015 board meeting minutes as presented. Motion approved.
- Corresponding Secretary’s Report
No verbal report was available, as the Corresponding Secretary was absent.
- Treasurer’s Report
The $1,000 paid out of the Over Counter account is the cost of the tablets which were approved for purchase at our last meeting.
The October 2015 bills were presented. Motion made by Linda Cappello, seconded by Julie Ford, to pay the October 2015 bills as amended. Everyone voted affirmatively via voice vote – motion approved.
Our budget is on track for our yearly expenditures thus far.
- Director’s Report
A lot of the grants that are available to us are based on how active our community’s members are in our library. We will offer more “passive programming” to our community to reach out to more of the members of our community. For example, one of the programs we are offering is a take-and-make craft kit. We offered a craft kit in conjunction with Halloween. The kits were very successful – all of the kits were used, and the feedback we received was positive. The kits are very low cost and are easy for us to put together, so they do not require a large investment on our part to offer them. These kits count towards increasing our grant application “points” and circulation numbers, which help increase our ability to obtain grant funding.
- Old Business
- Alternate library locations/space – Tabled.
- Policy manual addition – part-time employee leave earning policy – a draft policy was presented and discussed.
Russ Stroot, guest, joined the meeting.
- Land options for library – Russ Stroot presented updated maps with several options for portions of the land that is available to us for purchase.
Russ Stroot exited the meeting.
We discussed which option might work best for a future library. The “west” option is further from existing sewer and access roads, but its shape should accommodate a building and parking lot at any location on the lot. The other “north” option is closer to the existing sewer line (which runs through the eastern half of the land) and road access, but is shaped in a longer narrow rectangle, which limits the parking lot/building configuration. Both options have advantages, but it seems that the western four acres might be the better fit for us, as the shape of the land allows flexibility for location of a building. Plus, though the existing roads nearby do not yet connect to the lot, the location has good access to future roads that may be built either from the east or the west. Linda Cappello made a motion that Kelly contact our anonymous donor and give her a rough estimate of approximately $2 million dollars to purchase the land we are considering, build a connecting access road, and construct a building. Motion seconded by Julie Ford. Motion approved.
- New Business
- Policy manual addition – editorial revisions – Our existing policy has several minor formatting and editorial changes which could be made. These do not change the content or intent of the policy. Motion made to approve the editorial changes as suggested by Julie Ford. Seconded by Crystal Catchings. Motion approved.
- Policy manual revision – change of renewal term from one year to two years – Kelly reported that more libraries are changing their library card renewal term to every two years.
- Policy manual revision – grace period change from 0 to 2 days – We have many people who come in with their overdue items which are “only one day late.” Currently we begin assessing overdue charges on day 1, with no grace period allowed.
- Policy manual changes – max fine per items of $3.00 per item – We currently bill a processing fee, fine, and the cost of any lost item. For items which are ultimately returned in a usable condition, it isn’t necessary to collect a replacement cost of the returned item. Additionally, it is difficult for our employees to quickly or easily calculate these costs. It would be easier to collect money from a patron if the maximum amount of these items was capped at a specific dollar amount. Other libraries use a $3 cap.
- Copier services contract – tabled.
- Library expansion discussion – No further discussion needed at this time.
- Expenses for potential library expansion – No further discussion needed at this time.
- Staff and volunteer recognition – Previously we have hosted a holiday dinner for our staff and volunteer members. Motion made by Julie Ford that the library pay $12.50 per person for holiday dinner for volunteers and staff. Second by Luanne Holper. Everyone voted affirmatively via voice vote – motion approved. Motion made by Melissa Tinzmann to spend $290.00 on holiday bonuses. Seconded by Julie Ford. Everyone voted affirmatively via voice vote – motion approved.
- Upgrade of library restroom – proposal to offer to the city building committee – We had an offer from someone who is willing to donate the labor to install a new flooring overlay (using an estimated $100-120 in materials which would be at our expense). Motion made by Linda Cappello that we send a letter to the city proposing an update to our library restroom at our cost. Seconded by Melissa Tinzmann. Motion carried.
- Review of library code specific for per capita grant – Tabled.
- Date for next planning committee meeting – Tabled.
- Adjournment
Meeting adjourned by Sy Korte at 9:10 p.m.
Copies of paper reports referenced above are available upon request.
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Tinzmann
Recording Secretary