HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 03/09/1995CITY OF FORT COLLINS
PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING
Ben Delatour Room - Fort Collins Public Library
March 9, 1995 - 6:00 P.M.
PRESENT: LIBRARY BOARD: Anne Ostrye-Macdonald, Chairperson, Alan Bednarz, Al
Stone, Le Moyne Anderson, Karen Dornseif, Linda Knowlton
ABSENT: M. Madeleine Wawro
CITY STAFF: Linda Saferite, Robert Holzfaster, Ellen Willis, Larry Webber,
Marjorie Teklits
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY LIAISON: Shirley Chase
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by the Chairperson, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald. The
minutes of the February 9, 1994 meeting stand as written.
REPORTS
On the Job With - Lu Benke
Lu Berke, Children's Librarian, explained how staff presents the Library Link programs for preschools,
day care centers and head start classes. Thus far in 1995, 25 preschools/daycares and 13 head start
classes requested visits; 704 preschool/daycare children and 235 head start children were in attendance.
General Report - Linda Saferite
The library's volunteer program continues to progress well, and five volunteers were given special
recognition on TRI 102 and Eagle radio stations. Volunteers help with such tasks as stripping,
processing, barcoding, registering children for summer reading programs, counting money, and assisting
with the Outreach program and Interlibrary Loans.
Some staff members recently went to the CSU Housing Fair to attract new card holders. As part of
the promotional campaign for the new Mini Library, tables will be set up at three busy outlet areas in
the south to encourage new card holders, and an elementary school competition will be held within the
80525/26 zip code areas to encourage students to sign-up for library cards.
Drawings for suggested landscaping improvements have been prepared by a local architect, and work
will start within the next ten days. Annual beds will be relocated and the focus will be on drought
resistant and low maintenance plants and shrubs.
A winning library card design has been selected; formatting, size and color choices are being worked
on.
As part of the City Dialogue process, Library Board members were encouraged to respond to Steve
VanderMeer's February 28 letter regarding their concerns about Cultural Opportunities in Fort Collins.
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Automation consultant, Sue Epstein, will meet with Technical Services, Circulation and other staff on
March 21 and 22 to discuss further improvements for efficiency, long range automation plan for the
next five years, and issues and concerns for the new Mini Library.
The library is exploring the possibility of mailing reserved items with the intent of saving customer trips
to the library, which would provide more parking spaces and provide better customer service. Board
members were asked to provide staff with suggestions they may have.
Two Library Services Construction Act grant applications are being submitted; one is for a video of
library services available to the community and the other is for materials to augment the Spanish
collection.
The library will have a booth at the Congress of Neighborhoods to act as a community resource.
Some customers requested having colored receipt tape to distinguish the tapes from ordinary grocery
receipts. As the cost for colored tape is 115 % higher, the library is still pricing various sources and
looking for other alternatives.
Interviews will be conducted for a Reference Librarian (30 hours), a Children's Librarian (20 hours),
and a Library Assistant ]II (20 hours) to support the Mini Library, a Library Assistant III (30 hours)
for Children's and Media services and a Marketing Research Assistant (contractual).
Library Board members were invited to attend a sneak preview of the new Central Library of the
Denver Public Library on March 23.
The Library Board was asked to meet with consultant, Bob Rohlf on March 28 to ask questions
concerning the feasibility study he is conducting on the use of old Fort Collins High School. The
consultant will also advise the estimated cost for a new building that could be used as a main library.
City Council members, the Library Board, School Board members as well as other members of the
community will receive invitations for Customer Appreciation Day, April 10. The new library card
design will be unveiled at this event.
The first volunteer recognition luncheon will be May 5th; Library Board members were encouraged to
attend.
The Library Board was informed that Linda Saferite resigned her personal membership in the Chamber
of Commerce since the Chamber has decided to support political candidates.
Two "Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Library Material" were received. Rhyme Stew will be
moved to the adult section and Science ExIeriments will be kept in the collection until a newer title can
be purchased to replace this easy reading level of book on experiments relating to sound.
The Library Board was asked if a joint venture with Front Range Community College is still a major
goal. Board member comments varied; Al Bednarz responded negatively while Linda Knowlton, Al
Stone, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald were in favor of the project. Karen Dornseif would support the venture
but not if it were a substitute for a new main library.
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A CD ROM area will be located in the southwest corner of the second floor of the library. The Friends
of the Library are being asked to fund $25,000 for CD ROM resources.
Statistics Report - Robert Holzfaster
Robert presented a 1995 year-to-date statistical report comparing materials circulated, interlibrary loans,
fines collected with the years 1993 and 1994 as well as 1995 circulation statistics. Similar reports will
be given at future Library Board meetings.
How'd We Do's
Library Board members commented that staff handled responses very well and agreed the message is
getting across to the public that more space and a bigger library is needed.
Mini Library update - Larry Webber
Ground has been broken for the Mini Library and work is progressing; positions have been advertised
in the newspaper and interviews will be conducted in the near future.
Refurbishing Final Report - Ellen Willis
Many positive comments from the public have been received, and the Library Board thanked the Project
Manager, Ellen Willis; for a job well done.
OLD BUSINESS
Main Library Options
The Board voted unanimously that library expansion is a necessity. Assuming the main library remains
in the downtown area and there is another facility in the south, the first option would be the use of the
old Fort Collins High School. It is envisioned that the public areas would be on the lower floors; the
second floor would have to be redone and the third floor, which could be used for non-public efforts,
slightly renovated. The feasibility study will help determine what the cost would be for this work.
Board member comments as to whether the school should be considered as a new main library varied;
Al Bednarz, Lee Anderson and Karen Domseif offered negative responses, while favorable responses
for the venture were given by Linda Knowlton, Al Stone and Anne Ostrye-Macdonald.
The second option was a new main library being built as part of a City/County Civic Center complex.
Anne Ostrye-Macdonald felt the concept would be so expensive that a library there might not be
considered.
A third option was the expansion of the main library's current site, and an illustrative drawing of this
plan was shown.
A possible fourth option would be to find another site for a new main library. Lee Anderson was in
favor of this option.
Lee Moyne Anderson made a motion to delay further discussion of a main library location until the
results of the feasibility study for old Fort Collins High School are received. Four voted for the motion
and two against.
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NEW BUSINESS
Library Board Meetings and Agendas
Copies of the Guidelines for Public Libraries in Colorado were distributed to Board Members as well
as The Roles of the Library Advisory Board, the Library Director, Friends of the Library and the
Library Volunteers.
Susan Kirkpatrick will be invited to a future Library
llth meeting to discuss the Board's political role.
help define the Library and the Library Board's role.
It was agreed to keep the current agenda structure:
important to clarify issues.
Board Meeting and the Mayor will attend the May
V Stone distributed a Declaration of Principles to
This will be further discussed at the next meeting.
it was also agreed that Board member voting is
Newspaper "Letters to the Editor" responses
A vote was taken as to whether a Board Member should be appointed on a rotating basis to respond to
Letters to the Editor" articles. One was in favor of the motion; four opposed.
Continuing Education for the Board - Legislative Day
Al Stone and Linda Knowlton accompanied Linda Saferite on March to Legislative Day which was
sponsored by the Colorado Library Association. Bills before the House and Senate were discussed.
It was recommended that one or two members of the Board attend this meeting every year.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Teklits
Library Secretary
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