HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 03/14/1996r
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Council Liaison: Chris Kneeland Staff Liaison: Linda Saferite
Chairperson: Al Stone Phone: 416-0784 (w) 484-9119 (h)
A regular meeting of the Library Board was held on Thursday, March 14, 1996, in the Ben Delatour Room
of the Fort Collins Public Library. The following Library Board members were present:
A] Stone, Linda Knowlton, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald, Jack Steele, and Jacqueline Wallace.
Library Board Members Absent: M. Madeleine Wawro
Staff Members Present: Linda Saferite, Michael W. Powers, Dean Willms, Ellen Willis, Larry
Webber, Kim Crowley, Marjorie Teklits
Friends of the Library Liaison: Shirley Chase
Guest Speaker: Pete Wray, City of Fort Collins Advance Planning
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by the Chairperson, Al Stone. The minutes of the February 9,
1996 meeting, page 4, second paragraph, were amended to clarify that, even though there is some overlap in
their responsibilities, the goal of the Community Awareness Task Force is to increase interaction between the
Library and the community and the goal of the Capital Improvement Task Force is to focus on a new main
library.
Linda Saferite shared a letter from Library Board member Al Bednarz tendering his resignation and said this
vacancy will be filled by June from a resident in the Urban Growth Area.
A. General Reports - Linda Saferite
Mayor Azari spoke at the Library's open house dedicating the Assistive Technology Room on April 1. Guests
included representatives from local banks and businesses as well as some residents who will be using the
equipment which assists the visually impaired.
The contents of a memo from the City Manager welcoming input from Boards and Commissions prior to City
Council voting on matters before them was shared with the Board.
Technology Update - Kim Crowley
A summary of the automation consultant's (Pat McClintock of Automation Associates) preliminary report was
given. He felt that the Library has made good technology decisions up to this point, are strategically well
positioned to move up to the next level, and doesn't feel we can wait for a new Library to do this. Suggestions
include upgrading of building cabling, additional hardware for the network, and one more full time employee
to support the network. He also said that the average business spends 1-2% of their annual payroll on training
and development. The Board was advised that the Library does not have the budget for this. The first draft
of Mr. McClintock's report, which will help the Library develop its future technology plans, is due by April
12 and the final report by the end of April.
How'd we do?'s" -
There were no comments on this month's customer comment forms.
B. Board Member Reports
Civic Center Presentation - Pete Wray, Advance Planning Department
Pete Wray explained the goals and objectives of the Civic Center Master Plan which include encouraging a mix
of uses with commercial buildings, housing, parking, pedestrian plazas, retail stores, transportation and
government facilities as well as the encouragement of public -private partnerships . He said the plans are in the
evolutionary stage and the concept, uses, and relationships will be further refined. It is scheduled to go before
the City Council in mid June. The City's Boards and Commissions are asked for their input, approval, and
suggestions. Linda said that the County has shown an interest in a partnership with their law library.
Jack Steele made a motion for the Library Board to support the project to include a new main library as part
of the downtown Civic Center Master Plan; the motion was seconded by Jacqueline Wallace and approved
by a vote of 3 to 1. A] Stone will prepare a letter of support from the Board.
Library Fund Advisory Committee - Linda Knowlton
At the recommendation of the Char of the Library Fund Advisory Committee, Jack Schanz, a motion was
made by Jacqueline Wallace to change the name of the committee to the Library Fund Endowment Committee;
the motion was seconded by Al Stone. Jack Steele recommended calling it the Library Fund Committee,
Jacqueline Wallace amended the motion accordingly, Jack Steele seconded it, and the motion was unanimously
approved.
As the term of Lil Price, Friends of the Library liaison to the Committee, is expiring in July, Shirley Chase
will ask the President of the Friends to reappoint her. Linda Knowlton's term also expires in July, and AI
Stone made a motion to renew her appointment for another year. Jacqueline Wallace seconded, and the
motion was unanimously approved. As Libby James is resigning from the Committee, Library Board members
were asked to submit suggested names for her replacement to Marge Teklits by April 4.
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Jack Steele made a motion that the recommendation of the Library Fund Committee to spend non -endowed
dollars for library materials be approved. Linda Knowlton seconded the motion, and it was unanimously
approved. Dean Willms suggested the money be used to purchase library materials for the juvenile collection,
medicine and health books or media, science, and technology.
OLD BUSINESS
Community Awareness Task Force
Jack Steele informed the Board that, starting March 17, there will be a monthly one-half page article appearing
in The Coloradoan dedicated to book reviews, recent acquisitions, and various articles about the Library. He
encouraged the Board to submit articles about books they have read to Mary Lu Casey and thanked the Friends
of the Library for their assistance in supporting this project.
Jack Steele requested time on the April agenda to discuss certain bills pertaining to libraries which are being
considered by the Legislature, in particular a parental rights amendment which would allow parents to sue
libraries if they find their children in possession of a library book they do not approve of.
Capital Improvement Task Force
This committee has not as yet had an opportunity to meet.
NEW BUSINESS
Budget input to City Council
Linda Saferite informed the Board that City Council would like their input prior to April 8. The main item for
the Library will be the branch and other areas which will be impacted, such as technology. The Board felt that
a full service level branch deserves full consideration.
Cost of Service Recommendation (Impact Fee vs. Excise Tax)
AI Stone preferred an Impact Fee over an Excise Tax because it specifies a specific allocation of funds. Linda
Knowlton moved to support AI Stone's recommendation, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald seconded the motion, and
it was unanimously approved.
Review Branch Library Issues
Linda Saferite notified the Board of the planned April 1 Open House at Front Range Community College for
the unveiling of the design of the Joint Library.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Teklits