HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 08/08/1996i
11 Council Liaison: Chris Kneeland 11 Staff Liaison: Linda Saferite 11
Phone: 225-0877
A regular meeting of the Library Board was held on Thursday, August 8, 1996, in the Ben Delatour Room of
the Fort Collins Public Library. The following Library Board members were present: Bill Cook, Linda
Knowlton, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald, and Jack Steele.
Board Members absent: AI Stone, Jacqueline Wallace, M. Madeline Wawro.
Staff Members Present: Linda Saferite, Mike Powers, Dean Wilms, Ellen Willis, Deb Maltby,
Marjorie Teklits
Friends of the Library Liaison: Absent
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by the Acting Chairperson, Jack Steele. The minutes of the July
11, 1996 meeting stand as written.
Preparers of the City Plan have asked to give a presentation at the September or October Library Board
meeting, however, because of full agendas for the next few months, the Board prefers that they be invited to
attend City Plan meetings instead.
REPORTS
A. Library Director
General Report - Linda Saferite
The anonymous donor of $400,000 for LINC (Library Information Networking the Community) has
been so pleased with the program thus far that he has proposed matching up to $100,000 more with
the City and School District. The City Manager has been briefed on the challenge and a proposal will
be prepared within the next six to eight weeks.
A customer's request for reconsideration of library material which concerns his request for
reassignment of a book to the adult non-fiction section, was shared with the Board. A Library
committee is reviewing the material and will make a recommendation for reply to the customer.
Linda informed Board members that, due to a serious illness, one of the Library's Technical Services
employees will be on a modified work scheduled for an indefinite period of time.
In efforts to streamline various departments, the Library's InterLibrary Loan operation has been moved -
from the Reference area to Circulation, making it more of a clerical function than a Reference function.
A bookmark promoting the Main and the Mini Libraries will be included in the next City Utility bill
mailing. This is part of the marketing plan to inform the community of the Mini Library's location.
22 teenagers participated in the Library's first young adult sleepover on August 2. The event was very
successful and received excellent support from local merchants who supplied food, snack items, and
prizes. `Book Quest," the teen Summer Reading Program, has 401 teens registered to date, 100 have
completed the required reading thus far, and 82,500 pages have been read. The program continues
through the end of August. In addition, the children's Summer Reading Program registration has
reached a record -setting high of 6,000. Library Board member Jack Steele suggested an article be sent
to The Coloradoan informing the public about the successes of these two programs.
Larry Webber has announced his retirement effective September 6th, and The Friend's of the Library
will host a reception for him on September 5th from 3-5 p.m. (Note: Carol Bering Clemons has
announced her early retirement and will also be honored September 5th from 3-5 p.m.)
Ground breaking for the Harmony Library is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on September 19th. Anne
Ostrye-Macdonald volunteered to say a few words at the ceremony in Al Stone's place.
January through June 1996 selected statistics were distributed; trends for the second quarter 1996
remain much the same as the first quarter.
Rotary READ Fort Collins, a tri-club literacy effort which encourages kids and families to read, is
selling Pizza Hut cards to support Literacy. Proceeds will bring a children's author to Fort Collins to
visit four schools and provide gift book certificates for about 100 children in grades kindergarten
through 6th grade in all public, private as well as home schooled children who either read or are read
to for 10 minutes a day during a specified period in the fall. Last year 1,400 children participated.
A committee was established to nominate officers at the September Library Board meeting. Anne
Ostrye-Macdonald will Chair the committee and Bill Cook will act as Vice Chair.
2. "How'd we do's"
Anne Ostrye-Macdonald commented that there were many compliments and positive responses from
the LINC "How'd we do?" forms. Jack Steele suggested the Board receive an update on the LINC
program at a future meeting.
B. Board Members
1. Civic Center Advisory Committee
Anne Ostrye-Macdonald reported that there haven't been any recent meetings.
2. Library Fund Committee
Linda Knowlton or Jack Steele will contact two people who applied to the Library Board to
see if they have any interest in filling the vacancy on the Library Fund Committee. It was also
suggested contacting newcomers to the community who might have a philanthropic
background. Linda Knowlton also informed the Board that Jack Schanz is working on his
progressive dinner promotional idea and has received commitments from three area restaurants
to participate. Bill Cook asked if the Library was considered an enterprise zone for tax
purposes, and Mike Powers offered to investigate the answer. Linda Knowlton said she will
invite Bill Cook to attend the next Library Fund Committee meeting.
A. 1997 City Budget Process
There was nothing new to report.
B. Community Awareness Task Force
Jack Steele said The Friends of the Library will inform the Board if they need any advice or assistance
in their efforts to promote the Library to the Community.
C. August 1 Open House Recap
Mike Powers reported that public input at the August 1 meeting didn't result in any radical changes
to the projects. There will be another open house providing information on all City Capital
Improvement Projects from 5 to 8 p.m. on September 12 in the Lincoln Center's Columbine Room,
and Library Board Members were encouraged to attend. As the September 12 open house falls on the
same night as the regularly scheduled Library Board meeting, the Library Board will hold their meeting
on Wednesday, September 11 instead.
Linda reminded the Library Board that City Council requires a memo from them by August 31 outlining
their public outreach efforts, their recommended list of Capital Improvement Projects and priorities,
and reasons for their recommendations.
D. Capital Improvement Program Task Force
The Library Board was informed that the Library's promotional video, "The Future is Now" has been
temporarily removed from Channel 27. Bill Cook volunteered to show the video at the Breakfast
Optimist's Club meeting at 6:30 a.m. on August 12th. Linda Saferite asked the Task Force to come
up with a slogan for the Library's Capital Improvement Project educational effort.
A. Review Harmony Library Plans - Update - Ellen Willis
Ellen will be the Mini Library's Branch Manager after Larry Webber's retirement on September 6th.
Plans for the Harmony Library are in the final development stages. Similar plans and designs used at
the Main Library for the Circulation desk and the book drop room will be used at the Harmony Library.
Architect drawings showing the rotunda, the two entrances, strategic location of windows to obtain
the most fight, and outside colors and textures to compliment other campus buildings, were shown to
the Board. Ellen will be the contact person working with the interior design firm. She reminded the
Board of the September 19th Ground breaking and encouraged them to attend.
B. Peer Cities
Mike Powers explained to the Board how the City is in the process of comparing Fort Collins to other
cities in the United States that are similar as far as population, having a college, location outside of a
metropolitan area and how this information will be used to measure Library services. Board members
were also given a handout of how the Library compares to some peer cities. Bill Cook stated that the
Library is the only publicly supported entity in the community that is used on a daily basis by citizens
from the age of 1 to 100.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Teklits