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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 08/10/1995• CITY OF FORT COLLINS PUBLIC LIBRARY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING Ben Delatour Room - Fort Collins Public Library August 10, 1995 PRESENT: LIBRARY BOARD: Anne Ostrye-Macdonald, Chairperson, Al Stone, Le Moyne Anderson, Alan Bednarz, Linda Knowlton, Jack Steele, M. Madeleine Wawro CITY STAFF: Linda Saferite, Mike Powers, Carol Clemons, Robert Holzfaster, Deb Maltby, Larry Webber, Ellen Willis, Dean Willms, Marjorie Teklits FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY LIAISON: Shirley Chase The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by the Chair, Anne Ostrye-Macdonald. In order to devote as much time as possible to the Library Service Options Recommendation, it was decided to discuss this prior to the other agenda items. Members of the public who attended the meeting were invited to express their views on Library Service Options. One nearby resident of the Library was strongly in favor of expansion but asked the Board to keep in mind that there is interest in preserving the historic character of the neighborhood and the construction of a parking structure would create an negative impact. Another member of the community commented that he is in favor of the use of Old Fort Collins High School, however, a new facility on its grounds is a good possibility as well. He also stated that a parking structure should not be constructed near the present Main Library. Anne Ostrye- Macdonald shared two recent telephone comments; one did not want the present Library to expand as it would create too much congestion in the area and the other wanted Old Fort Collins High School as a new Main Library. Chairperson Anne Ostrye-Macdonald mentioned she spoke with Chris Kneeland concerning the land behind Old Fort Collins High School and found out that it is not freely available and is being considered as an east side park. Mike Powers advised that the School Board has an offer to buy Old Fort Collins High School, they have interest in keeping it as an alternative school, and they have decided to put their decision on its re -use on hold for two years. He also shared with the Board the County/City Civic Center Plan, which could include a location for a new Main Library. Mike Powers said that the Library Board could recommend to City Council that a site feasibility analysis be conducted should they decide on a new Main Library at a downtown site. 1 The following motions were made: Madeleine Wawro made the motion to discard Option D (New Main Library at Front Range Community College/Branch at current Library); Jack Steele seconded the motion; and the motion was unanimously approved. 2. Al Bednarz made the motion to discard Option A (Reconstruct Old Fort Collins High School/Branch at Front Range Community College); Lee Anderson seconded the motion. The motion was rejected by a vote of 4 to 3. Madeleine Wawro made a motion to alter Option C (New Main Library at a Downtown site/Branch at Front Range Community College) as follows: The Library Board feels a need for a new building to be constructed on the grounds of Old Fort Collins High School or to be included in negotiations for a Library to be located at a County/City Civic Center Complex. The motion was seconded by Lee Anderson. The motion was rejected by a vote of 4 to 3. Linda Knowlton made a motion to eliminate Option B (Expand current Library (and build a parking structure)/Branch at Front Range Community College). Al Bednarz seconded the motion. The motion was rejected by a vote of 4 to 3. Jack Steele made a motion to recommend that a new Library building of at least 100,000 square feet be built on the grounds of Old Fort Collins High School if the City develops that property as a cultural center; otherwise that current Library be expanded as defined in Option B. Al Stone seconded the motion. The motion was rejected by a vote of 5 to 2. 6. Linda Knowlton made a motion to recommend that the City form a partnership with Front Range Community College to build a joint use library at the Larimer Campus and that the City immediately appropriates $2 million to the project. The branch should be approximately 30,000 square feet and be open to the public in 1997. Al Stone seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved. 7. Madeleine Wawro made a motion that the Board recommend that City Council consider as a location for a new Main Library of 100,000 square feet both the site of Old Fort Collins High School should it be developed as a cultural center and the proposed County/City Civic Center. Al Bednarz seconded the motion, and it was approved by a vote of 6 to 1. 8. Al Stone made a motion to recommend an increase in the Library's material budget in order to achieve 4 books per capita by the year 2,000. Jack Steele seconded the motion, and it was rejected by a vote of 5 to 2. REPORTS - Technology Update - Kim Crowley, Systems Administrator Kim described the Library's current technology as compared with Colorado State University and PR-1 and summarized the Library's planned goals in order to catch up. She also explained that staff is being trained on the new layered menu screen and that customer training sessions are planned. Linda Saferite explained that funding for the Library's technology plans described did not make the 1996 budget recommendation. Grants will be pursued and the Friends of the Library may be able to offer assistance for the CD portion. Kim was asked to give a general discussion of technologies in libraries at the October Library Board Meeting. - General Report - Linda Saferite As part of an effort to improve Library services to all groups in the community, invitations were sent to some members of the Hispanic community inviting them to be a part of a focus group to give suggestions about types of materials to be purchased, library programs, recruiting Hispanic employees, and improving communications. Nancy Knepel, from the High Plains Regional Library Service System, has been invited to the September Library Board meeting to discuss results of the recent community survey. A member of the Library staff attended the Education and Life Training Center's annual back -to - school giveaway and was able to register 97 new Library Card holders. During the first month after the Mini Library's opening, nearly every book was circulated at least once. The Mini now has 22,000 holdings and usage has been steady. - Statistics Report - Robert Holzfaster Robert presented the January -June statistics which compared Total Circulation, Interlibrary Loans, Reserves Placed, Registered Customers, Public Contacts Programs, Program Attendance, Collection Strength, Building Traffic, and Revenues for 1995 with the years 1994, 1991 and 1988. This report will be presented to the Board on a quarterly basis. - How'd we do's?" The Board agreed that, instead of receiving copies of the forms each month, a summarized version would help cut costs; the original forms will be made available at Board meetings. Due to time constraints, it was decided to postpone discussions on the remaining agenda items, "Into the 21st Century" and Advocacy Brainstorming, until the next meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Maryorie Teklits