HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 11/11/19934
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BOARD MEMBERS:
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES - REGULAR MEETING
Ben Delatour Room
Thursday, November 11, 1993
Anne Ostrye-Macdonald,
Karen Dornseif
Fay Rhoadarmer
Jerome Roselle
Al Stone•
Madeleine Wawro
Sandra Webermeier
Chairperson
PRESENT: Board members Anne Ostrye-Macdonald, Karen Dornseif, Fay
Rhoadarmer, Jerry Rosalie, Al Stone, and Sandy Webermeier
Staff Linda Saferite and Robert Holzfaster
Guests Judy MacDonald, Poudre R-1, and Myrtle Hausrath,
Fourth Congressional District Representative, Colorado Council for
Library Development
The meeting was called to order by chair Anne Ostrye-Macdonald at
7:00 p.m.
The minutes of the October 14 meeting ware approved as written.
There was no correspondence.
Linda Saferite, thenew library director, was introduced to all
members.
Judy MacDonald of POudra R-1 was introduced to inform the board of
developments in the Barton Niche Library. This library is being
funded through federal grant monies to serve the needs of parents and
children involved in Barton's Head Start and parenting programs.
Barton also houses the Discovery Center. The niche library will
contain parenting books and books, toys and kits for children.
Materials will be cataloged and accessible through the library's
Dynix system. A courier will connect the public library and the
Barton library. Judy stated that the school district has had
excellent cooperation from library staff over the past several months
in setting up this library. A cooperative agreement will be going to
the city council in December to formalize the relationship.
Although the board had no quarrel with the concept.of the Barton
library, members expressed strong concern that we had not been
informed earlier of this project. Anne will contact Mike Powers to
ascertain why and how the board was left out of the discussion and to
convey board disappointment at being ignored.
REPORTS:
Ann Azari, council liaison, was unable to attend.
Linda Saferite had a number of items to report on.
Staff: She met with all staff on November to share her
expectations and convey her focus on quality and customer service.
She has followed up, this meeting with;indepth discussions with the
seven department heads and is now meeting individually with each
staff member. She has also initiated cross -training.
Mai -Library: Much staff effort.will be focused on providing a
broad range of high quality services at this new branch. A plan for
the branch will be ready for the board at the -December meeting. The
relative merits of the two locations, Drake's Crossing and Raintree
Plaza, were discussed. On a motion by Jerry, the board voted
unanimously to support the Raintree location.
Dynix system: Ongoing obstacles to full implementation of the
Dynix system seem to defy solutions from within the library. Linda
is hiring a consultant to study the situation and make specific
recommendations to _get the system running smoothly and efficiently.
�ustgmer comMents: As part of her emphasis on customer service,
Linda wishes to introduce a user-friendly comment form. She provided
three sample designs for the board to evaluate. Each was half page
size and informal to encourage open expression of thoughts. Each
board member was asked to select a favorite. The forms will be
readily available to library customers, and completed ones will be
brought to board meetings every month..
Challanqjd bookj: Linda proposed substantive changes in the
process for answering challenges to library materials. She
recommends a three level consideration process: 1) a committee of
librarians will evaluate the challenge and recommend an action, 2)
the challenger, if unhappy with the decision, may request
reconsideration by the library director, and 3) if still
dissatisfied, the challenger may request a review by the library
board. All challenges and the actions taken would be presented to
the board.
Linda and some board members listed the following reasons for
changing the current process: collection development is a
professional library activity and should be seen by library customers
as such, librarians should be accountable to customers and aware of
their beliefs and thoughts when these are in conflict with selection
decisions, the customers should know that there are levels of
responsibility, customers should be aware that they have recourse
when they are dissatisfied, and the current process is somewhat
haphazard.
Some board members voiced strong reservations about changing the
current process. At issue is the defense of intellectual freedom and
the ability of the board, as an independent body, to represent the
interests of the community.
Linda distributed a draft of the new reconsideration form which
would be attached to "The Freedom to Read" statement and the "Library
Bill of Rights". She also included a copy of the current Materials
Selection Policy. The current policy prescribes a procedure for
consideration of challenges that does not conform to current
practice.
in view of the seriousness of the issue and strong reservations
about the proposed changes, the board requested time to consider the
merits of the proposal. The board will reach a decision at the
December meeting.
I
Meeting structVr•: Linda proposed that' 'the .board be more
involved in policy level decisions. At each meeting, she will
Peasant highlights of activities and information on major issues,
especially those with public relations -impact, to assist in
decision -making. She also proposed having the library's
administrative assistant serve as.board secretary. She supports
increased communication between library staff and the board.
OLD BUSINESS
The .board made a few changes to the draft 1994 workplan to conform to
the director's priorities. The retreat will be held in February.
Sandy and Al will be responsible for planning and coordination. The
Public relations speaker will be rescheduled later in the year. In
lieu of the retreat in January, a speaker will be invited to discuss
focus groups. Karen will arrange for this program.
NEW BUSINESS
Linda asked board members to introduce themselves. Each person
described his/her background and reasons for applying for the board.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 9, 1993.
Respectfully submitted: Karen Dornseif, Vice Chair/Secretary