HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 03/08/2006LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING — MARCH 8, 2006
6:00 P.M.
Council Liaison: Ben Manvel Staff Liaison: Brenda Cams
(Phone 221-6670)
Chairperson: Nina Bodenhamer
(Phone: 266-9611)
A regular meeting of the Library Board was held on March 8, 2006 in the Ben Delatour Room of
the Main Library at 201 Peterson Street. The following Library Board members were present:
Nina Bodenhamer, Bob Burns, and Ralph Olson.
Library Board Members Absent:
City Staff Members Present:
Friends of the Library Liaison:
Library Awareness Committee:
Don Oehlerts, Melissa Pattison, Mary Robertson
and Molly Thompson
Brenda Cams, and Marjorie Teklits
Gwen Kelly
Marty Tharp
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Chairperson Nina Bodenhamer. The minutes of
the February 8, 2006 meeting will be approved on April 121h due to a lack of quorum at tonight's
meeting.
Correspondence:
Reports/Presentations:
Library Board members enjoyed viewing photos from the recent program for teens, "It's a Girl
Thing," which was held at Harmony Library.
Updated Boards & Commissions Manuals, a copy of Ralph Olson's February 91h memo to City
Council regarding the "Library District Funding Option," and copies of the Board's finalized
2006 Work Plan were distributed.
In addition to current newspaper articles about the Library, copies of the article "Building Public
Will" from the February I" issue of Library Journal were distributed.
a. Director's Report - Brenda Cams
Staff are planning activities for National Library Week, which is April 2-8 this year. One
activity is a special poster contest which will award gift certificates to a bookstore or art
supply to winners in various age groups from 6 through 18 and their posters will be
displayed at both the Main and Harmony Libraries. Nina said perhaps a prize winner
could be on a READ poster, and this idea will be shared with the Children's department.
A staff appreciation day may be included in the week's activities as well.
The City Manager is contacting County officials to arrange a meeting with the
Commissioners to talk about a library district funding option; specific date and time is
unknown at this time. Brenda said the library in Red Feather Lakes has shown interest in
perhaps joining a district; Wellington's Library Director said she didn't think they are
interested at the present time.
b. Friends of the Library — Gwen Kelly
Gwen reminded everyone of the Friends used book sale this weekend, March 10 —12 at
Harmony Library. The Friends are looking for people to help with their website; Marry
Tharp said the public relations firm interested in helping the Library Awareness
Committee might be of help, and Nina said she knows someone at FRCC who teaches
web site development who may be interested in the project.
C. Emerging Trends — Bob Burns
Bob reported that editorials continue to appear in the national press featuring libraries in a
positive light. Libraries are losing the "dry" image and are achieving national visibility
which puts them in the public eye.
Important upcoming dates include:
March 13 — A national forum broadcast from the Press Club in Washington;
March 12-18 — Sunshine Week (in which there will be a national dialogue on Freedom of
the Press);
April 2-8 - National Library Week;
May 1-2 — National Library Legislative Day (an opportunity to talk with your
representatives and lobbyists);
June 22-28 — American Library Association Conference, New Orleans.
Bob summarized the following articles of interest. Copies will be available from Marge
if Board members which to review them more closely:
"Books and people at the library —so many interesting tales to tell," Christian Science
Monitor, November 15, 2005.
"Libraries as places to linger and mingle," Christian Science Monitor, January 13, 2006.
"New Woman's Day initiative asks readers to share stories on how the library has
changed their life," Woman's Day magazine, March 7 issue.
"Library use grows at time funds are cut," The Coloradoan, February 10, 2006.
"Library funds sound investment," The Coloradoan, February 16, 2006.
"Librarian remade system," (retirement of DPL's Rich Ashton), Rocky Mt. News,
February 27, 2006.
"A Hundred books in your pocket," Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2006.
"Review & Outlook, Madame Librarian," Wall Street Journal, February 10, 2006.
"Yahoo, European Union Announce Digital Library Projects," American Libraries,
November 2005.
"Google donates to U.S. database of cultural works," Wall Street Journal, November 22,
2005.
"Patriot Act renewal passes in cliffhanger," The Coloradoan, March 8, 2006.
It contains some reforms; library records can still be inspected but gag orders can be
challenged after one year and a requirement that the FBI Director must personally
approve any request for records from a library or bookstore.
Everyone thanked Bob for his research and thoroughly informative report on recent
emerging trends.
Old Business
a. Library Funding — Brenda Cams
The Board viewed a draft slide presentation entitled "Library Services: Securing the
Future and Reflecting on the Past."
Bob suggested weaving in the economic benefits of the library to the community (job
training, computer training, financial support, resume writing, etc.) and that the bilingual
aspect is important to stress (source of free materials for bilingual education and GED).
He added that the presentation was just the right length.
Nina suggested mentioning how the Library provides service for Spanish-speaking
families and how it allows for the growing demand to accommodate increases in the
Hispanic population. Gwen suggested focusing on the fact that the Library is a cultural
center and other cultures are supported as well. Genealogy is strong, too.
Nina suggested adding small bullet items to improve the visual affect. It may also be
important to mention that capital funds are already available for a branch library so that
the public doesn't think more money will be needed to build.
Ralph commented that a southeast branch would relieve overcrowding at the Main and
Harmony Libraries. Also, mention how the Library's efforts support the schools (the
Summer Reading Program helps kids keep their reading skills over the summer break).
Nina said it has been proven that kids who don't read over the summer lose up to three
academic months.
It was also suggested to add that, if a district received voter approval, it would cost about
$59 a year or $5 a month based on an average home valued at $255,000. Also, it is
important to differentiate between BOB (Building on Basics) and stable funding, to be
succinct that district funding is lasting and more stable.
Ralph suggested the Awareness Committee visit homeowner association meetings; the
Board did this years ago and were well received. Some associations included information
about the Library in their newsletters. Nina said newcomer welcoming groups would
also be interested in information about the Library.
New Business
a. Library Role in a District Campaien — Brenda Cams
According to the City Attorney's office, the Library Board is not empowered to take
political action when acting as representatives of the Board but they are allowed as
individual citizens. They are free to campaign on their own time and to raise money as
long as they do not use public funds to do so. They can also mention they are members
of the Library Board but not speak as a Board member per se.
Other
Council Member David Roy is scheduled to meet with members of the community on
March 25 from 10 a.m. to noon at City Hall to discuss a Library District funding option.
He is planning to submit a Soapbox article to announce it to the public.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Teklits
Administrative Secretary