HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board - Minutes - 10/11/2006Chairperson:
LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING — OCTOBER 11, 2006
Ben Marvel
Nina Bodenhamer
266-9611
221
A regular meeting of the Library Board was held on October 11, 2006 in the Ben Delatour Room
of the Main Library at 201 Peterson Street. The following Library Board members were present:
Nina Bodenhamber, Bob Burns, Don Oehlerts, Ralph Olson, Melissa Pattison, Mary Robertson,
and Molly Thompson.
City Staff Members Present: Brenda Cams, Lu Benke, Marjorie Teklits
Barbara Crandall, Pamela Piesman
Friends of the Library: Marty Tharp
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chairperson Nina Bodenhamer. Bob Burns
asked that the last paragraph of the September 13 minutes be revised to indicate the Forbes
survey ranked Colorado's (not Fort Collins) quality of life at 19. He moved to approve the
minutes as corrected; Ralph Olson seconded the motion, and they were unanimously approved.
Corresaondenee:
Copies of recent articles about library issues appearing in local newspapers were shared.
As the annual Boards & Commissions Appreciation Reception is scheduled for the same night as
the November 8 Library Board meeting, the Board agreed to meet instead on Wednesday,
November 15, 6 p.m., in the Community Room at Harmony Library.
Copies of the Library Board's September 261h letter to the Mayor and City Council Members
regarding Proposed Library Cuts in the 2007 Budget were distributed.
Copies of an updated roster and the Six Month Planning Calendar were also distributed.
Reports/Presentations:
a. Director's Report - Brenda Carns
The Children's Summer Reading Program tied for first place with Pueblo Library for the
Colorado Association of Libraries/Perma Bound Statewide Summer Reading Program
competition. In addition, the Library's entry in the CSU Homecoming Parade on October
71h won first place in the Community Division.
A Library Trustee's Workshop is scheduled at the November Colorado Association of
Libraries Conference in Denver, and Brenda said it would be a good opportunity for
those interested in applying for a place on the new Library Board if a District receives
voter approval. Marge will email information about the conference to everyone.
b. Friends of the Library —
As Sharon was unable to attend tonight's meeting, she asked Marge to let everyone know
that all READ poster participants are invited to attend the Friends of the Library General
Meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, November 13 at the Senior Center where they will be
acknowledged.
Brenda said that the Friends took in approximately $28,000 at their big used book sale at
Foothills Mall.
C. Public Relations — Molly Thompson
Board members agreed that Molly's latest newsletter looked great and copies were
distributed.
d. Emerging Trends — Bob Burns
Bob said that he will report on Emerging Trends at the November meeting.
e. Homebound, Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator — Barbara Crandall
Barbara was hired in 1995 to oversee volunteer coordination, homebound deliveries and
the yellow shelves in the community. When she became a classified'/< time employee in
2002, the Friends took over the yellow shelves allowing Barbara to mainly concentrate on
homebound service and volunteer coordination.
Homebound deliveries, which rotate on a 3-week schedule, serve approximately 65
individuals from age 15 to over 100. Several customers in their mid-90's are still avid
readers. Barbara has recruited and trained many volunteers to do homebound deliveries.
They select books and maintain databases so that customers are not brought the same
material twice. In 2005, 1,850 visits were made and 8,300 items delivered; 12 volunteers
supported the program, contributing 420 hours.
Library staff are very appreciative of how valuable volunteers are and last year utilized
over 700 of them in various capacities. They worked 15,553 hours which equates to 7.5
full-time equivalent employees or a savings of almost $140,000. Volunteers not only
come to us from Fort Collins, but all the surrounding areas as well, and they tend to stay a
while because they find the library a friendly place to "work."
The Friends of the Library are another source of our volunteers and they gave over 6,000
hours last year alone. They take care of all the book donations and come to the library
seven days a week to sort and price items for their sales. Their members also run the
"gently used" book shop in the Harmony Library lobby.
Barbara also receives requests from court -ordered community service volunteers who
have often proved to be a valuable resource. Some even stay on to become regular
volunteers. All court -ordered volunteers must pass a criminal court records check before
being accepted as library volunteers.
Board members asked which departments use volunteers. Barbara said the Children's
area uses them for storytime support, making nametags, counting numbers of attendees,
registering kids for the Summer Reading Program, helping with the southeast storytime,
assisting the collection development librarian, and they help to weed books. In Adult
Reference, they read shelves, shelve, clean, weed books, assist in the computer lab when
classes are taught, and enter information in a Local History database. Volunteers are also
involved in Homebound Services, Circulation, Technical Services and, of course,
Administration, Library Board and Friends of the Library and its Board of Directors.
Records are kept in order by using Excel as well as a special volunteer software package,
VolunteerWorks. When volunteers are recruited, they are interviewed and given a list of
jobs available. Nina asked Barbara, if a district passes and an opportunity to do more
presents itself, what would she choose. Barbara said she would love to create a volunteer
handbook and have a more reliable library vehicle to enable recruitment and outreach in
rural areas.
Ralph said the Board appreciates volunteers and is proud of all they do. The Board
joined him in thanking Barbara for a very informative presentation.
Pamela Piesman, Bi-Lingual Outreach Library Assistant
Pamela explained what she has done to expand children's library programs to diverse
communities. As an example, she does Libraries to Literacy with three pre-schools (Irish
Elementary, Harris Bilingual and Poudre Valley Headstart). Four -year -olds come to the
library with their parents for 2 hour sessions where they listen to bilingual stories, do
crafts related to the books and have a snack. Another staff member sometimes assists the
mothers with computer programs and information about the library when Pamela helps
the children with their crafts.
Bilingual storytimes are done once a month at the Main and Harmony Libraries. In the
spring, Pamela helps prepare for the Summer Reading Program by translating all the
documents (reading records, calendar, etc.), then she brings a puppet show program to 16
or 17 areas in the community whose population usually doesn't consist of regular library
visitors. At one such program this year, 400 people attended; another had only 5. When
Summer Reading Program is over, Pamela does bilingual book clubs. She also represents
the Library when attending various events around town, such as the Mexican Craft Fair.
At this month's Day of the Dead celebration, she will spend the day helping children with
trans. Pamela also does reader's advisory and creates lists of recommended books for
kids to read.
Board members delighted in the craft samples Pamela brought which helped her program
descriptions come to life. Pamela said she will be leaving her position at the end of
October, and the Board thanked her for everything she has done for the library and hoped
that the position will be reinstated.
Old Business
a. 2007 Work Plan — Nina Bodenhamer
Nina suggested the Board discuss the 2007 Work Plan at the November 15`h meeting.
New Business
a. Transition Committee
Board members talked about forming a sub committee to compile information to facilitate
transition for a new board in the event a Library District is approved. Information that
might help would be a description of a library district governing board, an outline/timeline
of the process, what has to be done and when, including the creation of by-laws, budget,
and intergovernmental agreements. Mary volunteered to head a transition committee and
other members could include Nina Bodenhamer, Marty Tharp, Kim Seter and Brenda
Carps. A transition committee as described will be formed at an appropriate future date.
Other:
Don Oehlerts volunteered to represent the Library Board at the November 171h Harmony Library
Advisory Committee meeting from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Teklits
Administrative Secretary