ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library
Company E Room
April 25, 2023
Called to order at 4:04pm by Chair Halverson
Present: Trustee Eisenach, Vice Chairman Golz, Chair Halverson, Secretary Lane, Trustee Stojanovic and Superintendent of Schools VanderHeyden
Absent: Trustee Franzoi, Trustee Turner, Trustee Witt and E. Lane
Also Present: Director Kopetsky, Library Services Manager Raschke, Programming Services Manager Moore-Nokes, Business Manager Dreyer and Matt Zimmerman
Public Comment/Communication
None
Consent Business
A motion was made by Lane, seconded by VanderHeyden to approve the Library Board of Trustees meeting minutes from March 28, 2023. Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
A motion was made by Golz, seconded by Lane to authorize payment of the April 2023 bills from the 2023 budget. Motion carried unanimously.
Updates
Planning Process Update
The draft of the pitch deck for potential donors was distributed to trustees. Kopetsky will make the suggested revisions.
Friends of the Elisha D. Smith Public Library Update
We are still waiting to hear from the IRS regarding the 501(c)3 status.
New Business
Director’s Report
⦁ Job Analysis: The city has reviewed and forwarded the job questionnaires completed by library staff to Carlson Dettman. The next step will be to review and compare positions in communities around the state. They plan to complete the process in time to make potential adjustments for the 2024 budgeting process.
⦁ Winnefox Announcement: Oshkosh Public Library and Winnefox Library System Director Jeff Gilderson-Duwe will be retiring June 1. They are proposing to split the position.
⦁ 2024 County Funding: We received our preliminary numbers for county funding in 2024. Winnebago County funding is set to increase, and Calumet County funding is set to decrease - we suspect this is due to the temporary Appleton library site being on the edge of the town of Harrison.
⦁ Staffing Changes: Librarian Pa Ja Yang will be leaving to pursue an opportunity in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. We posted a librarian position primarily focusing on Children’s Services.
⦁ Scheduling Software: The transition of our new scheduling software is almost complete.
March Statistics
Room reservations are up 85%. We are working on ways to get library materials into the hands of our patrons since the increased attendance has not increased circulation.
2023 Budget Status
Trustees reviewed the 2023 budget status.
Approval of the Facilities Policy as Recommended by the Policy and Personnel Committee
Last month, we changed B.5.b. to: Groups or individuals using a meeting room shall not publicize their event in any way the implies that it is sponsored, co-sponsored, endorsed, or approved by the library unless permission to do so has been given in advance by the library director or designee in writing.
Motion made by VanderHeyden, seconded by Golz to approve the Facilities Policy as recommended by the Policy and Personnel Committee with the recommended change. Motion carried unanimously.
Adjacent County Funding
We currently receive funding from Winnebago, Calumet, Green Lake, Fond du Lac and Waushara counties. If the request for funding next year is the same as this year it is a management decision.
Approval of Out of State Travel
Clerk Angela Yu and Kopetsky would like to attend the YOUmedia conference in Chicago. According to our policy, trustees must approve out-of-state travel. The conference is being underwritten by a grant which will cover air and hotel. The library will cover mileage and meals. Motion to approve up to $500 travel expenses for Yu and Kopetsky. Motion carried unanimously.
Staff Reports
⦁ The librarian position is open until May 9.
⦁ Summer programming is well underway.
⦁ We are transitioning from Skedda to LocalHop.
⦁ We are holding a food drive during National Library Week – April 23-29, 2023.
⦁ The shoe drive for Menasha High School students was a success.
⦁ Winnebago County will be starting a troubled youth program and was looking for reading material recommendations and for us to donate weeded books.
Our next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 4:00pm.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn made at 5:10pm by VanderHeyden, seconded by Stojanovic. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, Recording Secretary
