Minutes of Regular Meeting
ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library Gegan Room
February 19, 2015
Call to order at 4:02pm by Murray.
Present: Crawmer, Eisen, Golz, Murray, Nichols, VanderHeyden, Wicihowski and Kaminski
Absent: None
Also Present: Director Lenz, Beson (Head of Children’s Services), Bongers (Head of Adult Services), and Dreyer (Administrative Assistant).
Public Comment/Communication
- Lenz received a letter from Young, Schuster & Maslowski, LLP regarding the Estate of Marcia Swilley who named the library as a beneficiary.
- Eisen brought in an article from The News Record about the library’s 1,000 Books before Kindergarten program.
Consent Business
Motion made by VanderHeyden to approve the Library Board meeting minutes from January 15, 2015, and accept the Fundraising Committee meeting minutes of February 12, 2015, and the Personnel and Policies Committee meeting minutes of February 12, 2015, seconded by Golz. Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
The check to the Winnefox Automated Library System for $72,559.00 is the 2015 annual operations fee. Motion made by Eisen to authorize payment of the December (3) 2014 list of bills from the 2014 budget and the February 2015 list of bills from the 2015 budget as presented, seconded by Golz. Nichols inquired about the $3,418.55 expenses for a projector bag, switch, 4 computers and 17 Pharos maintenance 2015 licenses from WALS. On October 16, 3014, the Board of Trustees approved transferring $5,000 to our WALS account for technology – software and hardware. These expenses will come out of that account. Motion carried unanimously.
Director’s Report/Information Items
1. January Statistics. Most measures were up this January over last year. Adult circulation was up 7%. Zinio was discontinued because of usage, price increases, and difficulty of use. Directors of Winnefox libraries are considering subscribing to another service.
2. 2014 Carryover Request. A draft of end-of-year accounting for the 2014 was presented.
3. 2015 Budget Status. The current budget shows that 8% of the year is over and 13% has been spent, which is skewed due to some annual expenses being paid or accounted for.
4. Endowment Reports: The 2014 year-end endowment report will be submitted with the library’s annual report to Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction.
5. Staff Reports.
- The Winter Reading program for children: Let it Snow: READ! had 170 participants.
- Beson distributed Children’s Room output measures for 2014, as a list and as a graphic depiction.
- New carpet squares have been installed in the Company E Room.
- A sink has been installed in the Activity Room to allow for more craft activities in that room and so it can be used as a Mother’s Room.
- Support Services Supervisor Brandt is working with two students to help develop their work skills. One is through the Menasha High’s School-to-Work program, the other through Todd Stevens and Associates.
- The Winter Reading Program for teens and adults has begun. So far, 93 people have signed up. Patrons receive prizes based on the number and variety of books they read. A parallel Winter Reading Program for staff has also been created with prizes being provided by our Staff Association.
- A document camera has been purchased as a new piece of equipment for our meeting room users. The camera allows display of physical objects on a screen.
- Patrons may now check out an LCD projector for 3 days at the Reference Desk.
- Bongers attended Legislative Day in Madison and met with Representative Amanda Stuck and an aide to Senator Roger Roth. Bongers invited both to come to the library to do a ‘Coffee with’ program.
- The February Friends Used Book Sale netted about $2,900.
- The library nominated Diane Hotynski for the Janet Berry Volunteer of the Year Award.
6. Strategic Plan Update. The library’s Staff Development Committee has created a staff development plan that addresses what library personnel need to know to do their jobs more efficiently and how to obtain these skills. Supervisors will work with staff to ensure that 1% of their annual work time is designated toward skills development. This plan was presented at the staff training on February 18. After staff and supervisor input, the plan will be presented at a board meeting.
7. Winnefox Board Report. The Winnefox Library System Board Meeting Notes from Christine Kaup, Menasha’s representative on that board, describe the COLAND project that is recommending LEAN methods to make Wisconsin’s library systems more efficient. OWLS’ director position is vacant, prompting talks between people in Winnefox and OWLS regarding some avenues of possible consolidation.
Discussion/Action Items
8. Annual Report to Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction. A draft of the library’s annual report to DPI was presented. As required by Wis. Stat. s. 43.58(6)(c), trustees must indicate at the end of this document that the library system did or did not provide effective leadership and adequately meet the needs of the library during the relevant year. There have been in the past at least three years when Menasha library trustees voted ‘no’ on this question, citing the conflict of interest presented by the dual directorship of the system and Oshkosh Public Library, a situation that still exists. Motion made by VanderHeyden to vote ‘yes’ with a statement citing that conflict of interest, seconded by Crawmer. After discussion, motion carries unanimously. After further discussion, motion made by Eisen to move for reconsideration for ‘did not provide’ and a vote of ‘no’. Seconded by Nichols for discussion. Motion carries unanimously. Trustees will reconsider their vote at the next meeting.
9. Policies and Personnel Committee: Organizational Structure Policy and Personnel Policy. The Personnel and Policies Committee met on February 12 and agreed on these changes. Per policy, these changes are presented at this meeting for a possible vote at the next meeting.
- Domestic partner was deleted from the Personnel Policy.
- F.1.c. Staff Development – The library may include an amount, to be determined annually by the Board of Trustees, which shall be used to defray tuition and fees expenses for employees. Eisen suggested that the committee discuss limiting this benefit to those seeking a master’s degree in library science.
- Organizational Structure B.5.f. – They may not be audio- or video recorded. Eisen felt that we could be better served for free speech to not have this policy or to leave it to the discretion of the President of the board with the exception of the library board secretary or news media. Nichols would not be opposed to audio but not video since there is a minor on the board. Eisen suggested this go back to the committee to discuss.
10. Fundraising Committee Report: The committee met on February 12.
- A brochure was developed for distribution in attorneys’ offices. Golz suggested including offices of accountants.
- An email was sent to patrons inviting them to sign up for a cash back program with United Community. Eisen objected to this method being used to raise funds with only approval from the Fundraising Committee. He also objected to this organization’s association with a sectarian organization and pointed out that raising funds for other organizations is not our job. Eisen called for a consensus of the board to withdraw from this program and email patrons that this is no longer a project of the library. Consensus was achieved.
- The Fundraising Committee would like to add a Friend Volunteer to the committee. Murray agreed to appoint one at the next meeting, asking Lenz to invite someone who volunteers regularly.
- At their next meeting, the committee will find out what other libraries are doing to fundraise, establish a mission statement, and come up with a goal of how much money to raise.
11. Trustee Essentials Chapter 24: Tabled until next month’s meeting.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:38pm was made by Eisen and seconded by Crawmer Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, recording secretary
