ELISHA D. SMITH PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
Elisha D. Smith Public Library
Gegan Board Room
October 22, 2019
Called to order at 4:31pm by Vice Chairman Golz
Present: Vice Chairman Golz, Secretary Halverson, Trustee Franzoi, Trustee Lane, Trustee Schwerbel, Trustee Turner (arrived at 4:51), Superintendent of Schools VanderHeyden, Trustee Witt, and Teen Rep. Jacquelyn White
Excused: Chairman Englebert and Ad Hoc Trustee Hermans
Also Present: Director Lenz, Support Services Supervisor Brandt, and Business Manager Dreyer
Public Comment/Communication
None
Consent Business
Motion made by VanderHeyden, seconded by Franzoi to approve the Library Board meeting minutes from September 24, 2019 and accept the minutes of the Marketing & Resource Development Committee from October 3, 2019, and the Building and Grounds Committee from October 8, 2019, and October 22, 2019. Motion carried unanimously.
Authorization of Bills
The expense from Automated Comfort Controls consists of 5 invoices and the expense from MBM is 3 invoices of which one is the annual contract fee. Motion made by Franzoi, seconded by Witt to authorize payment of the October list of bills from the 2019 budget and endowment fund. Motion carried unanimously.
Unfinished Business
⦁ Materials Selection Policy/Video Game Selection
At our last meeting, we were asked by a patron to consider purchasing video games intended for mature audiences. The library currently has a small collection and our focus is to purchase games for as many patrons as possible. Patrons can place holds on and receive items in Winnefox’s shared automated library network, which includes games with that rating.
(Witt left the meeting at 5:02pm)
Motion made by Halverson, seconded by Franzoi, to not expand our video game collection with games with an M rating. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion made by Halverson, seconded by Franzoi, for staff to review the existing video game collection to evaluate its use and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees as to whether or not to expand or abandon the collection. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion made by Franzoi, seconded by Lane, to have the Policies and Personnel Committee review classes of cards and materials for ages 11-16 in Chapter II - Library Patron Policies A. 4. and make a recommendation back to the Board of Trustees. Motion carried unanimously.
⦁ Committee Report: Marketing & Resource Development
The committee is working on a marketing plan and a resource development brochure. On October 28, Director Lenz, Librarian Ana Maria Acosta, Menasha Joint School District ELL Coordinator Gretchen (Margaret) Lettau, and MJSD Teacher Sharon Allen have been invited to interview at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Inc. regarding the grant application that was submitted for a Latinx Community Outreach Coordinator position.
⦁ Committee Report: Building & Grounds Committee
Franzoi contacted the Aspen Institute who recommended Margaret Sullivan Studio to help create a plan for the library of the future. Other businesses willing to make a case for working on this project are OPN Architects and Engberg Anderson Architects. MSS will be submitting a proposal by Friday. Motion made by Franzoi, seconded by Schwerbel, to authorize the Building & Grounds Committee to spend up to $10,000 to engage the Margaret Sullivan Studio in a fact-finding mission based on her proposal unless an objection is submitted to Director Lenz within three days after receiving the proposal, with money coming from the Memorial Endowment Fund if her visit is before the end of the year. Motion carried unanimously.
New Business
1. September Statistics.
Overall circulation increased 4.7% for the month over the same month last year. So far this year, meeting room use up 12.4%, website visits are up 3.2%, and program attendance is up 13.7%.
2. 2019 Budget Status.
Trustees reviewed the budget status report.
3. 2020 Budget Status
Trustees reviewed the 2020 budget as submitted by the mayor to the Common Council.
4. Staff Reports.
⦁ The parking lot is completed.
⦁ There are 260 kids signed up for the fall reading program. On Friday, October 25, Rondini the Magician is coming, and there will once again be a haunted hallway.
⦁ So far, the October bilingual story times have had good attendance.
⦁ The city is looking to change health care providers for 2020 to reduce costs.
⦁ Librarian Kirk Moore-Nokes attended the Wisconsin Library Association Conference.
⦁ We had 363 people attend the Fox Cities Book Festival author visits at our library.
⦁ The Fox Cities Reads announced the 2020 community read book – The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang, who will visit the Fox Cities on April 16 & 17 accompanied by her father, who is the focus of her second book The Song Poet.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn made at 5:44pm by Franzoi, seconded by Turner. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Dreyer, Recording Secretary
