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Minutes - 2007 - Eagle Public Library - 03/12/2007 - Regular EAGLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES March 12, 2007 Community Room The Eagle Public Library Board of Trustees meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by President Jane Marrs. Present were Board President Jane Marrs; Board Members Margo Walters, Nancy Marshall, Bobbi Olson, and Christine Edwards Allred; City Council Liaison Stan Bastian; and Library Director Ron Baker. Board Member Bobbi Olson made a motion that the agenda be approved and Board Member Nancy Marshall seconded the motion. The agenda was unanimously approved. Board Member Margo Walters made a motion that the amended minutes be approved and Board Member Nancy Marshall seconded the motion. The amended minutes were unanimously approved. Board Member Bobbi Olson made a motion to pay the bills and Board Member Nancy Marshall seconded the motion. The motion to pay the bills was unanimously approved. Friends of the Library Report Director Ron Baker gave the Friends of the Library Report. The Friends continue to organize the back room. This coming Wednesday will be the fourth Wednesday in which a group of three or four will have made progress in that regard. Director's Report Director Ron Baker gave the Director's Report. Pre-overdue notices: further report Pre-overdue notices are notices sent via email two days before items are overdue to patrons who have given the EPL their email addresses for this purpose. Several problems with this system have recently been discovered. First, patrons who have items due on Tuesday have not been receiving pre-overdue notices because the circulation staff member at Boise has not initiated the necessary computer report and no Eagle staff members work on Sunday when that report would need to be generated. The EPL is now asking Boise to send out pre-notification reports to our patrons on Sunday. Second, some patrons who have given the EPL their email addresses are simply not receiving the email pre-overdue notices. Boise reimbursement: update Ron has not heard back from Boise regarding Boise patron usage of our library. The most substantial problem that the EPL confronts in this regard is that Boise patrons check items out at Boise, but return them to Eagle, placing the responsibility on Eagle staff to return the items to Boise. Users are relying on the EPL as a Boise book drop. Ron has sent Boise a letter regarding the fact that the cost of our currier service has risen $540 in three months as a result of this practice. The library now regularly has so many items on hold or requiring processing for return to Boise, that all of the staff is called in to work on the processing. The EPL pays the price for both staff work hours and book delivery and the time required by this service takes away from the ability of EPL staff to serve Eagle patrons. Ron believes that the EPL has substantial enough data to justify requesting reimbursement for the courier service. Ron is proposing to Boise that they assume the cost of two ten-hour per week super pages to cover this level of book traffic. Of course, this would be much more cost effective than pulling in the library director and assistant library director to do these tasks. Ron noted that two years ago Nancy Merrill approached David Bieter regarding such issues and those conversations resulted in a more generous reimbursement contract than the EPL requested. Board members recommended that the EPL request a generous reimbursement contract and consider reviewing the contract with Boise more frequently. Stan Bastian suggested that the EPL calculate the cost of the services it provides to Boise patrons and demand full reimbursement. He suggested that if Boise refused, the library should ask Nancy Merrill to negotiate the issue with David Bieter, placing the EPL's consortium contract on the line. The reciprocal borrowing statistics suggest that the EPL is not a city library, but a community library and deserves to receive fair compensation. The discussion also touched upon the fact that the Boise Public Library will not allow EPL cardholders to participate in Boise Public Library programs while the EPL allows all cardholders to participate in EPL programs. Now that the EPL is pre-registering program participants, the library may consider limiting participants to EPL cardholders. Shaunna Bach's continuing education contract Shaunna Bach's student status changed from half-time to full-time between the time that her education contract was approved and the current time. Because of this, the library is obligated to reimburse her full tuition costs. She has redesigned her schedule to take half of her library classes this year and half next year in order to keep the costs to those for which the EPL had budgeted. EPL branch standards for the city's Comprehensive Plan Ron has submitted the changes to the branch standards that the board recommended, but has not heard back from the city. Outside book drop installation The EPL has purchased two outside book drops and four carts to service those book drops this year and has installed the book drops to the south of the front entrance. The book drops are not yet operational because the library has only received two of the four ordered carts. Nor are the book drops in their final location. Having budgeted for the book drops this year, the library staff went ahead with the purchase despite the fact that the staff had concluded that if they were installed in the planned space, the drops would create traffic congestion and possible danger to patrons. As a result, the library installed the book drops in front of the entrance with the intent to place them in their final location as soon as possible. The city has been very gracious about installation and believes that it may be able to pay for the final placement of the book drops as early as this summer. The EPL hopes to install both book drops further to the south of the library in an area bordering the parking lot entrance so that patrons may drive to and through the book drop area. When this occurs,the city will cut a driveway through the current parking lot and landscape the book drop area appropriately. The reconfiguring and re-landscaping of the area will allow for a concrete walkway from the book drops to the EPL. Complaints involving"Music and Movement" programming The library has received three patron complaints regarding the formal and disciplined nature of the"Music and Movement" program. The individuals registering the complaints want to see a less structured program that allows for adult socialization while their children are participating. The library staff feels unwilling to concede to these participants' desires because of the nature of the"Music and Movement" program. The very active nature of the program and its reliance on hand props requires discipline among participants and parents to avert danger to the children. As a result, the library has begun to explain the requirements of the "Music and Movement" programming to patrons by distributing a brochure to every parent who attends that requests active parent participation. The library has also restricted attendance to"Music and Movement" programs—limiting the program for young children to 12 child participants and the program for older children to 30 child participants. The library staff has been discouraged by the disruptive behavior, on the part of child participants and parents, at both"Music and Movement" and story time programs. The board fully supports the library staff in establishing a safe, appropriate, and respectful setting for all library programs. To this end, the board recommended that library staff invite a Friends volunteer to offer assistance during childrens' programs as necessary and recommended that the library staff consider hanging posters that will establish the staffs' expectations of parents and children during the programs. Such posters might prohibit cell phone use, talking among parents, and other disruptive behaviors. Library Liaison/City Hall Report (Councilman Stan Bastian) Councilman Stan Bastian spoke to the board regarding library expansion issues as noted below in "Unfinished Business." Unfinished Business Letter to Mayor/Council on building expansion issues Stan Bastian recommended that the board educate the mayor and city council regarding the need for library expansion, and then work with the city to decide how those expansion needs might be balanced with other needs that the city currently confronts. Stan recommended that the library take a two step approach in which, first, the library director sit down with Stan and the mayor to talk about expansion needs and, second, the library send a letter to the council communicating the information already presented to Stan and the mayor. The board agreed with Stan's proposed approach. Stan recommended scheduling a meeting with the mayor following the end of the legislative session. Stan noted that the city works to address the desires of Eagle residents. Ten years ago, the city conducted a survey regarding services desired by Eagle residents. The library ✓ was at the top of that list and the city now has a new library. Lasfiyear, the city conducted a survey gauging interest in a cultural arts center. Interest among Eagle residents was high and, as a result, a cultural arts center may be developed in conjunction with the Eagle Island State Park. New Business Staff copier replacement While last year the library budgeted for a new copier, which is now working well, it did not anticipate that the staff copier would require replacement this year. The staff received this already used copier from the Planning and Zoning Department three years ago. During last year's summer reading program, the staff made over 27,000 copies and the copier has never been the same. Although the library realized the need for a new copier after the budget was set, it has invited quotes from various venders. Following the consideration of six different models, the library has concluded that a Canon ImageRUNNER 3045 would best serve its needs. Ron recommended that the library enter into a 60 month lease for $187.28/month. Ron anticipates that the lease price of this new machine, when compared to the expenses associated with the old machine, will actually save the library money. The library has a base rate of 5,000 copies/year with the old machine, confronts heavy maintenance costs, and will have to pay $300 to recycle the old copier if it does not exchange it in for a leased machine. Ron anticipates that by entering into a lease for the new machine the library will actually save $450 between now and October 1. Ron noted that city hall doesn't buy, but leases copy machines. Ron asked that the board approve the lease of a new machine even though such a request is not in the current budget. Nancy Marshall made a motion that the library lease a copy machine. Margo Walters seconded the motion. The board voted unanimously that the library lease the Canon copy machine. Looking forward, Ron noted that he recommended that the library budget $3,000 next year for a copy machine to be kept in the children's office. Wells Fargo contract for credit card service The library staff is very interested in offering credit card service to patrons desiring to pay replacement debts, loss debts, and damage debts. Ron noted that, only this week, three people walked out of the building with outstanding debts because the library doesn't accept credit card payments. This is a daily occurrence. The library would like to sign a 36 month contract that will allow tl3em-to accept Visa and MasterCard credit card payments. The library will not offer debit card service as that requires the lease or purchase of additional equipment. The city attorney has reviewed the Wells Fargo contract and her objections regarding the contract have been addressed. Other city departments are now working under this contract. Board members expressed concerns regarding the expense and duration of the contract. Ron Baker noted that the library's income account for late fees, lost items, and replacement exceeds $35,000/year. Board members nevertheless felt reservations regarding the high transaction fees that might be charged on very small payments. The board asked that the library not advertise the availability of the service, but offer it only in response to patron request. Nancy Marshall made a motion that the board authorize the Wells Fargo contract for credit card service for patrons. Christine Edwards Allred seconded the motion. Three board members voted aye and two abstained. The motion carried. EPL schedule on Eagle Fun Days Although City Hall has recommended that the library close for Eagle Fun Days on June 9, Ron Baker would like to keep the library open for the afternoon hours. The library will be affected by the events of the day. There will be no surface access to the library before or during the parade that begins at 11 a.m. that day; a large car show will be held in the library parking lot starting early in the morning; and a sock hop with a live band at city chambers will begin around 5 p.m. Still, the library staff feels that the library should be accessible when so many city residents will be in the downtown area. The library board must approve any closure—even a partial closure—for that day. Bobbi Olson made a motion to approve that the library close at Ron Baker's discretion on June 9. Nancy Marshall seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. Display case loan to Eagle Historical Museum Ron recommended that the library lend a display case for which it has no room or use ✓� prior to a major library expansion to the Eagle Historical °qty on a long-term basis. Ron noted that the doorsse rthe-d s-on the display case are too heavy for its hinges and that to revamp the display case would cost more than to build a new case entirely. A s a , ,,,, ✓ result, it is most serviceable as a long-term display case and the Eagle Historical Safety has such a need. Ron prefers to loan library property to city departments and the Eagle Historical-Society is a city department. The board must approve a long-term loan of library property. Christine Edwards Allred made a motion that the library offer its display case on a long- term loan to the Eagle Historical Seeiety. Nancy Marshall seconded that motion. The vote was unanimous. Ron noted that his wife has become the curator of the Eagle Historical Sudety.- Library Logo Contest/National Library Week Recently, the library was asked to supply a logo for an arts& craft event in which it was involved. The library doesn't think it has a logo. Ron noted that the library staff felt that a logo design contest, sponsored by the Friends, might attract interest during National Library Week, April 15-21. The board expressed interest in such a project, but desired to reserve the right to not adopt one of the designs as the official library logo. Margo Walters made a motion to encourage the library staff to plan a library logo contest subject to board review. Jane Marrs seconded the motion. The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Additional Items or Public Comment Name Tags Ron Baker reported that the circulation staff has expressed interest in a lanyard that says "Staff" or"Volunteer" as appropriate. The board asked for a list of library personnel and their positions which Ron agreed to provide. Selection of Next Meeting Date The next meeting will take place on April 9 at 7 p.m. Adjournment Board Member Margo Walters made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Board Member Nancy Marshall seconded the motion. The motion to adjourn the meeting was unanimously approved. The meeting adjourned at 9:37 p.m.