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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-07-18 MinutesMinutes Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting 7/18/94 at 4:00 p.m. Attending: Mark Burdette, Jeff Koenig, Carol Phillips, Anne Prichard, Michael Thomas - Trustees; Linda Harrison - Fayetteville Public Library Director; Karen Duree - Ozarks Regional Library Director; Mary Jo Godfrey, Lynaire Hartsell, June Jefferson, Mim Neralich, Susan Sissom - Staff; Steve Davis - Budget Coordinator for the City of Fayetteville; Michelle Parks - Northwest Arkansas Times President Koenig called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Minutes for 6/13/94 were approved as presented. Correspondence was from Phyllis Rice, Assistant to the Mayor, 6/1/94, to Godfrey about special trolley service to the Library on July 22 & 23 for visitors attending the Ancestor Fair; and from Sarah Criss to Harrison, 5/31/94, about overdue books; and Harrison's reply of 6/29/94. The Board felt Harrison's response was excellent. The Board approved Harrison's Statistical Reports for June 1994 and January -June 1994 and her Financial Report of June 30, 1994. Thomas noted that registrations have increased (along with population growth) but attendance and circulation have decreased. Duree mentioned that circulation in Springdale is also down and the new library in Rogers may be a reason. Jefferson encouraged Board members to report attendance at meetings where presentations of library statistics are made. (Phillips, Thomas) Harrison reported that the Annex roof has been replaced but not without incident. Books worth $1,363 got wet in Genealogy. Duree covered everything in ORL with plastic. Koenig asked Harrison to write letters to Harold Dahlinger, with a copy to Davis, requesting that payment in this amount be withheld and a request for how the Library will be repaid for the damage. Lower level rest room modifications for the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance will cost the City $2,500. Koenig sugge ted that since the City is committed to that amount, let them do it and postpone resgrrooms for the Meeting Room until later. Recent Staff changes include: Neralich leaving at the end of July to teach Spanish at Fayetteville High School, Becky Goff leaving to have twins and the resignations of Jean Boyer and Jenny Finch. Jeanne Gardner and Shawn Walker will pick up additional hours. Laurel Maxey will replace Neralich. Phillips wanted the Board to record their thanks to Neralich for her many years of service above and beyond her duties and position. Jefferson presented a Report on recent staff turn -overs and request for funding of hours for staff coverage/substitute pool. More Staff are needed to continue the present level of service. Phillips agreed but wondered what and how it could be done. Harrison noted that the hours the Library is open from 5-7 p.m. were the latest added. Cutting these hours would get attention. Koenig suggested this Report be tabled until later in order to talk about the millage request now. Thomas requested that such reports have the originator and date stated. Harrison presented the Proposed budget for additional one mill library tax (using Duree's figures) which would be divided 20% materials, 80% dedicated to personnel, mostly clerical Staff. There should be 2-3 clerks for every librarian. By 1996 there should be 28 or 29 Staff members. The Library is presently short 10 Full Time Equivalents, one third less than the national average. Minutes Fayetteville Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting 7/18/94 at 4:00 p.m. Attending: Mark Burdette, Jeff Koenig, Carol Phillips, Anne Prichard, Michael Thomas - Trustees; Linda Harrison - Fayetteville Public Library Director; Karen Duree - Ozarks Regional Library Director; Mary Jo Godfrey, Lynaire Hartsell, June Jefferson, Mim Neralich, Susan Sissom - Staff; Steve Davis - Budget Coordinator for the City of Fayetteville; Michelle Parks - Northwest Arkansas Times President Koenig called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. Minutes for 6/13/94 were approved as presented. Correspondence was from Phyllis Rice, Assistant to the Mayor, 6/1/94, to Godfrey about special trolley service to the Library on July 22 & 23 for visitors attending the Ancestor Fair; and from Sarah Criss to Harrison, 5/31/94, about overdue books; and Harrison's reply of 6/29/94. The Board felt Harrison's response was excellent. The Board approved Harrison's Statistical Reports for June 1994 and January -June 1994 and her Financial Report of June 30, 1994. Thomas noted that registrations have increased (along with population growth) but attendance and circulation have decreased. Duree mentioned that circulation in Springdale is also down and the new library in Rogers may be a reason. Jefferson encouraged Board members to report attendance at meetings where presentations of library statistics are made. (Phillips, Thomas) Harrison reported that the Annex roof has been replaced but not without incident. Books worth $1,363 got wet in Genealogy. Duree covered everything in ORL with plastic. Koenig asked Harrison to write letters to Harold Dahlinger, with a copy to Davis, requesting that payment in this amount be withheld and a request for how the Library will be repaid for the damage. Lower level rest room modifications for the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance will cost the City $2,500. Koenig sugge ted that since the City is committed to that amount, let them do it and postpone resgrrooms for the Meeting Room until later. Recent Staff changes include: Neralich leaving at the end of July to teach Spanish at Fayetteville High School, Becky Goff leaving to have twins and the resignations of Jean Boyer and Jenny Finch. Jeanne Gardner and Shawn Walker will pick up additional hours. Laurel Maxey will replace Neralich. Phillips wanted the Board to record their thanks to Neralich for her many years of service above and beyond her duties and position. Jefferson presented a Report on recent staff turn -overs and request for funding of hours for staff coverage/substitute pool. More Staff are needed to continue the present level of service. Phillips agreed but wondered what and how it could be done. Harrison noted that the hours the Library is open from 5-7 p.m. were the latest added. Cutting these hours would get attention. Koenig suggested this Report be tabled until later in order to talk about the millage request now. Thomas requested that such reports have the originator and date stated. Harrison presented the Proposed budget for additional one mill library tax (using Duree's figures) which would be divided 20% materials, 80% dedicated to personnel, mostly clerical Staff. There should be 2-3 clerks for every librarian. By 1996 there should be 28 or 29 Staff members. The Library is presently short 10 Full Time Equivalents, one third less than the national average. Koenig mentioned that the Rogers contract with ORL will change and those dollar amounts will also change. Phillips asked if the City will cut or increase funds to the Library or ORL if City monies are supporting Rogers. She was concerned 1996 City monies will still be behind and there is no firm arrangement with the City. Koenig noted that the reassessment of Washington County property, of about 15%, has not been included. Duree announced the 7/19/94 meeting of the Washington County Library Board open to all Board members in the County. Thomas wondered if the books per capita at this Library would ever reach the state or national averages. Harrison thought not. Koenig thought the capital outlay asked of the City and the Sales Tax problems reduced the amount from $75,000 to $38,000. Duree added that ORL is cataloging only half the previous number of books for the Library. Davis noted that the 1995 budget is still $60,000 low. Koenig was still concerned that the Fayetteville and Springdale Public Libraries subsidize the smaller. County libraries. Thomas noted that the amount is $30,000 a year and maybe this can not continue. .Davis advised the Board that the City is interested in the Fayetteville Public Library getting more of its money from millage and is behind efforts to increase the County's; library millage. Sisson reported that the Friends of the Library will purchase an AT&T answering machine to help the librarians. It will upgrade the present system, add voice mail and allow callers to dial different extensions directly. A book signing party will be held at the Bank of Fayetteville in October with some proceeds benefiting the Friends. A Special Meeting for the Board will be held August 1st at 4:00 p.m. to discuss the 1995 Operations Budget for the Library. Davis offered the help of his budget staff. The Board considered two Patron's requests for reconsideration of a work. They voted to move from the Children's to the Adult section.Heraclea: a legend of warrior women. 1978. (Phillips, Prichard) and no action was taken on Mommy laid an eqg or, where do babies come from? 1993. which will remain in the Children's Department. (Thomas, Burdette) Both patrons will be notified. The Board approved Koenig's resignation of his position on the Board as President. (Thomas, Burdette) They voted for Thomas to become the new President of the Board. (Phillips, Prichard) Hartsell reported that the search for the overdue software has been narrowed to two firms. Datatrek is less useful for this Library. Winnebago has proved to be satisfactory in Bentonville but has delayed coming to give a demonstration. Phillips suggested a letter be written to Winnebago about the delays with a copy to the Board. Specifications for the Genealogy computer are ready. Bids have not been sent out but the Library knows what they need. The Board went into executive session (Burdette, Koenig) at 5:15 p.m. with plans to return to the regular session afterwards. President Thomas called the regular session back to order at 5:45 p.m. to reconsider the Report on recent staff turn -overs and request for funding of hours for staff coverage/ substitute pool. Koenig, Davis and Parks were unable to return. There was much discussion of the insufficient number of Staff for the service population. Sisson felt that Staff wereunable to give a level of service satisfactory to librarians. Should inadequate service be given when the Library is open? Neralich noted that librarians are givers, like social workers and teachers, but at this Library Staff reserves are gone. After many suggestions of a solution to this difficult problem, the Board approved the temporary measure of closing the Fayetteville Public Library on Saturdays, to be in effect from September 10th until further notice, due to lack of sufficient Staffing funds. (Phillips, Burdette) Koenig mentioned that the Rogers contract with ORL will change and those dollar amounts will also change. Phillips asked if the City will cut or increase funds to the Library or ORL if City monies are supporting Rogers. She was concerned 1996 City monies will still be behind and there is no firm arrangement with the City. Koenig noted that the reassessment of Washington County property, of about 15%, has not been included. Duree announced the 7/19/94 meeting of the Washington County Library Board open to all Board members in the County. Thomas wondered if the books per capita at this Library would ever reach the state or national averages. Harrison thought not. Koenig thought the capital outlay asked of the City and the Sales Tax problems reduced the amount from $75,000 to $38,000. Duree added that ORL is cataloging only half the previous number of books for the Library. Davis noted that the 1995 budget is still $60,000 low. Koenig was still concerned that the Fayetteville and Springdale Public Libraries subsidize the smaller. County libraries. Thomas noted that the amount is $30,000 a year and maybe this can not continue. .Davis advised the Board that the City is interested in the Fayetteville Public Library getting more of its money from millage and is behind efforts to increase the County's; library millage. Sisson reported that the Friends of the Library will purchase an AT&T answering machine to help the librarians. It will upgrade the present system, add voice mail and allow callers to dial different extensions directly. A book signing party will be held at the Bank of Fayetteville in October with some proceeds benefiting the Friends. A Special Meeting for the Board will be held August 1st at 4:00 p.m. to discuss the 1995 Operations Budget for the Library. Davis offered the help of his budget staff. The Board considered two Patron's requests for reconsideration of a work. They voted to move from the Children's to the Adult section.Heraclea: a legend of warrior women. 1978. (Phillips, Prichard) and no action was taken on Mommy laid an eqg or, where do babies come from? 1993. which will remain in the Children's Department. (Thomas, Burdette) Both patrons will be notified. The Board approved Koenig's resignation of his position on the Board as President. (Thomas, Burdette) They voted for Thomas to become the new President of the Board. (Phillips, Prichard) Hartsell reported that the search for the overdue software has been narrowed to two firms. Datatrek is less useful for this Library. Winnebago has proved to be satisfactory in Bentonville but has delayed coming to give a demonstration. Phillips suggested a letter be written to Winnebago about the delays with a copy to the Board. Specifications for the Genealogy computer are ready. Bids have not been sent out but the Library knows what they need. The Board went into executive session (Burdette, Koenig) at 5:15 p.m. with plans to return to the regular session afterwards. President Thomas called the regular session back to order at 5:45 p.m. to reconsider the Report on recent staff turn -overs and request for funding of hours for staff coverage/ substitute pool. Koenig, Davis and Parks were unable to return. There was much discussion of the insufficient number of Staff for the service population. Sisson felt that Staff wereunable to give a level of service satisfactory to librarians. Should inadequate service be given when the Library is open? Neralich noted that librarians are givers, like social workers and teachers, but at this Library Staff reserves are gone. After many suggestions of a solution to this difficult problem, the Board approved the temporary measure of closing the Fayetteville Public Library on Saturdays, to be in effect from September 10th until further notice, due to lack of sufficient Staffing funds. (Phillips, Burdette) The Board adjourned at 6:30 p.m. (Burdette, Phillips) Submitted by, Almt7fr;lei-tA Anne Prichard, Secretary Follow-up reports will be given by: Harrison - letter about damaged books in Genealogy - letter to Winnebago about their delays - Salvation Army patrons - metal gates Jefferson - revised Staffing report based on Saturday rather than Saturday and evening closings Hartsell - overdue software update Godfrey - Genealogy computer