WAUCONDA AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT

 

BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

 

February 13, 2006

 

 

The meeting was held at the library at 7:30 p.m. with the following Library Trustees present:  Mrs. Carr, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Jonak, Mr. Kosty, and Mr. Stevig, and Mrs. Whitman.  Trustees absent: Mrs. Miller.   Staff present: Tom Kern (Library Director), Kathy Nielsen (Circulation Manager) and Jan Staudemeyer (Head of Children’s Services).  No visitors were present.

 

Mr. Kosty announced that Patricia Oaks, the new Wauconda Township Assessor, would be present at the March 13 to introduce herself and answer questions.

 

Dr. Johnson made a motion seconded by Mrs. Carr to approve the minutes of the January 9, 2006.  Voice vote.  All in favor.  Motion carried.

 

The financial and budget reports were discussed.  Topics included: photocopier lease and costs for peripherals, the high cost of gas, and replacement of the parking lot light bulbs in order to improve nighttime visibility.

 

Mr. Jonak made a motion seconded by Mrs. Whitman to pay the bills as presented and to transfer sufficient funds from the Investment Pool into the checking account.

 

Roll call vote

YES:                                                      Carr, Johnson, Jonak, Kosty, Miller, Stevig, Whitman
NO:                                                       none
ABSTAIN:                                           none
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING:       Miller

 

Library usage statistics were discussed.  Mr. Kern noted that the increase of total video circulation is beginning to flatten out primarily because the VHS format is quickly becoming obsolete.

 

There was some discussion of donated sick time and the procedures for calling in sick.

 

Mr. Jonak made a motion seconded by Mrs. Carr that the option of donating sick time be eliminated from the Personnel Policy.  Voice vote.  All in favor.  Motion carried.

 

Mr. Kern reported on the Management Team’s recommendation for proposed restrictions on non-resident borrowing of new DVD’s and high-demand books.  Checkouts of new DVD’s would be limited to two per household for non-residents of the library district, and non-resident checkouts extremely high-demand items (i.e., new Harry Potter books) could be restricted as determined by the library’s management team at the time of the item’s release.

 

Mrs. Carr made a motion seconded by Dr. Johnson that the restrictions on reciprocal borrowing of DVD’s and high-demand items be approved as presented. 

 

Roll call vote

YES:                                                      Carr, Johnson, Jonak, Kosty, Miller, Stevig, Whitman
NO:                                                       none
ABSTAIN:                                           none
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING:       Miller

 

 

There was some discussion of the cultural diversity survey conducted by the United Partnership for a Better Community, and the suggested need for improving access to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for parents of young children.

 

There was some discussion of the Entertainment Books sold last fall at the library and at other places around town.  Mr. Kern noted that this was done experimentally this year more as a means of providing a service for the community (i.e., substantial retail cost savings for book owners) than as a means for raising money for the library.  The outcome of this experiment was that this book is sold or distributed free of charge by so many local organizations and businesses that it is not worth the library’s trouble to do so, and that the library would not sell these in the future.

 

Several building and grounds issues were discussed, including surveillance camera repair, the need to repair the front stairs, and some recent vandalism to a restroom.

 

There was some discussion of the library’s new eBook and eAudiobook downloading services.  Mr. Kern noted that these services do not accommodate iPods or Apple computers. 

 

Suggestions from the Suggestion Box were discussed.  Topics included the need for a policy specifically regarding the use of cell phones in the library; air quality and the possible need for a thorough removal of dust from the upper nooks and crannies throughout the library, better and/or more frequently changed furnace filters, and the possibility of having the air quality analyzed.

 

Incidents reported during the month of February were discussed briefly.  Mr. Kern noted that the installation of PC Reservation, schedule to be done in February, would greatly improve library control over the use and misuse of the library’s public computers, while improving access for the public.

 

Mr. Kern presented a Trustee Training session on Tax Increment Financing (TIF), a possible means for the village to make improvements to the where they are most needed.  He explained what a TIF is and how it could impact the library district.

 

Mr. Kern presented a new set of time limitations for use of the library’s public computer workstations, as would be automatically enforced by the new PC Reservation system, scheduled for installation before the end of February.

 

Mr. Jonak made a motion seconded by Dr. Johnson that the time limitations on the use of the library’s public computer workstations be approved as presented.  Voice vote.  All in favor.  Motion carried.

 

There was a brief discussion of the progress in making the trustee binder materials available via the Internet.

 

There was some discussion of the need to provide better access to the library’s online catalog.  Mr. Kern noted that the current configuration is only temporary, and that two workstations would soon be added to the area in front of the Adult Services Reference desk.  Usage statistics indicate that the new location of the self-checkout station is the most effective location of any that have been tried so far.

 

Mr. Stevig made a motion seconded by Dr. Johnson that the meeting be adjourned.  Voice vote.  All in favor.  Motion carried.

 

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Approved ____________________

 

 

 

 

________________________________                    ________________________________

President                                                                     Secretary