WAUCONDA AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING
November 12, 2007
The meeting was held at the
Dr. Johnson, Mr. Jonak, Mr.
Kosty, Mr. Stevig, and Mrs. Whitman. Trustees absent: Mrs. Miller. Staff present:
Mr. Jonak made a motion seconded by Dr. Johnson to
accept the minutes of the October 8, 2007 meeting, as corrected. Voice vote.
All in favor. Motion carried.
The financial and budget
reports were discussed. Topics included:
new equipment expenditures under budget; new display shelving; large book
purchase; interior painting expenditures; annual audit; library director’s gas
mileage reimbursement. Mr. Kern noted
that the library had received its first replacement tax payment from the
Mr. Jonak made a motion seconded by Dr. Johnson to pay
the bills as presented and to transfer sufficient funds from the Investment
Pool into the checking account.
Roll call vote
YES: Johnson,
Jonak, Kosty, Stevig, Whitman
NO:
none
ABSTAIN: none
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING: Miller
Library usage statistics were
discussed. Topics included: an overall
increase in library usage, due in part to a substantial increase in the
circulation of children’s materials; grade school class visits to the library;
the effectiveness of the bookstore-style new book display shelving.
Library director and
departmental reports were discussed.
Mr. Kern noted that a joint
staff in-service training day November 15 with Ela Area Public Library at their
library.
Mr. Kern discussed the need
to consider increasing the maximum accumulation of sick days from 60 to up to
240. He noted that many libraries had changed
their maximum to 240 days, now that IMRF, the library’s pension fund, allows
that same maximum number of unused, unpaid sick days to be converted to the
retiring employee’s service credit. It was tabled for discussion after gathering
more information with respect to cost.
Mr. Kern recommended that the overdue fine
for DVD’s be decreased from $2.00 per day to $1.00 per day, noting that the
Wauconda Area Library is one of only a very few NSLS libraries that still
charges $2.00 per day for overdue DVD’s, and noting further that the $2.00 fine
was set many years ago, at a time when videos cost more and the library only
had several copies of each title.
Mr.
Stevig made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Whitman, that the library’s $2.00
overdue fine for videos be changed to $1.00 per day.
Roll call vote
YES: Johnson,
Jonak, Kosty, Stevig, Whitman
NO:
none
ABSTAIN: none
ABSENT AND NOT VOTING: Miller
Mr. Kern presented the auditor’s annual
financial report and management letter for FY0607 and discussed the auditor’s
comments with respect to the several items discussed in the management letter,
noting that the auditor had said that overall the library had a very good year
financially.
There was some discussion of the library’s
participation in a “geocache” located in and around the library, titled “The
Paper Forest.”
Suggestions from the Suggestion Box were
discussed. Topics included: teen gaming
display; Friends of the Library membership list and status of “lifetime”
memberships; no-parking zones and ways to improve effectiveness; the addition
tables to the bathrooms.
Recent library incidents were discussed
briefly.
Mr. Stevig and Mr. Jonak reported on the
Library Usage Committee meeting of October 29.
There was some discussion of the
purpose of this committee, which is to gather information about and discuss the
various factors related to recent library usage trends – not to dwell on the
numbers themselves, but to gain a better understanding of the issues surrounding
library usage. Because of the growth of
the library district in recent years and in the near future, and because of
general trends in public library usage nationwide, it is important that the
board be aware of the various issues impacting the use of the library. Mr.
Stevig noted some of the specific topics discussed at the meeting, as outlined
in the notes from that meeting, distributed with the board packet. A statistical comparison of this library’s
circulation to other NSLS public libraries indicates that this library is doing
very well. These library usage
discussions will be useful in planning for the library’s future. It was determined that a new three-year
budget should be drafted for discussion in the coming months, taking into
account these discussions with respect to library usage issues.
Mr. Kern noted that the
library now has a safety deposit box at the bank for important documents and
computer backups, and distributed a signature sheet for trustees to sign.
Mr. Kern discussed annual staff
bonuses briefly. It was determined, as
suggested by the Management Team, that these would be given in the form of
Target gift cards, rather than special paychecks, in order to eliminate costly
red tape and give each employee something that is more user-friendly.
Mr. Kern noted that the
library would remain open for the staff’s off-site holiday luncheon this year,
since this event would not be combined with in-service training as in recent
years.
The By-Laws Committee was
discussed briefly.
Mr. Jonak made
a motion seconded by Mrs. Whitman that the meeting be adjourned. Voice vote.
All in favor. Motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20
p.m.
Approved ____________________
________________________________ ________________________________
President Secretary