SIMSBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Minutes of the July 15, 2002 meeting
These minutes are for informational purposes only. For official minutes please contact the Town Clerk's office.
PRESENT: Bert Kaplan, Charmaine Glew, Carol Bingham, and Gail Ryan. STAFF: Susan Bullock, Director; Eileen Sickinger, Recording Secretary. FRIENDS' LIAISON: Eileen Higham.
The meeting was called to order by Gail Ryan, Chair, at 7:30 P. M. Bert Kaplan moved that the minutes of the June 19, 2002 meeting be accepted with the following changes: Under Director's Report: 2nd paragraph, 3rd sentence, should be: "Since this is one of the few programs for the economically disadvantages in Simsbury....". Under Director's Evaluation, it is Mrs. Bullock who will get the evaluation forms to members. Seconded by Mrs. Glew, the minutes were accepted as corrected.
There were no additional agenda items and no public audience.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mrs. Bingham asked if there had been any further communication on the ICONN funding. Mrs. Bullock reported that the state cuts resulted in the loss of The Hartford Courant database - other larger items were retained for this year, but next year's budget will suffer. ConnectiCard reimbursement funds are being reduced.
Mrs. Glew stated she had been asked why other libraries appear to have more new books than Simsbury. It was suggested that when Board members receive this type of question they suggest the person put their question in writing and direct it to the Director.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: Mrs. Higham reported for Friends that the special luncheon held in May was very successful. The new Friends Board members were installed at the June meeting. They are working on their new budget.
Mrs. Glew reported for the Personnel Committee that the Director's Evaluation would be completed when she hears from two more Board members.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Mrs. Bullock reported that the Tariffville Branch is running smoothly this summer.
The Simsbury Library has been selected as a pilot site for Research Revolution. This grant will enable the Library to have a viewing and discussion series on research innovations that could change the way we live in the 21st century. A copy of the memo related to this award was attached to the Director's report.
Plans are being finalized for the electronic branch to be set up at Westfarms Mall. Meetings are still being held with the Mall and the other libraries involved. When the kiosk is up and running it is being proposed that it will have town homepages, calendar of events, tourism information, and health and job databases. There is still a question of when it will be available but it is targeted for late September, early October. Individual libraries will staff it at the very beginning. The primary purpose is to acquaint people with what is available in libraries. Telephones, printers and library catalogs will be available.
Black History Month plans are moving along.
At the Talcott Mountain Musical Series July 19th Concert, the Library is participating in the Main Street raffle. The Library will be donating a book.
The Business Resource Center had a presentation for SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). A letter praising Mrs. Keohane's presentation was in the Director's packet.
Sally Hartman, Technical Services Department Head, will be invited to speak at the Board's September meeting. She will explain the workings of her department.
The two part-time technical service positions and full-time circulation assistant position have not been filled. It is hoped they will be by September.
Mrs. Bullock has been notified by CONNECT that the PC's running the public catalog and staff terminals must be upgraded. The Town's Data Processing Manager is working out the cost of these upgrades.
The Town Engineer is working on a modified parking plan since the Zoning Commission rejected the original plan. The Board discussed the need for additional parking spaces. The use of Boy Scout Hall is still a consideration for some Library activities.
At the June 25th LibraryTects meeting Mrs. Bullock got some ideas on what did and did not work in informing the public of the need for expansion. She has a meeting scheduled with Mr. Vincent on the response to the CT State Library Building Consultant s letter regarding the state grant. A one year extension will be requested. Copies of the memorandum from Mrs. Mielert related to the Town s approval of the Construction Grant, and the letter to Mr. Vincent regarding the initiation of the project, were included in the Director s packet.
As discussed earlier in the meeting, the loss of state funding for ICONN.org has created a hardship and while terms for some of the funding for major business databases have been negotiated, $3,000 must be raised for The Hartford Courant database. ConnectiCard funds have also been reduced, and it is anticipated this reduction will continue next year.
A check for $5,000 has been received from the Jewell Trust. How or where it will be used is to be determined.
The staff is in the process of collecting the highs and lows of the past year and Mrs. Bullock will share them with the Board when they are compiled. Circulation did reach a new high this year with an increase of more than 32,500 items borrowed over the previous year.
The Director's packet also included statistics for the year from the different departments. The Library turned over to the Town $6,000 collected from fees/fines, lost books and copies.
The Children's Room Summer Reading Program brochure was also included in the packet.
A press release on the budget problems faced by the Farmington Library were in the Director s packet.
Articles related to the recent court decision on Internet filtering were also distributed to the Board.
The Building Project and Director's Evaluation were covered in the Director's Report.
BY-LAWS AND POLICY REVIEW: Mrs. Bullock will have Department Heads review their sections and when their comments are in she will review them with Mrs. Ryan.
At 8:45 P.M. Mrs. Bingham moved for adjournment. Second: Mrs. Glew. So moved.
Anne Erickson, Secretary
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