SIMSBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Minutes of September 9, 2002 meeting
These minutes are for informational purposes only. For official minutes please contact the Town Clerk's office.
PRESENT: Anne Erickson, Bert Kaplan, Babs Gardner, Gail Ryan and Charmaine Glew. Staff: Susan Bullock, Director; Sally Hartman, Head of Technical Services and Eileen Sickinger, Recording Secretary. Liz Keppel, Friends Liaison.
The meeting was called to order at 7:20 P.M. The minutes of the August 19, 2002 meeting were accepted as presented. Bert Kaplan moved the minutes of the August 26, 2002 Special Meeting be accepted with two changes: Second paragraph: last sentence should end..."about the expansion." Third paragraph: delete the last sentence. Second: Babs Gardner. The minutes were accepted as corrected.
Having no public audience Mr. Kaplan moved that Sally Hartman, Head of Technical Services, be added to the agenda at this point. Second: C. Glew. So moved.
Ms. Hartman was asked to speak to the Board so they could become acquainted with the duties and activities of the Technical Services Department. She explained how the department orders, processes and keeps track of all materials that come into the Library. She distributed statistics for the year July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002. This included what was processed in each department and the additions and deletions that took place in each department. When books are deleted some go to the used book sale and others are discarded. It is difficult to find places for these books but attempts are always made to find a home for them. Over 12,000 items were added to the shelves this year and only 8,000 were deleted. Magazines are discarded once a year.
Ms. Hartman explained that her department also tracks items. Standing orders come in automatically. Most of these items are reference and some come yearly, while other might come in every two or three years. Some of these materials can be moved from reference to circulation - there is a chart that keeps track of standing orders.
Cataloging is done mostly by volunteers. This includes packaging videos and book covers. One person does fiction while Ms. Hartman does non-fiction. The Children's Department does their own cataloging. All materials are in the computer. Some materials can be cataloged in two different departments. The Business Department and Technical Services Department work together to decide where to place these items. An example would be items related to 9/11. These could go under terrorism, New York City, or even Afganistan. The classification of books is unique to each library, cataloging is the physical universal description of a book. Ms. Hartman explained that some biographies are in a subject area because the person is more aligned with a subject matter - e.g.: a cancer survivor's experience
would be under cancer rather than biographies. Libraries stay within the guidelines of the Dewey decimal numbers.
Ms. Hartman answered questions about her department and was thanked for her time in preparing the presentation.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mrs. Bullock shared a copy of ArtisticFX - a local arts magazine that had an article on the Simsbury Writers Club.
There were no committee reports.
Mr. Kaplan asked if the date of the November meeting could be changed to November 20, 2002. This was agreeable to the other members and the Town Clerk will be informed of the change.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT: In reviewing the written report Mrs. Bullock said the Library's display at SeptembFest was very successful. There was interest in the information on the proposed building expansion. Copies of the flyer distributed will also be available at the Used Book Sale.
While discussing the building expansion the Board felt strongly that public awareness strategies should be put into place. Members discussed looking for a consultant from town to work on getting the public aware of the need for the expansion. It was suggested that a core group of people, perhaps fifty and then in time add more, be targeted to discuss what needs to be done and when and move on from there. This will be brought up at the next Friends meeting.
Mrs. Bullock shared a letter from the State Librarian to First Selectman Vincent asking him to appear at the September 23rd State Library Board Meeting when the State Grant extension will be discussed. Richard Sawitzke will represent Mr. Vincent at that meeting. Mrs. Bullock has spoken with Rep. Heagney about the grant extension and the possibility that it will be withdrawn. After she has spoken with the State Librarian she will get back to Mr. Heagney. Since there is no imminent action on the expansion and the 30% design plans are in place, MaryLou Patrina informed Mrs. Bullock the expansion has been removed from the Public Building Committee agenda.
Mrs. Bullock shared a recent newspaper article about the mold problem in the Police Department and expressed concern about where the Library stands if changes must be made in moving the police station.
Other highlights of the Director s Report included a list of contributors to the Library this past year. Flyers on what is available at the Library were also attached. The Board's library I.Q. was tested as the Board briefly reviewed the Library's Jeopardy Game.
The Circulation staff is currently working on a customer service revolution to make the circulation desk more user friendly.
The fiscal year ended with the Library $8,000 in the black.
BUILDING PROJECT: At the August meeting Mrs. Bingham suggested that the Library Board review the June Zoning Commission meeting minutes. It was at that their June meeting that the Library's application for additional parking at Boy Scout Hall was rejected. Since these parking spaces are still needed discussion centered on learning why the Zoning Commission rejected this request. The Board will review how to go back to the Zoning Commission with this application. Currently the Parks and Recreation Department manages Boy Scout Hall, but Mrs. Bullock would like consideration given to the Library managing it.
The By-Laws and Policy Review was tabled for this month.
At 8:50 P.M. Anne Erickson moved for adjournment. Second: B. Kaplan. So moved.
Anne Erickson, Secretary
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