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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLAB 042018 MinutesSt. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – April 16, 2018 1 Library Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Monday, April 16, 2018 Chair Ethel Rowland called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM in the Kilmer (Fort Pierce) Branch Library Meeting Room. Members in attendance: Ethel Rowland, Carnelle Clifton, Eukeba Jones, Marjory Harrell, Eloise Cumings and Rudy Widman. Also in attendance: Susan Jacob, Library Director and Nancy Woodfin, Library Administrative Specialist. Absent were Michael Millstone and Jewel Armstrong Player. The minutes from the last Board Meeting dated 1/22/2018 were distributed. A motion was made and seconded (Eukeba Jones/Eloise Cumings) to accept the minutes as distributed. The motion passed. Old Business: Library Director gave a six month update on the Lewis Branch Library. March 2018 had over 300 kids attended one of the weekly story times. Young adult attendance has been beyond expectations and the branch is considering expanding the gaming area. Volunteerism at Lewis is off to a resounding start. The branch already has 10 active volunteers. LD reported that Lewis is also the first branch to offer color printing and copying for a fee. It is proving successful and the fees are more than paying for the copier lease. Staff is still learning to operate in this different service model of an open floor plan. All of the branches are getting ready for summer reading although we’re not sure what to expect at Lewis. The budget for Fiscal Year 2019 has been submitted. As per instruction from the county administrator FY19 budget has remained close to the same as the previous year. FY18 - $4.7 million, FY19 - $4.9 million. The only extra money LD asked for is to replace old furniture at Port St. Lucie Branch. That money would actually come from impact fees and not the general fund. New Business: Board members received proposed FY19 initiatives and performance measures (attached). Performance measures are linked to the county’s strategic objectives. LD identified accomplishments for FY18 and initiatives for FY19. St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – April 16, 2018 2 FY 18 Accomplishments:  Completed and opened the County’s 6th Branch Library, the Paula A. Lewis Branch Library.  Opened the Library’s 2nd Creation Station Studio, complete with 3D printing, virtual reality, animation, and recording capabilities.  Launched the Library’s e-newsletter.  Launched a mobile computer lab, featuring hands on group technology instruction at all branches.  Applied for and won a nationally competitive Summer Reading Program Grant funding the County’s first ever Sensory Storytime for families with special needs children.  Circulated 750,000 books, DVDs and e-books and hosted over 900,000 in-person and virtual visitors FY 19 Initiatives:  Develop quality curricula for multiple technology classes and offer a robust menu of classes throughout the Library system.  Upgrade adult furniture at the Port St. Lucie Branch Library.  Increase the Library’s e-newsletter distribution by 25%  Refocus and add additional depth to the Library’s early literacy activit ies.  Find additional ways to benefit residents by collaborating with complementary organizations and individuals, such as CareerSource, Learn to Read, Rupert Smith Law Library, and local artists, writers and experts. A preliminary discussion was held regarding linked family library cards. Library Director stated that the Library would create a form that would serve to authorize people listed to pick up a patron’s books on hold. Current policy does not allow this, a new policy would need to be created and approved by the board. After discussion, the board agreed that the linked family card and form was a good idea. A preliminary discussion was held regarding the possibility of moving toward eliminating overdue fines on Library material. LD reported that more and more libraries are moving toward this practice. Our current fine is 10 cents per item per day for overdue books, 25 cents per item per day on DVDs and $1.00 per day per item for interlibrary loan items. Last year the Library collected $22,000 in overdue fines. A main point of concern regarding fines is the cost to collect those including materials, staff time and postage. LD provided the board with a packet of information that included pros and cons of this practice and what other libraries are doing. She pointed out that there would still be charges for lost books and patrons who failed to return items could be blocked from borrowing. LD asked that the St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – April 16, 2018 3 board look over the information and be prepared for an in depth discussion at the next meeting. Friends of the Library Report: Carnelle Clifton reported that the annual Library Volunteer Luncheon , which is sponsored by the Friends, is to be held on Monday, April 23 at Gator Trace Golf and Country Club. She said that the Friends have also been working on the Annual Dinner to be held in November with several possibilities for venue and speaker. She noted that the Friends have welcomed two new board members, June Adams and Etya Krichmar. Rudy Widman added that the Friends have hired an artist to paint the portrait of Susan Kilmer. In addition, longtime Friends board member Bertha Perez, who had passed away the previous month, would be honored by the Friends with a donation of $1,000 for books in her name. It was also reported that longtime board member Veronica Lacoparra had retired from the Friends board. Library Director’s Report: Library Director reported that State Aid to Libraries has been awarded and St. Lucie County Libraries will receive $111,732 this year, up from $97,999 in FY17. She reported that $85,000 goes directly to Pruitt Campus Library for the joint use facility agreement. LD reported that all of the branches have expanded their technology programs. To further this goal $10,000 from last year’s state aid money was invested to purchase laptops and the creation of a mobile computer lab that will circulate among the branches. LD reported that Summer Reading program plans are in place and with four community partners this year, St. Lucie Mets, Friends of the Library, Baker & Taylor grant and Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County grant the budget is around $12,000. With these partners, none of the money budgeted will need to come out of the general fund. LD reported that the Third Annual Treasure Coast Local Author book fair was a success with 35 authors and around 225 patrons attending at the Lewis and Kilmer branches. LD reported that this past week the Library has agreed to partner with the St. Lucie County School Board, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County and United Way on a grant for a program called “Reading Pals”. The grant will work with matching at-risk VPK-1 kids to tutors. They will also work with the families and siblings of these kids. The Library will offer training to the tutors and teach them how to select grade level books. The Library will also supply expedited Library Cards and access to the summer reading program. St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – April 16, 2018 4 LD reported that a staff member had to be terminated. In her 8 years of lea ding this team she said that she has only had to do this two other times. She commented that county Human Resources was very helpful and supportive. LD mentioned that we are on day one of the renovation of the Kilmer Branch that is twenty years in the making. The first floor renovation includes new carpet and paint, a redesigned circulation desk and some refurbished chairs. Board Comments: None. Next meeting scheduled for July 16, 2018 at 5:30 PM at the Fort Pierce Branch. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded (Eloise Cumings/Eukeba Jones). The motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM. Minutes approved by the Library Advisory Board on July 16, 2018