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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLAB 012019 MinutesSt. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – January 28, 2019 1 Library Advisory Board Meeting Minutes Monday, January 28, 2019 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, Michael Millstone, Eukeba Jones, Jewel Armstrong Player, Marjorie Harrell and Rudy Widman. Also in attendance: Susan Jacob, Library Director and Nancy Woodfin, Senior Library Administrative Specialist and guest from the public, Judith Gibbons. Absent was Carnelle Clifton and Eloise Cumings. The minutes from the last Board Meeting dated 10/22/2018 were distributed. A motion was made and seconded (Rudy Widman/Michael Millstone) to accept the minutes as distributed. The motion passed unanimously. Old Business: Library Director gave an update on results of the November elections and the impact it has had on the Library. She said that the issues of the county sales tax increase of ½ cent and the homestead exemption both had positive outcomes for us. The Library’s budget will not need to be revisited for this fiscal year. LD reported that at the last BOCC meeting all Board candidates that were either newly appointed or up for renewal in 2019 had been confirmed and th at Library Advisory Board member and chair Ethel Rowland was one of them. LD gave an update on the Lewis Library. She said that while the Lewis Branch had been fully operational since January of 2018 we were unable to apply for the final portion of the st ate grant money until the issue with the roof damage could be resolved with the contractor. She said that the issue has been resolved and the project can now be closed allowing for filing of the final paperwork for the remaining grant funds. New Business: LD reviewed Library Impact Fee funds. She reported that, by 1996 ordinance, the county collects a fee from every new single-family home built with funds designated to be used for capital improvements to libraries. She distributed the publication Technical Memorandum on the Methods Used to Update Library, Public Buildings, Parks & Recreation and Law St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – January 28, 2019 2 Enforcement Impact Fees to the board members for further explanation on Impact Fees. She explained that the funds may be used for buildings, improvements to buildings, and books and technology. LD reported that this year there is currently around $747,000 in the Impact Fee fund. $350,000 of that has been budgeted this year for the collection. She said the anticipated amount to be collected this year is around an additional $700,000. Library Director talked about capital priorities for the Library in the next five years. She reported that one of the things that has been a great success at Lewis branch is RFID (radio- frequency identification) technology which is used to check out stacks of books at a time. LD is looking at adding this technology at other branches in FY20. This will streamline inventory and checkout of books and is an allowable use of impact fees. LD discussed other possible uses of impact fees for capital expenses in the coming years including purchase of land for another branch in an underserved area of the county and an expansion of the Port St. Lucie Branch. She mentioned that another budget priority that the Library has is to return to 6 day a week service although this would not be a capital expense. The Library is required to file a plan with the state in compliance with the grant funded State Aid to Libraries. LD said that this plan will be created in alignment with the county’s strategy map. Friends of the Library Report: Rudy Widman reported that the Friends of the Library annual meeting was held on November 18, 2018 at the Lewis Branch Library. 88 people were in attendance at the event. Dr. Widman reported that the Friends are again supporting the Library’s Summer Reading Program with a $10,000 grant. This year, in addition to providing incentives to participants, the money will go to support an online program called Bean Stack, which helps create, manage and measure reading challenges. This system uses a customized easy-to-use mobile app. Dr. Widman reported that the Friends of the Library-sponsored volunteer Luncheon will be on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at St. Lucie Trail Golf Club in St. Lucie West. Library Director’s Report: Library Director reported that she is on a statewide board (TBLC) of Library Directors in Florida. At recent meetings they have discussed technology in libraries and one of the up and coming trends is DYI studios. Some of the most used DIY studios, as reported by library colleagues in the state, are those with sewing machines. Some of our branches already have DIY stations including the Vinyl and 3D printing machines. LD is developing a plan for more hands on programs and studio space such as these, possibly making them mobile. St. Lucie County Library Advisory Board Minutes – January 28, 2019 3 LD reported that the county budget kickoff for FY20 is coming up in February. LD reported that she and some of the Children’s Services staff have a meeting scheduled with Kathryn Hensley of the SLC School Board. The mission of the meeting is to facilitate getting every second grade student in the county to obtain a library card and participate in the reading challenge programs. The meeting will be in May. Summer Reading will run June 1 through August 3 and will include the rollout of Bean Stack, the new app for tracking reading progress. Board Comments: LD handed out calendars provided by the State Library and Archives of Florida. Ethel Rowland thanked the guest, Judith Gibbons, for attending the meeting. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded (Jewel Player/Eukeba Jones). The motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM. Next meeting scheduled for April 15 at 5:30 PM at the Fort Pierce Branch. Minutes approved by the Library Advisory Board on April 15, 2019