MINUTES CITY OF INDIAN ROCKS BEACH LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD The Indian Rocks Beach Library Advisory Board Meeting was held on Thursday, January 6, 2011, at 7:05 p.m., in the City Hall Conference Room, 1507 Bay Palm Boulevard, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Present: Chairperson James J. Driscoll Board Member Anna Denney-Sandefer Board Member Karen Waters Board Member Michael Whalen Library Director Jane Mitchell Absent: Board Member Gayle Peters - Excused Guests: Veronica Giordano, North Beach Sun Jean Scott, President - Friends of the Library 1. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS. Chairperson Driscoll introduced two new Board members, Anna Denney-Sandefer and Michael Whalen. 2. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR. A consensus of the Board Members elected Board Member Karen Waters as Vice Chair which was passed by unanimous acclamation. 3. APPROVAL OF JUNE 3, 2010 MINUTES. BOARD MEMBER SANDEFER MOVED, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER WHALEN, TO APPROVE THE JUNE 3, 2010 MINUTES AS SUBMITTED. UNANIMOUS APPROVAL BY ACCLAMATION. 4. DIRECTOR S REPORT. Librarian Mitchell stated the Library has received State Aid, in the amount of $1,956.00, approximately $400.00 more than the previous year. Reciprocal borrowing is still intact. Since October 139 new members have been added which include 23 reciprocal borrowers. There will be a Phase III of the Library Renovation which will involve re-doing the storage area adjacent to the Librarian s office and installing shelving. Page 1 of 5
5. DISCUSSION OF OPEN HOUSE AFTER SECOND RENOVATION. Librarian Mitchell stated the Open House is scheduled for all day, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 26, 2011. The Friends of the Library will be providing light refreshments. Librarian Mitchell stated she is developing a small handout detailing the Library services, Library hours, requests for volunteers and how to become a reciprocal borrower. Librarian Mitchell stated the Library Co-op consists of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Oldsmar, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Gulfport, Gulf Beaches and St. Pete Beach. Librarian Mitchell stated the only thing that the IRB Library does not have that other libraries have is the ability to have any of the Co-op s books sent to the Library or return their books as there is no access to the courier vans. Librarian Mitchell explained that each library in the state has a representative in the state library and Sandy Newell, the IRB Library representative, stated the State Statutes make it a requirement that if an independent library, which can not afford the fee to join a co-op, yet wants to do so, the library can enter an agreement with the coop, and meet such stipulations as having a librarian with a degree, be open 40 hours or more among other requirements, to obtain state aid. Chair Driscoll added that a library must have 20,000 holdings as part of the requirement. Librarian Mitchell stated an article will be forwarded to the Beach Bee, concerning the Open House, and has been included in the January/February City Newsletter. Veronica Giordano, North Beach Sun, stated she would forward contact information to Librarian Mitchell in order to include an Open House notice in the North Beach Sun. Librarian Mitchell asked Board Members for input regarding door hangers notifying residents of the Library s Open House. Board Member Whalen suggested including on whatever type of notice information such as reciprocal privileges. He further inquired about the Open House hours as they relate to people who work. Librarian Mitchell stated that very few people come at night, if any. The January date was selected as a result of the anticipation of the arrival of winter visitors. Board Member Waters inquired if a banner will be erected announcing the Open House or any signage. Page 2 of 5
Jean Scott, President, Friends of the Library, stated the Open House can be placed on the community billboard at the Nature Preserve. Jean Scott, President, Friends of the Library, suggested having a sign, similar to a For Sale sign, indicating the Open House. Board Member Waters suggested noting the Library s book sale on the door hanger. Librarian Mitchell clarified that anyone living within the Indian Rocks Beach city limits (resident) has free membership; non-residents pay a fee of $10.00; anyone having a county library card is free (reciprocal) and tourists/visitors receive a $10.00 card with a 6-month expiration. 6. OTHER BUSINESS. A. Define/refine Mission/Tasks; Chair Driscoll stated that previous discussions regarding the Board surrounded what the Board should really focus on: the Library as it pertains to study, suggestions, review, improve, and support the Librarian (the internal operation of the Library); and to look at the community the Board serves pertaining to how better to draw the residents in to the use of the Library as a community facility. Discussions included hosting Career Days, speakers, etc. Chair Driscoll urged Board Members to think about how best to accomplish the goal of creating a community activity center. B. Discuss/allot tasks/suspense possibilities; Chair Driscoll stated that when a Board Member takes on a task, a deadline for completion should be included. C. Discuss/review Board Meeting dates/times; Chair Driscoll polled Board Members on their availability to meet on the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. according to the Ordinance. Board Member Whalen stated since he is a board member on an outside board, there would be a conflict with 4 meetings in the year. Board Member Sandefer stated she could meet any day of the week. Vice Chair Waters stated her travel usually occurs only a couple times a year (May and November during the first week of the month). Librarian Mitchell stated various items come into play when determining when to schedule a Board meeting. Jean Scott, President, Friends of the Library, stated that in order to change the meeting dates/times, an ordinance would need to be passed by the City Commission. Page 3 of 5
Chair Driscoll stated that if there are no problems with keeping the same meeting date and time, the Board should continue with its current schedule. If there are more serious problems with the meeting date and time, then Board Members would need to petition the Commission for a change. Librarian Mitchell advised Board Members that any change in the Board Meeting dates and times would be up to the discretion of the City Manager and City Clerk. Board Member Driscoll requested Librarian Mitchell to ask the City Manager if the Board could meet on Mondays. Chair Driscoll addressed the handout regarding the electronic library moving in on the printed library, and requested Board Members to review the handout and provide their thoughts at the next meeting. Chair Driscoll stated that most of the work on the reorganization has been done. Librarian Mitchell stated there is a lot more of a collection in the Children s Room than there was previously. As the space has been arranged differently, all young adult and juvenile fiction is now located in the Children s Room as they had previously been located near the book sale items in the back of the Library. Also, Adult Biographies and juvenile non-fiction books need to be weeded/re-located. Chair Driscoll requested an updated inventory of number of non-fictions by different classes, ie. 800 series, 700 series. Librarian Mitchell stated that books were pulled as a result of becoming outdated, and they will be replaced over time. Librarian Mitchell explained that any book that has been pulled is done according to the Public Library Core Catalog, which tells the better choices to make in non-fiction categories, and replaced according to budget constraints. The books were removed as a result of being eliminated, non-use, received replacements, etc. Chair Driscoll inquired what can be done concerning classics. Librarian Mitchell responded that any classic that is in bad shape is replaced. Books which have been removed from collections have been one of a number of books of authors like James Patterson or Nora Roberts as space is not available within the Library for a big retrospective collection. The Library houses 10 books of any author as a result of space constraints. Circulation system will indicate if any book has not circulated since approximately 2001 and those books are being removed. If a book is in bad shape but has had an frequent circulation, then it is replaced. If interest is generated in certain classics, then more than one copy will be obtained or replaced. The Fiction Catalog provides a summary of authors and their books. Page 4 of 5
Librarian Mitchell stated that with the small size of the Library, circulation figures are relied upon much more heavily than a bigger Library. The cost for the ability to download books, as a co-op member, to Kindle, E-book, etc. is approximately $4,000. Jean Scott, President, Friends of the Library, stated that anyone who has purchased a Kindle, or the like, will, in all probability, purchase a downloaded book rather than download a library book. She continued that business people will be more likely to go on the internet to purchase and download a book rather than take the time to go to a library and download it for a specific time. Board Member Whalen suggested purchasing a set number of Kindles for people who are unable to visit the library. Librarian Mitchell stated that problems would arise in attempting the return of a Kindle. However, providing access to e-books, which includes audio books, would be a good alternative. Board Member Whalen stated that being a member of a Library at a reduced price for increased access to video, audio and books via downloads becomes a major benefit of library membership. Jean Scott, President, Friends of the Library, suggested that Board Members develop a Mission Statement. Librarian Mitchell stated, regarding the Open House, she would be in touch with Public Services Director Scharmen regarding the cost of door hangers; will e-mail the information to all Board Members after which volunteers may be asked to assist with doorhangers. 7. ADJOURNMENT. VICE CHAIR WATERS MOVED, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER WHALEN, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:25 P.M. UNANIMOUS APPROVAL BY ACCLAMATION. Date Approved Jim Driscoll, Chairperson /de Page 5 of 5