Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board Minutes May 24, 2012 7:30 p.m. Library Board Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Richard Thomas, Chair (City of Owen Sound) David Adair, Vice-Chair (City of Owen Sound, Councillor) Jan Chamberlain (City of Owen Sound, Councillor) Janice Currie (City of Owen Sound) Thomas Denholm (City of Owen Sound) Judy Gay (Township of Georgian Bluffs, Councillor) Bob Pringle (Township of Chatsworth, Mayor) Tom Wiley (Township of Georgian Bluffs, Councillor): 7:35 p.m. MEMBERS ABSENT/REGRETS: Deborah Young (Municipality of Meaford, Councillor) STAFF PRESENT: Cindy Weir, CEO and Chief Librarian Beth Hall, Administrative & Public Services Manager GUESTS PRESENT: Hélène Golden, SOLS Consultant COMMENCEMENT: 7:30 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair, Richard Thomas at 7:30 p.m. He noted that there were no items for the In Camera meeting, and it was subsequently struck from the Agenda. 2. ADDITIONAL ITEMS 2.1 Committee Representatives: Owen Sound Representative Thomas Denholm added enquiry regarding his position on the Cultural Advisory Committee. Chair Thomas proceeded with enquiry. Denholm, due to his schedule is unable to attend the Cultural Advisory Committee. He spoke with Councillor Chamberlain who is willing to switch committees with Denholm if the Board were to agree. Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 1
37-12 Moved by Bob Pringle THAT the Library Board approve Thomas Denholm moving to the position of SOLS Saugeen Trustee Council Representative and Jan Chamberlain moving to the position of Cultural Advisory Committee Representative. 3. DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF None 4. DEPUTATIONS None 5. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES 38-12 Moved by Jan Chamberlain THAT the minutes of the March 22, 2012 meeting of the Library Board be approved as presented. 6. CORRESPONDENCE Hall reported that there were four items of correspondence to circulate. 6.1: Letter from Emmett O Neill: A letter of thanks to the staff for the wonderful service that was provided to him during his 21 years in Owen Sound. 6.2: Letter from The Roundhouse Model Railroad Club: A letter of thanks for hosting the Community Club Fair. 6.3: A Facebook Comment: A comment of thanks from the Owen Sound Camera Club for hosting the Community Club Fair. 6.4 Letter from Frank Dabbs: A letter regarding his involvement in the Poet Laureate program. 7. REPORTS AND MATTERS TABLED 7.1 CEO s Report CEO Cindy Weir drew the Board s attention to the CEO s Report as distributed and provided additional information. 7.1.1 Performance Report: In March our overall circulation was up 5.3% and in April it is up 3.35%. Total information assistance is up 7.3 % over last year. The use of wireless is up 151% year to date in April. Visits to the library in April were up by 5.6 % with a year-to-date increase of 8.8%. 7.1.2 Staffing: It is with regret that I have accepted the resignation of Margaret Hodgins, Information Services Librarian. Margaret had a tremendous rapport with our patrons, amazing reference skills and was the best we had at customer service. We continue to have one staff still off on medical leave but who is back some hours on modified duty. 7.1.3 Poet Laureate: I have received the 2012 cheque from Mr. Frank Dabbs as his contribution to the Poet Laureate program. 7.1.4 Community Club Fair: This first time initiative was a great success with an estimated 150 people in attendance (approx. 120 visitors and at least 40 staffing Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 2
booths). The library s role was to act as host, make the draw for the door prizes and we advertised our Spring Author Series 2012. Club attendees seemed pleased with the crowd coming through the doors and many had leads on new members. Such success in the first year will have us looking for a larger place to host it next year. Thanks to Councillor Chamberlain for her public congratulations to the library on this event at the council meeting on April 16. 7.1.5 Membership Drive: The theme for the membership drive is You Belong at the Library. The concept is that if you live in our catchment area, your card is here and ready for you to pick up. We are planning to rent two billboards for the month. One south of Rockford for Chatsworth and Georgian Bluffs residents and the other near the airport for the Meaford residents in our catchment area. The Management Team decided October was the best month to hold such an event. We are working on contests, prizes and incentives. 7.1.6 Staff Development Days: The two staff development days will be held Thursday September 6 and Friday September 7. We moved this training from June to accommodate the current bookings in the Auditorium, and pre-booked staff vacation and the hope that our staff currently off would be back in place. 7.1.7 Training: Chris has just returned from the SirsiDynix conference that deals with the library s integrated management system. I will be attending the CLA conference in Ottawa at the beginning of June. Tim will be attending the My Charity Connects conference in Toronto in June focusing on fundraising using social media. I will be attending the Annual Institute on the Library as Place presented by OLA at Blue Mountain. This focuses on architects, interior designers, space planners, etc. and library projects. This year we will pay for two courses for one employee and one course for another employee towards their library technician s diploma. Management staff have been receiving Health and Safety Training and all of our staff is going through training on how to use fire extinguishers. Three staff members received first aid training. 7.1.8 Programming: In addition to our regular children and teen programming we have: a Mother s Day Tea, Father s Day Program; Coffee House; Write & Draw @ Your Library; the second and third authors Gail Bowen and Catherine Gildiner in our Spring Author Series; Home Staging with Patti Smith and An Evening with George A. Walker which is our event in support of the Canadian Spirit: 100 th Anniversary of Tom Thomson s Trip to Algonquin program. The library will also be participating in the Doors Open event on the first weekend of June. The 100 th Anniversary of Harrison Park event will also have a library presence as our Children & Youth Services staff will provide an afternoon story time. 7.1.9 CAP Funding: You will have all heard that the Community Access Program (CAP) Sustainability funding has been cut from the Federal budget. This was provided through Industry Canada. We have been successful in receiving this sustainability funding for many years and have used this to purchase computers, toner, printers, printing supplies, accessibility products, etc. We have also received CAP Youth Initiative funding to pay for a person to provide computer training. It is our understanding at this time that the CAP Youth Initiative funding will continue while the sustainability funding is gone. 7.1.10 Out and About: I attended the launch of the 9 th Street Bridge on behalf of the library. The staff attended the General Staff Meeting held by the City of Owen Sound. I presented a 5 minute talk educating the attendees on what the library Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 3
does and has to offer. I presented a talk at the Y s Menettes meeting about the history of the library and our services. 7.1.11 Librarians in Grey County: OSNGUPL organized the first meeting of the Librarians in Grey County to discuss ways to cooperate, collaborate and communicate. We have some potential projects in the works, including a county wide snapshot day on October 17. Meaford and Town of Blue Mountains were unavailable to attend so we hope they will come on board for snapshot day. 7.1.12 Donation: We have received a grant through the private giving foundation in the amount of $1327.72. 39-12 Moved by David Adair THAT the Library Board accept the donation and deposit it to the Main Floor Renovation reserve account. 7.1.13 Efficiencies: We continue to look for better ways to handle the tasks and responsibilities. This month staff met with Katherine Slimman from the Ontario Library Consortium to discuss efficiencies in our technical services department and our circulation procedures. Chris Carmichael is in the process of implementing our acquisitions module to streamline the order and processing procedures. 7.1.14 Collections: The use of our e-book collection continues to grow and I would like to request $4,000 be taken from the book sale reserve to continue to expand this collection. 40-12 Moved by Tom Wiley THAT $4,000 from the Book Sale Reserve Fund be allocated for the purchase of ebooks. 7.1.15 Credit Cards: The Management Team of the library all have business credit cards. The limits are set at $2,500, $3,000 and $5,000. We have all signed a document outlining how the credit card is to be used. The use of credit cards reduces the use of petty cash and the cutting of cheques; alleviates staff using personal funds for purchases; facilitates on-line purchases, registrations and conference attendance. Currently I sign off on expenditures made by the management team. To date there has been no misuse of the credit cards. When the Board reviews the Procurement Policy, it will be adjusted to include the use of credit cards. 7.1.16 Term of Board Members: Weir reported that the terms of some board members are in contravention to the Public Libraries Act. It clearly states in the Public Libraries Act that the term of a library board member is to be concurrent with the term of the appointing council. Members present directed Weir to email the COAs and Mayors of each municipality to request they review the term of their appointees and revise to be compliant. Additional items as per verbal report: 7.1.17 Incident: Weir reported that an empty shelf had fallen onto a customer. All shelves are currently being checked to ensure that screws are in place. 41-12 Moved by Judy Gay THAT the Library Board approve the CEO s Report as presented. Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 4
7.2 Financial Report 7.2.1 Statements and Accounts: 42-12 Moved by Bob Pringle THAT Library accounts totaling $76,125.61 for March and April be approved for payment and further, THAT the Adult Learning Centre s accounts totaling $30,516.78 for March and April be approved for payment and further, THAT the Library s and Adult Learning Centre s Financial Statements to April 30, 2012 be received as information. 9.2.2 Audit: CEO Weir reported that BDO Dunwoody has completed the draft for the 2011 audit for the Library. New procedures for 2012 require the Board to approve the draft document prior to the final document being released. The draft audit was distributed to Board members in their package for review. 43-12 Moved by Bob Pringle THAT the Library Board approve the Draft Audit for 2011 for the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library as presented by BDO Dunwoody. Weir fielded questions re audit. 9.2.3 Grant received: Weir reported that a grant had been received from the Community Foundation Grey Bruce in lieu of interest earned on the Library s investments of bequests in its Designated Agency Fund. A motion acknowledging receipt of the grant and instructions for its use must be recorded in the Minutes. 44-12 Moved Bob Pringle THAT the Library Board acknowledge receipt of a grant in the amount of $758.13 from the Community Foundation Grey Bruce and authorize its transfer to Book Collection Bequests/Donations. 7.3 Personnel Report No report. 7.4 Property/Building Report Property/Building Committee Chair Janice Currie drew the Board s attention to Committee Report No 12-01 Committee as distributed regarding the level changes of the sidewalk and entrance area to the Library. Discussion ensued. 45-12 Moved by David Adair THAT the Library Board request additional funding from the City of Owen Sound to create a safe, uniform, level corridor into the Library Building. 7.5 SOLS Saugeen Trustee Council Councillor Chamberlain reported that she attended the meeting held in April, and has since visited several libraries in the area. Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 5
7.6 Cultural Advisory Committee Councillor David Adair reported that the last meeting of the Cultural Advisory Committee focused on the awards and a new design for the award. 7.7 Library Foundation Committee No report. 8. OTHER BUSINESS 10.1 Accreditation: CEO Weir updated the Board on the progress of Accreditation. 10.2 Policy Review: CEO Weir drew the Board s attention to the policies as distributed in the Board package for consideration. Weir fielded questions. 46-12 Moved by Judy Gay THAT the Library Board approve the Board Advocacy Policy as presented. Discussion ensued. 47-12 Moved by David Adair THAT the Library Board approve the Unattended Children and Child Protection Policy as amended that replaces the Child Protection Policy. Carried. 4 For; 3 against. 10.3 Hours and Staffing Analysis: CEO Weir drew the Board s attention to Library Service Report 12-01 Library Staffing and Hours of Operation as distributed in the board packages. Discussion ensued. Weir fielded questions. SOLS Consultant Hélène Golden conducted an informal staffing analysis in April and was present to report her findings and recommendations. 48-12 Moved by Bob Pringle THAT the Library Board approve the hour of opening of the library to the public be changed from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m. beginning July 1, 2012. Carried. 5 for; 2 against. Discussion continued. 49-12 Moved by David Adair THAT Service Report Library 12-01 Library Staffing and Hours of Operation be deferred to the June 28, 2012 meeting. 9. NEXT MEETING: Regular Board meeting to be held Thursday June 28, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the Library Board Room. 10. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was declared adjourned at 10:15 p.m. Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board: Minutes May 2012 6