HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_LAB_11.17.2014Minutes of the Meeting of the
Library Advisory Board
City of Georgetown
November 17, 2014
The Library Advisory Board met on Monday, November 17, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. in the staff
conference room of the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. 8th Street
MEMBERS PRESENT: Michael Barnes, Lois Case, Linda Nix, Pete Rose, Margaret
Thompson.
Regular Session
A. Citizens wishing to address the Board. None were present.
B. Consideration of minutes of the October 20, 2014 meeting. — Pete Rose made the motion
to accept the minutes of the October 2014 Library Advisory Board Meeting and Margaret
Thompson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
C. Consideration of Library Director's report — Eric Lashley — Lashley reported that circulation
was slightly down over the previous year due to the library closing for inventory. Visitations
were slightly up. Lashley reported OverDrive circulation for November was 1,540 for e -
books and 392 for downloadable audio books. Bookmobile circulation was 2,626.
Lashley reported that the inventory figures were very satisfying with a loss rate of 3.2%.
Since the library had not had a complete inventory since 2009, the loss rate per year
equaled .64%. This loss rate is less than retail.
Lashley reported that the library had received three new sculptures made of toys from the
sculptor Terry "Tunes" Parks in Liberty Hill, Texas. Lashley also reported that the Friends
of the Library sold over 150 tickets for the Hill Country Author Series, which featured Ann
Weisgarber.
Lashley announced the upcoming holiday events at the library. Lashley then noted that the
library launched a new online catalog that week and the vendor would be working through
any bugs found by the staff and patrons. Overall, Lashley was satisfied with the new look
and functionality of the catalog.
Lashley read the patron comments for the month of October.
D. Report on vacant Fine Arts Librarian and Administrative Assistant positions — Eric Lashley
— Lashley reported that interviews had been scheduled for the Fine Arts Librarian position.
The library hopes to have the position filled by mid-December or the first of the year.
Lashley noted that the Administrative Assistant position had also been posted and he
hopes to have that position filled by early December.
E. Report on the Library Journal's Lead the Change workshop in Houston. — Eric Lashley —
Lashley reported that he, Sally Miculek, Melissa Mote, Bethni King and Sally Bernier
attended the Library Journal's Lead the Change workshop at the Houston Public Library.
Lashley read from his notes and played a video of Colin Powell talking about leadership.
The key point of the workshop was that librarians need to be willing to lead the change from
a book centric organization to a community centric organization. Moving from an institution
that stored knowledge to an institution that helps individuals or groups create new
knowledge. Lashley stated that the training was very good and would be used in creating
the library's new strategic plan.
F. Report on Sno-Isle Libraries one-page strategic plan. — Eric Lashley — Lashley reported
that he spoke with Sno-Isle's Assistant Director Kendra Trachta, author of Sno-Isle's one
page strategic plan. Trachta noted that the one-page document was not a strategic plan,
but a strategic focus. She said the one-page Strategic Focus was developed to condense
the larger strategic plan into a document staff and residents could easily digest. She said
that the staff uses the document during budgeting. This ensures that they are asking for
funding for programs that meet the mission or strategic focus of the library.
G. Consideration of dates of future Board meetings. — Eric Lashley — After a brief discussion,
no members needed to change the December meeting date. Therefore, the next meeting is
scheduled for December 15, 2014.
Chair Linda Nix adjourned the meeting at 7:40 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret Thompson, Secretary Linda Nix, Chair