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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_LAB_06.13.2005GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES OF JUNE 13, 2005 MEETING In attendance: Jackie Cuozzo, Jack Dixon, Judy Griffith, Judy Johnston, Ruth Anne Mallory, P.J. Moore, Linda Nix, Danielle Plumer, Eric Lashley and guest Trey McClendon from the Williamson County Sun. Minutes: Judy Johnston asked for clarification of the item regarding the Library s lack of a dress code. It was clarified that the item was in regard to patrons. A motion was made by Judy Johnston to amend the minutes and was seconded by Danielle Plumer. The motion passed unanimously. Director's Report: *Nancy Varljen has resigned. The mayor has selected a candidate to fill the vacancy The candidate will be contacted to see if they are still willing to serve and will be appointed at the next Council. meeting. *Georgetown Reads concluded with the documentary shown by Heather Courtney. Much lively discussion followed. The Georgetown Reads committee will meet again on Thursday, June 16, to begin selection of the next book. *The construction company selected for the building of the new library was S&P, Satterfield and Ponticas. A photograph in the Sun shows the beginning of the demolition of the tank at the new library site. The metal from the tank will be recycled. *The FY 05/06 library supplies budget will be increased slightly over the present year. Although still waiting to hear about the new computer system request, there is optimism that it will be in the City Manager's budget proposal at the end of this month. *CTLS Meetings: Eric Lashley attended a Long Range Planning Committee meeting and then went to Rockdale with Judy Parks for the C 1'LS membership meeting. The By -Law change election was held and it was voted to make the changes. There will soon be another Long Range Planning Committee meeting that includes the old Board and the new one. Staff changes are expected. *Circulation statistics look good for the month. * The Summer Reading program began on June 1st. The Manga Mania program for teenagers kicked off on June 3rd and went really well. The Tokyo Steakhouse provided food and decorations. More than 100 teens participated. *A Public Service Announcement film was shot in the library Sunday June 12th, to promote reading. The PSA had a humorous zombie theme saying that if you don't read and watch too much TV you turn into a zombie. A premier of the spot will be shown at the Library. *On Friday, June 10, two of the three vendors who responded to the request for proposal for the coffee shop were interviewed. Council's permission is necessary to do negations for a lease with The Red Poppy Coffee Company, which the committee selected. The owner foimerly owned Java Net. *There will be a meeting with HARC on June 23 to get the landscaping and parking for the new library approved. *Office Depot gave the Friends of the Library a gift card for $500. *Library Plans: Some changes were made to the front elevation. There will now be one staircase up to the front door. There will then be a handicap ramp behind a low wall and there will be two antique -style lamps. Four trees that were planned to be planted near the rear entrance will be too tall to be under the canopy. The architects are re -working that problem. A few changes were made to the upstairs Community Room. As part of the Green. Building program, there is a proposal to install a shower in one of the Staff restrooms. That will encourage staff to exercise during their lunch break, walk or bike to work, etc and then be able to shower right at work. The Library will receive three Green points for the shower installation. *Danielle Plumer asked if the Library has plans for staff to be trained to use a Public Access Defibrillator. Director Lashley said there were no plans for one right now. Ms. Plumer asked that discussion of a PAD and training be put on the agenda for the July meeting. *Jack Dixon asked whether the Georgetown Police Department would be using half the parking area of the new Library. Eric Lashley said that elevenparking places are blocked off from where the storage tanks have been torn down. Since those are unavailable, the Police have been parking in the Library's parking lot recently. Library patrons have complained about the loss of spaces. *Groundbreaking ceremony: Congressman John Carter will be one of the dignitaries attending the ground breaking ceremonies. The date has been pushed back until a Saturday after the start of school. *Capital Campaign: The Foundation meets Tuesday, June 21, andplans to work on the idea of coming up with a handsome, glossy brochure such as one done for White Fish Bay Library in Wisconsin. This brochure about the new library will be mailed out and will include a letter of donor recognition amounts. An envelope to send in donations will be included with the brochure. There are also plans to include collection of more modest sums in the form of pocket change. Change will be collected as young people play a fishing game that allows a fish to rise up a line as more change is added to a collection jar Another source of revenue will be the purchase of good looking, sidewalk -matching bricks inscribedwith names, inlaid in the walkway around the Library. *Arts and Council Board: Tuesday, June 14th, at the City Council meeting there will be the first public hearing and reading of an ordinance to establish an Arts and Culture Board. The Director will make the presentation to Council. The Board is to be made up of nine members. There would be a designated seat on the Board for a representative of Southwestern University and a designated seat for a representative from GISD. *Judy Johnston gave a report on the Seminar on Managing Volunteers that she attended in May. The term "time poverty" means that a large number of people who volunteer their time have to quit because they are overwhelmed by other obligations. She reported that the number of people wanting to volunteer their time at the Georgetown Library has fallen off this year and so the style of recruiting may need to be examined. More advertising and use of the website to publicize needs may be helpful. Jack Dixon proposed that members of the Library Board, Friends Board and Foundation Board should be performing some library volunteer task as well. It was agreed that this issue needs to be addressed in view of the coming of the new and larger Library. *Jack Dixon reported that Cox has had meetings with the city's IT people to discuss the number of computer connections that will be needed, how many of those need to be wireless, and how many cable connections are necessary. The Director added that there will be a. switch to Cox high speed andthat switch will provide a big cost saving. *Friends Book Sale• Judy Griffith reported that at the Friends' Book Sale memberships were increased by 32%, book sales were increased by 37%, and there was an almost 100% increase in the number of attendees over last year. Next year the Community Center will not be available and a new venue, such as a school cafeteria or gym is already available through GISD. The large blue storage building may also be available from the County. Martha Lawler has been doing E-Bay sales for the Friends and that business has taken off. *Proposed By-law Changes: A copy of the proposed By-law changes was distributed. Revisions are as follows: A. The purpose of the Library Advisory Board shall be to update the long-range plan for the Library and to promote library programs and services in the community. B. The Library Advisory Board, as the judge of community standards shall resolve any patron challenges to library materials when the challenge is not resolved by the Library Director. C. The Library Advisory Board is responsible to, and shall act as an advisory body to the Council and shall perform such duties and exercise such additional powers as may be described by ordinances of the Council not inconsistent with the provisions of the Charter. Danielle Plumer moved to amend the Advisory Board By-laws as stated in the proposed changes by removing the 'participate in a Library Needs Assessment Study annually language from Section A and inserting a new Section B, and moving Section B to Section C. Jackie Cuozzo seconded. In the following discussion, Judy Johnston asked how letter B could say that the Library Advisory Board is the judge of community standards. Chairperson Griffith replied that the City Council appoints the Advisory Board as a liaison between the community, the Library Director and the City Council. The Director pointed out that this was a sort of a legal tern regarding such things as the legal definition of obscenity, which has to do with community standards. As representatives of the community, if the Library Advisory Board says something is not obscene, then it is not, by law, obscene. Danielle Plumer moved to amend the proposed change to letter A to read as follows: "The purpose of the Library Board shall be to review annually and update as needed the long-range plan for the library and to promote library programs and services in the community." There was no discussion on the amendment. The Chairperson called for a vote on the amendment. The amendment to the changes passed unanimously. The Chairperson then called for a vote on the original amendment to approve the proposed by-law changes as amended. Danielle Plumer moved and Jackie Cuozzo seconded. The changes passed unanimously. Eric Lashley displayed pieces of the old metal water tank that were cut up by the machine that removed it. Jack Dixon moved and Ruth Ann Mallory seconded a motion to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, P.J. Moore, Secretary c. Judy Griffith, Chair