Library Advisory Board Minutes - 10/23/2007ti
LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES
October 23, 2007
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Alison Reynolds Ellen Williams
Jim Sernoe
Jeff Tillman
Dr. Richard Sutton
Stephen Dodge
Teresa Wilcox
Joe Clement
EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:
Matt Benoit, Assistant City Manager
Lesley Daly, Library Administrator
A quorum was present and the meeting was called to order at 4:20 pm.
Minutes from September 25, 2007 were approved.
Librarian's report:
Ms. Daly referred the Board to a brief definition and description of various library acronyms (attached) in
order to help better understand `library speak'. She then outlined the library's plans to expend fiscal year
2008's Loan Star monies, which are distributed in the form of a non - competitive grant from the State
Library. Due to a revision in funding formulae and changes in the distribution of monies, many individual
libraries are seeing an increase in this year's award, and Wichita Falls is no exception. This year's Loan Star
grant is in the amount of $16906.00, up from $8088.00, and has to be encumbered by August 31, 2008.
The library plans to spend approximately $7700 in funding the 2008 Summer Reading program: the majority
of this will be spent on programming and performer costs, with the rest being expended on printing and
advertising.
The remainder of the Loan Star money will be used for Collection Development purposes. More
specifically, there are plans to introduce a brand new collection of P1ayAways (portable, digitized
audiobooks), to increase the number of virtual reference titles available, and to augment the Spanish
materials collection.
Ms. Daly also re- capped the week of activities for Wichita Falls Reads 2007: the library hosted a successful
hands -on rocket program for youngsters wherein participants built and launched their own pop rockets and
landing vehicles. The book discussion group led by Janice Sons was not as well attended as hoped, but those
who participated were able to talk to Homer Hickam (author of Rocket Boys) via speaker phone for almost an
hour. The library also organized a panel discussion at Hirschi High School that centered on the political and
scientific implications of Sputnik. (This event was also filmed by the city's Public Information department.)
Old Business :
Ms. Daly shared draft copies of a community survey with the Board that currently has 14 questions. She
indicated that the intent of the survey is to determine why people are not using library services rather than to
poll relative satisfaction with the current collection. While there is no direct question about library branch
services, 3 questions do provide opportunity for respondents to select related answers such as `more
locations', `inconvenient location' etc. It was also suggested that that the question of individual safety could
somehow be included in any revision. Printing and distribution costs are a concern: quotes from Times
Record News range from $1500 to $3600 for printing, and the City Public Information office estimates
postage costs of around $7000 for 44000 households. Suggestions from the Board included focusing on
electronic rather than paper distribution, and using a service such as Survey Monkey to record and tabulate
responses.
Other Business:
Joe Clement made a motion to form a Safety & Security Committee to further investigate incidents of theft,
solicitation and violent behavior at the library. This motion was seconded by Stephen Dodge and carried
unanimously. The committee will comprise Joe Clement, Stephen Dodge, and Teresa Wilcox, and will meet
in the near future to discuss security and individual safety issues.
Friends' Resort:
Although Ms. Lister was absent from today's Board meeting, Ms. Daly mentioned that the Friends of the
Library may be struggling as an organization. Various concerns have been raised over the Book Store
operations and the lack of leadership. Ms. Daly is attempting to convene a meeting in mid - November of
volunteers and any other interested parties in order to elect officers and to establish a more stable chain -of-
command for the group as a whole.
Next meeting:
The date of the next Advisory Board meeting will be November 27, 2007 at 4:15 pm in the Library
Conference Room.
There being no further items for discussion, the meeting adjourned at 5:20 pm.
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Alison Reynolds, Chair