Library Advisory Board Minutes - 01/28/2003LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES
January 28, 2003
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Gracie Gregg
Irene Lambert
Patsy Klein
Jim Brackett
Andrea Williams
Dr. James Snowden, Chair
Dr. Jim Semoe
EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:
Linda Hughes, Library Administrator
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
Date () I d c3
By 8 . Time 9:.30 fo,
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Shirley Harris
Ruth Jones
Ms. Williams called the meeting to order at 4:20 P.M. She declared a quorum to be present. The
minutes of the December 10, 2002 meeting were approved as submitted.
Ms. Williams called on Ms. Hughes for the Librarian's Report. Ms. Hughes said Governor Perry
had frozen TIF funds for 2003. While the library does not have a grant pending, the databases used through
the TexShare program are funded through a TIF grant to the State Library. If the funds remain frozen,
access to the databases will end on July I when the current contracts expire. Wichita Falls cardholders use
the databases regularly to get full text articles from thousands of periodicals, biographies, the latest health
information, encyclopedia articles, and genealogy information, as well as access to many other types of
reliable sources. It would cost the library $896,058 to provide access to the same databases. She said that
it would also impact MSU; the cost to them to provide the same service would be $829,959. She urged
members to contact the governor's office and ask that TIF funds be released. Ms. Hughes reported that the
she is trying to replace a Librarian II, Library Assistant, and Page. Additionally, the Circulation Manager is
on extended sick leave. The unexpected death of Tim Wiseman, Librarian 11, has made development of a
procedures manual covering each position a staff priority. She also said that the Library is loading about
18,000 a -books into its catalog. These will be accessible from home computers or may be downloaded into
a personal reader or laptop at the library.
Dr. Snowden assumed the Chair duties and called on Andrew Jelen, Genealogy /Adult Services
Librarian, for the second in the "Behind the Scenes" power point presentations. Mr. Jelen walked the Board
through the procedures of cataloging, classifying and processing a book to make it ready for the shelves.
He explained the critical importance of accurate records, authority files, and holdings records. He
discussed the popularity of genre stickers in fiction collections and identifying labels for foreign language
materials.
Under other business, Ms. Hughes reported that the consultant from the State Library's study was
most impressed with how knowledgeable the Wichita Falls Layperson Focus Group was concerning the
Texas State Library System Act and how the North Texas Regional Library System operated. The
consensus of the Focus Group was that regional systems were crucial in a state as large as Texas, and that
our particular system worked especially well under its new strategic plan. Ms. Lambert then handed out
copies of an article from Texas Library Journal about citywide reading programs. She asked that members
read it and discuss pursuing the program locally at the next meeting.
Ms Gregg gave the Friends of the Library report. She said that donations are remaining steady and
that the Book Store earned over $5000 last year. The funds are used to support various library programs
and purchase additional library equipment and reading club incentives. The Friends had donated books to
Health South for their patients' reading collection.
Dr. Snowden announced that the next meeting of the Library Advisory Board would be February
25`h in the Library Conference Room. The Board adjourned at 5:35 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Hughes, Library Administrator