Library Advisory Board Minutes - 09/28/1999LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES
September 28, 1999
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Jim Snowden, Chair
Jim Bracket
Patsy Klein
Ruth Jones
Valda Jones
Andrea Williams
Jim Semoe
Shirley Harris
EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:
Arthur Bea Williams, Council Liaison
Linda Hughes, Library Administrator
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Irene Lambert
i ;tray
Valda Jones called the meeting to order at 4:15 P.M. Ms. Hughes introduced Pat Doan, Youth
Services Manager. Ms. Doan said that it was her personal goal to make every child who comes to the
Library feel welcome and want to return. She believes that making reading and library visits enjoyable
helps children become lifetime readers and learners. She invited the Members to visit the Story Room,
which has been beautifully decorated by the Wichita Falls Tole Painters. Ms. Doan said that 8375 children
had attended the story time programs from September 1, 1998 through August 31, 1999, an increase of
159% over the same period in 97 -98. Ms. Doan makes hundreds of visits annually to do story time, book
talks, and other presentations in community schools and child care facilities. Youth Services sponsors a
summer reading club for children with prizes for all participants and special programs. A monthly calendar
of events is available in the Youth Services area along with bookmarks, and a variety of activity handouts
for children. Ms. Doan explained that the two huge bulletin boards are planned and executed by the Altrusa
Club around a theme she gives them. Ms. Doan said that Youth Services answered 7113 reference
questions in the past year, and has recently placed four computers with educational games and youth
reference software in the children's area.
Dr. Snowden declared a quorum to be present. The minutes of the May 1999 meeting were
approved as submitted. Dr. Snowden welcomed James Semoe and Shirley Harris, new members of the
Board. Dr. Snowden announced that he had attended the North Texas Regional Library System Fall
Assembly last Thursday. He reported that Arthur Bea Williams' welcoming speech was excellent, and that
during the awards luncheon, Ms. Hughes received the Intellectual Freedom Award. He then called on Ms.
Hughes for the Librarian's report.
Ms. Hughes said that in addition to the children's reading club, the Library had sponsored reading
clubs for young adults and adults, and a young adult drama club. Two new Librarian I's have been hired,
one for Genealogy and one for Adult Reference. She reported briefly on the status of the book controversy
and restraining order. She shared a handout with the Board concerning TexShare. A bill passed last session
by the Texas Legislature expands TexShare, a resource sharing network, to include public libraries in the
formerly all academic library network. Ms. Hughes said that the movement is on to create a true State
Library System such as found in Colorado and other states. The Gates Foundation has expressed great
interest in the project and in funding the creation of the system, as it did recently in Alabama.
Under New Business, Ms. Hughes directed the Members' attention to the handout on Library
Services and Wichita Falls Public Library Services. She explained that these are the guidelines from Texas
Library Association on services normally within the scope of public libraries, and a listing of what Wichita
Falls Public Library offers in each category. Ms. Hughes said that for many years the Library had operated
in a reactive manner. During the period prior to the move, the Council asked a task force of area librarians
to meet and recommend the areas of service focus for the new facility. Ms. Hughes and the staff feel that
now is the time to begin a long -range plan with goals and objectives based on community input to give
direction for the future of library service to the community. This would allow the library staff to become
proactive rather than reactive in responding to the changing needs of the community. The staff solicits the
Board to become a major partner in this process. Dr. Snowden recommended that the Board first review the
Library Mission Statement, which the Board adopted in 1988. Ms. Hughes asked that the Board also
consider putting a review of the Library Policy Manual on a two or three year cycle rather than an annual
review. This would allow them more time for the planning process.
Under Old Business, Ms. Ruth Jones queried where the Library was now in the matter of the
ACLU lawsuit. Ms. Hughes replied that Judge Buchmeyer had ordered a continuance of the restraining
order until final decision was rendered. He will return to Wichita Falls to render final decision at some
point, but currently no date has been set. The books have been returned to the Youth nonfiction section and
the petitions have been stored pending that decision. Mr. Bracket asked if the Council had formed any
reply to the Board's request for direction as to their role. Ms. Williams replied that the only thing Council
had done regarding the Library Advisory Board was to address the required Council Liaison situation,
making it uniform with other City Boards.
Under Other Matters, Ms. Hughes mentioned that with the repositioning of the fire stations, several
existing stations would be abandoned. She said that two of the stations were wonderfully positioned to
serve as neighborhood branch libraries, one on Midwestern Parkway and one on Loop 11. She hoped that
as the City began to look for uses for the buildings, Library branches would be considered. With existing
technology, it would be easy to extend the Library service into neighborhoods through small branch
libraries. The Library staff is researching "bricks and mortar" grant opportunities in the event that the City
does consider branch libraries as appropriate uses for two of those buildings. A motion was made that Dr.
Snowden compose a letter asking that the City Manager and Council consider branch libraries for the use of
these two buildings. Mr. Semoe asked what the timetable was for the project. Ms. Williams said that the
stations were to be built within a year. A planning period of two years minimum would not be unreasonable
in her estimation. Mr. Semoe asked if the budget increase would be a problem. Ms. Hughes said that there
would naturally be an increase; however, there were ways to increase some of the costs gradually. The
motion was passed unanimously.
Dr. Snowden adjourned the meeting at 5:30 P.M. The next meeting of the Library Advisory
Board will be on Tuesday, October 26, 1999, at 4:15 P.M in the Library Conference Room.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Hughes, Library Administrator