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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-04-06 Library Commission Summary KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION KENAI COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITY ROOM APRIL 6, 1999 ~ 7:30 P.M. AGENDA ITEM 1' CALL TO ORDER/k ROLL CALL ITEM 2: AGENDA APPROVAL ITEM 3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES -- March 2, 1999 ITEM 4: PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD ITEM 5' REPORTS ao Director Friends of the Library Public Relations Committee ITEM 6' OLD BUSINESS ao New Library Director ITEM 7: NEW BUSINESS a, Volunteer Reception ITEM 8' COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS/QUESTIONS ITEM 9' INFORMATION a, Kenai City Council Action Agendas of March 3 and 17, 1999. ITEM 10: ADJOURNMENT REGULAR MEETING MINUTES CITY OF KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION APRIL 6, 1999 7:30 P.M., LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM BOB PETERS~ CHAIR 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chairman Peters called the meeting to order at 7'30 p.m. Members Present: Bob Peters, Janet Brown, Janice Rodes, Carol Brenckle, Melinda Haring, Kathy Heus, Lorrene Forbes Members Absent: Vince O~eilly Also Present: Library Director Emily DeForest, Councilman Joe Moore, Contract Secretary Victoria Askin 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA BROWN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ADDITION OF THE LIBRARY SURVEY BEING THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS. RODES SECONDED. THE AGENDA WAS APPROVED AS AMENDED. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTF~ a® Regular Meeting of March 2, 1999 Forbes noted she did not give the report on assessment surveys. It should have been Brown. FORBF~ MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MARCH 2, 1999 AS AMENDED. MOTION SECONDED BY BRENCKLE. MINUTF~ WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED. 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD- None 5. REPORTS a® Survey Reports Forbes distributed draft results of the library survey. She reported 171 surveys were received. Twenty-six received were mail-ins of 256 sent out. Forbes briefly reviewed results and LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES APRIL 6, 1999 PAGE 1 advised Commission all comments had not yet been included. She noted, 502 people were covered in the 171 responses with over half being children. Forbes asked for comments or suggestions to make the survey read better before forwarding it to Council for review. General discussion followed with consensus reached to review and advise Forbes of any ideas the Commission members may have. Peters distributed copies of the City of Kenai Survey and directed the Commission's attention to questions regarding the Community Library. He felt all questions in the survey regarding the Library were positive and felt the citizens supported a library expansion. General discussion followed regarding results of the survey, comments received, and the implication of whether the Kenai residents were amenable to perhaps bonding for library expansion. Haring asked if it was a good idea to do a survey at the high school and junior high to obtain feedback. The Commission felt it was a great idea. Haring volunteered to do the survey, focusing on how the library could improve to meet the needs of the high school/junior high age group. Director DeForest distributed the March usage report and noted an there had been an increase. She noted, there were now an average of about 200 people visiting the Library on Sundays and the number was steadily increasing. DeForest reported she attended the Alaska Library Association conference in Juneau. One of the subjects discussed was a four- hour session on statistics. She noted some libraries count usage of books and Internet differently than Kenai. Some libraries count each check-in and check-out of a book as usage and Internet use was counted by "hits" by the computer, not number of users. She added, statistics statewide would not be accurate until usage counts followed some guidelines. This was not accomplished at the conference. She also reported WLN and OCLC had merged and would give much more material access but the cost for searches would be almost double. The ability to now add call letters at the same time would help to keep the search cost down, but would still reflect a substantial increase. Interlibrary loans could also be made for a little less and if the Kenai Library loaned out books, they would receive a credit. The OCLC did not do shelf cards like LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 6, 1999 Page 2 WLN, however, and DeForest stated she foresaw shelf cards not used in the future as some libraries had already done away with them. DeForest also reported purchase orders had been submitted to Council for approval at their next meeting covering approximately $8,000 in renovation costs to make the former men's bathroom ADA compliant. The two bathrooms would now be unisex. She noted, the women's bathroom needed a new vanity. DeForest reported she attended a staff meeting and the subject of interlibrary loans was discussed for out-of-area residents. About 600 loans were made last year. Many libraries were charging $10.00 to acquire interlibrary loans. She was bringing the subject to the Commission for their input and possible action. A short discussion followed. RODES MOVED A $10.00 FEE BE CHARGED TO NON-KENAI RESIDENTS FOR INTERLIBRARY LOANS. BROWN SECONDED. Vote Heus No Haring Yes Brenckle Yes Rodes Yes Brown Yes Peters Yes Heus noted her disapproval for the charge, stating she felt if one person was charged, everyone should be charged. A short discussion was held regarding areas where charging fees to out- of-area residents could be made for certain services. No consensus was reached. Friends of the Library Heus reported the Friends of the Library held their meeting on April 5. Corey Hall reported on activities for the grant received addressing fourth through eighth grade students. She noted: May 1st, a Young Writers Workshop was held and well attended; a Mystery Lovers' Activity was held every Friday night in March with an overnighter (twenty young people were in attendance); a Mystery Dinner was held and proved to be a huge success; the week of April 22 was scheduled as Turn Off TV Week and there would be an activity every night of the week at the library; and, the Reading Program would continue during the summer with a potpourri of activities not used in the past. LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 6, 1999 Page 3 ® ® ® . Other items reported were' the Library's 50th Birthday was a big hit as 300- 400 guests were in attendance; the Library's share of receipts from the recently held Writer's night was $437.50; and the Building Fund Raffle earned $13,549 (the building fund balance total now was almost $46,000). Heus reported the banner for the library for the 4th of July parade was being designed and should be finished in the next month or so. She also reported, DeForest's retirement dinner was scheduled for Thursday evening and over 50 people had made reservations to attend. Heus also noted, the Friends of the Library discussed their June book sale but no further action had been taken. Heus also reminded everyone of the Volunteer Reception to be held at the Visitor Center on April 20. d. Public Relations Committee - None OLD BUSINESS DeForest reported the new Library Director left New York on April 5 and should be in Kenai to begin work on April 22. NEW BUSINESS Volunteer Reception Peters directed Commission members to review information on the Volunteer Reception to be held on April 20 and other information in their packets. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS/QUF~TIONS Commissioner Haring stated she liked the outcome of both the Library and City of Kenai surveys. She added, after discussion with Forbes, she would conduct the junior/senior high school survey at the beginning of next school year. Commissioner Brenckle noted her appreciation of Haring being on the Commission and the good ideas she brought. She apologized to DeForest for not being able to attend her retirement dinner. Councilman Moore reported the State was in a funding crisis and would probably cut revenue sharing, which would mean about $500,000 to the City of Kenai. He also reported the Health Center money was not appropriated last year and was up in the air this year and could also cut city revenue sharing. LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 6, 1999 Page 4 Commissioner Heus noted she thought the survey results were interesting and she would not be at the next meeting. Commissioner Rodes asked what the timeline was on the presentation to the Council. Peters answered they were awaiting concerns expressed at the Library budget meeting in May and would then address their concerns in a presentation, if required. 10. INFORMATION Kenai City Council Action Agendas of March 3 and 17, 1999. 11. ADJOURNMENT BROWN MOVED TO ADJOURN. MOTION SECONDED BY HAILING. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9' 10 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Victoria Askin Contract Secretary LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 6, 1999 Page 5