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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-05-04 Library Commission Summary KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION KENAI COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITY ROOM MAY 4, 1999 ~ 7:30 P.M. AGENDA ITEM 1' CALL TO ORDER/h ROLL CALL ITEM 2: AGENDA APPROVAL ITEM 3' APPROVAL OF MINUTES-- April 6, 1999 ITEM 4: PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD ao Corey Hall Report -- Turn Off TV Week/Young Writers' Workshop ITEM 5: REPORTS a, Director Friends of the Library Public Relations Committee ITEM 6: OLD BUSINESS ao 1999 Library Patron Survey ITEM 7: NEW BUSINESS ao City of Kenai Budget ITEM 8: COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS/QUESTIONS ITEM 9: INFORMATION ao Kenai City Council Action Agendas of April 7 and 21, 1999. ITEM 10: ADJOURNMENT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MAY 4, 1999 ~ 7:30 P.M. KENAI COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITY ROOM CHAIRMAN BOB PETERS~ PRESIDING ITEM 1' CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Peters called the meeting to order at 7'32 p.m. Members present- Bob Peters,. Vince O~Reilly, Janice Rodes, Student Representative Melinda Haring, Carol Brenckle, Members absent: Kathy Heus, Lorrene Forbes Staff: Eva Jankowska Also present: Emily DeForest, Councilman Joe Moore, City Clerk Carol Freas Ewa Jankowska was introduced as the new Director. ITEM 2: APPROVAL OF AGENDA BROWN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN. HARING SECONDED. THE AGENDA WAS APPROVED AS WRITTEN. ITEM 3' APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Regular Meeting of April 6, 1999 Brown questioned the wording on page 4 and noted the sentence should read "...the Library's share of receipts from the recently held Writer's night was $437.50..." Brown requested the change be made. BRENCKLE MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 6 AS AMENDED. BROWN SECONDED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS AMENDED. ITEM 4: PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD a. Corey Hall DeForest reported for Hall that an average of 25 patrons per night visited the library during Turnoff TV Week. She also noted, the First Annual Young Writers' Workshop went very well. There were four presenters. Some of the $5,000 budgeted for juvenile programs (in the Library budget) was used to cover costs of the workshop (and other activities). Other juvenile programs the have and will be used for included other workshops, imschool services and Mystery Night, etc. Hall was complimented by the Commission and past and present directors. ITEM 5: REPORTS a. Director New Director Ewa Jankowska reported it was her second day on the job, and that DeForest had been teaching her the previous week. DeForest added there were many odds and ends for Jankowska to learn, which would come in time. DeForest also noted there had been a decrease in check-outs in April. b. Friends of the Library Brown announced the Friends would be holding a book sale June 4th through 6th inside the Library. A pre-sale for Friends would be held on Friday night (June 5). The sale would be open to the public Saturday and Sunday. The sales usually bring in approximately $1400-$1500 and sales are held twice a year. It was also reported the templates had been completed for the new banner and the fabric had been ordered. c. Public Relations Committee - No report. ITEM 6: OLD BUSINESS Peters announced Commissioner Forbes had compiled information returned with the 1999 Library Patron Surveys. He noted, 250 surveys were mailed to both users and non-users of the library. Copies of the survey findings were distributed to the Commission members. Peters noted interesting comments had been made regarding the library expansion. He suggested Commission members review the information and comments, as they would be valuable for future reports. Peters commended Forbes for the outstanding work she did on the Patron Surveys. KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 1999 PAGE 2 ITEM 7: NEW BUSINESS City of Kenai Budget Peters reminded the Commission $25,000 had been placed in the draft Library budget to use for hiring someone to help with fundraising for the proposed expansion. He noted, the Mayor and City Manager agreed funding should be brought forward at budget time. Because the Legislature was considering the elimination of Municipal Assistance and Revenue Sharing funds to the municipalities and because Council had already decided not to hear requests for donations from non-profit organizations to be included in the budget, he felt it would be unlikely Council would allow the $25,000 to remain in the budget. He added, the Commission could make a request at the budget hearings not to remove the $25,000, however he thought it better not to have negative comments regarding the $25,000 on the record. Peters added, if funding did come from the Legislature, making the request for the funds could be reconsidered. DeForest confirmed, the City Manager had recommended the $25,000 be removed from the budget. Peters added, the Commission could continue looking for someone in the community interested in helping with fund raising efforts at no cost. Haring asked why the budget had to be cut 100%. Peters answered, even if the City Council gave $15,000 the Library would have to generate more funding to make up for the $10,000 difference. Jankowska asked how much more money would be needed for the addition. Peters replied, approximately $2.2 million was needed to build the proposed addition. Brenckle suggested individuals could include the Kenai Community Library in their wills as a fundraising method. O'Reilly gave a summary of the budgetary processes involved, stating the position the Library was in was accurate. He also pointed out that Legislators in Juneau were having a huge problem with the State budget, which would mean a reduction in funding to municipalities. O~Reilly mentioned sales tax revisions and fish tax receipts would also be affected. O'Reilly noted, his conversations with the city manager and Peters, indicated the $25,000 was vulnerable, in view of problems the Council was facing, i.e., cutting services and personnel, etc. O~Reilly stated, his and Peters' judgment was it didn't make sense to push for the funding due to the budget situation. He voiced frustration that the Patron Survey was done to find out the needs for KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 1999 PAGE 3 expansion, but the expansion would not be moving forward. O'Reilly suggested Jankowska may have some new thoughts on the problems. He added, he didn't want to make a presentation to the Council and get a "no" vote, which would then be on record. Politically, that would be hard to turn around. O'Reilly said he had the highest respect for the Friends who had raised $46,000 for the Building Fund as well as continuing to support the Library through purchase of equipment and periodicals, etc. for the Library. Rodes stated she would help with fund raising if someone could guide her. O~Reilly stated that, after determining the need for the library and then found a fund raiser, there would probably be some City involvement, i.e. cost of running an expanded library. He noted, he didn't want to ask council for anything at this point. Rodes asked if research could be done without taking it to the Council. Answer was yes. Peters stated at the last budget work session it had been discussed of whether funds from the state would be cut, if cuts would be made to the city budget, etc. and if other funds are received from the state, would other items be replaced. He added, the comments were any additional funds coming in from the state would be added to the deficit. Moore stated that was why the budget work session scheduled for Monday, May 3 was postponed to May 10; council hoped to have additional information from the state by that time. Moore stated the proposed city budget was very conservative. O~Reilly noted, the City Manager said any additional funds coming in would be used for higher priorities than fund raiser requests. Moore noted, the request for a fund raiser was the only item in the budget which had matching funds already available. Peters stated he would rather give up the expansion fund-raiser than cut personnel or Sunday hours. He added, the survey substantiates the desire for Sunday hours. City Manager said the request for a fund raiser could be presented later in the year if funds were available and council was more receptive. O'Reilly felt the future of the library depended on Jankowska's perspective, i.e. computers, books, etc. and suggested the Library may need a smaller expansion. Jankowska explained that New York libraries were adding space to libraries to house computers to teach patrons how to use computers. She added, the expansion for services includes computers, not just books. She stated she would need to get to know the community. She added, there was a possibility funds KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 1999 PAGE 4 could be raised through the Bill Gates Foundation for computer equipment or other possibilities to add to the fund. However, to expand library services may require more space. O'Reilly asked what type services should be available for a city the size of Kenai. dankowska responded that more research would be needed for her to answer that question. O'Reilly suggested the Library should stay in a hovering position until it was known what funds were available from the City's budget. There were no objections from the Commission. Brenckle stated the Friends could keep the idea alive and could still have special fund raisers. Moore suggested the Commission could request the City Manager to remove the request for the $25,000 prior to the budget work session. DeForest stated the City Manager had already recommended the funds be removed. She added, he also recommended three new computers also be removed. DeForest explained $20,000 was included in Machinery and Equipment for the upgrade to the Dynix service. Jankowska stated the company would no longer support the dumb terminals and it was crucial to get the $20,000. Next year she would like to get another module for people to access the Library through the Web. She stated it would be better to get both in two different budgets. O~Reilly repeated that he did not want the Council to go on record saying no to the proposal. The Commission's consensus was to wait and see but the interest for expansion continues to exist and the dedication of The Friends of the Library continues to exist. ITEM 8: COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS/QUESTIONS Commissioner O'Reilly stated it had been a good meeting and he was happy DeForest attended. Commissioner Haring welcomed Jankowska. Commissioner Brenclrle stated she was happy Jankowska was in attendance, as well as DeForest. She congratulated Haring on her hire as a page in Washington D.C. for Senator Murkowski. Commissioner Peters welcomed Jankowska, stating he thought she would do fine, and echoed Brenckle's congratulations to Hating as well as being Junior Princess at prom. He stated Hating would be the student representative next year and would give next year's Patron Survey at KCHS also. KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 1999 PAGE 5 ITEM 9: INFORMATION- None ITEM 10: ADJOURNMENT BROWN MOVED TO ADJOURN. O~REILLY SECONDED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8'40 p.m. Minutes transcribed and prepared by: Carol L. Freas, City Clerk KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MAY 4, 1999 PAGE 6