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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-06-01 Library Commission Summary KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION KENAI COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITY ROOM JUNE 1, 1999 ~ 7:30 P.M. AGENDA ITEM 1' CALL TO ORDER/h ROLL CALL ITEM 2: AGENDA APPROVAL ITEM 3' APPROVAL OF MINUTES -- May 4, 1999 ITEM 4: PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD ITEM 5' REPORTS ao Director Friends of the Library Library Improvement Committee ITEM 6- OLD BUSINESS ITEM 7: NEW BUSINESS ao Discussion -- Library Policy Amendments Discussion -- July Library Commission Meetin§ ITEM 8' COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS/QUESTIONS ITEM 9' INFORMATION ao Kenai City Council Action Agendas of May 5 and 19, 1999. ITEM 10: ADJOURNMENT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION JUNE 1, 1999 ~ 7:30 P.M. KENAI COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITY ROOM CHAIRMAN BOB PETERS~ PRESIDING ITEM 1: ITEM 2: ITEM 3- ITEM 4: ITEM 5: CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Peters called the meeting to order at 7'36 p.m. Members present: Kathy Heus, Carol Brenckle, Lorrene Forbes, Bob Peters Members absent: Janet Brown, Vince O~eilly, Janice Rodes Staff: Ewa Jankowska Also present: Ethel Claussen, Emily DeForest, Student Representative Melinda Haring, Joe Moore, City Clerk Carol Freas APPROVAL OF AGENDA BRENCKLE MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. FORBES SECONDED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. AGENDA WAS APPROVED AS WRITTEN. APPROVAL OF MINUTES -- Regular Meeting of May 4, 1999. FORBES MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF MAY 4, 1999. BRENCKLE SECONDED THE MOTION. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS WRITTEN. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD - None. REPORTS a. Director Jankowska stated she had been working at the library for a month and was still learning. She was happy the budget DeForest prepared was approved by the City Council. Jankowska reported an electronic magnifier for the visually impaired and computer to service stand-alone CD's containing the Encyclopedia Britannia had been obtained for the library. She added, they also plan to purchase a computer for the children's reading area to replace the catalog system and two new computers for public use. Jankowska stated she was holding weekly staff meetings and some staff members were given new responsibilities. Jankowska reported the acid-free boxes for storing Peninsula Clarion papers had arrived and she would be needing volunteers to help collate the newspapers and place them in the boxes. Jankowska announced the library expansion was currently on the "back burner." She stated there was a need to trim collections and a need to develop a collection policy. Jankowska also mentioned the need to define which government documents will be kept and mentioned she would be seeking help from the State library for those answers. Jankowska reported she would be traveling to New Orleans for Dynix training, which she wants to complete before updating the computer software and Y2K conversion. Jankowska reported switching from the Western Library Network (WLN) for cataloging materials. She explained the WLN was purchased by a larger company and this would change the way cataloging had been done. Jankowska stated there had been 12 Kenai school classes who visited the library in May. She passed out the statistical report, which showed circulation was somewhat smaller, but close to last year's number. Peters asked where the children's computer would be stationed. Jankowska replied, it would be in the children's reading area and would be powered with a CD ROM drive and have a math fun and possibly a story creation program loaded. She explained there would be no Internet access available on the children's computer. Moore stated the budget had not been approved yet but would be on June 2nd. Moore stated he had read through the council meeting and work session minutes and noted the Mayor had suggested it could be possible to add items that had been cut back into the budget, i.e. the Funding Coordinator for the library. Moore asked the Commission whether they wanted funding for the coordinator to be requested to be placed back in the budget. Moore noted, at their last meeting, the Commission felt they didn't want to take a chance on losing an employee or closing the library on Sundays and would prefer not having the council vote negatively on the funding coordinator position and decided not to push for funds for the coordinator position. KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 1999 PAGE 2 Forbes mentioned that if the State budget crunch didn't end and the requested amount was put back in the budget, the Commission would still need matching funds from the City. Forbes stated she felt that if the Commission was using a Funding Coordinator for a certain amount of time, it would be best to have that person available when they could look for grants and/or funds this year when they knew they would have the City's support. Brenckle noted the importance to see the economic future of the City and State and remarked that the Commission couldn't build a library on grants alone. She stated the City was not in a good position financially now, and doubted voters would support a bond for the library expansion. She noted everyone was concerned about funding and the outcome of the Permanent Fund decision. Heus mentioned the current needs assessment, explaining the Commission did not have the matching $25,000 in hand. She stated the Commission had $15,000 and she did not believe there would be a problem getting the rest. Heus asked if the Commission was really ready to proceed with their plans for the Library. A general discussion ensued among the Commissioners about the budgetary issues, and all agreed that Jankowska needed more time in her position before moving ahead with the expansion. Moore stated he wanted an indication from the Commission whether they wanted the $25,000 put back in the budget or left out. A consensus was not to ask for the money to be placed back into the budget. Jankowska reported the Library had received a reading machine as a donation from the Lion's Club and the Independent Living Center in Homer. DeForest noted it was purchased with funds from the Library ($5,000), the Lion's Club ($5,000), and the Homer Independent Living Center (paying the remainder). b. Friends of the Library Heus reminded the members the semi-annual book sale was scheduled for this weekend, with Friday being the members' preview. The sale would continue on Saturday and Sunday during regular library hours. Heus stated the following week there would be a book booth at the Kenai River Festival and also stated the need for a tent for that booth. Moore asked how the City could help. Heus stated KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 1999 PAGE 3 ITEM 6- ITEM 7: they needed a cover for the books and displays. Heus indicated she would check to see if a tent would be available. Brenckle suggested buying a canopy which could be used from year to year. DeForest mentioned they had applied for a space with power and discussed other items that could be handed out at the booth. Peters asked if the Friends had anything planned for the 4th of July. Heus answered, planning for July 4t~ was on their upcoming agenda and nothing had planned at this time. She noted, the Friends received their new banner. Brenckle suggested getting senior citizens involved in the library's July 4th activities. Library Improvement Committee - None. OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion -- Library Policy Amendments Referring to the information included in the packet, Jankowska explained she wanted to make the lending policy more liberal. She noted, complaints were the current lending time was not long enough to read books and because the staff was spread too thin, it was difficult to do renewals over the phone. Jankowska proposed the lending policy allow new books and rentals be borrowed for two weeks with one-week renewals and books from the regular collection be allowed to be borrowed for four weeks with a two-week renewal. She added, videos were another big problem since some patrons could not come to the library except on weekends. To alleviate that problem, she suggested the rental time for videos be extended to seven days. Jankowska also made a request to declare the 4th of July weekend an "amnesty" weekend so people could return books and get their fees waived. She stated there were some patrons who had enormous fees and probably would not return the books without an incentive. Jankowska explained the current library regulations also included a clause that if one person had their library card suspended, the whole family was suspended. She suggested that if the offender was a minor, then the parents may have privileges suspended, rather than the entire family. Peters questioned the wording of "may" regarding the suspension of privileges. Jankowska thought the word "may" sounded much less threatening. KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 1999 PAGE 4 Peters stated he felt the present rule was more versatile than the proposed language. Moore felt it was up to the City Attorney to correct the wording. Forbes stated she would like an extended period to borrow books but was concerned two weeks, with a renewal of one week, for new books was a long period of time. Peters suggested the library charge for their services. Heus questioned why an amnesty weekend was necessary since the check-out period would be extended to four weeks. Heus asked, with the book drop, what kept people from returning books? Jankowska explained the amnesty would be a one-time event and felt fines kept people from returning the books. She added, she Wanted patrons and books to come back. Forbes remarked, according to surveys, patrons would be pleased with the extension of the video lending policy. MOTION: FORBES MOVED TO APPROVE CHANGES TO LIBRARY POLICY. HARING SECONDED. MOTION TO AMEND: HEUS MOVED TO AMEND THE MOTION SO THAT THE PROPOSED AMNESTY WEEKEND FOR JULY 4TM BE TREATED AS A SEPARATE ITEM FROM THE REVISED LENDING POLICY. FORBES SECONDED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. VOTE ON MAIN AMENDED MOTION: THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION PASSED Heus mentioned the wording on page 34 of the Library Regulations "endeavor six days" should be seven days. She also asked, under book selection, if the "board" of the library meant the same as Library Commission? She suggested the Commission review the Library Regulations during their next meeting. b. Discussion- July Library Commission Meeting Peters explained that it had been tradition to cancel one meeting of the Commission during the summer months and asked the members for input. Haring stated she would be gone both July and August (will be working as an intern for Senator Murkowski in Washington, DC). It was noted a quorum probably would not be available for the regular July meeting. KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 1999 PAGE 5 ITEM 8: ITEM 9: ITEM 10: MOTION: HEUS MOVED TO CANCEL THE lIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING IN JULY. FORBF~ SECONDED. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS/QUESTIONS Commissioner Haring said she would see everyone in September. Commissioner Forbes asked what needed to be done as a commission to be prepared for next year's budget. Peters suggested the Commission members meet with Jankowska, the city engineer, and possibly an architect to evaluate costs for the proposed library expansion. He also suggested lobbying the Friends to increase their donation for the fund raiser coordinator. Commissioner Forbes asked Moore about the possibility of forming a service area to support the library much like the Nikiski Recreation Service Area. Discussion followed in this regard. Heus remembered Mayor Navarre had discussed creating a service area for library services in the past. It was noted the creation of a library service area would probably need to be done through the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Commissioner Peters said he hoped Hating had a great time in Washington, DC and encouraged the other commissioners to enjoy the 4th of July and to encourage support for the library expansion. INFORMATION ADJOURNMENT MOTION: FORBES MOVED TO ADJOURN. THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS. UNANIMOUSLY. BRENCKLE SECONDED. MOTION PASSED The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:15 p.m. Minutes transcribed and prepared by: Vicki Fruichantie, Contract Secretary KENAI LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES JUNE 1, 1999 PAGE 6