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PORT TOWNSEND LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
Port Townsend Library
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Present: Co- Chairs Kate Schumann and Eileen Price, Larry Thomas, Deb Carroll
Excused: Bill Maxwell
Staff: Linnea Patrick (Director), Kiesy Strauchon (minutes)
Guests: Julia Owens, Jim Todd
Chair Eileen Price called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Guest Jim Todd was introduced.
Larry Thomas asked to discuss the date for the November meeting with Theresa Rini Percy, incoming
director. This will be a special meeting, 10:00 a.m., November 06, in Dave Timmons' office at Waterman -
Katz. Linnea indicated that the Board needs to also meet on its scheduled date, November 18, to finalize
the policy manual. The minutes from the August 28th meeting were approved, as read.
Review of Agenda
Communications: Linnea said she has been in communication with Theresa. Linnea also received an e-mail
from the Bruce Zeigman of Ft. Vancouver Regional Library regarding the Children's Internet Protection Act.
His library board voted to comply with CIPA.
Public Comment: Jim Todd stated that he had a few items to discuss. He said that as "library curmudgeon"
he had requested something be done to ensure less talking in the upstairs areas. He was pleased that "quiet
zone" signs had been posted right awav: he said there was a "remarkable difference ".
Mr. Todd then stated that recently there have been several occasions in the upstairs areas involving
reference staff talking with patrons that he found to be too loud and that seemed to him to not be about
library business. Mr. Todd said he realized there needs to be a balance between friendliness and very hushed
tones when staff is assisting people; he suggested a discrete "quiet" sign at the reference desk. He also
requested more "quiet" signs in the computer area. Mr. Todd then asked why some of the computers were
"not showing your web pages ?" and why "cookies" were enabled on some computers and not on others.
Linnea answered that staff will work on resetting the home pages. Linnea told him that the security
software on two of the four computers may prevent "cookies" from being enabled. Next, Mr. Todd suggested
that the library create more space for library users by replacing magazine display racks with ones similar to
what he saw at Western, having a slot arrangement instead of full -face display. Linnea reminded him that
that wouldn't allow for storage of current year's back issues. She also said the staff would discuss the
"quiet" issue at Friday's staff meeting.
Director's report: Please see attached. Linnea said that Theresa and the Friends agreed that the best time
for the Friends of the Library public reception for Theresa would be in early January. Theresa will be here
officially after December 15th and will attend the December 20th Library Board meeting. The Library will
send as many staff as possible to the PLA national conference, and Linnea urged board members to consider
attending. Dave Timmons will present the 2004 budget to council October 30th. Carol Cahill will represent
the library at this special session; Linnea will be out of town. Linnea said it would be a good idea if one or
more board members were also to attend.
The heated storage unit at Glen Cove will cost $130 per month; the 10 x 25 foot space should be adequate.
Linnea will attend the department heads' meeting Tuesday next. Except for that she will be on vacation for
two weeks. She will be out of town October 29th - November 5th. She'll then be here for the remainder of
the year. Carol Cahill will turn in vouchers during Linnea's absence.
Friends: The Friends are in the process of selecting a new representative to the board as Karen Long is
stepping down. The Friends reallocated monies for tables and chairs to the "Books to Grow On" daycare
boxes project, ongoing since 1994. $6500 will be spent to upgrade materials. In addition, $800 from the
Gates grant will go toward purchase of a wireless connection, to be used primarily with four laptop
computers for training. The Friends will pay for two of the laptop computers. The book sale brought in about
$1600. Ruth Linnea Whitney was quite pleased with the turnout for her reading, especially since there was a
candidates' forum and Jim Whittaker's talk the same evening. There will be joint publicity with JCL for the
next author's reading. Richard Jesse Watson will present in December. Staff will discuss the date for the
holiday party at Friday's meeting. The Friends will purchase "Teaching Company" audios with monies
collected at the Alternative Christmas Shopping Fair. The Stone Reader fund - raiser brought in $651. Kate
said raffling the book would have raised more; Linnea responded that, given the minimal time frame, it did
well.
Staff: Linnea reported that people are learning new skills, in keeping with new job assignments. Kathi is
learning circulation procedures, Kiesy is working on supplies and the board minutes and Lynn has taken on
lost books and the woefully long overdue overdues. So far it's working to have the team leaders in charge of
scheduling.
Old business: Kate reported that the e-mail holds notices for Macintosh users are still illegible; most of the
page is just code. She thought perhaps just a subject line, without the open hours listing, would be better.
Linnea stated that for the "Lending Policy" the staff recommends a $.50 charge instead of $1.00 for
replacement library cards, and we have located a less expensive source for cards. And she rewrote the
"Library Bulletin Board and Display Policy ". (See attached). Deb clarified that we're definitely saying "no
candidate" and "no ballot measure" notices. The ballot measure wording will be added. The following
Library policies were approved, upon revision:
Gifts Policy
Library Bulletin Board and Display Policy
Lending Policy
Use of Volunteers In the Port Townsend Library
Linnea added that we'd okayed the Confidentiality policy, but it has since come to her attention that JCL has
a section delineating what staff will do in the event of a law enforcement request for library records. It was
agreed to add this revision.
On October 30th there will a State Library sponsored workshop on CIPA that Carol Cahill will attend. Eileen
asked if one of the board should attend and Linnea responded that, in working with Theresa, it would prove
quite helpful if a board member did attend to hear the information.
New business: The 2004 budget is basically the same as 2003; it does reflect a 10% increase for periodicals
and 3% for other materials. Linnea pointed out that we don't have the space for more than that amount in
new materials; when there's a new building, then that will be the time to increase the materials line item.
Money for interior paint touch -up has been requested. Mr. Todd remarked that there's free storage at one of
the schools; Linnea clarified that these areas are not safe for book shelving /storage. She added that
December pre- and post- holiday time will be best for closing for changeover to new shelving units.
One item from the last Library Development Plan that remains is signage. Theresa and Beth will see this
through.
Friends' budget requests for 2004 from the board should be submitted to Jody Glaubman or Linnea before
November 13th
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
0
LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT 10/23/03
I have been in touch with Theresa Percy. She will be visiting Port Townsend from
. November 5 through November 8. She will be staying in the house she has rented here
and will be checking out the arrangements she has made for boarding her horse. On
November 7, she and I will go to the Washington State Library where she will have an
orientation on Washington library laws and the functions of the State Library from library
development consultant, Karen Goettling. We will also have lunch with Karen. Theresa
will meet with State Library Director Jan Walsh that afternoon. Theresa has sent in her
request for Washington librarian certification and the city paid the certification fee.
Theresa will be driving out with a friend when she moves here. They plan to leave
Massachusetts on December 4 and visit family and friends along the way. Her friend will
fly home on December 16. Theresa will probably begin working in the library on
December 17 or 18. The Friends will plan a public reception for her sometime shortly
after the first of the year. My last day as official director will be December 31 and
Theresa's first day as official director will be January 1. 1 will be doing some work with
her in January to get the annual statistical report and year- end /year - beginning budget
work completed.
So far the library budget for 2004 looks pretty much like that budget for 2003, with the
additions of the staff member we added this fall for the transition and the rental storage
unit we have secured this month for the book storage project we will carry out in
November and December.
The new safer shelving for the west end of the upper floor should be delivered about
December 1. [The storage unit is large enough to also hold the library equipment and
books that have been stored in my garage since 1998.] Peach Stebbins deserves a big
thank you for exploring every conceivable storage concept for us. We will have to recruit
some able bodied volunteers to help us move the old shelving to storage. The new
shelving will be installed by the vendor.
I have been making real progress on clearing out the director's office. Both the floor and
the top of the desk are now visible. In November I will continue to go through files and
will also be writing an administrative manual so that Theresa will have all the
information that only exists in my head about how we do budget, personnel and other city
and board procedures.
I hope to have the updated procedures manual completed with table of contents for your
approval at the November board meeting. There are a few refinements to the computer
use policy that I will bring to you at that meeting since it has been almost a year since we
revised that policy. I will be discussing "current practices" with the staff at their meeting
tomorrow and will draft a policy that reflects where we stand right now.
I will be on vacation for most of the next two weeks. Will be out of town (in Nebraska)
from October 29 through November 5, and in town at home on October 27, 28 and
November 6. After that I expect to be in town through the end of the year.
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