Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout022703i I• PORT TOWNSEND LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES February 27, 2003 Present: Co- Presidents Kate Schumann and Eileen Price, Larry Thomas, Deb Carroll Excused: Bill Maxwell Staff: Linnea Patrick (Director) Guests: Karen Long (Friends); Julia Owens The meeting was called to order by Kate Schumann at 9:05 a.m. Linnea Patrick was appointed to take minutes. It was discovered that the minutes of the December 19, 2002 meeting were still in draft form, so the board read them and made corrections, adopting them as correction. The final version of the minutes will be e- mailed to the board by Carol Costello. The board members requested that in the future all minutes be e- mailed to them. Linnea requested that the board members send brief replies to acknowledge the receipt of e-mail board communications and the board agreed to do so. Communications: Linnea circulated a packet of materials received from the University of Washington Information School (formerly known as Library School). Eileen read a letter from a patron who was concerned that we might be no longer recycling withdrawn magazines (she had informed the patron that we are still doing so, but not all at once, as in the past). Kate passed on e-mail from Geralynn Rackowski informing us that Friends co -chair Marilyn Rose has had a reoccurrence of cancer and is undergoing treatment is (Karen Long circulated a card for the board to sign for Marilyn). There was a discussion of the process for appointment of Jefferson County Library Trustees in response to the recent recruitment ad seen in the Leader. Director's Report: Linnea reported that the library had its largest monthly circulation ever in January. An increasing incidence of unfortunate behavior by library patrons seems to be accompanying the high level of use of the facility. Two library related bills have been introduced in the current state legislature session: one would require the election of library district trustees and one would require filtering on public library computers. Amber Faulkner has been hired to work ten hours a week as a book - processing clerk through a program coordinated by Momingside for the employment of people with disabilities. Shannon Porter, who also works for the Jefferson County Library has been hired as a substitute library assistant for work at the circulation desk. She also mentioned that she has been devoting some time to sorting through files and weeding out items from her office in order to have it in order for the next library director. Friends of the Library Report: Karen Long'reported that the next book sale will be held on Saturday March 1. Volunteers are always welcome to help with set up on the night before book sales. The Friends landscaping committee is sponsoring "Gardening with the Experts" programs on the library grounds. The friends are interested in procuring additional permanent garden art. (Karen was reminded that the library board �� must approve any permanent art pieces acquired for the building or grounds.) • t Library Foundation Report: The annual meeting will be held on Saturday March 8 from 9 to 12 a.m. at the home of Phyllis Schultz. Linnea plans to have a written report on the changes in the library from 1995 to 2003 to present at that meeting and will also provide copies to the library advisory board. Staff Report: Linnea announced the "Queen Without a Country" author program to be held on Saturday evening March 1; and reported on the John Granger author program held on February 20. No Committee Reports Old Business: Larry reported for the director search committee. The search process is on schedule with the preliminary work finished. The ad is out to the professional journals for price quotes and the on -line materials are in place. Kate circulated a copy of the final ad. It will be published in April. The search committee is in hiatus until the next stage of the search when applications are received. The draft letter to city council regarding cessation of county library district annexation efforts was revised. Linnea will produce a new version of the letter that incorporates the following resolution, unanimously agreed upon by the board: The Library Advisory Board recommends that the city not pursue the question of annexing the Port Townsend Library to the Jefferson County Library District at this time. Instead, we encourage the continuing exploration of productive cooperation between these two excellent institutions. New Business: The board acted upon the request from Jefferson County Library that we adopt the same policy as they recently adopted regarding fees for lost and damaged books. It was unanimously agreed that we will also deny borrowing privileges to users owing $50 or more. Users must reduce their bills to below $50 in order to borrow materials. After that an amount of at least 50 cents must be paid at each checkout. Users with outstanding fines will be restricted to borrowing one item at a time until their bill is paid. (Board members also felt that a $25 maximum with a minimum payment of $1 for each checkout would be even more appropriate.) Linnea suggested that it is probably time for a review of all library policies, most of which have been in place since the mid- 1990's. The board agreed. Copies of all current policies will be placed in board mailboxes for study before the next board meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Next board meeting is March 27th.