Library Board Minutes 05-12-2008Minutes of the Library Board Meeting
May 12, 2008
5:00 p.m.
Members present: Branch Manager, Deb Luken, Ralph Olsen, Sandra Lommel, Janet
Bridgland.
Members absent: New board member Beth Osiek
Guest: Mic Golden, Collection Development Coordinator for Great River Regional
Library
Minutes of the January meeting were read. Minutes of the board meetings will be e-
mailed to all Board Members in the future.
Old Business:
- Deb reported that Signs Plus of Monticello still has not responded to her request
for a proposal for new signs for the library. Susie Wojchouski, City Council
liaison, was not able to attend this evening's meeting, but may have suggestions
on who to contact for signs.
- Expansion of the library -Mic commented that if the city would consider an
expansion, it would be more advantageous than adding a self check-out system.
The rationale being that building materials have dropped in price and the check
out systems will also eventually decrease in price. Ralph and Deb will meet to
discuss approaching the city council regarding expansion.
Branch Deb presented the May 2008 Library Report for the Monticello:
Library statistics show that there were 53,000 items circulated during the first four
months of this year, 2093 more than last year at this time. Over 2000 patrons
used internet stations, plus a number of patrons used wireless capabilities.
GRRL is providing wireless access through a grant obtained for all GRRL
libraries. Two more internet hook-ups may be added, Friends of the Library may
be asked to help finance the wiring.
- Rosetta Stone, which is one of the best language-learning software programs, is
now available. It was purchased) ESL tgeachers have been nformedart, GRRL
provided the laptop. High schoo
- New armchairs were purchaseds was aLibroa edT6 chairs were purchasedyear to
the city to purchase 4 new cha pp
- The Library will be visiting the 2"d graders at Little Mountain and Pinewood
Elementary with information on the Summer Library Program.
- The Summer Reading Program is "What's Cooking at Your Library". There will be
a "Read to Me" program for babies and toddlers, a "Feed Your Mind" program for
teens, a monthly Anime movie night for teens, 2 weekly story times for
preschoolers, and a Jr. Cooks program for 7-12 year olds. Numerous other
activities will also be presented.
Friends of the Library Report: (Representative absent)
- Genealogy program in January very successful
- Library will ask for funding for Internet stations
- Interested in buying new disks for Rosetta Stone
Mic Golden -Report from GRRL:
- Move to the new building will take place in late July or early August. Hopefully the
Certificate of Occupancy will be obtained in time so that shelving and computer
system can be installed with a minimal disruption of service to patrons. Patrons
will be informed of the progress via the GRRL website
- Fundraising will help determine amount of money available for new materials.
- Periodicals -retention policies will be set in place. GRRL is currently
experimenting with periodical archiving. ELM databases, available through the
GRRL website, provide numerous full-text articles making it unnecessary to keep
periodicals for more than a few years.
- Annual budget is almost one million dollars
- Purchasing of materials has changed: Fewer periodicals are purchased,
paperback children's books are purchased rather than hardcover, Adult best
sellers are leased through Baker and Taylor, more money is channeled into
media (DVD's, music, foreign films).
- Baby packets can be ordered through GRRL at 40% discount.
- Inform Deb of any additional services GRRL could or should be providing to
Monticello patrons.
New Business: None
Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
Next meeting, Tuesday, September 9 at 5:00 at Monticello Public Library
Submitted by Sandra Lommel