President Andrew Slade called the meeting of the Duluth Public Library Board to order at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2009, and reviewed the agenda.

Present: J. Brissett, D. D'Allaird, V. Katz, P. Markert, A. Slade, P. Spooner, M. Watson, C. Powers, J. Sheriff, R. Zurn
Excused: L. Benson Johnson, E. Bogue

Approval of Minutes
The Library Board minutes of the March 24, 2009, meeting were approved as distributed.

Communications

• Director's Report, Library news from March 2009
• Handout re regional library system structure and funding (plus related links)
• Information from MLA lobbyist re possible MN library study (includes link)
• PDFs of bibliographies to accompany Population: 485 (One Book One Community)
• Revised roster of Library Board members
• Flyer: Be Creative at your Library (summer program information - kids)
• Flyer: Express Yourself at your Library (summer program information - teens)
• Invitation: Arrowhead Library System annual dinner
• BookPage (May 2009)
• Article: "Library System Is our Hidden Gem" (Hermantown Star, April 23-39, 2009)

Communications were reviewed and discussed.

Reports
A. Friends of the Duluth Public Library - P. Markert
Friends are preparing for involvement in two activities in addition to the booksale: 1) 5/2 Poet Laureate program in Green Room, 2) 5/17 NEMBA awards at UMD. The group also expects to participate in Sidewalk Days during the summer. In the survey taken last month about money raising ideas, developing more of a public presence and building membership received the most votes. The annual meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday May 19 in the Green Room. The Mystery Dinner attracted approximate 50 people. Library staff enjoyed the leftovers the next day!

B. Directors' Report - J. Sheriff, R. Zurn

• Manager, Library Services update: After the recommendation of the interview panel and approval from Mark Winson, Carla Powers, director of the Rice Lake (WI) Public Library was offered the position of Library Manager for the Duluth Public Library. She accepted and will begin work on Monday, May 18. [This is a very small paragraph about a very significant event!]
• Staffing Plan 2009 - a good news update: As reported last month, laid off employees were offered selected jobs as part of an agreement with the Union. Library positions were not on the list of selected jobs, though laid off library employees were part of the pool being offered other positions. In the process of working out all the details, an administrative decision was made to offer vacant librarian positions to our laid off librarians. As a result, Julie Kapke returned to her full time position in Reference on Monday, April 20. Mary Vanderwerp returned the same day to a half time position and will be working in Popular Library. Susan Schumacher will return to a half time position in Youth Services on Monday, May 4. Sue and Mary are partners in a jobshare agreement. Two Library Technicians remain on the rehire list. Four positions (3.8 FTE) remain unfilled in the 2009 budget.
• Wireless access: Customers are beginning to use our wireless system. When logging in, the Library's Internet policy page appears and must be accepted before access is complete. Board members were shown this page on a notebook computer. The Board approved policy can be found at http://www.duluth.lib.mn.us/Internet/Policy.html
• Gates grant - another good news update: Council has approved our participation in the Gates hardware grant. The State Library informed us that we have been allocated one additional public computer for the Main Library, so we will receive funding for 40 computers plus software and peripherals during the two-year grant period. Renee Zurn and MIS jointly determined that we would be able to make room for all the computers offered to Mt. Royal, so the full allocation is being accepted. Library staff are working closely with City MIS on this project.
• Michael Ashcraft replaces Mark Winson: CAO Mark Winson is returning to his position at Lake Superior College. Mayor Ness selected Michael Ashcraft, who had previously applied for the CAO position, to take his place. Ashcraft will start on May 11. The Library provided Ashcraft with Duluth history information, at his request.
• Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund grant: The $1000 that was received has been used to provide 44 subscriptions (28 from grant funds, 16 reimbursed by St. Luke's Hospital) to Babybug magazine to area agencies (more information in Director's Report) and to purchase new board books for the collections in all three libraries. A final report will be sent to the Duluth Superior Community Foundation this summer.
• Grant via ISD 709 Early Childhood Special Education: For many years, ISD 709 has had a parent resource library for early childhood special education. Their committee decided that the materials would likely be far better used if housed at the Main Library. Currently held materials are being evaluated; any that meet current criteria will be transferred to the Library. Also, we will soon receive $1000 through ISD 709 for the purchase of new materials. We anticipate that we will also receive $500-$1000 in subsequent years, as this money comes from a long-standing grant to the District from the State.
• One Book One Community main event: Don't forget that Michael Perry, author of Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time will be appearing on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Lake Superior College.
• Unique Management: The Library's trial period for this collection agency will begin on May 18. Regular notices that customers receive indicate that accounts may be referred to a collection agency. This policy is likely to affect less than 1% of library customers. This procedure replaces the Library's use of the Minnesota Revenue Recapture program because that program now requires social security numbers.

Old Business
The Board reviewed the handouts and asked questions about regional library system structure and funding. The Minnesota Library Association lobbyist reports that the legislature may study this issue.

Spooner reported that discussions regarding an art collection policy for the library are continuing.

New Business
There was no new business.

The meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, May 26, 2009, at 4:30 p.m. in the Library's Conference Room.

5/28/09