Call to Order: President Dan D'Allaird called the meeting of the Duluth Public Library Board to order at 4:35 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012. On a motion by Jewell, seconded by Katz, the agenda was approved.
Members Present: Dan D'Allaird, Sister Edith Bogue, Jane
Brissett, Frank Jewell, Liz Benson Johnson, Virginia Katz, Printha
Markert, Andrew Slade, Peter Spooner
Also Present: Kelly Erb, Emily Larson, Jim Skurla, Carla Powers
Excused: Printha Markert, Andrew Slade
Approval of Minutes
On a motion by Brissett,
seconded by Jewell, the Library Board minutes of the regular meeting
of January 24, 2012 were approved as drafted.
Reports
A. Minnesota Libraries Return-on-Investment Study - Skurla
Jim Skurla, Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research
at the University of Minnesota - Duluth, presented an overview
of the return-on-investment study that his organization completed
for State Library Services. The basis of the study was a telephone
survey conducted by the University of Minnesota Research Center.
It showed that 78 percent of those surveyed had visited a public
library over the past year, and over 90 percent believe that having
a public library in every community is important or very important.
The overall return on investment for public libraries in Minnesota
is $4.62 for every dollar spent.
B. Friends of the Duluth Public
Library - D'Allaird
The Friends congratulated library administration on the recent
postcard mailing to publicize the library's new hours. The annual
book sale will take place June 11 through 15, and volunteers are
needed. At its last meeting the Friends group renewed its support
for Duluth's poet laureate.
C. Arrowhead Library System - Brissett
St. Louis County has asked ALS to be the employer for the county
law librarian. If this takes place, it could make the Westlaw
database accessible to all ALS libraries. Buhl did not meet Maintenance
of Effort for its library and is talking about leaving ALS. On
March 8 the ALS board will vote on merging with the North Country
Library Cooperative (NCLC). If the merger takes place, ALS will
serve all types of libraries in the region, and the structure
of its board will change substantially. If approved, the merger
will begin on July 1, and will be complete on January 1, 2013.
D. One Book, One Community - Brissett
The first event will take place on March 8, and publicity is starting
to go out. Powers will write an Op Ed piece for the newspaper
and make some appearances on local morning news shows. Tickets
for Rebecca Skloot's appearance in Duluth are available now through
the College of St. Scholastica's Spotlight box office. Tickets
are free but must be reserved in advance.
E. Equity in Funding Committee - Jewell
Jewell, Slade, Powers, and Cloquet Public Library Director Mary
Lukkarila met twice to discuss nonresident library use and ideas
for more equitable public library funding. Another meeting is
planned for March 9 at noon with others in the area who have an
interest in this issue. The goal is to come up with ideas to present
to local legislators.
Old Business:
Appointment to ALS
governing board - ALS
requires a letter from our board to formally appoint a member
to its board. A letter has been drafted, stating that the DPL
board has voted to reappoint Brissett to the ALS board.
On a motion by Bogue, seconded by Jewell, the letter was approved as drafted. Powers will send it to Jim Weikum at ALS.
New Business:
Revisit goals - The list of 2012 goals was reviewed.
Four were chosen as priorities:
D'Allaird will coordinate with Powers on these items.
Florence Schneider and Christine Crockett Bequests - Powers gave some background on two sizeable bequests that the library received recently. Christine Crockett left approximately $15,000 to the library, and Florence Schneider left about $200,000 to be used for materials and services for the handicapped. Resolutions accepting the bequests and were approved by the City Council yesterday.
DPL ebook collection - There was discussion about the best way to use funds allocated for ebooks in the library's 2012 budget. Board members suggested putting a portion of the funds toward the purchase of more ereaders and content, and a portion toward the OverDrive downloadable collection that DPL shares with other ALS libraries.
Communications/Correspondence:
Manager's Report
There was discussion of the increase in usage of the branches,
and a suggestion to survey the Mt. Royal businesses to see whether
expanded library hours have had an impact. There was also discussion
about next month's election of officers.
The meeting adjourned at 6:25
p.m.
The next meeting will take place Tuesday, March 27 in the library's
Conference Room.
6/27/12
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802