Vice President Dan D'Allaird called the meeting of the Duluth Public Library Board to order at 4:35 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24, 2009, and reviewed the agenda.
Present: E. Bogue, J. Brissett, D. D'Allaird, V. Katz, P. Markert,
P. Spooner, M. Watson C. Powers,
Excused: L. Benson Johnson, A. Slade
Absent: None
Approval of Minutes
The Library Board minutes of the October 27, 2009 meeting were
approved.
Communications
Reports
A. Friends of the Duluth Public Library - Markert
The annual Mystery Dinner is tentatively scheduled for April,
and Carol Kelley is lining up an author to speak. The Friends
will be covering the cost of hors d'oeuvres for 100 people at
the reception for the Lewis & Clark and the Indian Country
exhibit at the UMD Library. The menu will focus on foods native
to the area. The Friends are considering trying to sell ads in
their newsletters, to recover the cost of printing and mailing.
Next Saturday, December 5, the Friends will have a table at the
"Get It Local" gift fair, which is being organized by
Friends' member Wendy Grethen. The gift fair will take place at
Peace Church from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
B. Arrowhead Library System - Brissett
Legacy Amendment programs continue to be a major focus for ALS.
The system is spending $16,000 on newspaper advertising for five
programs being presented by Terrence Smith over the next few weeks.
ALS is looking into having students from the Perpich Center for
Arts Education do presentations in their hometowns over Christmas
break, and there will be poetry workshops scheduled during National
Poetry Month in April.
C. Manager's Report - Powers
The Manager's Report, which was distributed with board packets,
was reviewed. There was some discussion on the history of Roger
Reinert's proposal to charge nonresidents for a library card.
Old Business
Combined Library Board/Foundation/Friends Meeting -
This meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8 at 4:00 p.m.
The goal of the meeting is for participants to get to know one
another and for the three groups to gain a better understanding
of how to work together for the benefit of the library. There
was a suggestion to invite David Ouse, Judy Sheriff and Renee
Zurn, who have served as library directors over the past several
years.
New Business
Library Greeter Project - Powers explained a project
that came out of the Frontline Staff Working Group, which is exploring
ways of optimizing the use of staff. For a few weeks, members
of the committee along with other interested staff are spending
an hour or two a week near the Superior Street entrance, acting
as an initial point of contact for patrons. They are offering
to help patrons use the express check machines when there is a
line for checking out. Also, they are helping with the self-serve
hold shelf, giving out change for the parking meters, and fielding
directional questions. The goals of this project are to determine
whether there is a need for a library greeter, and whether greeting
could be done by trained volunteers.
Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities - Powers handed
out a document from the Minnesota Department of Education that
outlines the roles of a governing board and an advisory board.
Discussion will take place at the January meeting.
"Talking Points" About the Library and Its Needs - Since this was initiated by Benson Johnson and she was not in attendance at this meeting, there was a consensus to postpone discussion until the next meeting. Powers will draft a document with some ideas.
The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 27, 2010, at 4:30
p.m. in the Library's Conference Room.
3/17/10