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, September 28, 2010, and reviewed the agenda. The agenda was approved as drafted.

Members Present: Dan D'Allaird, Sister Edith Bogue, Jane Brissett, Liz Benson Johnson, Virginia Katz, Andrew Slade, Peter Spooner, Martha Watson
Also Present: Carla Powers
Excused: Printha Markert

Introduction of Guest: UMD student Camille Doom was in attendance for the meeting.

Approval of Minutes
The Library Board minutes of the regular meeting August 24, 2010 meeting were approved.

Reports
A. Friends of the Duluth Public Library - D'Allaird for Markert
The Friends recently contributed $35,000 in book sale proceeds to the library. The Laps Around the Library event last Saturday raised about $600 and attracted a number of walkers, including two city councilors and two board members.

B. Arrowhead Library System - Brissett
Brissett passed around a list of the latest Legacy Amendment programs that will be held at various ALS libraries. ALS has organized two days of customer service training for member library staff, and DPL will pay for the presenter to spend an additional day working with staff in Duluth. The training is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5. In order for all staff to participate, all library locations will be closed that afternoon. OverDrive audiobooks, which ALS provides for its member libraries, are now available in a format compatible with iPods.

C. Duluth Library Foundation - Katz
Donations are down from last year, mainly because last year's total included an unexpected bequest in the amount of $100,000. Wendy Wennberg will plan a fundraising campaign for fall. The Foundation is planning a special event in May to recognize its founding members. The investment account is down to approximately $685,000 from its earlier high of almost $702,000 due to stock market declines. The treasurer will transfer $23,000 from the checking account into the investment account. Library board members expressed an interest in seeing the Foundation's bylaws. Powers will provide copies for the next meeting.

Old Business
Strategic planning - There was discussion about the planning process thus far. The initial planning team meeting took place Sept. 16. Watson stressed that the final plan needs to be measurable. Slade mentioned that he has talked with the director of the Ely Public Library, who said that two major issues - funding and the library building - were not addressed in the planning process. Consensus is that members of the planning team need to make sure that in addition to determining service priorities, our plan also needs to address funding and the branches, as they are important issues. Bogue suggested once the plan is complete, it can be kept alive and current by looking at a different section of it at each board meeting.

New Business
Assign Committee to Work On Values Statement - It was the consensus of the group that staff input is needed on the values statement. Powers will follow up with Whitney Crettol to determine the best method of getting input.

The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
The next meeting will take place Tuesday, October 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the library's conference room.

11/15/10
Duluth Public Library, 520 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802