Minutes
Bryan-Bennett Library Board of Trustees Meeting
November 21, 2023, 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room

Call to Order, Roll Call of Trustees
Bryan-Bennett Library Board President Ed Dolbeare called the November 21, 2003, meeting of the Bryan-
Bennett Library Board of Trustees to order at 6:30 p.m. Trustees answering roll call were: Mark Decker,
Jennifer Dice, Ed Dolbeare, Gary Hahn, Marilyn Lewis, Joyce Raver and Gayla Wilkerson. Trustees absent
were Brad Crow and Lynn Larimer. Library Director Kim Keller and Assistant Director Jodi Trinkle were
also present.
Public Comment
Laura Crain a 15 year patron of Bryan-Bennett Library is a retired educator who is interested in Board
Membership. She is not inside the city limits and therefore unable to run for the board. She has
requested a change to that stipulation so that all patrons are represented by the board.
Kasey Angeloni who is a city resident has also expressed a desire to sit on the library board. She
encourages community involvement at the board level.
Both women were present for the duration of the meeting. Our meetings are open and we encourage
patrons to join us. Any open meeting is available and we allow for public comment at each one.
Meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of every month in the board room at 6:30.
Staff Spotlight
Shannan Reed is the newest addtion to our Bryan-Bennett staff. She is a lifelong resident of Salem and a
busy mother of 5 boys. Shanan has worked as a circulation clerk for 6 months. She loves her job and her
coworkers. She is a voracious reader and is quick with a recommendation for patrons. The board is
grateful to have Shanan on board.
Secretary’s Report
Approval of October 17,2023, Board Meeting Minutes
An approval of the October 17,2023, minutes was put into action by a motion made by Trustee Raver
and seconded by Trustee Dice. Roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. The motion carried.
Treasure’s Report
Payment of November 2023 Bills
A motion was made by Trustee Decker and seconded by Trustee Wilkerson to approve the November
2023 bills in the amount of $19,052.13. Roll call vote was taken with all members voting yes. The motion
carried.
Financial Report for November 2023
A motion to accept the Financial Report for November 2023 was made by Trustee Dice and seconded by
Trustee Lewis. All members voted yes. The motion carried.
Committee Reports
Finance- none
Policy-none
Personnel-none
Building and Grounds- Landscape materials are in but have not been delivered. The committee hopes to
begin work in early Spring.
New Business
A motion to accept the staff Christmas bonuses was made by Trustee Decker and seconded by Trustee
Hahn. All members voted yes and the motion passed.
Dr. Murfin has offered to donate a theatre screen to the library. After much discussion Trustee Decker
moved to not accept for lack of space with a second made by Trustee Wilkerson. All board members
agreed.
Chromebooks will be used for children to prep for school as most districts use them.
Unfinished Business
PTO for part-time employees will go into effect January 1, 2024. The board recommended employment
for 90 days before any PTO can be used.
Trustee Decker made a motion to allow Bryan Bennett Library as a polling place if asked. Trustee Dice
seconded and all members voted yes and the motion carried.
Bryan Bennett Library will be a stop on the William Jennings Bryan festival tour.
Trustee Wilkerson and Library Director Keller will ensure that the name and picture of Mae Davenport
will be ordered by January and ready to be placed outside of said room.
Director Keller will contact Rex Barbee to talk about the ”nesting clause” in our insurance policy. It states
that the insurance will not cover fire damage to the HVAC system in the case of birds building nests
there.
Director Keller has assured the board that she will have a strategic plan to share with us by January.
Directors Report- See Attachment
Board Member Report- none
Adjournment
A motion for adjournment was made at 8:16pm by Trustee Decker and seconded by Trustee Wilkerson
with all in agreement.

Respectfully submitted by:
Jennifer Dice, Board Secretary

Bryan-Bennett Library Director’s Report November 21, 2023

Tax Levy for 2023 taxes, payable in 2024 – The City approved its tax levy for property taxes payable in 2024. The total City Extension is $1,816,427. The Library’s portion of that is:

Library General Operations Fund, $147,085 (last year’s was $140,515.32)

Library Building, $19,611 (last year’s was $18,101.28)

Library Social Security, $7,247 (last year’s was $9,609.56)

Fall Fundraiser – The fall decoration fundraiser has netted $176 as of November 17. The Library invested $89.61 in materials. Consequently, the activity netted $86.39. Books that will be distributed during the Santa visit in December cost $448.95. The fundraiser will be used to offset the cost of the books. Consequently, the distribution will cost the Library $359.34.

Tourism Council Update – I attended the Tourism Council meeting on November 13, 2023, to update the Council regarding the Grant they gave the Library for the Planetarium Experience.

The Library Crawl – Seventeen Bryan-Bennett patrons picked up passports to visit other Libraries. Forty-four patrons from other Libraries visited Bryan-Bennett. The activity occurred all month long. Last year, our first to participate, 10 Bryan-Bennett Library patrons picked up passports to visit other Libraries. Eleven patrons of other Libraries visited Bryan-Bennett.

Trick-or-Treat – Twenty seven Trick-or-Treaters visited Bryan-Bennett on October 31.

Adopt-A-Family – Fifty-six families registered at Bryan-Bennett Library for the BCMW/WJBD Adopt-A-Family program. This is the third year for families to register at Bryan-Bennett.

Library System Membership Day – I emailed you all registration information for the February 8 Illinois Heartland Library System Membership Day.  It should be a good program.

ILEAD Trustee Training Portal – I also emailed you all a newsletter with a link to the ILEAD Trustee Training Portal. This is underdevelopment and has useful information.

Polling Place – If Bryan-Bennett Library is asked, could the Library be used as a polling place in the future.

The fire alarm panel sounded November 2. There was no fire. The panel could not be reset. The source of the problem was determined as an interruption in the phone/FAX line that serves the panel. Security Alarm checked the panel. Wabash checked the phone/FAX line. All systems are presently normal.

I attended the Library System Members Matter meeting in Centralia on October 21. The 2 main topics of discussion were the ILEAD Trustees Training Portal and the Aspen Discovery launch.

Question about appropriate behavior in Library. There seems to be an increase in patrons wanting to lay down in the Library or put their feet on the furniture. – Just an observance.

Activities over the next month: scheduling Planetarium Experience showings and PR; preparing the Per Capita Grant Application; updating the technology plan; and preliminary preparations for the budget process.

Respectfully submitted by,  Kim Keller, Library Director

Program Stats as of October 17, 2023

One Time Events

October 19 - Chess Practice had two patrons use the chess boards (always available at the programs desk)

October 20 - Preschool Story Time on October 20 had thirteen children with seven adults from seven families.

October 26 - Puzzle Competition had twelve teams of four registered 

October 24 – Stranger Things Escape room had four teams registered with 8 participants total

November 2 – Leather Apron Club had 5 children with two parents from two families participate

November 9 – Family concert had nine performers and four band directors speak, three adults and three children in the audience

November 16 – Planetarium Experience – Franklin Park Tour, grade 6 and Special Ed, 8 adults, 94 children

November 16 –Family Reading Night,  Planetarium Experience, 7 families, 22 total attendance

Ongoing Programs and Services

1000 Books Before Kindergarten has sixty participants. Eleven of these have completed the program. 

One-on-One  Computer and Smart Phone Assistance was scheduled and provided once in October. This was for a patron who received a phone and tablet from the government and wanted to log in to her account to check her usage. Family had set up the device but her password would not work. The issue remains unresolved because the patron was not sure she could access a recovery email if sent.

Take Home Story Time Kits were used eight times.

Maker Stations were used twenty-seven times. In addition to the checkers and playing cards, a small container of magnetic tiles and easier to manipulate (Lego style) blocks were added to the stash for use by patrons. 

Programs Planned for the Near Future

December 7 – Patron Reception and Concert with Kaskaskia River Brass

December 16 – Santa visit event

December 28, 29 – Planetarium Experience and North Pole Escape Room