May 15, 2018
Bryan-Bennett Library
Regular Monthly Board Meeting Minutes
May 15, 2018
Call to order
President Jane Gaston called the regular monthly board meeting to order at 6:33 pm with the following trustees present: Tom Champion, Jane Gaston, Jane Mordecai, Joyce Raver and Gayla Wilkerson. Trustees Joyce Hahn, Lynn Larimer, Jack McGuire and Ann Wilzbach were absent. Also in attendance were Library Director Kim Keller and Assistant Library Director Kim Baldridge. There were no visitors.
Secretary’s Report
The minutes of the April 17, 2018 meeting were approved as presented on a motion by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Raver. All present approved.
Treasurer’s Report
The treasurer’s report for May 2018 was approved as presented on a motion by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee Champion. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
The bills for May 2018 totaling $15,721.21 were examined and approved on a motion by Trustee Raver with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
A motion to transfer $14,720.00 from the Money Market account into the Checking account for the purpose of paying the May 2018 bills was made by Trustee Mordecai with a second by Trustee Champion. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
Committee Reports
No committee reports at this time.
New Business
A. Non-resident card-A motion to continue to offer a Non-resident card to patrons for the year July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 at a cost of $50.00 was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. All present voted “yes” on roll call.
B. Letter to City Manager for property taxes payable in 2018-A motion to approve the letter to the city manager as presented by Director Keller was made by Trustee Wilkerson with a second by Trustee Mordecai. This letter included the property tax levy when compared to the total equalized assessed valuation for the City of Salem is equal to 0.15% for Library operations and is equal to 0.02% for the Library building. The library is also requesting a levy at $11,000 for IMRF, $8000 for Social Security, $50,000 of sales tax revenue and $10,180 of Personal Property Replacement Tax revenue. All voted “yes” on roll call.
Unfinished Business
A. Proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019-The proposed budget was tabled until the next board meeting so more trustees could be present for discussions. President Gaston did express her view of possible budget cuts and a project to accomplish this year. She would like to pave the south parking lot this year when the north parking lot is resealed. She suggested changing the electricity budget to $1,200 (down $500 from the proposed), Contractual Labor to $100 (down $400 from the proposed), Misc. Services to $400 (down $600 from the proposed), Grounds/Landscaping to $700 (down $500 from the proposed), Equipment/Furniture to $1,000 (down $1,000 from the proposed) and Professional development/Meetings to $700 (down $300 from proposed). She also would like to see a new line item for Mileage with a budget of $500. She also suggested to Director Keller to spend the total budget allotted for the programs this year or lose some of it next year.
Director’s Report
A patron posted on Facebook a comment about an incident she observed when visiting the library. Supposedly a 10-year-old girl checked out a magazine with her father. The magazine was Seventeen, which is not intended for 10-year-olds as it features some articles with mature themes. The Facebook comment was intended to be an observance of the parent’s lack of interest in what the child was checking out. However, a comment posted by one of her Facebook friends questioned why the library subscribed to the magazine. A board member saw the post and discussed the topic with Director Keller. The board member as well as Director Keller talked with the person who made the original post. This patron offered to donate a subscription to Christian-based teen magazines. This episode prompted a discussion among the board members about magazines. The library’s material selection policy states the following:
· …Controversial materials have no distinguishing labels and are shelved in the general collection.
· Responsibility for the reading choices of children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection for the adult collection will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may inadvertently fall into the hands of children.
Seventeen magazines are housed within the Young Adult section of the library. The board felt that the content of the magazine was age-appropriate for the Young Adult section. Assistant Director Baldridge reported that the Seventeen magazines are seldom checked out. The board felt that since Young Adults do not utilized the library often, the Christian-based teen magazines would just remain unread too. The board instructed Assistant Director Baldridge to not renew ANY magazines that are not being utilized by the patrons, regardless of their content.
The Friends of the Bryan-Bennett Library held a brief meeting on April 30. The following donations to the library were approved:
· $500 to assist in providing coffee for the hospitality table in the circulation area
· $150 for grand prizes for the Book Bingo event during the Summer Reading Program
· $1,000 for entertainers hired for the Summer Reading Program.
FOBBL would like to sponsor a book club and asked the Library to take the lead on the club to get it started. The first meeting of the club will be June 6 at 1 pm. The book will be Little Women. Director Keller will be the presenter.
The library will host a tea party on May 21 at 2 pm.
Cindy Ervin Huff will have a book signing of her book Secrets and Charades on Saturday, June 2, at 10:30 am. Her husband will be in town for his 50th class reunion and the event will be coordinated with the reunion.
Board Members’ Reports
President Gaston gave a “thumbs up” to Trustee Raver for planting this year’s flowers.
President Gaston would like the board to be thinking about projects that the board can accomplish this year in addition to paving the south parking lot.
President Gaston and Vice President Raver have visited some of the banks in regards to possibly moving some of the library’s funds. Treasurer Hahn was unable to accompany them due to oral surgery, so they will wait to visit the rest of the banks when she is able to join them. They will give a report of their findings to the whole board at that time.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Trustee Champion with a second by Trustee Wilkerson. The meeting adjourned at 7:39 pm. All agreed.
Respectfully submitted,
Gayla Wilkerson BBL Board Secretary