CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The regular meeting of the Rochester Public Library Board of Trustees was called to order by Vice-President Deborah Westerland.
Members Present: Jerry Balm, Ed Haskell, Tyler Hoecker, Lisa Lundquist, Tom Sherman, Judith Taylor, Mary Tigner-Rasanen and Deborah Westerland.
Staff Present: Audrey Betcher, Library Director; Kim Edson, Head of Readers Services; Jean Jahn, Automation Services Manager; Louise Moe, Head of Reference Services; James Rentz, Head of Technical Services and Andy Stehr, Circulation Services Manager.
Others Present: Al Dollerschell.
OATH OF OFFICE
Valerie Links, Deputy City Clerk, administered the oath of office to the Library Board members present.
CONSENSUS AGENDA
Motion by Jerry Balm, seconded by Ed Haskell to approve the minutes from February 21, 2007, the monthly bills, and the monthly report. Motion carried.
PRESIDENT'S BUSINESS
FOUNDATION REPORT
The Foundation is meeting next week. Plans are underway for the Amusing Race Fundraiser.
FRIENDS REPORT
The Friends welcomed two new Board members, Marj Berryman and Majel Hall. The ink cartridge recycling program is finally under way. Ed Haskell asked to have information about this project posted on the front of the Library's homepage. Theresa Friedhoff is now President of the Friends Board. Jerry Balm thanked Al Dollerschell for his work as the outgoing President.
SELCO
The SELCO Board met on March 5th. One of the items on the agenda was RLTA funding. Deborah Westerland reported that a sticking point is that the organization applying for RLTA funding must be the same one applying for e-rate funding. She asked SELCO to help us work with the State to divorce these two issues. SELCO suggested that RPL try to convince the State to separate these and come back if we manage to get this done.
Audrey Betcher met with Alice Seagren and Suzanne Miller and they told Audrey that they would check to see if these barriers are procedural or legal. Audrey explained how she did the SELCO Benefits chart. The Board agreed that RPL should wait to see what happens with the State before moving forward. The ability to keep ELM, reciprocal borrowing, and interlibrary loan would have to be assured before we could leave SELCO. Audrey will bring to the next Board Meeting what SELCO currently does for RPL.
Deborah Westerland was asked to serve on the SELCO Structures Committee. She attended the first meeting. All the models were to merge SELCO/SELS. She did not feel it was a good fit and requested to be taken off the committee.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Mary Tigner-Rasanen has been added to the Committee Assignment List.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Nominating Committee: No report.
Finance: No report.
Personnel: No report.
Policy: The Policy Committee met on February 26th and brings forward two recommendations. The Committee revised the fine purging policy and reviewed the new collection development policy.
The Board voted to approve the collection development policy and the revised fine purging policy.
Planning: No report.
Young Adult: Tyler Hoecker reported on current YA projects. Judith Taylor inquired about RPL's involvement in First Steps.
NEW BUSINESS
TECHNOLOGY PLAN
Motion by Jerry Balm, seconded by Lisa Lundquist, to approve the Rochester Public Library 2008-2011 Technology Plan. Motion carried.
2006 ANNUAL STATE REPORT
Motion by Ed Haskell, seconded by Mary Tigner-Rasanen, to approve the 2006 Annual State Report. Motion carried.
BOARD RECOGNITION
The City Administrator has said that it is fine to give something to a Board member after they have left the Board. The City policy also allows for out of pocket expenses incurred by Board members to be reimbursed. A discussion ensued. Some recognition ideas mentioned included a donor wall of Board members, a book a year, a non-expiring library card etc. Jerry Balm will contact the Policy Committee and they will come back with a recommendation. Jerry asked that staff also give input as well.
COMMITTEE STUCTURE
Motion by Ed Haskell, seconded by Tom Sherman, to approve the revised Committee Responsibilities document. Motion carried.
There was a question as to whether RPL has a similar duties/responsibilities document for SELCO representatives. SELCO does have such a document.
DIRECTOR'S INFORMATION ITEMS
BOARD BOOKS
Please turn in your board books to Purna Gurung to have it updated.
AUTOMATED MATERIALS HANDLING
We hope to get the RFP for the Automated Materials Handling System out this week. There are currently seven companies that sell the systems, but only three actually make them.
OTHER NEWS
The MLA executive director has resigned. Audrey Betcher will need to spend more time than planned with MLA.
Deborah Westerland asked Audrey Betcher about her take on the Minneapolis Public Library/ Hennepin County Library merger.
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
Tom Sherman
Secretary
The next regular meeting of the Library Board will be Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 4.30 p.m. in Meeting Room B.