CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting of the Rochester Public Library Board of Trustees was called to order by President Dick Hall. Also attending were Ed Haskell, Betty Hutchins, Naomi Lipsky, Steve McMaster, Elisabeth Miller, Dave Nelson, and Jeanne Parker.
Members absent: Paul Barton.
Staff present: Audrey Betcher, Director; Tom Dyer, Communications Manager; Kim Edson, Head of Extension Services; Carrie Farrow, Circulation Services Manager; Jean Jahn, Head of Automation Services; Louise Moe, Head of Information Services; Rebecca Splittstoesser, Head of Technical Services; Beth Warfield, Head of Children's Services; and Kathy Olson, Administrative Assistant.
Others present: Al Dollerschell, Friends
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ed Haskell moved, Dave Nelson second to approve the meeting minutes of September 19, 2001, as submitted. Motion approved.
APPROVAL OF BILLS
Included in the bills is the down payment to TechLogic for the hands-free book return which the Board previously approved. Also included is payment for equipment for the mobile training lab which is needed since we are reallocating the training room space in the automation area.
Ed Haskell moved, Betty Hutchins second to approve payment of the monthly bills. Motion approved.
MONTHLY REPORT
Ed Haskell moved, Steve McMaster second to accept the monthly reports as submitted. Motion approved.
FOUNDATION REPORT
The Foundation Development Committee met yesterday and will be putting together a plan for the development process.
The Foundation Board set a date of January 26, 2002, for a fundraising event which will include mini-seminars throughout the building, an auction, and a wine tasting. [Note: this date was subsequently changed to February 9, 2002.]
Jeanne Parker moved, Ed Haskell second to approve the appointment of Phil Karsell to the Foundation Board. Motion approved.
The Board discussed a Library Board appointment to the Foundation Board to replace Ann Larson. The matter was tabled until there is an appointment to replace Ann on the Library Board.
SELCO REPORT
The Advisory Committee has expressed concern over the makeup of the oversight committee which will be making a final recommendation to the SELCO Board on a new automation system.
A group of state legislators recently toured SELCO. The Legislators seemed concerned about funding but that does not mean more State funding will be available.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
The committee will be meeting to finalize Audrey's performance review. The City is in the processing of reviewing the classifications and pay scales for department heads and the committee will not finalize Audrey's review until that review is completed.
POLICY COMMITTEE
There are several issues that need discussion and the committee will be meeting shortly. Dick will sit in until a new Board member is appointed.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
This committee has not met since last Board meeting. The committee has discussed writing a charge for the Facilities and Technology action teams.
COUNTY FUNDING FORMULA
Audrey and Kathy met with county representatives to discussed revisions to the formula. The County is willing to consider a revision to the formula and the matter will be discussed during budget review in November.
Audrey is working with the City Attorney to rewrite the contract.
SPACE FOR DONOR RECOGNITION
The Foundation Development Committee would like to have some degree of public recognition for key donors. Audrey will work with the committee on an appropriate design.
Jeanne Parker moved, Betty Hutchins second that the Board is in favor of a donor recognition area. Motion approved.
END OF YEAR PARTY
The consensus was to have the annual Library Board/administrative staff party in January. Dave tentatively volunteered his house for this event.
BOARD/STAFF RECEPTION
In January we held an informal luncheon to allow for Board and staff. Consensus was to do something similar in 2002.
DIRECTOR'S INFORMATION ITEMS
A number of staff attended the Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference in St. Cloud on October 10-12. Highlights included multicultural programming, interactive reference (some sites doing online as chat function), portals, services to teens, e-books.
The City is moving from 24 to 26 pay periods per year effective January 1, 2002. Audrey and Kathy have been attending divisional meetings and explaining the ramifications of this change to staff.
We are making progress on the transition. Interviews for the volunteer/training coordinator have begun and we hope to have someone on staff by November 1. We will be changing around the adult public service desks to have all circulation functions at one desk and placing 3 of the selfcheck machines on the current checkout desk area.
We are still working on making wordprocessing PCs and children's CD-ROMS more self service.
Library staff have been working on a design for a new RPL library card.
On Tuesday, October 11, the County steam line into the building ruptured a gasket and caused some damage in the children's area and the emergency exit corridor. Maintenance staff are in the process of getting this repaired and the costs will be submitted to the County for reimbursement.
This Halloween staff may choose to dress up as a storybook character.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
The next regular meeting of the Library Board will be Wednesday, November 21, 2001, at 4:30 p.m. in Meeting Room B on the second floor of the library.