Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes – August 9, 2017

International Falls Public Library

Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

August 9, 2017

Present: Library Director Diane Adams, John Dalton, Dick Peterson, Ted Saxton, Darcy Sullivan, Mary Jo Winkel, Lindsi Barnhart, Paul Nevanen

Ted Saxton called the meeting to order: 4:30 p.m.

Review of June meeting minutes. Dalton made a motion to approve the minutes, Sullivan seconded, motion approved.

Financial Report

The current bills were reviewed. Nevanen made a motion to pay the bills, Winkel seconded, motion carried. Peterson signed to pay the bills.

Director’s Report

July circulation was disappointing. It was 16% below both June 2017 and July 2016. We are now 2% below year to date compared to 2016. Staff have been very frustrated by the lack of summer participation. We have talked about it quite a bit but aren’t sure overall whether people are reading and just not using library books or if reading isn’t happening. Although we are aware of people who fit either one of those categories. I will be getting a report from the New York Times each month reporting usage.     Staff will hold a weekly after school program on Wednesdays from 3 -4 pm. The idea is to provide a snack, read aloud and then do some kind of activity. Will, Beth and I will meet on Wednesday morning, August 9th to brainstorm a title and plan out the first couple of months. We will be talking with the transportation director at the school district to make sure we can have kids ride the bus to St. Thomas to attend.

Old Business:

Upcoming programs include one last storytime tomorrow, 2 more weeks of tech club. Summer Reading picnic on August 17th, would love volunteers, Walt Whitman, “Leaves of Grass” presentation on August 24th. Briefly mentioned Anna Myer bequest, need to find a contractor to give us an estimate to convert an area on the main floor into a recording studio. Carpeting on the south half of the main floor is scheduled to begin November 10th. Presented budget for board approval with a motion made by Nevanen, seconded by Peterson and approved.

New Business:

Two items were added to new business. Willi Kostiuk is the emergency coordinator for the Bass Tournament and he asked permission to get keys to the library and for the library to be an emergency shelter in the event of a severe weather event. Board verbally approved. Diane provided information about National Library Card month and the Arrowhead Library System’s desire for libraries to provide the new kid designed library card to interested patrons for free and to waive youth fines during the month of September. Board approved of the plan.

Friends of the Library book sale, August 25, 12 – 4 pm

Darcy is reading The Keillor Reader in particular the Pontoon Story by Garrison Keiller, Mary Jo is reading Mystery in the Channel by Freeman Wills Crofts, Lindsi is tackling Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Diane is reading An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder, John is reading John Quincy Adams by Harley Giles Unger, Dick is reading They Used to Call Us Game Wardens, vol. 2 by Bill Callies, Paul is reading All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy and Ted is reading Heinlein.

Next board meeting: September 13, 2017, 4:30 p.m.

Adjourned: 5:05 p.m.ou