International Falls Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
February 14th, 2024
Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Mona Johnson, William Frank, Heather Weaver, Maggie Horning, Dick Peterson and Sasha Moss.
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Peterson. Introductions were made to new board member Sasha Moss.
Minutes – Johnson moved and Weaver seconded to approve the January 2024 minutes. All approved.
Bills – Frank moved and Horning seconded to approve the February 2024 bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – January circulation of physical materials was a disappointing 5% below January 2023, if we add in digital items, we are 1% below January 2023 physical and digital totals. Program attendance was very spotty and we had a number of very slow days. The January Libratory bag was popular, with 24 bags given out and 28 teen/adult takeout crafts, a book hedgehog, were given out. Ben Sunne is displaying some of his photographs in January and February and we are really enjoying them and lots of people are commenting on how talented he is. The March display will be Andrea Gohl works with April students from the college displaying.
I am beginning work on the 2023 annual report and hope to have it finished by the board meeting on Wednesday. So I can start working on summer programming and putting together the brochure. I hope to have a rough draft of the brochure before I leave and be able to finish it up as soon as I get back, but we need to give ALS a little more time to schedule their programming for the summer to include as much as possible in the brochure. Programs added after the brochure do not get near the attendance as programs included in the brochure.
Members of the Shannon family dropped off five old paintings that were painted by Patty Bahr for the old Holler school. We are working with the Friends of the library to create new frames and then will work with the city crew to get them hung.
Old Business: Storytime continues on Thursday mornings with a wide range in attendance. I’ve had as few as 6 and as many as 26. The first Saturday storytime had 3. February takeout craft was a yard bird. March is being provided by ALS. The school Winter Reading challenge is finishing up. Ten elementary class students are being challenged to read for at least 60 of 70 days, finishers will get a prize. Five 6th – 8th grade classes are being challenged to be the class that reads the most over the first 60 days of the year. The class that wins will get a pizza party. FES literacy night is March 21st and Kelly will attend for the library. She’ll take a variety of handouts about digital services, card applications, the Library of Things books and a handful of Playaways and Wonderbooks. Summer reading preparations have begun.
The Zurkowski fund has been spent for almost ten years. At some point, funds were withdrawn, putting it in the red by $4,523.50. The main library account has plenty to cover and the director would like to close the Zurkoswki account. Johnson moved and Frank seconded the motion to move required amount from account 205 to account 206 and then close the account. All voted in favor.
New Business: Weaver moved and Horning seconded to accept the $500 donation from George Hartmann in memory of Ruth Ritchie. All approved.
Officer elections were held with Frank being approved as president and Weaver as vice-president.
The annual report was presented, very similar to last year, only minor differences and Frank signed.
The next Friends of the Library book sale is Thursday, March 7th from 3 – 5 pm.
What are you reading? – Heather is finishing up A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles while Dick reread The Firm by John Grisham in preparation for the sequel The Exchange written 40 years later. Mona just picked up The Fault in Our Stars by John Green upon the recommendation of Olivia. Will is reading They Knew: how a culture of conspiracy keeps America complacent by Sarah Kendzior while Sasha reads for school The Science of Reading and for fun The Killing Moon by N. K. Jemisin. Maggie is reading The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl and Diane finally got a hold of Tom Lake by Ann Patchett.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 13th, 4:30 pm
Meeting adjourned at 5:15 pm