International Falls Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
April 10th, 2024
Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Maggie Horning, Mona Johnson, Will Frank, Heather Weaver, Sasha Moss, Dick Peterson, Mary Jo Winkel and Amber Hemstad, Friends president
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Frank.
Minutes – Johnson moved and Horning seconded to approve the March 2024 minutes. All approved.
Bills – Peterson moved and Winkel seconded to approve the April 2024 bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – March circulation was significantly better than February, but 4% below March 2023. I was gone for three weeks and am scrambling to catch up and then this morning my computer wouldn’t turn on. So, I am working at a handicap today. I will be working to figure out what happened with my computer as it is only eleven months old, but the focus today was getting ready for the meeting.
The school was pleased with the response at the Book Fair. I was okay with it, Kelly said she talked to about 30 people. Only a few families made use of the story stations while I was gone in place of storytime. The calligraphy program was well received with eleven in attendance.
Summer plans are progressing with a hope to have booklet ready for printing by early next week. There are some exciting programs in the coming months. We have been using our newspaper digital scans to find information about the construction of the bandshell. More details to follow.
Old Business: Storytime continues on Thursday mornings until May 2. The April takeout craft is origami butterflies. April libratory bag is watercolor painting. Crafting time and silent book club continue. We have been approached about holding a grief writing workshop on Saturday, April 27th. We’re also working with Cheryl Peterson on a dinosaur party as a local book launch for her new book Bonedigger’s Daughter on May 4th.
New Business: Peterson moved and Winkel seconded to accept a $500 donation from Marlene Skoglund in memory of her husband Gene.
There isn’t a Friends of the Library book sale in May.
What are you reading? – Will is reading Winter is Coming by Gary Kasparov, while Mary Jo recommends Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazo Kawaguchi and Maggie finished The Exchange by John Grisham and just picked up The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez about the Panama Canal and 2020: one city, seven people and the year everything changed by Eric Klinenberg. Sasha is reading Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Talents while Diane is reading Secondhand Time: the last of the Soviets by Svetlana Aleksievich. Mona is reading The Three Mothers: how the mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin shaped a nation by Anna Malaika while Dick read Judgment Prey by John Sandford and just got Three Inch Teeth by C J Box and recommends watching “Turning Point: the bomb and the cold war. Heather read Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Amim and Amber is reading Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Galbraith and Atomic Habits by James Clear.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8th, 4:30 pm
Meeting adjourned at 5:15pm.