International Falls Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
October 8th, 2025
Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Will Frank, Sasha Moss, Heather Weaver, Katie Winkel, Maggie Horning, Mona Johnson
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Frank.
Minutes – Frank moved and Johnson seconded to approve the September 2025 minutes. All approved.
Bills – Horning moved and Winkel seconded to approve the October 2025 bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – September was a fairly slow month as the parking lot was off limits for three weeks and we regularly had people calling and asking if we were closed and how to get in the building. But the parking lot now looks great. So September 2025 physical circulation was 4% less than 2024 but if you add in digital, we are still over 1% above 2024 year to date.
Storytime began on September 11 and we averaged between 15 – 20 the first three weeks. October 2 attendance was 23 and several of the families attending said they were already dealing with sick kids, so it could be a long year. We had 14 at the Candace Gossen presentation about climate change on Easter Island (many attending worked with her this summer at either the park, or in her work with area musicians). Eleven attended the monthly Elementary Fun event on the fourth Wednesday.
The library has been scheduled to present to the county and answer questions about our funding request on Tuesday, October 21 at 12:15 pm.
We still have a board opening. I was trying to find someone other than a teacher, maybe we could ask a FHS teacher. The first two folks I reached out to were both pleased to be asked but one is in the process of moving to the cities and the other will be on grandma duty the next several months. We need to stay with city residents until we know whether or not we are getting county money as we shouldn’t have county representation unless we are getting county funds.
I will be gone from November 4 – 12. Board packets will be mailed out before I leave.
Old Business: Upcoming programs include storytime, including Saturday storytime this Saturday, and the first Flight Path program to build a bird feeder. Elementary Fun will be Wed. October 22. Legacy Funding programming includes “They Brought Their Songs: International Folk Music of Minnesota by Caleigh and then Timber Tales by Susan Hawkinson on October 28that 6:30 pm. October will include us attending the MN Power information night (10/14) at Backus Community Center allowing folks to obtain library cards, learn about upcoming programs and hopefully learn about all the different things we have available to loan. I will also attend the school district’s ECFE Haunted Hallways on Oct 23 and give out free fall/Halloween board books with money leftover from the United Way summer reading book giveaway donation.
We are planning our Flight Path programs and will work with Voyageurs Conservancy for a program in the new year about area birds and using the e-bird and Merlin apps. The Brownstone Book fund books are being processed and publicity is going out about these new books and then we’ll get the report submitted to them.
No budget word from the city council regarding the budget. Our presentation time to the county has been moved as Senator Grant Hauschild will be speaking with the commissioners in the morning. We are now presenting at 2:45. We’ll have ten minutes to present and 5 minutes for questions.
New Business: Frank moved and Weaver seconded to accept the $50 donation from Stuart and Susan Nordquist. All approved.
Names were brainstormed for the open board position. The director will begin reaching out to see who is able and interested in serving.
Friends of the Library book sale is Tuesday, October 7th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. A discussion was had about a desire for library merchandise. Conversations are being held with the Friends about getting some merchandise to make available for sale.
What are you reading? Katie picked up Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown today, Sasha is reading Rattlesnake Bluff by Cary Griffith and did not finish Ephemera Collector by Stacy Nathaniel Jackson, Heather is reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen while Mona just picked up The Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxi Dara, while Maggie is reading A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst about a couple attempting to sail around the world have their boat destroyed by a whale and live for a long time in a lifeboat and The Briar Club by Kate Quinn, Will is enjoying Around the Shores of Lake Superior by Margaret Beattie Bouge and Diane is not recommending either of her current reads Schoolbot 9000 by Sam Hepburn or Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12th, 4:30 pm
Meeting adjourned at 5:15 pm.