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11/06/2014 LIBRARY BOARD MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER November 6, 2014 Present: Chair Judith McSwine, Board Member Rosalie G. Murray, Board Member Barbara Ann Murphey, Board Member Paul F. Brown, Board Member Barbara Blakely, Board Member Elizabeth W. Folk, Board Member Empty Seat Also Present: Barbara Pickell - Library Director, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board Reporter The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2 —Approval of Minutes 2.1. Approve the minutes of the August 7, 2014 Library Board meeting as submitted in written summation. Member Blakely moved to approve Item 2.1. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3 —Citizens to be Heard re Items Not the Agenda: None. 4— Library Director's Reports Library Director Barbara Pickell said the City Council had requested the Library Board to provide an annual report on board activities. Chair McSwine volunteered to make the presentation. Ms. Pickell will advise members re the City Council meeting date and encouraged all members to attend. Ms. Pickell reported Member van Weezel had resigned and the City Council would appoint a new board member tonight. Ms. Pickell said Christine Wigfall Morris had passed. 4.1. Countryside Expansion Ms. Pickell said the City's website featured a webcam that recorded construction progress on the new Countryside Library. The current library will close in August, approximately one month before the new facility opens in September 2015. The Library Foundation set a fundraising goal of$200,000. Value engineering reduced the new library's budget, eliminating essential items. Staff identified FF&E (furniture, fixtures & equipment) that would be needed. Naming opportunities were available. Foundation Executive Director Judy Melges had information re unmet needs. 4.2. East Branch/SPC Joint-Use Ms. Pickell said discussions continued between the City and St. Petersburg College re the Library 2014-11-06 1 Interlocal Agreement related to costs. The completion date for the joint-use library was extended to late 2016. 4.3. RFID Project Following the meeting, board members were invited to tour the Main Library's new RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) project, including the sorting machine and back room. Sorting machines will be installed at the new Countryside and East branches following construction. Ms. Pickell said Penny for Pinellas money funded an outside company to tag the system's 600,000 materials. The project was completed in less than one month. 4.4. Centennial Anniversary of the Library/Celebration Ms. Pickell said Clearwater Library would celebrate its Centennial Anniversary on September 14, 2016; the Carnegie Library opened on that date in 1916. The Main Library continued to be a Carnegie Library because the current structure was on the site of the original library. Assistant Library Director Jen Obermaier will head a committee to plan centennial activities. Members Blakely and Folk volunteered to serve on separate committees. Ms. Pickell said the City was celebrating its Centennial Anniversary with monthly events throughout 2015. A public vote soon after City incorporation created the public library system. The first branch was built in North Greenwood. She hoped the Countryside Library ribbon cutting would be designated as September's Centennial Anniversary event. It was recommended that the Tampa Bay Times be encouraged to launch the library's celebration with an article highlighting its time line of growth. 5— Unfinished Business: None 6 — New Business 6.1. Future Direction for Library Ms. Pickell said the Library Board was tasked with making recommendations to the City Council concerning all matters pertaining to the management and use of the library system. The City Council's budget for FY (Fiscal Year) 2014/15 extended hours at the Beach Library branch, following lobbying efforts by beach residents. The Library requested that the FY 2015/16 budget restore Friday hours at the new Countryside Library. During the past 5—6 years, library hours decreased by 24% and the library staff was reduced by 30%. Even with operations streamlined by the RFID system, Ms. Pickell said library hours could not be increased without additional staff; current staff was stretched when absences occurred. The library strove to provide the same quality of service during every hour its doors were open. Repurposing the library and staff were being considered to accommodate new trends such as content creation whereby patrons recorded and edited video and audio using library computers and software. Orange and Hillsborough county libraries had robotics area. It was requested that Ms. Pickell email information to the Board re ideal staffing and hours and a comparison of current library hours and staff levels with those prior to the economic cutbacks. Library 2014-11-06 2 Ms. Pickell reported one part of the ULI's (Urban Land Institute's) survey on the revitalization of downtown encompassed the library. ULI foresaw a need for the City to support tech firms, small business entrepreneurship, and start-ups in the downtown area. Young professionals liked cafes and restaurants with Wi-Fi. ULI indicated current library hours detracted from City efforts, including the Main Library's ability to host early morning networking meetings in its ample space. Currently, evening meetings must end by 6:30 p.m. Ms. Pickell said the Main Library had sufficient space for technical and entrepreneurship classes. The Library could work in partnership with the DDB (Downtown Development Board) and Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce to support the City's vision for economic development. With its location on the bluff, the Library could provide additional resources for CMA (Clearwater Marine Aquarium) visitors and establish a children's discovery area for rainy days. The Main Library was upgrading Wi-Fi throughout the building. There was a demand for Mac Books and software due to its many artistic applications. A Mac Book lab would attract many children and adults. Discussion ensued with comments that hours must be extended for the Main Library to be an important part of a vital downtown, that providing morning and evening meeting space should be a priority, that evening and weekend hours should be extended for working residents, and increasing morning hours would attract more community members. It was noted that conclusions at the rebranding meeting indicated current hours were insufficient for residents to take advantage of library assets. It was stated the cafe area often appeared empty and a better use for that space should be considered. It was indicated the Library needed to evolve and constantly reinvent itself while retaining its core values. It was stated a downtown synergy needed to be created and by adopting leading edge concepts, the Library would become more visible and attract more people. It was agreed that continuing the status quo was not desirable and the Library needed innovative marketing efforts, including social media. Due to concerns that downtown's reputation was tainted by homelessness, it was suggested that creating community displays and hosting events would encourage more residents to feel comfortable downtown and pursue downtown activities. It was reported that the Comic Con event hosted by the Main Library attracted more than 600 people on a rainy Saturday. It was stated many of the participants had never visited the Main Library before. Ms. Pickell said the library had marketed the event on Facebook. It was stated that the Library needed to become more of a community center and should be part of the City's vision for downtown. It was suggested that entrepreneurs could use the Library to test models, attract funding, and develop community support. It was commented that events featuring robotics or motorcycles, for example, would attract different groups of people and it was recommended that the Library work with schools to attract children and their parents. It was suggested that the Library host a Centennial event 7 — Reports 7.1. Library Foundation The Library Foundation was raising funds for the new Countryside Library. Ms. Pickell said the Foundation's Jazz Soiree event was successful and raised $20,000 for the Library 2014-11-06 3 7.2. Friends of the Library Member Murray said recent book sales at the Main and Countryside libraries were successful, raising more than $2,700. The Friends of the Library donated $20,000 to the technical and conference area at the new Countryside Library. She said the donation would require the organization to reduce expenses, but it still would fund library interns and scholarships. The Friends welcomed new members and donations. She encouraged donations to the new Countryside Library which needed to function properly. 8 - Board Comments; None 9 — Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. followed by a tour of the new RFID circulation area. Next meeting will be on February 5, 2015 at 10:15 a.m. k;j test: At /L/1 oard Report- Ac Ch r Library Board Library 2014 -11 -06 4