04/16/2004
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LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 16, 2004
Present:
Judy Melges
Tom Leavy
Frederick Dunn
Glenn Garte
Jan Regulski
Katherine Merriam
Chair
Vice Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Absent:
Howard Adler
Board Member
Also Present:
John Szabo
Susan Doel
Library Director
Administrative Analyst
Chair Judy Melges called the meeting to order at 10:35 a.m. at the North
Greenwood Branch Library.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
ITEM #1 - Welcome
ITEM #2 - Minutes
Member Fred Dunn moved to approve the minutes of the March 19, 2004
meeting as submitted. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
ITEM #3 - Library Director's Report
a) Main Library - Move/Opening
Library Director John Szabo stated everything is on schedule for May 1.
Most of the furniture including soft seating and study carrels, end panels and
canopies for shelving have been delivered and are being installed. Most of the
signage is installed. Construction of the monumental sign in front of the building
will begin Monday.
The City Council approved the operations agreement with Raven of Tampa
d/b/a Joffrey's Coffee Company. Joffrey's will have a presence on May 1, but will
not be fully operational until mid May, at which time they will serve coffee and tea,
light lunch items, pastries, and possibly a soup of the day. The agreement with
Joffrey's retains authority in restricting areas where food and beverages can be
taken in the library. Joffrey's will not have exclusive catering rights, but we will
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encourage meeting room applicants to use them when appropriate. A list of other
recommended caterers, including Harborview, will be available.
The Grand Opening is May 1 at noon. A four-color accordion style brochure
will be available with a general map of areas and facts about the building.
Member Jan Regulski commended staff on a very smooth move to the new
building. Mr. Szabo commended all staff for their hard work. Mr. Szabo stated all
books are in the new building, with 99.5% on the shelves.
Mr. Szabo noted a lot of support was received from the Foundation, the City
Manager and others. The two month period of closing the library for the move was
necessary. In response to a question regarding the "first" book checkout, Mr.
Szabo stated that probably will not be done, but there will be a photographer taking
photos throughout the day. On May 5-7, photographers from Robert A.M. Stern
Architect will take nighttime and daytime, interior and exterior photos to submit for
awards and publication.
b) Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project Exhibit
The Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project Exhibit will be on display in the
Osceola Gallery throughout the summer months. Starting next week, award
winning art by students from Oak Grove Middle and Clearwater High schools will be
displayed in the Carnegie Gallery.
c) Public Library Standards - Revised Document
Public Library Standards, published by the State Library, have existed in
Florida for some time. The Florida Library Association hired a consultant, with a
grant from the State Library, to develop a set of standards for service, funding,
square footage, etc.
c) Acquisition of Desktop Computers
The City Council approved a request to increase the City's lease with Dell
Computers to allow the library to acquire 80 additional desktop computers.
Information Technology staff have been working with Library staff all week to get
the computers operational. The new monitors are all flat panel.
ITEM #4 - Unfinished Business - none
ITEM #5 - New Business
a) Nomination of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson 2004/2005
Discussion ensued regarding the current members who are completing their
second term as Board members. Members Katie Merriam, Fred Dunn and Jan
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Regulski are the only current Board members eligible for the chair and vice-chair
positions for next term.
Chair Melges opened the floor to accept nominations for the offices of
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Member Glenn Garte nominated Member
Regulski for Chair. Member Dunn seconded the nomination. Member Dunn
nominated himself for Vice Chair. Member Garte seconded the nomination. With
no further nominations from the floor, Chair Melges declared that nominations be
closed. Election of officers will be placed on next month's agenda.
ITEM #6 - Reports
a) Foundation
Chair Melges stated there were 600 attendees at First Night in the Stacks with
net proceeds to date of $60,000. Sale of the cookbooks is all profit as each cook
had their own page sponsored, which made over $1,400 prior to selling any. Net
proceeds will increase to over $87,000 when all of the cookbooks are sold. Thanks
to Northern Trust underwriting the event, expenditures for First Night cost only $2-
3,000. Mr. Szabo applauded Chair Melges for all her hard work coordinating First
Night in the Stacks.
Chair Melges described the Donor Recognition Wall on the third floor stating
the ceramic book spines will have the donor's name and date of contribution. A
$ 500 donation will be recognized with a vertical spine, $1 ,000 with a horizontal
spine and $5,000 donations with horizontal spines the size of an encyclopedia. The
Foundation expects to generate $1 million from this donor recognition program and
refers to the wall as the million dollar wall.
Member Garte questioned whether the bricks from the old library will be used
as donor gifts encased in acrylic as originally planned.
b) Friends
Over 80 Friends and volunteers attended the Friends Annual Meeting and
Volunteer Recognition Tea on Sunday, April 18.
ITEM #7 - Board Comments
Member Dunn is creating a DVD of the first scope of moving out of Main
Library to the grand opening - rebirth of Clearwater Main Library. Mr. Szabo stated
the Library webmaster is preparing a PowerPoint slide presentation to run on the big
screen in the meeting room on opening day. It will include information from the
founding of the Library in 1911 to the present, with photos of some former
librarians. Jan Nickols is doing an exhibit on Library history which includes old
board minutes and a handwritten inventory of library materials.
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In response to a question regarding the new library models, Mr. Szabo stated
the library may exhibit the different models in the future.
Discussion ensued regarding a piece of artwork currently in the Harborview
from the Reference area of the old Main Library, and whether it would be brought
back for display in the new building.
In response to a question regarding the model boats previously displayed in
the old Main Library, Mr. Szabo stated they are now on display at the East Library
on top of the shelves. It was suggested they might be displayed in the special
collections room at Main Library.
ITEM #8 - Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11 :20 a.m.
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Attest:
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