01/17/1997 LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
CITY OF CLEARWATER
January 17, 1997
Present: Marshall Bennett Member
Estelle Dunn Member
Joanne Laurenti Member
Christine Morris Member
Dr. Arlita Hallam Library Director
Susan Hackett Acting Board Reporter
Dr. David Berry Former Board Member
Fred Dunn Former Board Member
Absent: Wilbert Bacon Chair
Tom Leavy Member
Thalia Kelsey Member
Judy Melges Member
Dr. William Raffaniello Member
2 vacant seats
Attending Board members and two guests were picked up by Dr. Arlita Hallam between 6:l0 am and 7:00 am on Friday, January 17, 1997, to travel by van to Tallahassee, FL, to tour the
Leon County Public Library.
Board members and Dr. Hallam discussed the current vacancies on the Library Advisory Board.
Discussion followed concerning two possible sites for a Main Library in Clearwater:
a) the bluff site where the present Main Library sits or immediately next to Harborview Center
b) the East end property (old Annex site) at the corner of Cleveland St. and Missouri Ave.
Two members favored the bluff site and two members favored the East end property. Pros and cons of both sites were discussed.
Board members stopped for lunch at 11:30 am before arriving at the Leon County Public Library at l:00 pm.
Helen Moeller, Director of the Leon County Public Library, greeted the Clearwater group. She introduced Andrew Welch of Welch & Ward Architects, Inc., designer of the Main Library,
and Leonard Gray, project manager for construction of the building. Ms. Moeller led the group on a complete tour of the library building. Dr. Hallam took pictures to be developed into
slides for future presentation to Board members unable to attend the field trip.
Specific areas within the library building that have proved to be problems for staff or were perceived as possible problems by some members of the Clearwater group are:
a) stationary, circular public service desks which can never be moved
b) location of circulation desk too far removed from entrance/exit doors (security problem)
c) atrium with curved staircase located in the center of all floors, limiting direct access to materials across the room
d) noise from a wooden play area in children's area
e) numerous staff work areas located around the perimeter of the building posing security problems
f) two separate entrance/exit areas servicing two different street accesses (duplicate security gates)
g) access to administrative office area from public staircase without good visibility from inside the offices
The following were of particular interest to the group:
a) sound baffles used throughout the building on walls for limiting noise are also used to display art work from local schools; art displays are also mounted on 3-fold wood panels
covered with carpeting
b) shelving ranges were numbered
c) staff work rooms were away from public view but close enough for quick response to staffing needs
d) meeting rooms were located near the entrance with separate hallway for use after hours
e) Friends' giftshop (called Friendshop) offered new gifts for sale as well as used books
The tour ended with questions and answers. Members of the Clearwater group left the Leon County Public Library at 4:00 pm to return to Clearwater. During the trip to Clearwater, members
discussed visiting other libraries similar in size to the proposed new Main Library for Clearwater.
Members returned to Clearwater by 10:00 pm.