Loading...
09/20/2002LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING CITY OF CLEARWATER September 20, 2002 Present: Judy Melges Chair Tom Leavy Vice Chair Howard Adler Board Member Frederick Dunn Board Member Glenn Garte Board Member Katherine Merriam Board Member Absent: Rhonda Smith Board Member Also Present: John Szabo Library Director Susan Doel Administrative Analyst Chair Judy Melges called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. ITEM #1 - Welcome Chair Melges welcomed Board members back from summer adjournment. ITEM #2 - Minutes Member Glenn Garte moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of May 17, 2002. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. ITEM #3 – Library Director’s Report a) Main Library Project Update Library Director John Szabo reported the Main Library construction project is on schedule. Seventy-nine caissons were placed underground at depths ranging from 20 to 72 ft. Grade beams and pile caps are almost completed. Placement of structural steel should begin in October and be completed by the end of December. The preliminary furniture schedule, partnerships for programming gallery space with museums, and the Friends gift shop are all items currently under discussion. A Request for Proposal is being prepared for café operations. North Greenwood Branch Library Project Update Mr. Szabo reported the North Greenwood Branch Library construction project is on schedule and near completion. Exterior lighting is installed. Three hundred bricks, one hundred of which are engraved, are ready for placement. Furniture has been ordered from Furniture By Design, a local Clearwater company. Landscaping is planned for November. The interior sculpture, funded by Tim and Rita Garvey, is essentially complete. Creative Arts, a Pinellas Park firm, will design interior signage and a three dimensional mural in the children’s area. Christine Wigfall Morris African American Collection The City Commission accepted the Advisory Board’s recommendation and officially named the African American collection the Christine Wigfall Morris African American Collection. In addition, the Children’s area will be named for Jeannette S. Bacon, in memory of Tony Bacon’s mother, and the Circulation area named for the Clearwater Woman’s Club. FY 02/03 Budget The City Commission approved the FY 02/03 budget with a millage increase. In response to Member Garte’s question about possible Sunday hours at the new Main Library, Mr. Szabo reviewed the 12.5 FTE staffing needs for the new North Greenwood and Main Libraries based on current operating hours. Calendar of Events Board members complimented the Calendar of Events distributed. In addition, Mr. Szabo distributed a reading guide for the countywide One Bay One Book reading program. The first book chosen for patron reading is Killing Mister Watson, by Peter Matthiessen. Copies are available in all Clearwater Libraries. State Library Advisory Council As a result of his election to the office of Vice President/President-Elect of Florida Library Association, Mr. Szabo was appointed to the State Library Advisory Council. Several issues at the State relating to libraries were discussed. Secretary of State Jim Smith is now over libraries after Secretary Katherine Harris’ resignation. Secretary Smith’s budget request for State Aid to Libraries reflected an increase to $43 million. The library community will be advocating for this increase. Another critical issue is the transition of the Secretary of State’s office to an appointed position and the future of Divisions and Departments that fall under the Secretary of State including libraries, most notably the State Library. The State Library Advisory Council wants the State Library and three Bureaus to stay intact under the Secretary of State and fall under the Governor, rather than other options being discussed. Polaris Survey/Evaluation The Library’s Systems Analyst and Automation Librarian have surveyed staff on their likes and dislikes of Polaris, the Library’s automation system, in anticipation of reviewing other systems on the market. Anytime-Anywhere Library (TBLC) In the next few months, Clearwater will be joining the Anytime-Anywhere Library, an online product associated with Tampa Bay Library Consortium. Patrons will be able to search all online catalogs of the Tampa Bay area and initiate interlibrary loan requests. Interlibrary Loan of Videocassettes and CDs Clearwater will now allow interlibrary loan of videocassettes and compact disks. DVD’s will not be loaned due to the limited number in the collection. Citizen’s Leadership Academy The City of Clearwater has implemented a Citizen’s Leadership Academy. Through this program approximately twenty citizens from the community have the opportunity to learn more about City government. ITEM #4 – Unfinished Business Member Garte expressed concern that the Board was not kept apprised of library matters during the summer with monthly updates as requested at the May Board meeting. Mr. Szabo agreed this will be done next summer. Member Garte questioned the status of the Board’s input to Mayor Aungst’s request for suggestions to improve attendance at the annual Advisory Board Dinner. Although a considerable amount of time lapsed between the Mayor’s request and the Board’s discussion at the May Board meeting, Chair Melges contacted the Mayor’s office and will submit the Board’s comments in writing to that office. ITEM #5 – New Business – None ITEM #6 – Reports Foundation At the last City Commission meeting the Foundation presented $2.1 million toward the $5 million pledge for new Main Library. A $50,000 check was also presented for enhancements for the North Greenwood Branch Library, bringing the Foundation’s contributions to $80,000 of the $100,000 pledge for North Greenwood Branch Library enhancements. Chair Melges noted that the Clearwater operation of the Philadelphia Phillies contributed $1,500 toward enhancements for the North Greenwood Branch Library. In recognition of this contribution, a “P” appears on the baseball cap of the boy in the bronze sculpture for the North Greenwood Branch Library. Mr. Szabo shared pictures of the sculpture with the Board. Friends Friends of the Clearwater Library Scholarship Awards were presented at the last City Commission meeting to five library employees: David Lane, Deritangian Davis, Tereasa Roose, Tracey Reed, and Billie Jo Shaw. From its inception in 1993, Friends have presented $24,000 in scholarship funds to date. The scholarship program is being revisited. ITEM #7 – Board Comments Member Garte has cleaned sixty-five bricks to date from the old Main Library. Member Garte asked the board to provide input next meeting on the earlier discussion of staffing issues associated with possible Sunday hours at the new Main Library. ITEM #8 – Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.