02/03/2022 Library Board Meeting Minutes February 3, 2022
City of Clearwater
Main Library- Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
e
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, February 3, 2022
10:15 AM
Main Library - Council Chambers
Library Board
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City of Clearwater
Library Board Meeting Minutes February 3, 2022
Roll Call
Present 4 - Chair Donna Dennis, Vice Chair Kelly McLeay, Board Member Helen
Amburgey, and Board Member Timothy Promen
Absent 3 - Board Member Rosemarie Kibitlewski, Board Member Barbara Ann
Murphey, and Board Member Andrew Lorenti
Also Present - Jennifer L. Obermaier— Library Director, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board
Reporter
1. Call To Order
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 Approval of November 4, 2021, Library Board Minutes
Member McLeay moved to approve the minutes of the February 4,
2021 Library Board meeting as submitted in written summation.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda
Arwen Goodwin's eComment complimenting the staff, services, and
technology opportunities provided by the Main Library was read into the
record by the Board Reporter(see page 5).
4. New Business Items
4.1 Winter Library Program
Library Director Jennifer Obermaier said programming had returned to the
Library with social distancing in place. The Library was partnering with the
Parks & Recreation Department for craft activities, a Jurassic Park event,
and Comicon and the downtown Blues Fest. The 5t" annual Night at the
Library special event will celebrate Black History Month. Library Division
Manager David Stoner, a certified NASA solar ambassador, provides
telescope programs at all City library locations. Based on masking concerns,
AARP(American Association of Retired Persons) canceled this year's tax
help program.
Ms. Obermaier said staff was preparing this summer's reading program. She
hoped more retired professionals would avail themselves for one on one or
small group tutoring. Volunteers were slowly returning and participating in
the many adult volunteer opportunities.
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City of Clearwater
Library Board Meeting Minutes February 3, 2022
4.2 Main Library Renovation
Ms. Obermaier reviewed Main Library renovation plans. The consultant
determined that project costs had risen due to increased prices and supply
chain issues. She anticipated renovations will increase library activity and
provide synergy with Imagine Clearwater, she hoped they would be
approved as a CIP (Capital Improvement Project) in the next fiscal year
budget.
Interest was expressed in attending the City Council meeting when the CIP
is considered.
4.3 Election of Officers
Member McLeay moved to reappoint Donna Dennis as Chair. The
motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
Member Amburgey moved to reappoint Kelly McLeay as Vice Chair.
The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
5. Old Business Items
5.1 Library Hours
Ms. Obermaier said filling staff vacancies had been challenging. Clearwater
East Community Library returned to normal hours on January 10 and the
remaining libraries hope to return to pre-Covid hours by March 1.
5.2 Clyde Butcher Exhibit at Main Library
Ms. Obermaier said the Clyde Butcher exhibit, funded and managed by the
CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), has attracted many visitors. Mr.
Butcher will provide a lecture in March. The exhibit, which runs through the
end of May, has been a great success. She thanked the CRA for providing
residents, especially those on fixed incomes, an opportunity to view the
exhibit at no cost.
6. Director's Report
6.1 Update Library Foundation
Ms. Obermaier said the Library Foundation would meet next Tuesday for the
first time since the pandemic began.
6.2 Update Friends of the Clearwater Library
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City of Clearwater
Library Board
Meeting Minutes February 3, 2022
Ms. Obermaier said the Friends of the Clearwater Library met last week
to plan this summer's teen intern and scholarship programs which were
temporarily halted during the pandemic. No book sales are currently
planned. The store in the Main Library is too small for volunteers; customers
pay for purchases at the circulation desk.
7. Board Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
In response to Member Promen's question, Ms. Obermaier said she would
contact Public Communications re promoting the library on CView prior to
City Council worksessions and meetings.
Member Amburgey said the City had a great media team, able to promote
the library on social media.
Chair Dennis said the Board would use all their available resources to
promote the Library and let residents know about the Library's multiple
resources available to them. She said it was important to protect the
community's most important resource which is open and accessible to all.
Ms. Obermaier complimented the City's social media team and reviewed
their efforts to promote the library. She will request the Mayor announce
library programming at the end of a City Council meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 10:45 a.m.
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City of Clearwater
(4444
Chair — Library Board
,E
Sullivan, Patricia
From: Call, Rosemarie
Sent: Tuesday, February 1, 2022 8:54 AM
To: Sullivan, Patricia
Subject: FW: New eComment for Library Board on 2022-02-03 10:15 AM
FYI
From: noreply@granicusideas.com <noreply@granicusideas.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 1, 2022 12:16 AM
To: Call, Rosemarie <Rosemarie.Call@myClearwater.com>
Subject: New eComment for Library Board on 2022-02-03 10:15 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of Clearwater. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
New eComment for Library Board on 2022-02-03
10:15 AM
Arwen Goodwin submitted a new eComment.
Meeting: Library Board on 2022-02-03 10:15 AM
Item: 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda
eComment: I live in the Lake Belleview neighborhood and I would like to say that I value our
Clearwater Main Library. The kid's floor has brought so much value to my older boys (15 and
13), who now volunteer regularly for the library. My 5 year old daughter has missed out on the
library in recent years due to Covid, but please don't accept any reduced attendance due to
Covid as a reason to reduce the services the library offers or to devalue the library's contribution
to our community. Please please please recognize the library as a valuable resource that can be
shaped and molded to service our communities. The Clearwater Main Library has exposed my
kids to technology I would not have been able to afford in my own home (3D printing, Media
rooms, Robotics). I truly believe we need to keep these buildings and spaces for the library and
give the library administration the room and freedom to find how they best fit with the community
as technology and media forms change and develop. There are so many ideas I could create
free text here, but I think the library administration could find the best use of their resources if
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they continue to receive the full support of the community and if their impressive contributions to
our communities are recognized by city management and leadership.
View and Analyze eComments
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