Chambana Sun

Champaign Public Library Board of Trustees met April 19.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

1. The meeting was called to order at 5:50 p.m. by Vice President, La Due.

2. Members Present: Katie Blakeman, Deb Busey, Trisha Crowley, Michael La Due, and Charles Lansford

Members Absent: Mark Ballard, Minnie Pearson, and Orlando Thomas

Library Staff Present: Donna Pittman, Amy Al-Shabibi, Jill Bouvet, Sarah Butt, Essie Harris, Kristina Hoerner, Debbie Keith, Amanda Raklovits, Michael Rogalla, Evelyn Shapiro, Brandon Stokes and Laura Weis

Visitors Present: Natalie Frankenberg, League of Women Voters and Molly Talkington, City Finance

3. Approve the Agenda:

• Motion by Crowley to approve the agenda as presented; seconded by Busey. All: Aye.

4. Approve the Minutes:

a. Regular Meeting Minutes, March 15, 2017

b. Nominating Committee Minutes, April 6, 2017

• Motion by Busey to approve the minutes of March 15, 2017 as presented; seconded by Crowley. All: Aye.

• Motion by Blakeman to approve minutes of April 6, 2017 as presented; seconded by Crowley.

5. Election of Interim President through June 2017 (Standing Committee on Nominations):

• Motion by Blakeman on behalf of Ballard to nominate Charles Lansford as Interim President through June 2017, seconded by Crowley.

• Motion by Crowley to close the nominations, seconded by Busey.

• Motion carried as recommended and presented by the committee. Vote: All: Aye – Blakeman, Busey, Crowley, La Due, and Lansford.

6. Director’s Report:

• Pittman introduced Sarah Butt, who is the new Teen Librarian. She started as a Grad assistant from the U of I in a grant funded project to bring technology to teens, which helped connect us to Fab Lab and even helped acquire equipment from the Fab Lab for us. She was hired as a Library Associate in Adult Services prior to becoming the Teen Librarian. Exciting things are coming for our teen programs with the focus on technology.

• Essie Harris, Douglass Branch Manager, provided a preview of upcoming events including the Douglass Branch Book Club hosting Terry McMillan on May 4 at the main library with thanks to the Friends, the 20th anniversary of Douglass Branch Library and the annual Juneteenth celebration on June 17 with Jesse White Tumblers performing. Commemorative t-shirts will be sold and memories will be collected from patrons throughout the rest of the year to say what Douglass Branch means to them.

• Pittman announced the Terry McMillan tickets will be available tomorrow at 10 a.m. McMillan will be featured on the second floor of the main library to accommodate 150 people in a beautiful setting.

• Pittman reported the summer reading program will be called “The Sky’s the Limit” and will include a space exhibit from NASA with a moon rock and paraphernalia. She has been working with Denise Raleigh, who has a consulting business specializing in library exhibits, to help contact NASA and submit an application for us to receive a live transmission from the space station. The kickoff on May 21 will be exciting and music performances will be outside of the library and inside of the library, and special storytimes.

• Pittman shared that another program was coming up, a poetry reading with Michael La Due next Wednesday evening.

• Pittman has been working with the architects on some plans to rework some areas of the library. They just sent initial plans and budgets for different areas and she will share more at the next meeting.

• Pittman’s monthly report is produced by the Promotions Department including comments from library users and highlighting programs.

• Pittman commented the National Library Week was very successful with over 39 events happening that week.

7. FY 2017/18 Proposed Revised Budget:

• Talkington, from the City Finance Department, is present for any questions.

• Pittman explained the increased tax revenues for the library for FY 2016/17 and FY 2017/18. Pittman recommends adopting a revised budget for both years to incorporate the additional funds.

• For the revised budget proposing for the two months left in the current fiscal year: increase our bandwidth to 1 gig and updating wireless access points to help our Wi-Fi be more reliable and faster; add funds to the professional development line to allow staff to attend the ALA conference in June; temporarily increase the hours of two part-time staff members in Adult Services and Promotions through June 30; and transfer $50,000 to the Capital fund to help the five study rooms with smart meeting technology.

• Highlights for fiscal year 2017/18 include: filling five vacant staff positions (4.05 FTE); adding the annual cost in for the increased bandwidth; a temporary increase in hours for part-time staff in Circulation; adding funds to the Professional Services line to hire a strategic planning consultant; and increasing professional development to allow more staff to attend conferences and training including ILA, PLA, and ALA annual conferences.

• Filling the five vacant positions allowing the reinstatement of some of the hours cut in 2015; Wednesday and Thursday evenings at DBL from 6-8 pm, Thursday evenings at Main Library from 6- 9 pm and add one hour on Sunday, opening at noon instead of 1 pm. We are hoping to reinstate these hours by August 15, if not before.

• Pittman explained these changes would increase the ending fund balance for both years, including a 3% transfer from the operating fund to the capital fund for both years and allow us to move forward with the services needed.

• Motion by Busey to approve the budget proposed revised budget as presented; seconded by Blakeman. All: Aye.

8. 2017/18 Personnel – Classifications, Grades, Full-Time Equivalents/Salary Schedule L:

• Pittman explained the report is sent to City Council each year as part of the final budget to approve our personnel complement and salary schedule. Next year we are increasing the FTE by 4.05 (five vacant positions that we are filling).

• Motion by Crowley to approve as presented; seconded by Lansford. All: aye.

9. Financial Reports:

a. Approve “Check Register” and “Handwritten Checks” for March 2017:

• Keith explained several expenditures.

• Motion by Crowley to file the check register, handwritten checks and check summary for March 2017 in the amount of $226,911.64 as presented; seconded by Blakeman. All: Aye.

b. 2016-2017 Financial Statements:

• Motion by Busey to accept the financial statements for March 2017 as presented; seconded by Lansford. All: Aye.

10. Surplus Property:

• Pittman reported that the meeting room tables needed to be replaced due to heavy use and the legs were coming loose and could not be repaired which were becoming dangerous to use. New tables were found that are on wheels, which will be very easy to arrange and help our maintenance staff.

• Motion by Busey to approve the sell, disposal, or donation of surplus property as presented; seconded by Blakeman. All: Aye.

11. Biannual Review of Closed Session Minutes:

• Pearson indicated in the attached memo that all items should remain closed at this time.

• Motion by Busey to move the minutes remain closed as recommended; seconded by Blakeman. All: Aye. Present for vote: Blakeman, Busey, Crowley, La Due and Lansford.

12. Correspondence and Communications:

• Articles from The News-Gazette written by Kelly Strom, Collection Development Manager, entitled “Slow, Deliberate Suspense” (March 5, 2017) and “Mysteries Featuring Strong Characters” (March 19, 2017).

• Letter from Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian, awarding the Champaign Public Library a FY2017 Illinois Public Library Per Capita Grant in the amount of $62,934.34 (April 6, 2017).

13. Committee and Liaison Reports:

a. Champaign Public Library Foundation:

• No meeting.

b. Friends of the Champaign Public Library:

• Lansford reported the Friends approved the funding request for the summer reading program “The Sky is the Limit”.

14. Comments from the Audience:

• “Wonderful library, keep up the good work”.

15. Comments from the Board:

• Blakeman wanted to thank the Children’s Department for sending a list of books her daughter might enjoy.

• Lansford welcomed back La Due now that he is official as a regular Library Board member. City Councilman Greg Stock will be joining us as the representative on the Board.

16. Closed Session: Director Evaluation: A closed session for “(1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee to determine its validity” or (2) Collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees,” as authorized by 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) and 5 ILCA 120/2(c)(2).

• Roll call vote obtained.

• The Board entered closed session at 6:20 p.m.

• Board members discussed Pittman’s evaluation process.

• The Board returned to open session at 6:45 p.m.

17. Next Meetings or Events:

• Regular Meeting, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 5:30 p.m., 3rd Floor Conf. Room, Main Library

• Regular Meeting, Wednesday, June 21, 2017, 5:30 p.m., 3rd Floor Conf. Room, Main Library

• Regular Meeting, Wednesday, July 19, 2017, 5:30 p.m., 3rd Floor Conf. Room, Main Library

18. Adjournment:

• Motion to adjourn; seconded by Blakeman. All: Aye. The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

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