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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-02-07 EULESS LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES February 7, 2002 Chairman Mike McGehee called the Special Orientation Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT STAFF PRESENT GUESTS Betty Fuller JoAnn Rogers Jane Aronhalt Alex Horton Sheila Williams Debbie Kunze Mike McGehee Kerry McGeath LuAnn Portugal Sherry Moeller Barney Snitz Karan Jasper Kathy Grove Marcia Brown Gracie Reyes DISPOSITION OF THE MINUTES: Chairman Mike McGehee asked for a motion to be made to accept the minutes as presented. Barney Snitz made the motion to accept the minutes as presented, and Marcia Brown seconded the motion. The motion was passed, and the minutes were approved as presented. REPORTS FROM THE LIBRARY ADMINISTRATOR: December, 2001 and January, 2002 GENERAL REPORTS: December, `01 January, `02 • Items Circulated 25794 32633 • Library Accounts 37668 37668 • Visits to the Library 14997 20625 • Reference Assistance O Reference 1820 2470 O Directional 650 828 O Computer Related 427 843 • Total 2990 4141 • Computer Usage O Word Processing Users 988 1236 Hours Used 741 927 O Internet/Database Users 6412 7508 Hours Used 2484 2947 • Program Attendance O Adult 215 295 O Youth 402 711 • Total 617 1006 • Library Holdings 92762 93942 Additional Comments: The circulation statistics are improving with January, 2002 having the highest attendance ever. What makes this even more remarkable is that the month of January is usually a slow one. Reference and computer questions are double that of 1999 while the number of the Staff is the same. The Library's Collection and Development Policies focus on what people want, and the Library is apparently meeting its goal in getting materials the patrons want. The Orientation Meeting went well last month, and we hope everyone on the Board learned at least one new thing(which we all agreed that we did). The dividing wall for the Conference Room was approved by the City so the Library may continue to use the Conference Room while there is voting going on. As for finishing out the space in the Youth Area, the Library will find out in May or June whether or not this will be economically feasible. There was a small fire before the Library opened this past Monday, and there was no heat in the building on Tuesday which was a cold day. The heat is mostly back on but not all the way yet. • The Lloyd statue was vandalized, and it may have to be taken away to be repaired. A police report has been filed. JoAnn handed out an article from The Dallas Morning News regarding Libraries shedding their bookish image by providing such amenities as comfortable seating, coffee, and internet-ready computers in order to attract more patrons. As more Libraries provide these and other amenities (the Carrollton Library has a coffee shop which sells baked goods, and the Dallas Library is planning a café), they are finding their attendance is increasing. This article emphasizes how ahead of the game our Library is as the Euless Library is already doing most of the suggestions in the article and has been doing them for quite awhile now. The new Study Room Procedures are going well. Mr. Clark is using the Library again and even brought the Staff chocolates. • With Spring around the corner, the butterfly display is back for a second time. • There is a Masterworks Program this coming Monday night featuring bluegrass music. Don't forget to check out the Calendar of Events for the rest of February. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. NEW AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS: Representatives from the Mid-Cities Genealogical Society(MCGS),Jane Aronhalt and Debbie Kunze,were in attendance to discuss the Genealogical Collection at the Library, and what the best use of its space, material funds, and Staff are for the MCGS as well as for the rest of the Library Patrons. Currently,there are very few Library Users who go into the genealogy area, and the Library really could use this space for a Career/Business Section and for the Fiction Section which is also running out of space. The history of the genealogy collection was shared, and it was acknowledged the MCGS,the Friends of the Library, and dedicated citizens from The Book Cottage days were and are very instrumental in establishing and maintaining the genealogy collection. However, as it is not easy to build a genealogy collection,the Library is considering being a referral center rather than trying to maintain and develop its own genealogical collection. To do this, Kerry and Sherry are analyzing the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Grapevine Libraries Genealogical Collections and seeing if there is any overlap in our collection. Kerry has talked with the Grapevine Library about doing beginning genealogy programming as well as coming up with a brochure about what genealogical resources are available in other nearby communities. Other ideas would be to arrange all day bus trips to the Dallas or Fort Worth Libraries,having special programs, and offering the Conference Room for the Mid-Cities Genealogical Society Board meetings. It was recommended the Library and MCGS clean up the collection,put old books in the back so they will have to be asked for, and put other reference books back in the Library where they belong such as the Texana books which appear to make up about one-fourth of the genealogy collection. The MCGS has offered to do whatever is necessary to maintain the genealogy collection by having volunteers available in the evening,training Staff,holding seminars for beginning genealogists,having lock-ins,having a coordinator from the group work with the Library, and doing whatever else may be necessary. CIITIZEN INPUT: None. ADJOURNMENT: The Chairman asked for a motion to adjourn. The motion was made by Barney Snitz and seconded by Betty Fuller. The meeting was adjourned at 8:38 p.m. Respectfully sul fitted, a thy ✓ode%,� Eules Library Board Secretary