HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-12-04 Ei7LESS LIBRARY BOARD
December 4, 1975
Regular Meeting
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at
7:40 PM in the Fuller Room at the Library by Roy Blood,
Chairman. Members attending:
Roy Blood
Hay Fuller
Jo Ingram
Dottie Ragley
Barbara Zieschang
Member absent, but excused:
Bill McCray (out of town)
Also attending, Mrs. Geneva Armstrong,
Librarian, and Council-Mayor-Pro-Tem Willie Mae I"cCormick.
MINUTES TO NOVEMBER 6 MEETING APPROVED
No objections or corrections forthcoming,
the Chairman declared the minuts to the Novter 6 meeting
approved.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
The circulation record shows an in-
crease of 4.30 over the first two months of the last fiscal
year. The continuing high totals in registration may re-
flect the 40 ' annual turnover rate in residency of our pop-
ulation. Although the incoming call rate is less than last
month, the reference calls are the same indicating sustained
information service to the community. The addition of one
additional phone instument on the reference librarian 's desk
has enabled the staff to make the late-book and overdue calls
in greater privacy.* The installation of signal lights on
the instuments has increased the efficiency of the staff in
checking to see if the phone is in use before attempting use.
The card-file drawers in the circulation desk are installed
and are much appreciated.
The Federal LSCA grant through the
MRS will mean 5$2,057.30 credit for library materials for
Euless in addition to the X600+ from State LSA. The Texas
Library Association membership cards have been sent out
and all board members should have received one.
The Christmas decorati- ns were put
up this week, and two loads of excess donated magazines were
delivered to the Mosier Valley Library and to the Masonic
Home for Aged Masons.
Bill LcCray reports that he will go
to meet with the man who buys scrap metal and motors next
week in Austin. The removal of the man 's company from
Houston to Austin has delayed this meeting.
*The reference librarian also has moved the Interlibrary Loan
materials to the reference section and can handle both this
business and reference calls with greater facility.
r
EULESS LIBRARY BOARD - December 4, 1975 - Page 2
FORT WORTH FAJOR RESOURCE SYSTEM - Zieschang
The Texas Library Systems are in process of being
evaluated by the Public Administration Commission of
Austin. This will consist of three parts: I Survey of
all systems , member libraries and council members as to
the effectiveness and aspirations of each existing system
and problems as they see them,II Evaluation of each system
and the Texas system as a whole, III Recommended changes in
the Texas Library Systems Act to make the law more responsive
to actual need and use. The Survey has been distributed
and the date for return was November 12. A scheduled
meeting of the FWNRS Council for January 15 should give us
an up-date on the results of this survey.
One of the main points our Council would like to see
changed in the LSA is the assignment of responsibility
for administrating the system. The present law deals only
with the city whose library is the NRC. Theoretically that
city could assign the responsibility to the LS staff, but
in practice, the city (in our case, Fort Worth) keeps the
responsibility within the municipal offices assigned to an
assistant auditor and charges the system 5%+ for services
which could well be performed by staff, especially since
it is strictly bookkeeping (no actual funds are handled) .
That may seem nit-picky, but in a state like Texas rated
41st out of 50 states where several states do not even
have library services, every bit of funding that can be
released for developing better collections and services
must be utilized. Several other points have been emphasized
among them, the importance of retaining the Size 2 libraries
responsibility in the Interlibrary Loan chain, enough flexibility
i the law to allow each system to develop according to its
needs within a master plan for overall improvement of services
Statewide, accreditation recognition for librarians and
staff who prove qualified, recognition of the validity of
the knowledge of where their needs lie of the local librarians
(those who advise must be open to communication from those
they seek to advise) .
,O'JUCIL FO's? SOCIAL CONCERNS
This Council is developing a Citizens
Handbook to the City of Euless one page of which is devoted
to the Library.
ADJOU RNMENT
No objections forthcoming, the Chairman
adjourned the meeting at 8:05 PM.
Barbara Zieschang, Secretary Roy Blood, Chairman