OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Mr. Tom Stephan, Dr. Charles Julian, Miss Sally Carroll.
Members Absent:
Sr. Mary Jude Jochum
Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Director; Louis Horacek, Assistant Director, Brenda Miller, Ohio County Circuit Clerk, Tom Jewell Wheeling Intelligencer reporter; Jane McLean, Honey Louistau, Amy O'Brien.
Call to order:
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Hess at 7:00 PM
Minutes
Dr. Julian moved that the minutes of the February meeting be approved. Miss Carroll asked that the minutes be changed to reflect the correct spelling of her first name, Sarah, and her preferred form of address, Miss. Dr. Julian moved that the minutes be approved with the corrections, and Mr. Stephan seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Julian | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | absent |
| Miss Carroll | yes |
Financial Report:
The financial report was presented. Dr. Julian asked if the Board should be concerned about line items that were over 50% of the budgeted amount. Ms. Thomas said that the library was 67% of the way through the budget year. Dr. Julian asked what the procedure was when a line item went over budget, and did the board have to amend the budget in such situations. Mr. Hess said that it was acceptable as long as the bottom line was within the budget.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Dr. Julian moved to approve the financial report and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Mr. Stephan seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas presented a written director's report (attached).
Mr. Stephan said that he had communicated with Sen. McKenzie who had confirmed that the library's legislative digest request had been passed along to the Finance Committee.
Dr. Julian suggested informing legislators about the local meeting about the WVLC Strategic Plan on March 22.
Mr. Hess noted that he had received a letter from former Board Member Mr. Scott Reed saying that he had returned to Wheeling.
Mr. Hess said that he felt that Ms. Thomas' letter written in support of a candidate for the West Virginia Library Commission should not have been written on library stationery. Mr. Stephan agreed. Ms. Thomas stated that she did not realize that would be problem, and in the future she would write any letters of that sort on plain stationery.
OLD BUSINESS
Update on Building Maintenance and Improvement Projects
Ms. Thomas said that AEP had installed the outside area lighting. She noted that the ballast on one of the parking lot lights still had to be replaced. She said that the sign on 16th Street was now lighted. She said that maintenance staff were working on the lights on the side of the building.
Dr. Julian asked if the damaged slate in the driveway area could be repaired.
Mr. Hess asked how rest room renovations were coming. Miss Carroll said that stall doors were still missing. Ms. Thomas said that she was contacting a distributor of restroom equipment recommended by Oglebay Park. Dr. Julian said that rest rooms were still not being kept clean enough.
Unique Management Services (Collection Agency)
Mr. Horacek reported that 33 patrons' accounts had been turned over to the agency since January, and that eight of the patrons who had been turned over to Unique Managment had returned some or all of the books or paid all or part of the money due. He said that the trial period would be over in April. As of the end of February the library had received $78.00 in fines and fees, and had $550.10 worth of materials returned.
Purchases from the Eleanor Bruhn and Anthony Werner donations
Ms. Thomas said that Bean bags, a die cutter, display bookshelves, bulletin boards and three wooden tables with 12 chairs had been purchased for a total of $5,932.71. The furniture for Warwood and for storage of the CD collection had not been purchased yet. She said she thought that the comfortable seating for the children's section should not be purchased because the area was getting a little too much furniture in it.
Ms. Thomas said that she would be developing a list of additional furniture and equipment needs.
With the permission of the Board Chairman, Ms. Amy O'Brien delivered some remarks about the Friends of the Library group.
NEW BUSINESS
WVLA's "Spring Fling" Conference
Ms. Thomas said that five people would be going to Spring Fling in April. Dr. Julian moved that she be authorized to spend up to $400 in conference expenses. Miss Carroll seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Julian | yes |
| Sr. Mary Jude | absent |
| Miss Carroll | yes |
Update on West Virginia Library commission Meetings and Legislation
Ms. Thomas said that the Library Commission was working on it's Strategic Plan, with meetings scheduled around the state. She said that the Commission had also introduced its proposed collection development policy. These proposed policies would both have two public hearings at future WVLC meetings.
She said that several legislative bills concerning public libraries had been introduced during this year's legislative session. One concerned the distribution of Grants-in-Aid, one concerned the Board of Education funds, and several concerned Internet filtering and obcenity, all of which had failed. She said a joint resolution prohibiting withholding Grants-in-Aid until there was a reconsideration of the Administrative Rules and Regulations of the WVLC was still in the Senate Rules Committee when the session ended.
Request to Purchase Computer for Bookkeeping
Mr. Horacek said that American Fundware, the provider of bookkeeping software had discontinued support of the version of their software used on the bookkeeping computer, and that the computer lacked enought memory to run the new release. The computer also lacked a CD ROM drive, which is required for the new software. Mr. Stephan said that the administrator of the library at the time the computer had been purchased did not give board members proper information. He had assured the board that the new computer would eliminate the obsolescence experienced with the previous computer used in bookkeeping.
Dr. Julian asked for a written proposal including an evaluation of the old computer by Jane Kraina from Mary H. Weir Public Library, since OCPL is a participant in the LSTA Technology Grant fro Ms. Kraina's position as Computer Systems Manager.
Discussion of Future Agenda Items
Dr. Julian asked that a computer inventory, replacement schedule and budget be prepared.
Dr. Julian asked if the Board felt that a strategic plan would be valuable. Mr. Hess said that a five-year plan had been developed several years ago and that he would provide copies to newer Board members.
Executive Session for Discussion of Personnel Issues
Dr. Julian moved that the Board go into executive session to discussion personnel issues. Mr. Stephan seconded. The vote was unanimous, and the Board went into executive session at 8:40 PM.
The Board came out of executive session at 9:10.
Dr. Julian moved to adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p. m.