OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Mr. Tom Stephan, Dr. Patricia Burkhart, Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo, Mr. Scott Reed.
Members Absent:
None
Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Director; Louis Horacek, Assistant Director, Brenda Miller, Ohio County Circuit Clerk
Call to order:
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Hess at 7:05 PM
Minutes
Dr. Burkhart moved that the minutes of the February meeting be approved. Mr. Stephan seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Financial Report:
The financial report was presented.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Dr. Burkhart moved to approve the financial report and approve payment of invoices and warrants for February and March. Dr. DiLorenzo seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas said that she would be attending a Z39.50 workshop sponsored by OVAL in Westerville, Ohio on April 30. She presented a thank you note from Brooke County Public Library for a tour of satellite facilities. Brooke County is considering ways of extending service to the Windsor Heights area, either through establishing a branch or a satellite despository collection.
Ms. Thomas reported that she had attended the West Virginia Library Commission meeting on April 12. She passed around a file of our press clippings for the previous months. She said that Amy Kastigar would attend a WVLC meeting on collection development.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ms. Thomas said that the elevator had broken down, and required replacement of the U-V-5 valve at a cost of $2,795. This valve had never been replaced before. It is involved in maintaining the oil pressure in the apparatus that keeps the elevator stationary at different floors. Mr. Hess said that this should be charged to the capital account. Other board members agreed.
OLD BUSINESS
Revision of Library Bylaws
In consideration of the portion of the bylaws requiring the signing of checks by the Board Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Stephan suggested that the Board could pass a resolution to create an acting-secretary treasurer when necessary because of an absence. Mr. Reed noted that this was already covered in the meetings section of the bylaws.
In consideration of Article II, Dr. Burkhart suggested leaving out portion specifying that the Assistant Library Director take minutes of the meetings.
In considering Article V, Dr. Burkhart said that she wanted to keep in the wording that the Board was responsible for employing the director and other employees; and also wanted to leave the phrase about policies and procedures in the bylaws.
Dr. Burkhart moved that the amended Bylaws be approved. Dr. DiLorenzo seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Burkhart | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | yes |
| Mr. Reed | yes |
Gates Library Foundation
Ms. Thomas reported that an estimate for electrical and cabling work needed for the Gates Library Foundation Computers had been received from Erb Electric for $850 for Warwood and $1750 for the main library. The Foundation grant will contribute $500 for wiring for each building. Mr. Reed suggested getting an estimate from Yahn Electric or some other firm. Dr. Burkhart moved that one or more additional estimates be solicited and Ms. Thomas be allowed to proceed with the low bidder. Dr. DiLorenzo seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Burkhart | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | yes |
| Mr. Reed | yes |
Levy Rate from County Property Taxes
Ms. Thomas reported that the County would give the library $306,262 for 1999-2000. This is an increase of $27,437 over 1998-99, and is the correct levy percentage amount specified in the law creating the library.
Ms. Thomas also said that state Grants-in-Aid were increased over 1998-99, from $3.81 to 4.01 per capita. Mr. Stephan said that he wrote eight letters to Senators and Delegates, wished the record to show that he received responses from Andy McKenzie, Ed Bowman, Gil White and Roy Givens. Ms. Thomas noted that she received responses from Andy McKenzie, Ed Bowman, Gil White, Jeff Kessler and Larry . Ms. Thomas also noted that the State Legislature decided to take Grants-in-Aid from Lottery Funds rather than the General Fund. This will mean the earliest fiscal year payments will be late in being disbursed.
Mr. Hess recounted the history of the dispute with the County Commission over the levy rate. He said that he did not know if the library was legally entitled to the difference between the statutory amount and the amount actually given to the library over the years. Mr. Reed said he thought it was not in the library's best interest to pursue the past years' money. Mr. Stephan said that he was not interested in pursuing the matter.
Annual Budget
Mr. Reed suggested that in light of the high cost of the service contract for the heating and cooling system that the library investigate having the maintenance staff trained to perform routine maintenance. Mr. Stephan said that hiring an engineer had been considered at various times but the salary would have been even more than the contract. Mr. Reed asked if it would have been cheaper just to make service calls when needed rather than have a maintenance contract. Dr. Burkhart suggested that Ms. Thomas prepare a list of what H. E. Neumann had done during routine maintenance calls and see what the maintenance men could have done just as well.
Mr. Reed suggested that the library consider seeking corporate sponsorship for capital projects.
Mr. Stephan requested a budget showing current year's budget and the proposed budget for each line item. Mr. Hess asked to receive budget material in advance of the next meeting.
Library's Property Insurance
Ms. Thomas said that the she wished to order numbered inventory labels, which would cost between $500 and $1000 for enough to tag each piece of library property. The board members suggested approaching local office supply companies about similar products, and approved in principle getting the labels.
Back-Up Equipment for Local Area Network
Mr. Horacek reported that the tape drive used for back-up of the local area network had to be replaced. He said he had hoped to have a proposal from a local company, but it had not come in. Mr. Stephan moved to give the director the authority to make the necessary purchase; Dr. Burkhart seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Burkhart | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | yes |
| Mr. Reed | yes |
NEW BUSINESS
Storage of County Records
Ms. Thomas presented a request from County Clerk Chester Kloss to store additional county records in the storage area. Dr. Burkhart moved to allow the storage of the records in the library. Mr. Reed seconded the motion.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Burkhart | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | yes |
| Mr. Reed | yes |
Additional Carpet for Reference Area
Ms. Thomas reported that insurance was paying for replacement of carpet between the Morrow Room and the area just in front of the reference desk. She said that the carpet between there and the circulation desk was worn and due for replacement. Therefore she wished the Board to approve the purchase of additional carpet, which would cost approximately $6300. She suggested the board plan to purchase carpeting for specified areas of the library on a reglar rotating basis.
Dr. Burkhart moved that the additional carpet be purchased. Dr. DiLorenzo seconded.
Vote:
| Mr. Hess | yes |
| Mr. Stephan | yes |
| Dr. Burkhart | yes |
| Dr. DiLorenzo | yes |
| Mr. Reed | yes |
Consideration of Offer to Purchase Used Microfilm Reader/Printer
Ms. Thomas said that Santco, Inc./Intermed of WV had offered the Library a used Minolta microfilm reader/printer for $1500; but that she and Mr. Horacek had looked at the machine and it was not set up for our type of microfilm or microfiche. She advised waiting to purchase until after the cost of purchasing the correct microfilm carrier could be determined.
Update on State Grants-in-Aid and WVLC Activities
Ms. Thomas reported on a presentation for Trustees at WVLA's Spring Fling by State Librarian David Price and WVLC staff member J. D. Waggoner. She handed out copies of the handouts from the meeting. She said that the implications of these handouts were that the state Union Catalog would be eliminated soon. She said that the state will be assessing our computers to see if they are network-compatible, or whether they can be used elsewhere (the question being whether "elsewhere" means at another library).
Ms. Thomas also reported on the State Librarian's presentation of his responses to the Directions 2000 report. She said that he was planning further assessment of all library buildings in the state, and of all library collections with a view toward consolidation of collection development and cataloging.
Ms. Thomas also reported on a meeting called by David Price for all the state's library directors. The focus of the meeting was the new funding actions taken by the state legislature for public libraries. These involve the moving of Grants-in-Aid from the General Fund the Lottery Funds. Also, LSTA funds may move toward a system of competitive grants.
At 9:25 PM the Board went into executive session to discuss personnel issues, and remained in executive session until 10:05 PM.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:05 PM.