OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MINUTES

October Board Meeting

October 12, 1999

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Mr. Stephan	yes
Dr. Julian	yes
Dr. DiLorenzo	absent
Sr. Mary Jude	yes

Financial Report:
The financial report was presented. Dr. Julian noted that there was no revenue from Grants-in-Aid in the report.
INVOICES AND WARRANTS
Mr. Stephan moved to approve the financial report and approve payment of invoices and warrants; Sr. Mary Jude seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Ms. Thomas distributed a written director's report. (attached)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mr. Hess reported that the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce had asked if the library had any one to suggest for participation in its leadership program. Ms. Thomas noted that she had completed this program in Pittsburg, Kansas. She also stated that with her recent election as First Vice-President, President-Elect of WVLA she would have insufficient time over the next two years to participate in the leadership program.
OLD BUSINESS
Signs for the Main Library and Warwood
Dr. Julian reported that he had asked David Wharton at the Progressive Bank particularly about attaching a sign to the building, and Mr. Wharton had said that the management of the bank would be receptive to a proposal. He also had said that parking would not be a problem as long as library patrons parked on the right side of the bank's lot. Ms. Thomas said the library should have some sign in the library to that effect. Mr. Hess said that Ms. Thomas should develop a signage plan for the Warwood branch and also for the south side of the Main Library. He suggested approaching Mansuetto Barnes Culler Advertising and Gwynn Advertising for a design.
Professional Cleaning of Areas of Carpet
Ms. Thomas said that she had not yet received estimates on the carpet cleaning. Dr. Julian suggested getting estimates, by sections, for all carpeting installed in the past year.
West Virginia Library Association Conference and Library Status
Dr. Julian reported on the initial Trustees Division session at Shepherdstown in which Mr. Price addressed the trustees group. He said that the several members raised a concern about the WVLC's new requirements for how Grants-in-Aid money was to be spent. Mr. Price cited the new state accounting system's procedural requirements as well as the WVLC's authority to designate how Grants-in-Aid could be spent as factors in the new requirements. Ms. Thomas reported that the Trustees group would be producing a directory of all Library Trustees in the state and would be holding regional meetings.
Dr. Julian said that he had a conversation with Mr. Price at the conference in which he said that he had received Ms. Thomas' letter explaining why OCPL's Board felt Wheeling's library remained a Service Center status library, but that he had not received the accompanying annual report forms. He said that he would make a determination of the library's status later, based upon the annual report.
Mr. Stephan said that he felt the state library commission was failing to accommodate to the diversity of libraries in the state.
Ms. Thomas discussed Mr. Prices' State of the State's Libraries speech presented at the Conference. She said that he had said that WVLC accomplishments had included setting up a statewide information network, evaluation of all public libraries, statewide collection development plans, a new service plan Blind and Physically Handicapped services, and passage of a Policy Development Process by the commission body.
Ms. Thomas said that she did not think the library would receive Grants-in-Aid until the situation with WVLC was resolved to Mr. Price's satisfaction. She said that she would send copies of the Annual Report to Board members. The Board agreed to await further developments. Ms. Thomas was to keep them informed.
Request for Two Replacement Computers
Mr. Horacek reported that he had estimates from the following:

Bob's Computer Shop, Wheeling	$1499.00
Gateway E-3200-400	$1454.00
Gateway E-4200-400	$1579.00
Dell XPS	$1350.00
Midwest Micro	$1140.00

He said that this was for a 400 MHz Pentium II or III, 128 Megs of RAM, 10 Gigabyte hard drive, sound card and speakers, a network interface card, 17 inch monitor and Windows NT 4.0 Workstation operating system. He said that this was the standard requirement for most programs today, except that he was asking for more memory hoping that it would accommodate future requirements, and that the Windows NT operating system offered enhanced security helpful with computers for public use.
Mr. Stephan said that he was concerned that the library get good advice on the right equipment and a good source from which to purchase the equipment. Mr. Horacek said he had talked with Diana Heaney, the area network consultant employed by the Library Commission and several other librarians when developing the proposal.
Dr. Julian suggested that Mr. Horacek approach Micro Office in Bellaire for an additional price quote.
Dr. Julian moved that the library purchase two computers, keeping the cost under $1400 each. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Mr. Stephan	yes
Dr. Julian	yes
Dr. DiLorenzo	absent
Sr. Mary Jude	yes

Bridge Day Program
Ms. Thomas said that work on a program in connection with Bridge Day was in progress. She state the bookmobile would be taken to the celebration and informational material distributed.
NEW BUSINESS
Employment of Collection Agency to Retrieve Overdue Books
Ms. Thomas reported that overdue books were a serious problem and that other libraries had had success in using a collection agency to get patrons to return the books or pay for them.
The Board asked her to prepare a financial analysis of the situation and report on the details of the experience of the other libraries using collection agencies.
LSTA Grants
Ms. Thomas said that the Library Commission was offering competitive grants, favoring those involving library cooperation with other libraries and/or other agencies. One possible proposal was for a grant to Weirton, Moundsville, Wheeling and Wellsburg to pay the salary of Jane Kraina, the systems manager at Weirton, who had been paid cooperatively in the past, but most recently had been paid only by the three VTLS libraries, Weirton, Moundsville and Wellsburg. The Board was agreeable. The Board also agreed that the library should apply for as many LSTA grants as possible.
Dr. Julian moved that the library apply for a grant along with Moundsville, Weirton and Wellsburg to pay the systems manager's salary. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Mr. Stephan	yes
Dr. Julian	yes
Dr. DiLorenzo	absent
Sr. Mary Jude	yes

Eleanor H. Bruhn's Gift to the Library
Mr. Hess said that Eleanor H. Broone, through her attorney Sue Seibert Farnsworth had approached him about making a gift of $5,000 in stock for the general use of the library.
Mr. Stephan moved that the Board liquidate the stock. Dr. Julian seconded.

Vote:

Mr. Hess	yes
Mr. Stephan	yes
Dr. Julian	yes
Dr. DiLorenzo	absent
Sr. Mary Jude	yes

Mr. Stephan asked Mr. Hess to find out what sort of public acknowledgment Mrs. Bruhn would like. Mr. Hess suggested that the $5,000 be spent on the children's area of the library.

At 9:15 Dr. Julian moved to adjourn. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.