OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MINUTES
November Board Meeting
November 9, 1999

Members Present:
Mr. Ted Hess, Mr. Tom Stephan, Dr. Charles Julian, Sr. Mary Jude Jochum

Members Absent:
Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo

Also Present:
Dottie Thomas, Director; Louis Horacek, Assistant Director, Carley McCullough, Wheeling Intelligencer reporter.

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 October meeting be approved. Sr. Mary Jude seconded.

Vote:

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

Financial Report:
The financial report was presented.

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 an oral director's report. She said that the library had applied for three LSTA grants. The library was named as the fiscal agent for the children's and adult services grants, and was co-applicant with Mary H. Weir Public Library on a third for funding for a systems manager based at Mary H. Weir, Brooke County and City-County Public Library. Mr. Stephan asked that it be noted that he had voted against the joint application with Mary H. Weir. Dr. Julian said that Ms. Thomas should request formal review of the applications.
Ms. Thomas said that the next West Virginia Library Commission Meeting was December 7 at the Cultural Center in Charleston. She said that she would be attending a Director's Round Table meeting on November 12 and the WVLA Executive Board meeting December 2-3 at North Bend State Park. Mr. Hess commented that Ms. Thomas could use her own discretion in either attending the WVLC meeting or not.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
There were no announcements.
OLD BUSINESS

Professional Cleaning of Areas of Carpet
Ms. Thomas reported that she had received three estimates for cleaning of new areas of the carpet: This is the carpet that was installed in 1998.

Dream Clean	$600.00 (including Scotchguard)
Panhandle Carpet	$493.28 (not including Scotchguard treatment)
Big Orange	$759.00 (includes $316.25 for Scotchguard treatment)

The cost of Scotchguard treatment would bring the Panhandle estimate to over $800.
Dr. Julian asked if they were all County businesses. Ms. Thomas said they were. Ms. Thomas recommended Dream Clean since it was the lowest estimate. Sr. Mary-Jude moved to authorize Ms. Thomas to hire Dream Clean. Mr. Stephan seconded the motion.

Vote:

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

Dr. Julian asked if anything could be done about better cleaning of the men's rest room. Ms. Thomas said that she would discuss the problem with the maintenance staff and report on her findings at the next meeting.

Employment of Collection Agency to Retrieve Overdue Books
Mr. Horacek reported that he had spoken with a representative of Unique Management Services, a collection agency specializing in libraries, and described the company's collection process. Mr. Stephan said that most people who use the library pay for it and deserve as much consideration as possible, but that the public would understand measures taken against those who abuse privileges.
Ms. Thomas asked Board members to examine the material from the company and consider the matter at the next meeting.

Bridge Day Program
Ms. Thomas reported that the Bookmobile participated in the Suspension Bridge Day Festivities and 200 book bags with promotional material and informative flyers were distributed. 100 were specially geared to children and 100 to adults.

Library Status
Ms. Thomas reported that the Grant-in-Aid check was received on November 8. The check was dated September 22, 1999. She distributed copies of a letter from J. D. Waggoner, head of library development of the WVLC stating that the status of the Ohio County Public Library had been changed to Designate Library. For comparison she distributed a letter from WVLC to Miracle Valley Regional Library detailing its status review an continuing status as a Service Center. She also distributed a letter that was sent to Keyser-Mineral County Public Library making it a Designate Library servicing other Designate Libraries (the library does not meet the qualifications for a Service Center status). Ms. Thomas reported that Pendleton County Public Library was concerned because they had been named a Designate even though they wished to maintain an Affiliate Library status.
Ms. Thomas reported that Pine Grove Public Library was required to sign a waiver because of a failure to maintain local funding. She said that Hundred Public Library had met the requirements for local funding as described on the annual report forms, but had been required to sign a waiver because they did not have $5,000 in local funding. Mr. Stephan said that the $5,000 figure was in the state regulations (173CSR1 3.2.2.b).
Dr. Julian asked if being a Designate Library would mean changes for OCPL. Ms. Thomas said that she did not think so, since both the Service Center status libraries and the Designate status libraries both receive their Grants-in-Aid directly from the WVLC. Mr. Stephan said that the WVLC had said that all libraries should be designates.
Mr. Stephan said that Ms. Thomas should have received an apology from Mr. Price for saying that the annual report was late as soon as she proved that the report was received on time.

Eleanor H. Bruhn's Gift to the Library
Mr. Hess said that Ms. Bruhn had decided rather than give stock to the library to give a monetary gift of $5,000 which had been received and was deposited into Capital funds. Ms. Thomas presented a list of items needed for the children's department, with an estimated total of $5,621:
$136.00 $300.00 $1,413.00$2,499.00 $748.00 $525.00 $5,621.00

Four bean-bag vinyl chairs for storytime area

Five bulletin boards

Die-cutter for making storytime crafts

Three elementary school-age study tables and chairs

New book display case

Special collection display case

TOTAL

Then Dr. Julian moved to purchase the items on the list, supplementing the donation as needed to a total of $5,621. Sr. Mary-Jude seconded the motion.

Vote:

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

Dr. Julian asked about the CD Collection authorized at an earlier meeting. Ms. Thomas said that Amy Kastigar had developed a list, but that purchases had been delayed until the state Grants-in-Aid check had been received.
Dr. Julian asked about the two new computers. Ms. Thomas said that they had been purchased and were being set up.
Dr. Julian asked if the Friends Group had been progressing. Ms. Thomas said that Dr. Houston Lewis had met with her twice, and a reorganizational meeting was scheduled. She said that Dr. Lewis had invited Board members to attend.
Mr. Hess asked about signs for the Main Library and Warwood. Ms. Thomas said that she had no progress to report. She said she would contact sign companies prior to the next board meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Resignation of Dr. DiLorenzo
Mr. Hess presented a letter of resignation from Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo. She has been named Superintendent of Schools in Washington, Pa., is in contract negotiations with school system personnel every Tuesday evening, and did not feel she would be able to continue on the Board because of time constraints and conflicting commitments.
Mr. Stephan moved to accept her resignation with regrets, and to go into Executive Session to consider her replacement. Dr. Julian seconded.

Vote:

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

The board went into Executive Session at 8:15, and emerged at 8:40 p.m.
Dr. Julian moved to adjourn. Sr. Mary-Jude seconded the motion.