HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - LB - 2001.06.19 F BURLING AME
• ►URLINGAME PUBLIC LIBRARY l 1
Board of Trustees Agenda _
_a
June 19, 2001 — 4:30pm
480 Primrose Road— Board Room ` 'g
SUGGESTED ACTION
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
3. WARRANTS & SPECIAL FUND Approval
4. MINUTES Approval
5. CORRESPONDENCE AND INFORMATION Information
a. News from the Capital
b. Board Appointment Letters (2)
c. Easter Survey
d. Easter Opening
e. Article
6. FROM THE FLOOR (Public Comments)
7. REPORTS Information
a. Librarian's Report - Escoffier
b. Foundation Report—Dunbar, Herman
c. SAB Report - Morton no r11?0y+
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (None)
J
W. Easter Closure 0-0 Discussion
1
Poe9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Nomination for Officers for 2001-2002 �'Vl�''�'�J �'`
Action
b. City Council Contacts — Ocy* hAc>� Action
c. Confirm July 10, 2001 meeting date � Action
10. Announcements
11. Adjournment Adjourn
a.,
r BURLINGAME 1
r r
B U R L I N G A M f
RUBLIC
LIBRARY
Burlingame Public Library
Board of Trustees
Minutes
May 22, 2001
I. Call to Order
The meeting of May 22, 2001 was called to order by President
Cecile Coar at 4:30 pm.
II. Roll Call
Trustees Present: Jeff Berger, Cecile Coar, Jane Dunbar,
Andrew Gurthet, Mary Herman
City Attorney: Larry Anderson
Staff Present: Alfred Escoffier, City Librarian
Sidney Poland, Recorder
Public Present: Dave.Johnson
VIII. Unfinished Business
A. Easter Sunday Closure - Trustee Dunbar proposed a
motion to change the order of the agenda and move the discussion
of Easter Sunday closure to the first item of business. M/S/C
(Dunbar/Berger).
1. Easter Closure Information - City Attorney, Larry
Anderson reviewed the three key constitutional questions that have
to be considered when dealing with the issue of Easter Sunday
closure:
a. Is there a clearly secular purpose? Is the Easter
closing for a clearly governmental purpose?
b. Is the primary effect of the closing to advance a
religion or a religious belief?
c. Is there an excessive entanglement with a religion?
4 8 0 P r i m r o s e Road • B u r l i n g a m e • CA 9 4 0 1 0 - 4 0 8 3
Phone ( 650 ) 342 - 1038 • Fax ( 650 ) 342 - 1 948 • www . pls . lib . ca . us / pls / pls . html
2. Court Cases - Mr. Anderson provided examples of how
both a federal and a state court perceived the issue of religion vs.
�- secular.
a. Secular/Governmental Purpose - Federal Courts
have ruled that Christmas is a secular holiday. It is predominately
non-religious and does not have a governmental purpose.
Christmas is always December 251h whereas the date for Easter is
set by the religious calendar and changes every year.
b. Specific Religious Purpose - A California court
ruled that a government official who closed offices to specifically
encourage employees to attend Good Friday services was clearly
advancing a religion or a religious belief and therefore was not in
compliance with the law.
c. Excessive Entanglement with a Religion - This
test is not related to the issue of Easter closure but deals with
religious activities occurring on public property.
3. Factors for Closing Easter Sunday - The City
Librarian presented factors that have precipitated Easter closure in the
past.
a. Closure - The Burlingame Library has closed Easter
Sunday for at least the past 30 years and most likely longer. All
PLS Libraries are closed on Easter Sunday. (Attached is a copy of
libraries in the area closed on Easter Sunday and their reason for
closing. Note that 3 libraries close for Spring Break)
b. Cost - Opening Easter Sunday would cost approximately
double the cost of a regular Sunday; staff would have to be paid at
a premium rate. The library is presently having difficulty staffing
weekends on a regular basis and it is becoming increasingly
difficult to find staff that will work a three day weekend. Also,
additional costs for HVAC and electricity would be a concern.
c. Staffing - To staff on Easter Sunday would require a
"meet and confer" session for employee bargaining groups since
this holiday falls under the "past practice closure" category for the
City.
d. Services - Burlingame is dependent on the PLAN Central
Site for specific services i.e., Internet, library catalog. If all other
libraries are closed for Easter Sunday, certain services may be
unavailable.
e. Traffic - Traffic is anticipated to be much lower than on a
regular Sunday due to Easter activities both of a religious and non-
religious nature.
L
Library Board of Trustee Minutes 2
May 22, 2001
4. Other City Departments - Larry Anderson, City Attorney,
noted that Easter Sunday is not considered a city holiday. Police
and fire department employees do not receive an additional benefit
for working Easter Sunday.
5. Comments from Mr. Johnson - Mr. Johnson identified
himself as the person who made the inquiry regarding the closure
of the library on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001. Following is a
summary of his comments on the issue:
a. Practical issues, such as those stated by the City
Librarian for closing on Easter Sunday, are of no significance. It is
the City Librarian's job to solve these problems, at whatever cost,
and open the library for public use.
b. Sensitivity to people not of the same faith is most
important. It is bad form and bad taste to close the library on this
holiday.
c. Issues against closing the library on Easter Sunday are
overwhelming.
d. There is nothing special about Easter Sunday and by
offering time and a half to employees to work that day, the library
is making it special. Premium pay is not justified.
e. The Trustees are spending too much time researching
�., and debating the issue of Easter closure.
f. The Burlingame Public Library should take the lead in
influencing other libraries in the area to close on Easter Sunday.
g. Close another Sunday that would not be related to a
religious holiday such as Mother's Day.
6. Library Calendar - Library Board determines the calendar
for the coming year in October, 2001.
7. Easter Closure Follow Up - President Coar will check out of
state libraries to determine if they are open Easter Sunday. The
City Librarian will prepare a survey for the staff to ascertain if
enough qualified staff are willing to work Easter Sunday. He will
also find out the level of services the library could offer on Easter
Sunday if all other libraries in our system are closed.
8. Board Action - Trustee Berger made a motion to continue
discussion on the subject of Easter Closure at the June 19, 2001
Board Meeting. M/S/C (Berger/Dunbar)
Library Board of Trustee Minutes 3
May 22, 2001
III Warrants & Special Fund
The Trustees unanimously agreed to approve the warrants as
presented. M/S/C (Dunbar/Gurthet)
IV. Minutes
The Trustees unanimously agreed to approve the minutes of the
April 17, 2001 meeting. M/S/C (Herman/Gurthet)
V. Correspondence
Correspondence mailed in the packets was reviewed.
VI. From the Floor (Public Comments) Please note Mr. Johnson's
comments Section VIII. Unfinished Business.
VII. Reports
A. City Librarian's Report - Al Escoffier
The City Librarian reviewed his report highlighting the following
issues.
1. Easton Branch - The City Librarian met with Mr.
Brandes and his cost consultant last week. There will be two
levels of cost: completion of code requirement work and
building replacement. Some of the staff will visit libraries in
`. the bay area that are similar in size to the Easton Branch on
May 31 st. Two of the libraries Albany Branch of Alameda
and Rockridge Branch of Oakland were designed by Mr.
Brandes.
2. Embezzlement Case Status - Judy Gladysz was
sentenced for embezzlement of$129,000 in the criminal case
and will serve 1 year in the county jail. She has made
restitution for $153,000 to date. The Civil case is scheduled
for trial in July.
3. Budget - The budget has been approved by the City
Manager and has been given to the City Council. Mike
Coffey will meet with the City Librarian to review the budget
the first week of June. On June 5th a study session of the
entire City budget will be held with the City Council.
L-
Library Board of Trustee Minutes 4
May 22, 2001
B. Foundation Report - Jane Dunbar
The Elegant Affair previously scheduled for October of this
year has been cancelled. It is hoped that the plans for the Easton
Branch renovation will be far enough along by next year to provide
a worthy cause for a fund raiser. In October of this year the
Foundation will hold a reception in the Library for our major
donors.
C. Budget Presentation (Power Point) - Escoffier
The power point program will be presented at the next
meeting. Copies of the program will be mailed to the Trustees
before the next meeting.
VIII. Unfinished Business
B. Donor Vine - The Burlingame Library Foundation agreed to
fund half of the donor vine and paid the first invoice in the amount
of$2,500. It is expected that the work will take 10 to 12 weeks to
complete the vine and solder the leaves.
IX. New Business -
A. Duncan Trust Request - The City Librarian requested that
the Board approve funding from the Duncan Trust for
�. Burlingame's portion of the "Project Read" literacy project in the
amount of$8,000 and an upgrade of the Macintosh workstation in
the amount of$9,100. M/S/C (Herman/Berger)
X. Announcements
Larry Anderson, City Attorney, informed the Trustees that the City
Council had appointed Catherine McCormack to the Library Board
of Trustees to fill the chair that will be left vacant by Jeff Berger on
June 30th.
XI. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 6:00pm. M/S/C
(Herman,Guerthet) The next meeting of the Library Board of
Trustees will be held June 19, 2001 in the Library Conference
Room.
Respectfully Submitted
a4l-w/V . gu;l-,
Alfred H. Escoffier
City Librarian
Library Board of Trustee Minutes 5
May 22, 2001
Page 1 of 2
Al Escoffier
From: owner-plscouncil@inetaxp.pls.lib.ca.us on behalf of Linda Crowe
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 3:29 PM
To: baliscouncil@pls.ilb.ca.us; pls, council; svlscouncil@pls.lib.ca.us; MOBAC Directors
Subject: Fw: NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL
----- Original Message-----
From: Susan Negreen
Tu: CLA Listserve- CALIX
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 11:44 AM
Subject: NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL
?.r e 1, 2001
TO: CLA MEMBERS/ SYSTEMS/NETWORK CONTACTS
FROM: Mike Dillon, Lobbyist
Christina Dillon, Lobbyist
I'L: NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL
FI ,CAL COMMITTEES PASS SEVERAL IMPORTANT LIBRARY BILLS
Yesterday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees met to consider all bills held on the
committees' so-called, "suspense file." You may recall that the "suspense file"is a method of
prioritizing all measures with fiscal implications of$150,000 or higher. After intensive meetings with
the Chair and Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committees and legislative leaders, an approved list of
measures were selected to "come off suspense"and move forward through the process, while hundreds
c ; leer bills "died on the suspense file." Senator Dede Alpert, the Chair of the Senate Appropriations
( : ;mittee, opened with a statement about the sheer volume of bills with fiscal implications this year,
rh totaled more than $4.2 billion. She noted that in light of the state's current dire fiscal picture,
bruaght about largely by the energy crisis and downturn of the stock market, the Appropriations
Committee would be releasing only $49 million total in bills off of the "suspense file." Thus, CLA was
ver:, pleased when both SB 74 by Senator Jackie Speier and SB 94 by Senator Tom Torlakson were both
all unanimously to come off of"suspense."
SP 74-Speier will exempt 26 county libraries and 11 independent special district libraries from the
I ational Revenue Augmentation Fund(ERAF)property tax shift, which would require a cost to the
General Fund of approximately $80 million. The bill is "double joined" with SB 94-Torlakson,
h means that the bills would take effect only if both are signed by the Governor. SB 94 would
-w a county or a city and county to direct the county auditor to allocate up to 3% of its "contribution"
to _F. AF to a county general field library. The cost to implement SB 94 would be approximately $20
6/5/01
Page 2 of 2
million. Since the total General Fund cost to backfill the school Proposition 98 guarantee for these two
bil!s is $100 million, amendments will be added to both measures to have them become effective for the
X003-04 Budget year. Many in the library community may have hoped that there would be an ERAF
sol.;t1on this Budget year, and had not anticipated a delayed implementation date. However, we believe
L that clue to the state's dire fiscal condition, and very difficult Budget Conference Committee
ne otiations scheduled to begin on Sunday afternoon, the legislature may have indeed chosen the most
pragmatic approach to finding library funding in Budget"out-years." SB 74 and SB 94 are now headed
to the Senate Floor and could be considered as early as Monday.
Mcanwhile in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, we are pleased to report that AB 49 by
Assemblyman Carl Washington was passed off of the "suspense file." AB 49 would create the Youth
1`,t-_�iltoring and Safe Communities Grant Program for the extension of academic, informational, and
ricrntoring services to teenagers. The bill will be amended to state that funding for the program is
COr.tingent upon obtaining an appropriation for the bill during the Budget Conference Committee
cel iterations. AB 49 is now headed to the Assembly Floor, and Assemblyman Washington's office
us that he will be bringing the measure up for consideration on Wednesday of next week.
Sp.;cial thanks to Susan Steinhauser and Bessie Tichauer for their work on this legislation.
.AB 315 by Assemblyman John Dutra, the Assembly ERAF Orphan vehicle, was held on the"suspense
file." as the Assembly Appropriations Committee determined during their negotiations, that no ERAF
re'::ted legislation would come off of suspense this year, due to the lack of available funds to implement
11, sc measures.
L tly, AB 151 by Assemblywoman Sarah Reyes, which would require Internet filters to be installed at
FU l is libraries, and limit a minor's access to objectionable material, was held on the Appropriations
`'suspense file." In the last several weeks, CLA has been working with Appropriations staff to express
our concerns for the measure, and was also assisted by the ACLU, Alameda County Board of
Su,,crvisors, and the city and county of San Francisco in this effort.
Su:�-m Negreen,CAE
Lxecu tive Director
California Library Association
s;ie ;Teen@cla-net.org
S
V-47-8541
-t7-8541
6/x/01
CITY 0�
BURL kf jgAME
JOE GALLIGAN,MAYOR �✓ � .V,T �T .�lLIr�YItYIIP
MIKE SPINELLI,VICE MAYOR
MIKE COFFEY CITY HALL-501 PRIMROSE ROAD
MARY JANNEY BURLINGAME.CALIFORNIA 94010-3997 TEL: (650)558-7200
ROSALIE M.O'MAHONY FAX: (650)342.8386
May 24, 2001
Cecile Coar
1224 Drake Avenue
Burlingame, CA 94010
Dear Cecile:
On behalf of the Burlingame City Council, it is my pleasure to advise you of your
L reappointment to the Library Board for a term continuing to June 30, 2004. This
action was taken by the Council during the regular meeting held May 21, 2001.
We wish to express our appreciation to you for accepting this reappointment and
look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.
Sincerely,
C-7--v6-le
Joe Galligan
Mayor
V
c: Library Board
CITY O�
BURLJNGAME
°q a
°i4TED JUN!6•
JOE SPINE LI, MAYOR �t�� �LTf Jar ,-
MIKE SPINELLI,VICE MAYOR I 1
MIKE COFFEY
MARY JANNEY CITY HALL—501 PRIMROSE ROAD TEL: (650)558-7200
ROSALIE M.O'MAHONY BURLINGAME,CALIFORNIA 94010-3997 FAX (650)3424388
May 25, 2001
Jeff Berger
925 Linden Avenue
Burlingame, CA 94010
Dear Jeff:
At our meeting of May 21, Council appointed Katie McCormack as your successor on the
Library Board; this appointment shall become effective on June 30, 2001. On behalf of
_ the entire Council, I wish to extend sincere appreciation to you for your six years of
service on the Library Board.
We hope your experience as a trustee has been as rewarding for you as it has been
beneficial to the city. At next years' commissioners dinner, we will recognize you for the
contribution of your valuable time to our city.
Thank you for your service to the City of Burlingame.
Sincerely,
C-46<
Joe Galligan
Mayor
c: Library Board
Easter Day Work Survey Results
Thirty nine staff members responded to the Easter Day Work Survey.
Staff Pa roll Status
Full Time Permanent Part Hourly
Time Benefited Not Benefited
17 8 14
Job Classification
Librarian Library Assistant Pae Aide Other
10 18 2 3 6
Public Desk Trainin
Circulation Reference Children's Lower Level
20 10 10 14
Willin to Work on Easter Sunda
Yes No Don't Know
3 34 2
Following are comments made by some of the staff members in regard to the
possibility of remaining open on Easter Sunday.
1. Easter is a family holiday. It's a time to get together. I'd like to see the
people who complained work on Easter Sunday. What are the board members
going to do on Easter? Would they work if it fell on a weekday?
2. 1 think people who work on Sunday should receive 1 %2 or double time pay.
3. Another anti-Christian movement.
4. The Library Board doesn't have to work. If Easter was during the week,
I'm sure the Board would not want to work and there would be no complaints.
5. As a Christian, I would like the day off. Closing the library due to a
religious holiday is unconstitutional, (including Christmas) Of course, Christmas
is a religious holiday! The observance of the birth of Christ is not secular!
Perhaps we could call it "Exchanging presents Day". Since it's doubtful that
there would be enough staff to work on Easter, we could close due to "staff
shortage" or "close for inventory." This is how my other job gets around the
problem of closing for Christian holidays.
6. 1 wouldn't be "willing", but I would do it if it meant that one of my co-
workers would have to work it in my place, if I refused. This is a family holiday
for me, though not a religious one. I think "Spring Break" would be an
appropriate name for this holiday. Please don't penalize Sunday staff - who
already give up lots of Sundays.
iew of Potential Easter Opening
Itev June 2001
safety and security in the
Services Available: To provide full service,ed staff must be available. Staff mhe security
sufficient fully
trained
but also in the intricacies o
service, All four service desks
trained not only in emergency
Procedures in the building. Lower Level.
systems and emergency p Children's,
should be fully staffed: Circulation, Reference, Put out
are needed to empty return bins, reshelve Sundas'services typically
Pages and closing. Y
newspapers, and assist with opening
average 800 people through the doors in a four-hour period.
Unknown service issues: Assuming that we had full network access we
would likely need to pay PLAN some differential for being the only library
open. If we did not have full network access, Internet would be unavailable
and the library catalog would be unavailable. This would make the finding
of materials more difficult for the staff and the public.
Availability of Staff. At the Board's request, a poll was done of staff to
determine the level of interest in working Easter Day. Most staff are
unwilling to work that day. Since the library is currently open 50 Sundays a
year (more than any other in PLS), staff felt we were already serving most of
the community needs on Sundays. There was also a feeling that an additional
Sunday opening would fall on those who already work Sundays: part time
and permanent part time staff who rotate into the Sunday schedule on a
regular basis. Incentive pay was not discussed with staff, as this would be a
"meet and confer" item with the bargaining groups. The poll is available for
your review.
Staffing Costs. For full service and security in the building, the following
staff would be needed for a typical Sunday:
2 Reference Librarians @ $ 485
5 Library Assistants @ 957
2 Lower Level Staff @ 382
3 Pages @ 192
1 Custodial @ 82
�- Total cost at premium pay: $ 2,099
Utilities. Lighting, HVAC, etc.
4 hours at $ 34.00/hour= $ 136.00
Total Cost: $ 2,235
}
0
lo�
On My Mind
__ibraries Offer the World—Not Just Smut By David Sawyer
I'm not much of an Internet user. I e- must respond: as an information pro- wonderful in their tradition of allowing `
mail some friends and do a little re- vider that believes "censorship is a the world of words and now images to
search online, but mostly I find it a purely individual matter." be shared. It was a library in London -
major distraction from actually living And,of course,this is what the pornog- where Marx did most of his seminal
my life.Just a lot of noise. I find watch- raphy red-herring threat is all about: writing.It was a library where I first was
ing an evening fire more enjoyable and libraries unethically and immorally pro- exposed to the sensuous poetry of
reading a book more educational. Thus viding unrestricted content to any and all. Whitman, the radical mysticism of de
I've often found the Internet to be a Some parents clearly do not want Chardin,and the revolutionary politics
nuisance, but never a threat. libraries to maintain the historic func- of Gandhi: Changed my life, it did.The
However, to a group of parents here tion they have served since Aristotle library,as no other institution,sums up
in Idaho who call themselves Bonner cracked a book in Alexandria. They do and makes concrete the ideals of the
County Citizens for Sound Library Poli- not want knowl- First Amendment 7
cies (implying, of course, that no one edge accessible and the dreams of
else is for sound policies),the Internet's and therefore ca- • Filtering information Jefferson to have
prolific, tasty, but generally vacuous pableofsupport- educated electors
. is the most fundamental
temptations have overstepped reason- ing intellectual . who would ensure
able behavior and have consequently growth, but for - form of government the survival of real,
begun to threaten.They say the issue is it to be restrictediinformed, debate-
ntervention� for It
achild's exposure to pornography(Why and thereby ;
.-,
driven democracy.
is that always worse than their huge serve only their - absolutely limits the Blaming the -
exposure to media violence?) and they p a r e n t a 1 library for exposure M.S .
list various Web sites, including Go worldview.They . range of human thought. to pornography is
k Alice, sponsored by that interna- want what an- like blaming the wr
-nonal smut leader, Columbia Univer- thropologist Anthony Wallace called lake if your child walks up to it alone, ,
sity,that must be filtered.The 13 public "revivalism"—a continuation or a re- falls in, and then drowns. The only
terminals at the East Bonner County turn to the virtues of another—i.e. viable mechanism for protecting chil-
Library District, where children tie up their—age, where libraries serve their dren from the questionable content of
hour upon hour of public time playing fixed tradition rather than the common the Internet,eating too much junk food,
games,and where they might search for search for truth. or drowning in the lake is action by the
smut, clearly have their parents up in If you think this is just more extreme responsible agency governing'this ju-
arms. rhetoric,remember that filtering infor- risdiction: the parents. Their guidance
mation is the most fundamental form is more loving,more educational,and a
Long-standing principles of government intervention, for it ab- hundred times more effective then regu-
The debate over the problem of pub- solutely limits the range of human latory control.
lic access is not new: Such concerns as thought.When Hitler burned books he
hate groups, invasion of privacy, and was telling people what to think.When Pornography petitioners
credit-card fraud have become com- Pinochet shut down the free press he The pornography warriors have ob-
monplace Internet issues.But also long- was trying to ensure what people would tained 1,800 signatures on a petition
standing are the strength and clarity of think. When the U.S. military limited that they planned to submit to the library
the library's intellectual freedom policy, press access in the Persian Gulf War it board in mid-February. I say fine. Most
which addresses this issue. Passed in confined and molded the American of Spain believed that the world was
1984,reaffirmed in 1989,and amended public's image of the war.When people flat in 1520, but that didn't stop
last November, it clearly sets forth want civil regulations over informa- Magellan from sailing around it any-
guidelines that govern how the library tion, be it comforting or disturbing way.
information, it is a step toward totali- A library should be as bold and wide
DAVID SAWYER is former mayor of tarianism. and full as Magellan's adventure.I want
`Indpoint, Idaho, a founding board information to empower us, not en-
nber of the Bonner County Human Making ideals concrete tomb us—to be wings for our minds,
xights Task Force, and a regular Ironically, it was in Germany last fine feathers that grace life's ascent. I
contributor to the Spokane (Idaho) summer that I realized just how won- am not worried about a few breasts That
Spokesman-Review, where a version of this derful libraries are. Wonderful in the children may see. I am worried about
essay originally appeared. extent and diversity of information, the information police. ❖
American Libraries • March 2001
r BURLINGAME I '
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6 U R L I N G A M E
R U B L I C
LIBRARY
City Librarian's Report
June 19, 2001
Easton Branch Project
Members of the Easton project committee met with Hal Brandes to tour
libraries in Mill Valley, Tiburon, Oceanview (San Francisco), Albany,
Rockridge, East Palo Alto. The group was gleaning ideas for application to
the Easton project. The cost study should be available from the architect next
month.
Children's Services
For the Begin with Books program, during May we did a total of 38
programs including: 8 Preschool Story Times, 15 Toddler Story Times, 2
Saturday Story Times, 3 visits to Easton, 2 visits to the main library, and 8
programs at schools. These programs were attended by a total of 1,638
people.
"Catch a Dragon by the Tail" summer reading club is underway. The club is
designed for school age readers. Children read and report on 6 books during
the summer. Those who complete the program will receive a free paperback.
"Once Upon a Story Time" is the Read to me theme. This activity is for the
pre-reader and encourages parents to read to their young children.
The award-winning Teen 2001 Reading club "Read (w+w+w) = Forever"
(Read wherever, whenever, whatever) will feature the teens reading 6 books.
Those who complete the club will receive a $15.00 gift certificate from
Books, Inc.
4 8 0 P r i m r o s e R o a d • Burl i n g a m e • C A 9 4 0 1 0 -1 4 0 8 3
Phone ( 650 ) 342 - 1038 • Fax ( 650 ) 342 - 1948 • www . pls . Iib . ca . us / pls / pls . html
Programs and Exhibits
The Friday evening book club met on May 1 Ith to discuss Edith Wharton's
"Age of Innocence." There were seven participants, including Sue
Reiterman, the library's representative.
On May 1 lth, Sue gave a tour to a group of ten students from the ESL
Institute. Sue also gave a library tour on May 22 to a group of Contra Costa
County Librarians who are planning a new library in Concord. The group
enjoyed their picnic lunch on the staff terrace before heading off to visit
other areas libraries.
Volunteer Program
Twenty-Two volunteers contributed 156.5 hours to the library in May.
Their activities included: sorting and pricing book donations; conducting the
Spring book sale; maintaining the on-going book sale; maintaining the on-
going book sale area; caring for indoor plants and the outdoor terraces;
processing new paperbacks, discards and gift magazines; re-stocking tax
forms; cleaning computer work stations, etc.
Reference Services
Pat Harding participated in the McKinley Elementarily School Read-A-Thon
on Tuesday, May 22°d. She read to two classes of 2° and 3`d graders.
Tracy Hammond, Pat Harding, Linda Santo and Vera Warrick attended the
Info People Workshop "Reader's Advisory on the Web" at San Francisco
Public Library. The workshop gave a good overview of both free and
subscription readers' advisory websites.
Pat participated in a PLS personnel oral board to select staff for two
positions including a trainer for PLS and a librarian to run the "Q and A
Cafe."
On May 291h, Pat attended the PLS Reference Committee meeting. The
discussion centered on system purchase of online databases. Currently we
receive several databases through Library of California grants and PLS
monies which will not be available the coming fiscal year. Committee
members discussed continuing these databases with individual libraries
�.. sharing the costs. Also the committee would like to purchase additional
databases, including Magill's, a literature database.
2
Pat also attended an Internet Policy and Filtering workshop put on by
�. InfoPeople. The presenter was Mary Minow, a former librarian and an
attorney specializing in library law. It was an excellent workshop with some
very specific ideas about writing library Internet policy statements. It was
also helpful to hear what other libraries are doing and to discuss their
policies.
Easton Branch Services
The branch is now participating in the PLS delivery instead of our own local
delivery. This is working out well, and currently is not charged to the
library. Lisa Dunseth has been doing a number of school visits in costume as
a knight in shining armor, to advertise the children's summer reading club.
Easton traffic is running approximately 1,300 per month.
Upcoming Events:
• ALA Conference, June 14-19, San Francisco
• Library Board, June 19, 4:30 PM
�. • Independence Day Holiday, July 4, Closed
• Library Board Meeting, July 10, 4:30 PM (Change from Regular day)
• Foundation Board, August 9, 4:30 PM
• Library Board Meeting, August 21, 4:30 PM
Alfred H. Escoffier
City Librarian
June 11, 2001
3