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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - LB - 1978.10.17 BURLINGAME PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MINUTES OCTOBER 17, 1978 CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hechinger on October 17, 1978 at 4:30 pm. ROLL CALL: Trustees Present: Trustee Hechinger, Trustee DeMartini, Trustee Phelan, Trustee Weatherbe, and Trustee ___ Parsons. Trustees Absent: None Others Attending: Mrs. Joy Molder, Assistant Librarian and Mrs. Elaine White BILLS: Warrants in the amount of $3,347.80 were ordered paid on a motion by Trustee DeMartini, seconded by Trustee Phelan and carried. Special Fund bills totaling $1,603.93 were paid on`a motion by Trustee Phelan, seconded by Trustee Weatherbe and carried. MINUTES: Minutes of the September 19, 1978 meeting were read and approved as written and ordered filed. LIBRARIAN'S REPORT: The Librarian's Report was discussed in conjunction with the Agenda items under Unfinished Business and New Business. CORRESPONDENCE: Chairman Hechinger read a letter from Mr. Erin Phelan to Mayor Crosby regarding the closing of the Easton Branch Library and there was no discussion. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: REPORT OF THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Chairman Hechinger stated that the Citizens Committee is in- vestigating options to keep the Branch Library open, but in doing so they will have to cut into the budget and operation of the Main Library. He personally is not in favor of cutting back at the Main Library's expense. He further stated that the Committee will have a public hearing to be held at Roosevelt School on October 18, 1978 at 7:30 pm to report on what their findings have been as a result of their study, and to allow further input from the public. After the public hearing, the Committee will write a report with recommendations to submit to the City Council in November. Chairman Hechinger felt that closing the Main Library on Sunday and Friday evening would be detrimental to students who use the Library during those hours. He felt that these services should not be jeopardized. In essence he noted he would;rather that the Easton Branch be closed than to have it interfere with the Main Library in any way. The other Trustees expressed their opinions regarding the closing of the Branch as follows: Trustee DeMartini stated that the more he heard regarding other options, the more convinced he became that the best alternative was to close the Branch. He questioned the figures presented in the option to run the Branch at about $20,000.00 per year. He felt it was probably optimistic to think that supplies, utilities, cataloging and phone costs could be cut to the extent projected, and he pointed out that on- going overhead costs would remain. He noted that the entire issue was an emotional one, but the Board had an obligation to look at over-all Library service for all citizens of Burlingame. He plans to attend the public hearing on Wednesday evening at Roosevelt school. Trustee Phelan expressed strong concern about closing hours at the Main Library to support the Branch. She was particularly unhappy about closing the Main on Sundays, and felt that if the Branch could not be maintained without infringing on service or hours at the Main, then it should be closed. Trustee Weatherbe stated that her position was to keep the Branch open longer than the porjected closing date of January 1, 1979. She felt everyone needed additional time to get a clearer picture of the City's finances. She felt a compromise was feasible by cutting hours at the Branch and closing the Main on Friday evenings and Sundays. She pointed out that closing the Main might only be necessary temporarily and the hours could always be restored at a later date. Closing the Branch however is an irreversible decision. She mentioned that Hoover School is due for closure at the end of this school year and has it been suggested that Roosevelt School will also be closed. This decision will be made in April. The children who attend these schools live in the Easton Branch Library area. The closing of the Branch would be a hardship for those children. She said that the "Friends of the Library" has offered funds to help keep the Branch in operation. Trustee Parsons said that she did not wish to express an opinion one way or the other at this time. She had not had enough time to study all sides of the issue. She did not like the idea of closing the Main on Sunday because she understood the heavy use that the students make of the Library on that day. On the other hand, she also realized that the Branch served many Senior Citizens and children in the North Buringame area. She notyd that cutbacks in school Libraries in the area might increase the need to maintain the Branch. Both Trustees Weatherbe and Parsons stated that they would try and attend the public meeting. All of the Trustees reaffirmed that they were sorry that any Library services had to be cut. REPORT ON THE LIBRARY TOUR OF THE NEW TRUSTEES: Both Trustee Weatherbe and Trustee Parsons were impressed by their orientation tour of the Main Library on September 25, 1978. They both felt they had learned a great deal, and they saw aspects of the operations that they had not been aware existed. They were particularly interested in the Cataloging Department and the functioning of the I.B.M. Memory Typewriter to produce catalog cards. NEW BUSINESS: COMPUTERIZATION OF THE CITY'S ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND GENERAL LEDGER: Trustee DeMartini wished the record to show his strong opposition to the "Computerization of the Monthly Accounts Payable" for the Library. He stated that the Board operates under the State of California Education Code, and it is empowered to pay the bills. He felt that if the Board no longer signed the warrants, it was an infringement on the legal powers and the authority of the Trustees. Discussion followed regarding the procedures that might be followed under this new method of operation, .__ and Librarian Bergsing stated that the Board would still have the power to approve or disapprove the bills either from the statements themselves or the Council Record. Trustee DeMartini requested that the City Librarian forward his opposition to this proposal to the City Manager. Mrs. Bergsing agreed to do so as soon as the City Manager returned from vacation at the end of the month. In the meantime she would consult with the City Attorney for a ruling on the legality of the issue, and with the City Finanace Director for more specific information on the details of the new procedure. APPROVAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE G.R.C. STUDY: Librarian Bergsing stated the Governmental Research Council of San Mateo County was about to begin a study of Library services throughout the County. She asked for the approval of the Board to participate in the project. It was moved by Trustee Phelan, seconded by Chairman Hechinger and carried. Mrs. Bergsing informed the Board that they might be contacted individually for input by members of the study team. DISCUSSION OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY ASSOCIATION PROPOSAL ON PUBLIC LIBRARY FUNDING: There was discussion on the implications of the California Library Association's position requesting state funds to support local public Library service. The Board asked Chairman Hechinger to cast the ballot as their representative. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 5:45 pm with the next meeting scheduled for November 21, 1978. tRespectfully submitted, Patricia M. Bergsing Clerk of the Board PMB/jag