HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - LB - 1977.10.18 BURLINGAME PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MINUTES
October 18, 1977
CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting of the Library Board of Trustees was called to order by Vice Chairman DeMartini at
4:30 P.M. on October 18, 1977.
ROLL CALL:
Trustees Present: Trustee DeMartini, Trustee Lynes, Trustee Cohendet, Trustee Phelan
Trustees Absent: Trustee Hechinger (excused by Board for business).
Also Present: Elaine White, guest
BILLS: .
Warrants in the amount of $7,038.11 were approved for payment on a motion by Trustee Lynes, se-
conded by Trustee Phelan, and carried by those Trustees present. Special Fund bills totaling
$598.04 were paid on a motion by Trustee Lynes, seconded by Trustee Phelan.
MINUTES:
Minutes of the meeting of September 20, 1977 were approved and ordered filed.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT:
California Library Association Convention: Trustee Cohendet inquired about reservations for the
convention and what the costs would be to attend for one day. There was some comment about the
high charge for the luncheon. Mrs. Bergsing asked any Board members interested in going to let
her know.
Conflict of Interest Code: The form was discussed briefly. Those Trustees who had not completed
the statement said they planned to do so before the end of the month.
San Mateo County Library Study: There was a brief discussion about the San Mateo County Library
Study and its implications for Burlingame.
Personnel: Trustee DeMartini suggested that it would be very worthwhile for the Board to have a
closer relationship with the library staff. He also expressed the desire to have all new staff
members introduced to the Board. Mrs. Bergsing stated that the suggestion had been made by sev-
eral staff members that the Trustees be invited on brief tours of each of the departments of the
library as a part of their regular Board Meetings. Everyone agreed this was a good idea, and
Librarian Bergsing said that the Reference Department would plan a short tour and some demonstra-
tions of equipment for the December Board Meeting. The Trustees were also pleased with the idea
of scheduling one of their future board meetings at the Easton Branch Library.
Easton Branch Monthly Report for September, 1977: Trustee Phelan commented on the library's
orientation program for students and how necessary it is for students to know how to use the
library.
Book Sale: The Board congratulated Elaine White and Friends of the Library on the marvelous
job they did on the book sale.
CORRESPONDENCE: Acknowledged the Minutes of the Planning Commission. Read a thank you note from
Janice Quon.
Library Board Minutes
October 18, 1977
Page Two
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Library Security System: After discussion of the Librarian's Report on the Security System,
the Board agreed with the conclusions and recommendations. Trustee Lynes moved that the Li-
brary purchase and install the Gaylord/Magnavox security system. The motion was seconded by
Trustee Cohendet and passed unanimously. Mrs. Bergsing reported that Trustee Hechinger had
read the report prior to his trip and also concurred in the decision. The Librarian was autho-
rized to proceed to order the system with a January or February installation date in mind. Mrs.
Bergsing stated that C.E.T.A. personnel will be used to tag the books with assistance from
students during the Christmas holidays.
Burlingame Avenue Area Parking Study: Librarian Bergsing reported that she had attended the
meeting of the Parking Commission on October 13 and expressed the concerns of the Library re-
garding long term parking on Douglas and Bellevue. However, in spite of this and the objections
of several other people in the audience, the Commission voted three to two to recommend the
change to the City Council. Mrs. Bergsing suggested that when the item comes before the Coun-
cil maybe one or more Board members could attend to present the library's point of view. Trus-
tee DeMartini stated that it should be "on the record" that the Board was opposed to the
recommendation of the Parking Commission.
NEW BUSINESS:
Capital Improvement Program 1978 - 1983: The memo from the City Finance Director regarding the
five year capital improvement program was read and discussed. Mrs. Bergsing stated that the
staff would have a report ready for discussion at the November Board meeting. In addition the
Board agreed they would come prepared with their recommendations for possible capital projects.
Overdue Fines: Mrs. Elaine White, the Friends Booksale Chairman, and a patron of the library
for seventeen years, indicated that she would like to discuss the 10$ per day charge for over-
due books, and raised the questions of whether it was to bring in added revenues, or to hasten
the return of books. She felt it was'a punishment and caused bad public relations for the li-
brary. She further noted that other libraries in the system only charged 5¢ per day for over-
due books and that it was a relatively easy matter to circumvent paying the fines by returning
the books to another library.
The Board asked the Librarian for additional facts regarding the fines. She reported that the
charge was increased to 100 per day on April 1, 1976, and for the prior year 1974-1975 approx-
imately $11,000 was collected; in 1975-1976 $13,000 and 1976-1977, $16,000. Two other libraries
in the Peninsula Library System charge 100 per day, San Mateo County and Menlo Park, and they
also have a three-week loan period.
Trustee Lynes inquired if the higher fines related to faster return of books, since all the Board
agreed that was the reason for the higher charge. Mrs. Bergsing replied that she would have a
more complete report at the next Board meeting, but a quick survey of overdues sent, indicated
the library was sending about the same number as before and to many of the same people. In other
words, the higher fee did not seem to be changing the pattern very much.
Part of the problem is that since San Mateo City Library charges 5¢ per day, books can easily be
returned there. Also, many overdue books are returned in the outside book boxes and it is dif-
ficult to collect the fines later.
The Board agreed that when the fines were raised they had thought the entire system was going to
standardize its fees and loan periods. Trustee DeMartini asked for a comparision of the different
fines and lending policies of each of the Peninsula Library System Libraries for the November
Board meeting. The suggestion was made that the Burlingame Trustees might send a letter to the
P.L.S. Board asking them to reconsider establishing uniform rules throughout the system. The
matter was tabled until further material could be provided for discussion at the next meeting.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 P.M. with the next Board meeting scheduled for November 15, 1977,
at 4:30 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Patricia M. Bergsing Z/--7
Clerk of the Board