HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - LB - 2010.01.19 BURL NOAMI
Library'Board of Trustees Minutes
January 26, 2010
L Call to Order
President McCormack called the meeting to order at 5:30pm.
II. Roll Call
Trustees Present: Betsy Corcoran, Deborah Griffith,
Katie McCormack, Pat Toft, Sandy Towle
Staff Present: Pat Harding,
Sidney Poland, Recorder
Foundation Member Susan May, President
III. Trustees' Board Minutes November 17 2009
The minutes of the November 17, 2009 Trustees' meeting were
unanimously approved as written. M/S/C (Griffith/Towle)
IV. Correspondence and Information
_ Library Statistics November-December 2009
Circulation in November increased 10.5% over November 2008 and
6.04% over December 2008. Self check held steady at a,79% increase
for both months. Circulation at Easton decreased 4.19% from November
2008 and 8.98% from December 2008. Decreased circulation is a result
of the 10% reduction of open hours•due to the closure of Easton on
Fridays effective May 1, 2009.
V. From the Floor
No one from the public attended the meeting.
VI. Re orts
A. City Librarian's Report -.Highlights -
1. Staff Recognition Event - The staff recognition event was a
huge success. City Librarian, Al Escoffier, was honored for his 40
years of service to the Burlingame Library by the Library
Trustees, Foundation Board and staff. Employee achievement
-awards were given to Michele Meredith, Amy Pelman, Sidney
Poland and Vera Warrick.
48o Primrose Road•Burlingame•California 94010-4083
Phone(650)558-7474•Fax(650)342-6295'www.buAingame.org/library
2. Al Escoffier Retirement Tea The library staff hosted a '1
"Retirement Tea" on December 16th for the City Librarian, Al
Escoffier, which was attended by over 75 guests many of whom
were former library staff members and retired City employees. The
Foundation acknowledged Al's years of service by announcing,the
formation of the "Escoffier Society" which will recognize donors
who have made a significant lifetime contribution.
3. RFID - The RFID committee is planning to begin discussions
on behalf of PLS with Libramation who is the only qualified
vendor for the RFID product. Cost of the project is in the
$300,000 range and will be considered a capital outlay program
for the City. Benefits of RFID are as follows: inventory control,
reduction in repetitive stress injuries and an increase in staff
productivity.
B. Foundation Report Susan May
1. Book and Author Luncheon-The event will be held at
Popular Creek Grill on May 1 st. Featured authors will be Ashley
Merryman who co-authored "NurtureShock" with Po Bronson and
Adair Lara whose recent book "Naked, Drunk and Writing" is a
kind of how-to for writers. Adair Lara is a former columnist for
the San Francisco Chronicle. Jim Cannon will chair this event.
2. Foundation Retreat -The Foundation Board is planning to
hold a retreat for new members to review the mission statement
and review long term goals.
VII. Unfinished Business
A. Update, on City Budget
1. Fiscal Year 2009-2010 -The approximate budget shortfall is
$2.5million due to a significant drop in the hotel tax and sales
tax; property taxes have shown a slight increase. The City
Manager directed the department managers to cut their budgets
5% for this fiscal year. Impacts on the library are a loss of
$30,000 in the book budget, $1,000 for equipment maintenance,
$12,000 from professional and specialized services, and $25,000
from regular salaries for retirements.
2. Fiscal Year 2010-2011 -The City Manager has now directed
department managers to prepare what he defines as a "Yellow
Level" of service cuts. This means the budget reduction's will be
considered temporary in nature.and-in the event the economy
recovers, the level of service will hopefully be restored.
Library Board of Trustee Minutes January 26,2010 2
The Library budget is $ 3,655,940 this fiscal year; reductions at
an additional 10% would be $ 365,594. Suggested reductions
by the City Manager that would clearly impact-the residents are
as follows: 1) close Easton Branch; 2) close on Sundays and
3) discontinue staffing at the lower level desk.
B. Time Capsule
The Trustees reviewed a list of possible items to place in theToft capsule.
The names of favorite books, submitted by ch'Burlingame g children and
teens for the,Centennial celebration, has been compiled by Trustee
Corcoran and will be placed in the time capsule.
VIII. New Business
A. Request for Funds
The Trustees approved the acting City Librarian's requests to provide
funds for Staff Recognition and the Retirement Tea. M/S/C
(Griffith/Corcoran}. The Trustees agreed to review the acting City
Librarian's request to fund further consultations from Practical
Solutions at a future meeting.
B. Computer Lab
Reference has formed a task force to begin weeding the Reference Room
as well as Compact Shelving. It was noted that the Reference Room has
many reference volumes that are no longer used by the patrons.
Removal of these items.will make room for the few volumes from
Compact Shelving that the Library will keep in the collection. Pat
Harding, acting City Librarian, advised that the computer lab is a "work
in progress". Trustee Corcoran requested that the'"Computer Lab" be
placed on all future agendas and stated_ that she would like to be
actively-involved in the project.
C. Staff Recognition Event
President McCormack recommended that the Trustees make a decision
on the venue for the Staff Recognition dinner and suggested that
perhaps the staff could be surveyed as to the whether they would prefer
the Library or a hotel for the event.
IX. Announcement
March 1, 2010 the City Council will meet with the Library Trustees,
Foundation Executive Board, City Manager, Jim Nantell and Acting City
Librarian, Pat Harding, at 6:00pm in the Library Conference Room.
Library Board of Trustee Minutes January 26,2010
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X. Adjournment
The meeting was-adj ourned at 7:00pm. M-/S/C (Toft/Corcoran)
The next meeting of the Library Trustees will be held February 23, 2010
at 5:30pm in the Library Conference Room.
Resp tfully Submitted,
Pat Harding
Acting City Librarian
Library Board of Trustee Minutes January 26,2010 Q