Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Scott Hunt, Rita Lichtenberg, Antonia Mathew, and Debra Sparks.
President John Walsh called the meeting to order at 5:49 p.m. in Meeting Room 1B.
President John Walsh presented the minutes and consent agenda. There were no comments or questions.
Janice Stockton moved to approve the consent agenda. Randy Paul seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Sara Laughlin presented the director’s report and the quarterly report. She pointed out the circulation statistics for April and May have continued at record high levels.
There were no comments or questions regarding the quarterly report.
Sara reported the stocks in the gift fund are ready to be cashed after we add Janice Stockton’s signature.
She reported that Tom Loy from TechLogic will present information about RFID to our library staff tomorrow.
Sara reported that we received some answers to our budget questions. In an e-mail, Tim Rushenberg, attorney for DLGF, said our budget does need to go to the county 15 days before our budget adoption hearing. We should know the assessed value growth quotient (AVGQ) by mid to late July. It will almost certainly be less than the 4.9% increase we have used to this point.
We will adopt the budget at our regular meeting on September 17, after the public hearing on September 3 and a final work session on September 10. We will submit the budget to the County Council September 2; their regular September meeting is September 9, so we will have their non-binding recommendation before the September 10 work session.
Sara reported that we have been working on the questions the Board asked about the budget and will get them to the Board before the July work session.
Sara gave an update on water damage in the library from the recent downtown flooding. Rachael Adams was here conducting follow-up tests again this week. We don’t have results yet, but she verbally reported that the children’s area appeared to be clean and dry. The Bookstore also appears clean and dry now. We have taken down the biohazard signs, per her suggestion. The remediators will be back to address other areas still in question. We believe all of this will be covered by our insurance, but we do not have a bill or estimate from Rachael yet. Figures will depend on the lab reports.
Randy Paul asked Sara to give the Board her best guess of what it would cost and where the money would come from. Sara replied that the estimate from First Response was approximately $31,000. Sara stated we do have money in the budget for it.
There was brief discussion on the water flooding on Kirkwood and Grant. Sara reported that water came in through the Grant Street entrances and the Bookstore door and got carpet and drywall wet nearby. No materials or equipment were damaged.
Sara thanked Gary Harrison from the IU library, who connected her with Rachael Adams, a certified indoor environmental quality expert in Indianapolis. She is also instructs internationally.
Randy asked if the Board had to approve if the cost would be paid out of the operating budget or out of Rainy Day. Bonnie Estell replied that the Board had already authorized expenditures during the budgeting process. She added that LIRF is more suitable fund from which to pay, since it is dedicated to capital improvements and repairs.
Randy inquired about the elevators breaking down more frequently. Mark Mobley replied that we have a maintenance contract with Schindler. As of yet they have not been able to find a solution.
Sara presented an overview of proposed changes to Section 5.5 of the personnel manual. The revision comes from the Employee Forum Action Committee. Sara stated the section is not radically changed, but is does make break scheduling a shared responsibility between employee and supervisor, as long as the break would not compromise patron service.
There were no comments or questions.
Randy moved for approval. Stephen Moberly seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Ned Baugh stated that the Board is required to review the Internet use policy annually. He recommended no changes.
The Board had no comments or questions about the policy.
Randy moved approval. Stephen seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Mickey Needham spoke to the Board about the addition, and reminded them that this is their first opportunity to view the plans, ask questions, provide input. Mickey reported that she, Josh Wolf, Bonnie Estelle, Stephanie Holman, Penny Gillie, and Mark Mobley have served on a planning committee for the addition. Mickey stated that we are moving some current children’s collections and activities to the new space, which will free up some space in the current facility. Plans for use of that space are not yet finalized, but the Ellettsville staff have presented several options to OMS.
Odle McGuire Shook (OMS) will return to the July work session to share further revisions. In mid-August, just after school starts in Ellettsville, OMS will make a presentation in Ellettsville to solicit feedback from the community. We will add the drawings to our website with a comment form, so that people can give feedback there as well.
Steve Moberly asked what this does to the size of the current children’s area.
Mickey replied it will add approximately 1,600 feet.
Randy asked if there have been dates designated for the public feedback. Mickey said we are thinking of waiting until after August 13, but dates haven’t been set.
Scott Hunt and Debra Sparks from OMS presented a powerpoint presentation on the Ellettsville expansion.
Steve Moberly asked if we would need any variances to set-backs. Scott said they are not expecting any set-backs. They are talking to city about the using four parking spaces in the back lot.
Scott Hunt said that OMS used a kite theme (solar shade), based on ideas from the staff, and is planning to attempt LEED certification or at least use green building techniques. There will be a storytelling tree outside, a new dumpster and condenser location, new storage area, and window seats for reading.
President John Walsh asked if anyone had questioned having children playing around the dumper and condenser locations (especially when there might be noisy pick-up times). Scott said the staff also had concerns and they are looking into it.
Steve Moberly asked what the square footage was for the play area. Scott replied he didn’t have exact dimensions, but he would guess it to be somewhere around 700 square feet.
Steve also asked if there was any discussion about using the area that is shown as a courtyard for more interior space. Scott Hunt replied no. Sara added we could lose sight control, as we do not have staff to be in exclusively in this area. She thinks they turned it rectangular because of that and to save one of the windows in the meeting room.
Janice asked if there is access to that area via steps, and if there would be a gate. Scott Hunt said there would be a gate, and believes there will be steps too. Janice said we have had a problem in the past with loitering at the branch, and we want to be cautious not to encourage it again.
Randy asked about the possibility of future expansion, and if we would be limited to this. Scott Hunt responded we wouldn’t be limited in using the garden area, but the property line is near the other sides of the building so there is not much further room for expansion.
Randy asked if this addition is all ADA compliant. Scott Hunt replied it is ADA compliant. The plan currently shows steps outside the back staff door, but it may slope down rather than step down to comply with ADA regulations. There could be steps and a ramp, but Scott stated he thinks the slope is shallow enough that there could just be a ramp.
Janice asked if we would get into a lot of problems with having a flat roof area between the two buildings. She wonders what we would use to catch water and how we would prevent leaks. Scott replied he would respond later in the presentation.
There was brief discussion about parking by the building, in the back, and in the public parking area near the city’s log house nearby.
Scott stated that we may come up with some alternates, like stained glass or alternate glass. The water from the old roof will continue to run into the current gutters; the water from the slanting part of the new addition will also be caught in gutters; neither will pour onto the flat roof area.
Sara added that this design means the new construction will not involve tampering with the current roof.
Scott Hunt said there will be one to two new air handlers, and condensing units.
Scott Hunt went over the timeline and the proposed costs to the addition and renovation.
Steve asked if Scott had any gut feeling about the cost with furnishings. Debra Sparks replied they have not begun to generate those estimates yet.
Debra presented a drawing of the interior layout of the existing site and presented ideas from the staff for changes.
Randy asked Mickey what we are adding in the new children’s area compared with what we have now. Will children and families have more available to them? Mickey responded that we haven’t defined how the existing space would be rearranged yet. The goals is to make it be for children, teens, and families. With the addition, we are freeing current areas for new uses.
Randy said it would make sense to look at the group that is hardest to make happy—teens and think of giving them space in the new addition.
Janice mentioned loitering again at the Branch and asked if staff would take into consideration how to prevent this. Sara said she knew it was a concern and planned to take action. Mickey said her she and her staff take it seriously and try to provide signage for guidance, but to be welcoming to teens. Sometimes there is a crowd control issue, but hopefully in the next year we will address these things, and provide more teen programs for the kids currently loitering.
Ned Baugh presented a department update on Information Services. Ned reported on Polaris (changes from 2006 to present), changes in technical trainer positions, technology classes for the public and for staff, and on our public computers and support.
Ned reported on upcoming projects, including updating technology in the Auditorium and the public meeting rooms, introduction of downloadable books to our collection, and the Library’s hosting of the Polaris regional user group in October.
Ned expressed appreciation to Facilities for their quick action and support during last week’s flooding. Their quick response may have prevented damage to computers.
Discussion followed. John Walsh asked about computer purchases and what has happened to the 2007 purchases that were being held for distribution. Ned said for this round most of the new computers are replacing older staff computers.
John asked about the attendance in the training classes. Ned replied that they were popular. Some classes build on one another. Ned said the classes are definitely new territory, but he would expect the classes to grow over time.
Sara added we get a steady stream of compliments for the classes.
There was no old business.
There was no new business.
There was no public comment.
The meeting adjourned at 7:11 p.m.
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Updated:
July 23, 2008
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