Session 04-01, a Special Meeting of the Homer Library Advisory Board was called to order at 5:40 p.m. on January 13, 2004 by Chair Mauger at the Homer City Hall Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

 

PRESENT:     BOARDMEMBERS:               MAUGER, SEAMAN, KEFFER,                                                                                                                                WAGNER, HAWFIELD, LORD

 

                        HONORARY STUDENT

                        MEMBER:                               ELLEN BAUER

 

                        STAFF:                                    LIBRARY DIRECTOR HILL

                                                                        DEPUTY CITY CLERK JOHNSON

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

 

The Special Meeting Minutes of December 9, 2003 were corrected.

 

WAGNER/SEAMAN – MOVED TO APPROVE THE CORRECTED MINUTES.

 

VOTE:  YES.  NO OBJECTION.  UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

 

Motion carried.

 

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

 

Item A. Library Fines and Fees was added under NEW BUSINESS and Item A. LAB Vacancy was added under UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

 

LORD/KEFFER – MOVED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.

 

VOTE:  YES.  NO OBJECTION.  UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

 

Motion carried.

 

LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

Library Director Hill said she has missed the last several meetings due to illness and travel.  Over the last few months several people have been hired bringing new energy to the library and renewed strength to those employees involved in the training process.  Pete Coots was hired as a part time Library Technician, bringing experience from working within the library of the college he attended.  Additionally he is a volunteer firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for the City of Homer.  Tiffany Shoultz and Joanna Baugh, both with prior library experience were hired.  Joleena Baugh, a high school student, worked at the library during the fall.  With the help of the extra staff a complete inventory was completed, the first one since the security system was installed.  The results from the inventory were seventy missing books, about half of the amount listed as missing in prior years.  A dozen of those seventy books were accounted for due to clerical inaccuracies of deleting discarded books from the computer.  The remaining count included books that were not returned to the library.  Several reference books were found to be missing, which is an odd occurrence.  Library staff was able to attend the GATES Grant Training offered by the State Library.  Sue Gibson traveled to Anchorage for a workshop on teaching technology to library patrons.  Library Director Hill went for best practices for managers and technology trends in libraries.  Kathy George took a distance class through the University of Buffalo Library School for web design.  All the training has been helpful and the staff has been teaching each other new technology.

 

The budget for the Library balanced with the help of an additional $1,000 for books.  New DVD’s & CD’s have been ordered and a bulletin board now displays all the new titles.  New movies and documentaries have been ordered and the travel section has been updated. 

 

In response to Boardmember Lord’s question about the library patron complaint, Library Director Hill said that recently a regular patron expressed concern of providing personal identifying information to obtain a library card.  Presently there are seven options used for verification of an applicant who requests a library card.  Some of those sources are a driver’s license, social security card, voter’s registration number, or hunting and fishing license.  The complainant was worried about cross forms of identification being used to find out about his personal life.  Mrs. Hill said the library needs the applicant’s name and address to determine if they are city residents or non-city dwellers and to retrieve library materials that are not returned.  The library is concerned about privacy, confidentiality and identity theft of patrons and the present software erases returned books from the database.  Titles of books that are currently checked out to patrons are available on the software but the library would not willingly divulge any information.

 

Library Director Hill said the main reason for requiring identification is to retrieve library materials that are not returned and for the collection of fines.  Delinquent fines are referred to City Hall for collection now, as at one time there was nearly $30,000 in outstanding fees.  Fine balances from the early 90’s are still being collected and the overall balance is dwindling with City Hall’s collection procedures.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

A.                 Capital Campaign Committee

 

Boardmember Lord said the next Capital Campaign Committee meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2004.  Claudia is on maternity leave with her new baby girl.  Before taking her time off she wrapped up loose ends.  Presently the CCC is focusing on grant proposals.  The CCC discussed the need for a Municipal Bond and some members met with the City Manager and Finance Director Baugh.  Ms. Lord said the City Manager is to present a recommendation to the City Council for a bond and accompanying tax on the October ballot. 

 

Boardmember Hawfield said he has made application for $5,000 to ConocoPhillips to go towards the funding of the coordinator, although he hasn’t received a reply yet.  He said it is money the philanthropy office can distribute independently without seeking committees or foundations for the funds.  Boardmember Lord said the CCC is looking for sources of money for operating expenses to cover Claudia’s wages.  Ms. Lord said the Municipal Bond would require a political campaign in the fall.  The CCC has been contacting City Council members to advise them of the Municipal Bond.  The City Manager has encouraged packaging the bond with animal shelter monies, but with the shelter’s escalating costs of a new building Ms. Lord is reluctant to pursue a package deal.

 

Boardmember Hawfield said the area wide service district is an idea to involve more people outside the taxpayer base of Homer.  He said focusing on what Homer can do will deflect the issue of involving an array of organizations in a package deal.

 

Architect Brian Meissner will be available by speaker phone at the next CCC meeting to talk about the fundraising progress and ways to enhance fundraising for the LEED’s (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.     

 

B.         Publicity Committee

 

Boardmember Keffer said the last event of the Publicity Committee was Santa’s visit.  Future events include the Bowl-A-Rama scheduled for February 28th and the Homestead event on April 17, 2004.  Ticket prices have tentatively been set at $100 each.  The idea of the American girl doll is underway and a coordinator is needed to expand on the project.  Over the course of the year the doll would acquire paraphernalia, clothing and a story.  She may visit places accumulating belongings and outfits and chapters within a story would be created to make her Homer’s American girl.  Ultimately the American girl doll would be a raffle item. 

 

Tentative plans include a rummage sale in March at the Elk’s Lodge with approval for the use of the facility to be discussed at the club’s January meeting.  Daisy Lee Bitter’s idea of a helicopter book drop is still in the forecast.  A donation for the helicopter services would need to be secured to make the project feasible.  Ms. Bitter’s idea is that numbers (possibly a numbered piece of wood) would be sold in advance.  Hundreds or thousands of numbered miniature books would then be dropped from the helicopter in a targeted area.  The person holding the number on the book closest to the bulls-eye would be declared the winner of a prize.  The group of women teachers and retired teachers may oversee the project.  Additionally there is a new daisy designed quilt crafted by Molly Custer for raffle.  The bright and beautiful quilt is currently displayed at the library and tickets are being sold for $1 each or six for $5.  The drawing is to take place at the Homestead event on April 17th.

 

C.        Building Committee

 

Boardmember Wagner said the architect’s conceptual design of the new library was presented at the December 10th meeting.  Drawings are on display at the City Hall Council Chambers and at the Homer Library.  There is space available on the drawings for public comments.  Architect Brian Meissner is scheduled to return to Homer on February 17 – 19.  He will be meeting with students in regard to the library plan.   

 

COMMUNICATION/VISITORS

 

Frank Vondersaar questioned if he could post KBBI’s posters for their upcoming Jazz-Mania at the library and Library Director Hill said any non-profit organization may post information at the library.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

          A.        LAB Vacancy

 

Chair Mauger said a new LAB member is still needed to fill the vacant seat and asked members to continue searching for a city resident that may be interested in the position.   

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

            A.        Library Fines and Fees

 

Library Director Hill passed out proposed increases for library fines and fees and stated that the original fines and fees have not been raised since they were established fifteen years ago.  Discussion ensued and it was the consensus of the Board that fees should be increased on overdue items and repair and replacement of items.  Mrs. Hill said she would take the LAB’s ideas to her staff and she would return with a formal proposal for rate increases at the next meeting. 

 

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD

 

Boardmember Lord reminded the Boardmembers the Friends of the Library will meet tomorrow (January 14, 2004).

 

Chair Mauger said there was an excellent editorial in The Tribune.  There was “If I Were a Mayor” essay contest and a student from West Homer Elementary won third place.  Chair Mauger thanked Boardmember Lord for her years of service as the Chair.  Additionally she said money that had been in the City account for the library has been moved to the Friends of the Library fund so they may build an endowment.  

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Advisory Board the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.  The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for February 3, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. in the Homer City Hall Conference Room located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

 

 

 

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JO JOHNSON, DEPUTY CITY CLERK

 

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APPROVED