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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPPROVED 2019-06-17 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Board of Library Trustees Newport Beach Public Library 1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 - 5:00 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER –Vice Chair Watkins called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Board Members expressed appreciation for Board Member Johnson-Tucker's exceptional service to the Board of Library Trustees. II. ROLL CALL - Roll Call by Administrative Support Specialist Elaine McMillion Trustees Present: Vice Chair Paul Watkins, Secretary Douglas Coulter, Board Member Jill Johnson-Tucker, Board Member Kurt Kost Trustees Absent: Chair Janet Ray Staff Present: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director Elaine McMillion, Administrative Support Specialist Natalie Basmaciyan, Library Services Manager Carol Jacobs, Assistant City Manager Melissa Hartson, Circulation & Technical Processing Coordinator Debbie Walker, Branch & Youth Services Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot, Adult Services Coordinator Annika Helmuth, Corona del Mar Branch Librarian Katherine Mielke, Marketing Specialist III. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS Vice Chair Watkins referred to Mr. Mosher's comment regarding the lack of public interest in Board meetings and stated Board Members dedicated a great deal of time to all things Library. Board Member Coulter took exception to Mr. Mosher's comment. V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Consent Calendar Items 1. Minutes of the May 20, 2019 Board of Library Trustees Meeting Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 Page 2 2. Customer Comments Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from customers. Vice Chair Watkins thanked Branch and Youth Services Coordinator Debbie Walker for her respectful and sensitive response to the comment regarding the children's play area and the use of computers. 3. Library Activities Monthly update of library events, services and statistics. 4. Expenditure Status Report Monthly expenditure status of the library's operating expenses, services, salaries, and benefits by department. 5. Board of Library Trustees Monitoring List List of agenda items and dates for monthly review of projects by the Board of Library Trustees. Motion made by Board Member Coulter, seconded by Board Member Kost, and carried (4-0-0-1) to approve the Consent Calendar. AYES: Watkins, Coulter, Johnson-Tucker, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Ray VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review 6. Marketing Update & Social Networking Update Marketing Specialist Katherine Mielke will provide the annual briefing on Library marketing and social media activities. Marketing Specialist Katherine Mielke reported there has been an increase in program attendance. The City employee open house in September 2018 successfully acquainted City employees with Library resources. Author Lucy Jones addressed a packed house during Disaster Preparedness Week. Talks with authors Michele Khoury, Kim Hooper, Janelle Brown, Kathi Koll, Flor Edwards, Deborah Gaal, Dr. Himmet Dajee, Patrice Apodaca, and Susan Segal and children's authors John Flanagan, Sarah Mlynowski, and Trudi Tuelt were held throughout the year. The writing workshops were booked to capacity. NBTV increased its coverage with 30 programs. Public service announcements (PSA) for Children's Services, the Media Lab, author talks, and sculpture lectures were shown on NBTV. New signage, column graphics, and a kiosk directory were added to the Library. The Library's 25th Anniversary celebration began in January and will conclude in July with a week of festivities. Press releases and e-blasts are issued for Library events and programs. The StuNews and the Newport Beach Independent offer good coverage of Newport Beach events. The Daily Pilot ran a positive story by Patrice Apodaca about the Library. Marketing Specialist Mielke provides calendars of events to the Peachjar Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 Page 3 school flyer system and summaries of upcoming events to several community papers. Electronic marketing includes e-news mailings and rotating ads on the website and the kiosk. Website demographics are very similar to those for the prior year. The Library has 1,808 Facebook followers, an increase from 1,400 in the prior year. Posts about Meg Linton, Sunday Musicales, and the Daily Pilot article about the Library received the most responses. Facebook posts reach 2,800 people. Twitter followers total 757, and Instagram followers total 1,232. Information is being posted to NextDoor about Library events. Marketing Specialist Mielke works with partner organizations to promote Library events and organizations' events held at the Library. In response to questions, Marketing Specialist Mielke indicated the City has a new program that will upload one post to all social media platforms. The number of social media followers could be increased through the use of advertising. She continues to work on increasing the number of followers. She is preparing information for International Literacy Day. She works with Literacy Coordinator Cherall Weiss to promote International Literacy Day, Happy Hour, and the Gift of Literacy luncheon. Literacy Coordinator Weiss handles the Literacy Program's social media and most other literacy events. Board Member Johnson-Tucker advised that Marketing Specialist Mielke was helpful in preparing a brochure for the lecture hall. 7. Financial Report Comparison of Beginning Budget to End of the Year Amended Budget Circulation & Technical Processing Coordinator Melissa Hartson will report on Budget Amendments for FY 2018/2019. Circulation and Technical Processing Coordinator Melissa Hartson advised that the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library funded Library wish lists and an Opening Day collection and patio furniture for the Corona del Mar Branch. The City's General Fund supports approximately 40 percent of the Library Literacy Program budget. The Literacy Program received a $41,666 grant from California State Library Literacy Services and funds from the Newport/Mesa ProLiteracy and the Library Foundation. The Library received $525 in private donations and a $4,465 grant from the Santiago Library System to purchase materials. An internal adjustment resulted in a $9,908 decrease of the Library's budget for janitorial services. In reply to Board Members' inquiries, Circulation and Technical Processing Coordinator Hartson indicated the cost for janitorial services at Central Library decreased slightly. The Library budget will have some surplus funds at the end of the fiscal year. General Fund monies not expended at the end of the fiscal year return to the General Fund; however, grants and donations roll into the next fiscal year. 8. Adult and Reference Services Update Adult and Reference Services Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot will provide the annual update on reference services and collections and programming for adult patrons. Adult and Reference Services Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot noted changes in staffing have resulted in an entirely new staff for Adult Services. The Library is recruiting for four part-time Library Assistants. Reference Services staff is responsible for responding to Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 Page 4 patron requests for information. Adult Services has sponsored an open house and author events and holds Let's Talk Tech events at Library Branches and City facilities. A Let's Talk Tech event before the June 16 Concert on the Green was successful and will be held again before the July 7 Concert on the Green. Staff hopes to increase outreach by attending events such as the Orange County Children's Book Festival. More than 450 people attended Digital Saturday held in conjunction with a Star Wars event. Another Digital Saturday is scheduled for November 16 in conjunction with Overdrive's digital bookmobile. Staff is developing technology classes based on patron feedback. The Library offers professional development to full-time and part-time staff. Librarian Laurie Sanders will attend the American Library Association's conference later in the week. Staff hopes to attend the California Library Association conference in November. Library Services Manager Natalie Basmaciyan, Branch and Youth Services Coordinator Debbie Walker, and she attended the City's Leadership Academy in 2018. Selected staff will soon be trained for passport services. The Library has added database services for the Encyclopedia Britannica for Students and Gale Archives Unbound and upgraded the Rosetta Stone database. Additional databases will be added in July. In answer to questions from the Board, Adult and Reference Services Coordinator Lightfoot explained that the Overdrive bookmobile contains computer stations where the public can learn to use the Overdrive platform. Staff turnover has been caused partially by staff accepting promotions within the Library and at other libraries. 9. Corona del Mar Branch Project Update CDM Branch Librarian Annika Helmuth will update the Board on the Corona del Mar Branch Library replacement project and branch activities during the closure. Corona del Mar Branch Librarian Annika Helmuth indicated the Corona del Mar Branch closed on March 17, 2018. Shortly thereafter, staff held a massive book sale and moved out of the building. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility was held on April 10. Construction continues, but a grand opening ceremony is scheduled for July 20. When the Branch reopens, staff will consist of a Librarian, a part-time Library Assistant, and a part-time Library Page. While the Branch is closed, concierge service and a book drop are available at the OASIS Senior Center. The Branch's story times were relocated to the Grant Howald Community Youth Center, which more than 4,500 children have attended. The Songs and Stories program was relocated to Central Library, where attendance increased to a total of almost 5,000 participants. She hosted a table at the annual Corona del Mar Christmas Walk with Adult and Reference Services Coordinator Lightfoot and attended the Corona del Mar Residents Association Annual Expo with Branch and Youth Services Coordinator Walker. When the Corona del Mar Branch reopens, its hours will be Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Proceeds from the closing book sale and a donation from the Friends of the Library have been expended for a new Opening Day Collection. Staff has ordered more than 9,000 items for the Branch. Light fixtures have been installed in the new facility, and installation of flooring is close to complete. Pavers have been installed in the reading porch. Shelving is being installed. In response to Board Members' inquiries, Library Services Director Hetherton advised that a walk-through of the new facility will occur when it is turned over to the City. The project is under budget. Branch Librarian Helmuth related that staff is arranging delivery dates with vendors. Once those have been set, a soft launch can be planned. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 Page 5 In reply to Jim Mosher's question, Branch Librarian Helmuth reported a Friends of the Corona del Mar Library does exist, but she has not had an opportunity to speak with the group. 10. Lecture Hall Update Trustee Johnson-Tucker will update the Board on activities related to building a lecture hall facility on the Central Library site. Board Member Johnson-Tucker reported the Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued the prior week to nine architectural firms, and a pre-bid meeting is scheduled during the week. Following the meeting, potential bidders can submit questions to City staff for a limited time period. The deadline to submit bids will follow the period for questions. In response to queries, Board Member Johnson-Tucker advised that the RFP was not placed on PlanetBid. The Mayor will appoint a group of stakeholders and Board of Library Trustees to review the bids during a public meeting. Members of the community are interested in donating to a lecture hall. Vice Chair Watkins thanked Board Member Johnson-Tucker for her many efforts over several years to obtain a lecture hall for the Library. 11. Library Services Report of Library issues regarding services, customers, and staff. Library Services Director Hetherton appreciated Board Member Johnson-Tucker's work with the Library and her participation in hiring him as Library Services Director. The Library Foundation approved a donation for the Library's wish list in May, and the Friends of the Newport Beach Library presented a donation for the Library's wish list in June. Board Member Johnson-Tucker remarked that many things had occurred during her tenure on the Board of Library Trustees. Working with Library staff and Board Members has been a delight. B. Monthly Reports 12. Library Foundation Liaison Reports A. Library Foundation Board – Report of the most recently attended meeting. B. Library live Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. C. Witte Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. Board Member Johnson-Tucker had no report for the Library Foundation Board meeting. Meg Linton, Newport Beach Public Library Foundation Chief Executive Officer, reported the Library Live and Witte Committees are completing contracts with authors for the fall series. Two bookmarks will be released each year, and the first one will be released shortly after Labor Day. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes June 17, 2019 Page 6 13. Friends of the Library Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Friends of the Library Board meeting. Board Member Coulter advised that the Friends collected $2,105 during a members-only 50% off sale on June 4. On June 11, the Friends held its annual meeting and luncheon with more than 100 people in attendance. The Friends presented the Library with a donation of $185,000 and the Literacy Program with a donation of $5,000 during the meeting. The Friends' art book sale during the Newport Beach Juried Art Exhibition raised $2,492. May sales in the bookstore generated $17,409. With donations and membership dues, the total was $19,693. The Friends sold 65 books on Amazon for a total of $1,493. Vice Chair Watkins added that Library Services Director Hetherton spoke at the Friends' luncheon. 14. Literacy Services Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Literacy Services Advisory Board meeting. Vice Chair Watkins indicated an International Literacy Day program will be held September 12. The Literacy Program has hired an assistant. Meg Linton commented that the herb book sale was fabulous, and the quality of books was amazing. VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Jim Mosher remarked that the public did not attend meetings of library boards in Newport Beach or other cities. The County of Orange opened a nice library in Costa Mesa in May. Library staff may want to visit the laptop self-checkout in the new library. Perhaps the Board of Library Trustees could comply with the agreements contained in their notebooks. VIII. BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) None IX. ADJOURNMENT – 6:09 p.m. Submitted by: Paul Watkins Vice-Chair Approval of Minutes