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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-11-18 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Board of Library Trustees Newport Beach Public Library 1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Meeting Minutes November 18, 2019 – 5:00 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER –Chair Ray called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. II. ROLL CALL - Roll Call by Administrative Support Specialist Elaine McMillion Trustees Present: Chair Janet Ray, Vice Chair Paul Watkins, Secretary Douglas Coulter, Board Member Barbara Glabman, Board Member Kurt Kost Trustees Absent: None Staff Present: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director Elaine McMillion, Administrative Support Specialist Debbie Walker, Branch & Youth Services Coordinator Melissa Hartson, Circulation & Technical Processing Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot, Adult Services Coordinator III. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS Jim Mosher hoped the Board of Library Trustees gave Library Services Director Hetherton a good evaluation during the Closed Session. V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Consent Calendar Items 1. Minutes of the October 21, 2019 Board of Library Trustees Meeting 2. Patron Comments Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from patrons. Vice Chair Watkins commended Danielle Doi for providing excellent service. At Mariners Branch, additional parking spaces are available near the handball courts. Perhaps signage can be placed inside Mariners and in the parking area indicating parking is available. 3. Library Activities Monthly update of library events, services and statistics. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes November 18, 2019 Page 2 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. Vice Chair Watkins suggested the Corona del Mar Branch Update be removed from monthly review beginning in January. The Monitoring List needs to be updated and modified. Motion made by Vice Chair Watkins, seconded by Board Member Coulter, and carried (5-0-0-0) to approve the Consent Calendar. AYES: Ray, Watkins, Coulter, Glabman, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review 6. Library Gift and Donor Policy – NBPL 3 As requested by the Board, staff will provide revisions of this policy for review and approval. Library Services Director Tim Hetherton reported staff has revised the Gift and Donor Policy to include donor recognition walls. Staff can attach a map of the donor walls to the policy to provide additional information. Vice Chair Watkins requested a map of the donor walls be attached to the policy and the policy align with the donor levels listed on the Library Foundation's website. Library Branches should be included in the Gift and Donor Policy. Meg Linton, Newport Beach Public Library Foundation Chief Executive Officer, advised that the Foundation's website is being updated and will align with the donor information contained in the policy. Mariners' new donor wall will be installed next week. Library Services Director Hetherton added that a space has been identified for a donor wall at the Corona del Mar Branch. In the Central Library, plaques have been used to recognize donations to the Library. Branches may or may not have plaques. Vice Chair Watkins recommended staff update the Library Gift and Donor Policy with respect to Central Library first. As time permits, staff can incorporate the Branches into the policy. Chair Ray announced the item is continued to December so that staff can update the policy with respect to Central Library. Other Branches will be updated in the future. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes November 18, 2019 Page 3 Jim Mosher advised that minutes for the 2013 meeting in which this policy was reviewed are available, but the staff report apparently was not archived. The original purpose of donor walls is obsolete. 7. Corona del Mar Branch Update Staff will update the Board on the recently opened Corona del Mar Branch Library. Library Services Director Hetherton indicated feedback about the Branch has been positive. In the last month, Branch & Youth Services Coordinator Debbie Walker has worked with the Public Works Department to finish details outside the building, such as the book drop, striping for parking, and painted curbs. Branch & Youth Services Coordinator Walker related that patrons are using the patio, and it will be a good place for refreshments during the Christmas Walk on December 8. 8. Lecture Hall Update Chair Ray will report on activities related to the Library Lecture Hall project. Chair Ray related that the Council will consider and hopefully approve a contract for Robert Coffee Architects and Associates to design the Lecture Hall. Public support is needed to convince the Council to approve the contract. Board Member Kost suggested staff use social media and an email blast to encourage attendance at the Council meeting. 9. Literacy Grant Staff requests that the Board accept a State of California Literacy Grant check in the amount of $18,000. Library Services Director Hetherton recommended the Board of Library Trustees accept the grant. This is the first of two grant installments for the fiscal year. The grant is a major funding source for the Literacy Program. Motion made by Vice Chair Watkins, seconded by Board Member Coulter, and carried (5-0-0-0) to accept the $18,000 State of California Literacy Grant. AYES: Ray, Watkins, Coulter, Glabman, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: 10. Library Services Report of Library issues regarding services, patrons and staff. Library Services Director Hetherton expressed concern that the number of book vendors restricting sales to libraries will increase. The restrictions impact the Library's ability to serve its patrons. Macmillan Publishing will sell one copy of an e-book to a library during Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes November 18, 2019 Page 4 the first eight weeks of a book's release. Publishers charge libraries considerably more for e-books than they charge retail patrons. Staff plans to purchase the Library's one copy during the seventh week of the eight-week period and purchase additional copies after the eighth week. A ballot drop box will be installed near the drop box at Central Library. ProLiteracy's holiday party is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on December 7, and Board of Library Trustees are invited. Views of the Consumer Reports database totaled 2,516 during October. B. Monthly Reports 11. 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. Chair Ray reported the Library Foundation has donated $6,892,956 to the Library over the past ten years, approximately $1 million in cash and $6 million in programming. Foundation membership has increased to 812. The Foundation is actively marketing events and programming with email blasts. The Foundation has pledged $50,000 each year for the next five years in support of the Lecture Hall. Meg Linton, Newport Beach Library Foundation Chief Executive Officer, advised that ticket sales for Witte Lectures usually fund 25-30 percent of expenses and ticket sales for Library Live events fund 20 percent of expenses. At the Council study session, the Foundation will present a check to the Council. Board Member Glabman indicated Dibi and Herbie Fletcher's Library Live lecture was held on November 14. The response to the lecture was enthusiastic. Ms. Linton added that approximately 100 people attended the lecture. The Fletchers attracted a new audience to the Library. Tickets for the Helen Zia lecture in February are selling fairly well. Board Member Kost related that John Gunnin has joined the Witte Lectures Committee. Ticket sales are going well. Foundation members obtained all tickets for the Doris Kearns Goodwin lecture prior to the tickets going on sale to the public. Thirty lapsed members renewed their memberships in order to obtain lecture tickets. The goal for sponsorships is $120,000, and commitments total $141,000. 12. Friends of the Library Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Friends of the Library Board meeting. Board Member Coulter reported that the Friends held their membership holiday lunch in November. The November quarterly book sale raised $2,577, and sales on Amazon.com Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes November 18, 2019 Page 5 totaled $1,245. Total revenue for October was $15,278. On December 3, Gorjana Jewelry in Fashion Island will be hosting a fundraiser for the Friends and donate 19% of the sales revenue from that event to the Friends. Starting in 2020, the Friends Super Sensational Sale prices will increase from $2 to $3 a bag on the 2nd day of the sale, which is open to the public. These sales will be held in February, June & October. 13. Literacy Services Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Literacy Services Advisory Board meeting. Library Services Director Hetherton indicated Happy Hour with Steve Rowley was successful. ProLiteracy's holiday party will be held on December 7. VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS None 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) Vice Chair Watkins requested an agenda item for homelessness in December. Chair Ray suggested Homeless Coordinator Basmaciyan address the Board of Library Trustees. The Gift and Donor Policy will return to the Board in December. IX. ADJOURNMENT – 5:48 p.m. Submitted by: Janet Ray Chair Approval of Minutes