HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-19-2024-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTSAugust 19, 2024, BLT Agenda Item Comments
These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by:
Jim Mosher
Item No. 1. Minutes of the July 15, 2024 Board of Library Trustees
Meeting
The passages in italics are from the draft minutes, with corrections suggested in strikeout
underline format.
Page 2 (page 5 of agenda packet), first motion, sentence 1: “Motion made by Secretary
Lauren Kramer,Larson seconded by Trustee Vice Chair Dorothy Larson, to close the
nominations for Vice Chair and carried (5-0-0-0).”
Page 2 (page 5 of agenda packet), second motion, sentence 1: “Motion made by Secretary
Lauren Kramer, seconded by Vice Chair Trustee Dorothy Larson, to close the nominations
for Secretary and carried (5-0-0-0).”
Page 3 (page 5 of agenda packet), paragraph 3 from end: “Patty Gwin, Newport Beach
resident, spoke in support of the Director’s decision and believed the book depicts accurately
how teenage boys interact with each other and the struggles they go through during those
formidable formative years.”
Page 10 (page 13 of agenda packet), Item 14, paragraph 1, sentence 1: “Chair Rief reported
he attended the meeting, and they are ahead of scheduled schedule on the number of
boxes they have of donated books”
Item No. 3. Expenditure Status Report
As the Trustees have previously noticed, the $1,693,396 “Internal Service Charge” (ISF)
expenditure is the largest “Maintenance and Operations” line item, some 2.5 times the $675,205
spent purchasing library materials, and the only line item ending the year precisely 100% spent.
The following slightly higher numbers related to the Library’s ISF charge are from the Library
Services “Account Detail” section of the City’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget (starting
on page 126), and indicate Information Technology charges account for the largest part of the
ISF expense:
CENTRAL MARINERS BALBOA CDM ADMIN TECHNICAL LITERACY Total
IT ISF OPERATING
CHARGE 519,670 222,619 69,095 56,459 191,965 57,213 10,062 1,127,083
IT ISF REPLACEMENT
CHARGE 149,905 64,113 19,773 16,124 51,475 16,341 2,724 320,455
Total IT:1,447,538
August 19, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 2 of 3
Non-IT ISF charges:CENTRAL MARINERS BALBOA CDM ADMIN TECHNICAL LITERACY Total
EQUIP MAINT ISF 10,303 10,303
VEHICLE REPLACE ISF 8,391 8,391
WORKERS' COMP ISF 27,570 11,793 3,623 2,981 11,601 3,030 964 61,562
GENERAL LIABILITY
INSURANCE 65,518 28,137 7,781 8,085 42,889 8,764 1,492 162,666
ANNUAL OPEB CHARGE 59,605 25,441 5,222 8,342 49,789 10,312 158,711
Total other:401,633
Grand total:1,849,171
Notes:
1. “OPEB” stands for “Other Post-Employment Benefits.”
2. The final adopted budget for FY 2024-25 has not yet been posted.
3.Attachment A of Item 11 (FY 2024-25 Library Services Budget) on page 91 of the BLT’s
May 20, 2024, agenda packet indicated the City Manager’s FY 2024-25 proposed
budget would increase the Library’s total ISF charge from $1,696,396 to $1,852,173. I
am not sure why the “Grand Total” obtained above is $3,002 less.
The breakdown of the $1,696,396 ISF charge for FY 2023-24 shown in the present item would
be similar, with IT expenses accounting for nearly 80%.
Item No. 5. Information Technology Update
Lacking a report, this item is a bit difficult to comment on in advance.
It may not be something Avery is familiar with, but to follow up on the comment about Item 3,
above, and with the library paying more on IT than on materials, the Trustees may wish to
understand better how the IT charges are allocated among library divisions. And if they seem to
be charged on a predetermined basis (as evidenced by ending the year at exactly 100% of
budget), how the amount charged compares to the library’s actual usage of the IT services.
I am also not sure who would handle this, but I would additionally like to note the following IT
issue: Since changing to the SirsiDynix Symphony library automation system, patrons have
enjoyed automatic renewal, which is very nice. However, this morning I received the following
emailed message, promising me that an item I had checked out would automatically renew in 3
days, provided it was “eligible”:
August 19, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 3 of 3
However, it did not tell me if the item was, indeed, eligible, and when I take the many additional
clicks needed to check my account, I discovered it was not:
Rather than offering the false promise of automatic renewal in three days, shouldn’t the
notices emailed to patrons inform them that their item cannot be renewed and needs to
be returned? Or that it may not renew because there are holds on the title?
Another IT issue I could report is that last Thursday morning I attended the Newport Beach
Chamber of Commerce’s Council Candidates Forum in the Civic Center Community Room, and
when it ended at around 9:30 a.m., I was looking for a place to “attend” the 10:00 a.m. City
Zoning Administrator meeting, which is held by Zoom, only. I was hoping to connect from a
study room in the Central Library, but they were all occupied at 10:00 a.m. It was suggested I try
the patio area outside the upper entrance. However, the WiFi signal was too weak for my laptop
to be able to connect from there. I have had similar experiences with unreliable connectivity on
the patio in the past. Could something be done to improve it?