HomeMy WebLinkAboutLIB 2009-01-15 MinutesMINUTES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD
OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS
HELD IN THE LIBRARY BOARD ROOM
LOCATED AT 9015 GRAND AVENUE
January 15, 2009
Present:
Kay Schmidt
David Nelson
Don Tipps
Avis Crisp
Jane Birkes
Chair
Vice-Chair
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Absent:
Mary Shilcutt
Mike Madar
Kathy Antropik
Board Member
Board Member
Alternate
Staff Present: Steve Brown Library Director
Kelly Preston Administrative Secretary
Vickie Loftice Managing Director of Community Services
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Kay Schmidt called the meeting to order January 15, 2009 at 6:03 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Minutes of the November 20, 2008 meeting were approved as written.
LIBRARY DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Mr. Steve Brown updated the Board on the following:
Circulation in December increased 53.6% compared to December last year. Other area
libraries have also seen an increase in circulation since the economic downturn.
The Texas Library Association announced the results of a survey commissioned last fall.
1,201 Texas voters were asked about their perceptions of public libraries and school
libraries. 79% said public libraries are important, and 13% said they are fairly important.
94% said school libraries are also important for achievement.
More than 40 spectators enjoyed free popcorn at the recent showing of "Iron Man", the
first of several movies showing in January at the Library Film Festival in the Community
Room on Saturdays. The line-up for February includes films about true events.
The link for TumbleBooks became available on the Library's homepage January 14t". It
is free to the public and can be accessed from home. The Library is licensed for aone-
yearsubscription for a total cost of $399. Funds received from the Loan Star Library
Grant covered the cost of the annual subscription.
Steve and June Brook, Circulation Supervisor met with Municipal Court Administrator,
Debbie Durko and the City Prosecutor to come up with a plan for getting long-overdue
library materials returned to the Library. The City stopped writing citations in 2006. The
prosecutor will now send a prosecution warning letter, which will reduce the number of
citations and other court paperwork.
City Council had a planning retreat last week. Planning sessions included a few course
corrections to goals. Steve will forward the report to the Board when it becomes
available.
Councilman Lewis who is the Director of SCORE for the North Texas Region has formed
a partnership with the Small Business Development Center based at Tarrant County
College. Professional counselors with SBDC will share an office with SCORE counselors
at the NRH Library. Number of hours offered for counseling sessions will expand from
the current 12 hours per week to 32 hours per week.
International City Managers Association (ICMA) received funding from the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation to offer grants for public library innovation. The pilot grant
program will distribute $500,000 nationwide. NRH was the first library in America to have
a SCORE branch office, and there is no record of SCORE and SBDC ever partnering
together. The NRH Library submitted a grant application requesting $45,000 to purchase
a mobile laptop based computing lab that both SCORE and SBDC can use to teach
people the basic tools of how to run and manage small businesses.
The email and telephone notification system that had been down for more than nine
months is now in full operation using a new computer. The cost of the new computer was
$12,000. The cost will be recovered through savings in postage and staff hours spent
making phone calls.
LONG RANGE PLANNING DISCUSSION ON LIBRARY SERVICES
Mr. Steve Brown gave a presentation on statistical comparisons of input and output
measures in fiscal year 2007 for NRH Library and the average public library in the state.
Staff expenditures per capita is higher than the state average, but considerably less than
the national average.
Materials expenditures per capita is higher than the state average, but lower than many
of the libraries in this area. Haltom City is spending approximately $1 more per capita for
library materials.
The total of all expenditures for Library services is higher than the state average, but
lower than nationwide average.
NRH has a higher circulation rate per dollar spent. On average, the state loans 4.84
items each year, per person compared with 10.6 items loaned each year, per person at
NRH Library.
The state average collection turnover rate is 2.29 compared to 2.67 at NRH Library.
Circulation per FTE Employee was nearly double what the state average was, and the
number of items in the collection per capita was higher than the state average, but lower
the national average.
Steve reviewed the eight goals of the Plan of Service with the Board.
NEXT MEETING DATE
February 19, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
Kay S midt, Chair
ATTEST:
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Kelly Preston, dministrative Secretary