HomeMy WebLinkAboutLIB 2001-02-15 Minutes
CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS
LIBRARY BOARD MINUTES
February 15, 2001
BOARD PRESENT:
Polly Brinkley, Mary Shillcutt, Kay Schmidt, Avis Crisp, Lynn Waller,
William Merrill (Absent: Janet Ball and Eva Pereira)
Steve Brown, Library Director
Brenda Lewis, Administrative Secretary
Chair Avis Crisp at 7 p.m.
Minutes of January 18, 2001 were approved as written.
STAFF PRESENT:
CALLED TO ORDER:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
REPORT OF LIBRARY DIRECTOR STEVE BROWN
The January circulation statistics of 41 ,907 items compare very positively with last year.
Mr. Brown distributed a GIS NRH map that plotted library user street locations for the month of December.
Although patron use from the northeast corner of the city was sparse, user locations were a good
representation of both the near north and south side of Loop 820. We will continue to plot and study
the user patterns over the next several months and perhaps into summer.
Mr. Brown is in the process of tracking patterns of use of Internet accesses of the NRHPL catalog. Several
days in early February saw 500 "hits".
Mr. Brown testified before a state finance committee in Austin recently in support of direct aid to state libraries.
The legislation looks good to pass, but likely short of the funding requested.
Board members toured the Library as Mr. Brown highlighted these new library services: a computer dedicated
to genealogy research with approximately 70 CD-ROMs containing the Mormon Church files; the north
conference is now a computer training room for staff and patrons; two additional computers in the children's
area for children's to access the Internet; and the new self-service coffee machine that offers eight gourmet
coffees flavors including hot chocolate.
REVIEW OF LIBRARY BOARD VISITS TO AREA LIBRARIES
Mr. Brown reviewed with the Board the recent visits to Piano, Irving, and Flower Mound Public Libraries.
Members were asked to keep their notes and others from libraries that they will be visiting in preparation to
writing a building plan for the new library.
REVIEW PROPOSED ONLINE REFERENCE GRANT PROJECT
Staff is currently working on a LSTA $75,000 grant proposal funded by the state with federal money. This
would be a cooperative project with Irving Public Library and Carrollton Public Library to introduce online
interactive virtual reference service. As a preliminary step, we recently began an e-mail reference service.
The application will be submitted in early March and, if funded, would be a pilot program with the eventual
participation of area libraries.
DISCUSS STARTUP OF CHILDRREN'S INTERNET ACCESS
The Children's Department now offers filtered Internet access for kids on two computers. Staff has been
working to develop a series of web pages for kids to provide a good starting place and helpful guidance in
using the Internet.
The next scheduled meeting will be March 15. Meeting adjourned at 8: 15 p.m.
Brenda Lewis
Approved:
Date: 3 - J 5 - ~I Board Chair:
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