Board Minutes

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
November 17, 2009

The regular meeting of the Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees was held in the second floor conference room on Tuesday, November 17, 2009. President Noreen Lake called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.

ROLL CALL.

Roll call indicated the following board members were present: Eldon Burk, Selma D’Souza, Myrtle Klebe, Susan Moylan Krey, Noreen Lake, George Magerl, Jeffery Rozovics.

Absent: Elaine Tejcek.

Also Present: Sandra Norlin, Carol Kidd, Holly Richards Sorensen, Heather Imhoff, Don Sofolo, Dan Klobnak, Stan Zimmerman, Alderman Dan Wilson.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Eldon Burk, to accept the agenda, as presented. VOTE : AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Mr. Stan Zimmerman stated that the City of Des Plaines and Des Plaines Public Library employees should be required to pay a higher premium for their health insurance coverage and this would result in a reduction in spending for both the city and the library. Mr. Zimmerman stated that federal government employees pay a higher premium for health insurance coverage than City of Des Plaines employees.

CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE – Alderman Dan W. Wilson.

No report.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to approve the Consent Agenda, as presented. VOTE : AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

CONSENT AGENDA

Following monthly reports to be reviewed and placed on file for audit:

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures authorized by the Library Director and Board Representatives for library Warrant Registers as follows:

ROLL CALL VOTE : AYES: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Moylan Krey, Lake, Magerl, Rozovics. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED .

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to approve, subject to audit, expenditures for salaries made by the Library Director as follows:

ROLL CALL VOTE : AYES: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Moylan Krey, Lake, Magerl, Rozovics. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED .

DIRECTOR'S REPORT

Please note: I have received no official requests for confidential patron information since my last report.

PERSONNEL

New employee for October: Jenine Pace, Part-time Page, Circulation Services.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Three staff members received bonus awards for the third quarter. They are Dennis Polonsky, Cathy Friedman, and Gloria Kozak.

Karen McBride and the IT staff have prepared a series of staff training sessions on using Microsoft Outlook.

PATRON SERVICES

You will notice that our increased use continues, with a 13% rise in items checked out year to date. We usually pass the one million mark in mid December, but this year we have already surpassed it by the end of October. We have broken several records this year as well. This month’s circulation of 107,770 is the highest on record.

Nearly 24,000 patrons visited our website since January and made over one million hits during their use of this service. Our in-house computers have been used over 100,000 times this year for an increase of 32%.

Our electronic books, mostly audio books, have been downloaded by 35 patrons for a total of 123 checkouts during October. We continue to register new patrons each month. In October, 19 signed up for this program for the first time. The Lost Symbol is the most popular in both audiobook and e-book formats.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

I attended the Friends of the Library meeting on 10/27, the Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee meeting on 11/4, a Rotary Foundation meeting on 11/6, a Fundraising Summit for Library Directors at the Chicago Public Library on 11/10, the Community Veteran’s Day Ceremonies on 11/11, and the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting on 11/12.

OTHER INFORMATION

I received a Request for Reconsideration of a children’s picture book. I have reviewed the selection, according to the library policy, and have determined that the book was purchased under our collection development policy and will remain in our collection.

Jennifer Tsalapatanis entered the meeting at 7:12 p.m.

NEW BUSINESS

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by George Magerl, to approve payment to Ebsco Information Services in the amount of $36,757.05, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Myrtle Klebe, to approve payment to Gale Cengage Learning for Literature Resource Center in the amount of $6,935.25, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Selma D’Souza, to approve payment to CDW for Websense License in the amount of $9,625.00, for a three year contract, which includes one year at no cost, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to approve payment to Proquest in the amount of $14,495.00, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Jennifer Tsalapatanis, to approve payment to Mergent in the amount of $5,466.00, which is a budgeted expense and is in the best interest of the Des Plaines Public Library. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

President Lake asked that New Business item F. City Council Attendance be discussed after G. Review and Approve FY2010 Budget.

The Board reviewed the proposed FY2010 budget. President Lake reported that she, Vice President Magerl and Library Director Norlin met with Mayor Moylan, City Manager Bajor and Assistant City Manager Slowinski on Monday, November 16 to discuss library services currently provided by City of Des Plaines staff. President Lake stated that City Manager Bajor did not have a problem with the library outsourcing their accounting, payroll and human resources services. President Lake stated that the library would also use an outside firm to provide health insurance coverage to library employees and that this would be a cost savings for the library. The city would continue to televise library meetings on channel 17.

Eldon Burk stated that outsourcing accounting, payroll and human resources services currently being provided by the City of Des Plaines would be best for the City of Des Plaines and the library and that the library may save money by outsourcing these services.

The conversion of accounting and payroll services would begin about January 1, 2010 and health insurance conversion would begin about July 1, 2010.

The library will also outsource risk management insurance.

Susan Moylan Krey asked if the library would go out for bids for accounting and payroll services and Sandra Norlin responded that she would ask for board direction to go out for proposal for these services.

MOTION by Eldon Burk, seconded by Myrtle Klebe, to accept the recommendation from President Lake, Vice President Magerl and Library Director Norlin to separate from the City of Des Plaines by outsourcing accounting, payroll and legal services and to outsource insurance including risk management and employee health insurance at a later date. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Moylan Krey, Lake, Magerl, Rozovics, Tsalapatanis. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Susan Moylan Krey suggested that the materials budget be decreased by $20,000.00.

MOTION by Susan Moylan Krey, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to decrease the materials budget by $20,000. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Krey, Lake, Rozovics, Tsalapatanis. NAYS: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Magerl. MOTION FAILED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Eldon Burk, to approve the draft FY2010 budget, as presented. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Lake, Magerl, Rozovics, Tsalapatanis. NAYS: Moylan Krey. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Myrtle Klebe, to direct staff to go out for proposal for payroll and accounting services. VOTE: AYES; All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

The board discussed library attendance at City Council meetings. It was decided that the Board would attend the December City Council meetings. The board directed Library Director Sandra Norlin to write a letter to City Manager Bajor asking him to notify the library board if there was a topic being discussed that would affect the library. A copy of this letter will be sent to Mayor Moylan and Alderman Wilson.

George Magerl will attend the December 7 City Council meeting and Jennifer Tsalapatanis or Eldon Burk will attend the December 21 meeting.

The board directed Library Director Sandra Norlin to write a letter to City Manager Jason Bajor asking that the library board be notified when library business is going to be discussed. A copy of the letter is to be sent to Mayor Moylan and Alderman Wilson.

The Board reviewed the proposed salary schedule for 2010.

MOTION by George Magerl, seconded by Selma D’Souza, to accept the proposed salary schedule for 2010, with a 1.6% increase to the ranges. VOTE: AYES: Burk, D’Souza, Klebe, Krey, Magerl, Rozovics. NAYS: Lake, Tsalapatanis. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Jennifer Tsalapatanis not to approve the 2010 salary schedule, but to review the salary schedule in 2010. MOTION FAILED for lack of a second.

Eldon Burk reported that the Management Committee met and discussed the collection development policy.

MOTION by Committee, to approve the changes to library policy, Section B – Material Selection and Collection Policy, as modified. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Committee, to lower the maximum fine limit from $10.00 to $5.00 beginning January 1, 2010 and to notify patrons during the month of December of this change in policy and to make changes to library policy C-1 and C-3. AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Eldon Burk reported that the Management Committee voted to accept canned food donation for library fines from December 1 – 15, 2009. Heather Imhoff, Head of Public Information, suggested that the food for fines drive begin in January, so that there would be time to get the word out to the community. Jeffery Rozovics stated that the library would have reduced revenue due to the food for fines drive.

MOTION by Committee, to accept canned food donations for library fines only from January 2 – 16, 2010 and to take $1.00 off the total library fines for each non-perishable item and to only accept canned goods in good condition and to donate all food to the Self-Help Closet and Food Pantry in Des Plaines. No expired food will be accepted. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

Eldon Burk explained changes to the Emergency Succession Plan proposed by the Management Committee.

MOTION by Committee, to revise the Emergency Succession Plan by adding the phrase “The Library Administration is responsible for keeping the information in this document current.†at the beginning of Appendix I after Contact and Critical Information. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

MOTION by Committee, to revise the Emergency Succession Plan by deleting “the City†under V. Approval and Maintenance of Record. B. Copies of this plan shall be maintained by the Board President, the Library Director, the Assistant Director, Legal Counsel and to remove information in Contact and Critical Information pertaining to the City of Des Plaines. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sandra Norlin invited the Board to attend the Staff Holiday party on December 17.

Eldon Burk gave a report on a library summit he attended in Allerton, IL. Eldon reported that several ideas that were presented to the group including a state-wide library card and having one library search engine for the State of Illinois.

Sandra Norlin stated that the library received a Freedom of Information Act request. The request was for information about the service contract the library has with McQuay services for the heating and air-conditioning systems.

MOTION by Susan Moylan Krey, seconded by Jeffery Rozovics, to adjourn the regular meeting. VOTE: AYES: All. NAYS: None. MOTION CARRIED.

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