DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING

MARCH 12, 2004

1. ATTENDANCE:

The meeting was called to order at 4:05PM. In attendance were:

MRS. CANDYCE ABBATT, Chairperson; MRS. NANCY ZAKAR, Vice-Chairperson;

MS. SYLVIA PRESSMAN, MR. ROBERT TAUB, MRS. LILA AMEN,

MR. RONALD WATTERS, MR. MARCEL PULTORAK, Commissioners;

MRS. MARYANNE BARTLES, Assistant City Librarian; MS. CAROLYN HOOK,

MS. TARA GNAU, Administrative Librarians; MRS.CARLA EGGERT, Recording Secretary; MS. OPAL ZIEMER, AAUW. Excused: DR. PATRICK COADY, City Librarian; Absent: DR. ALEX SHAMI, Secretary-Treasurer; MR. DAVE SCHLAFF, Commissioner.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

The minutes of the February 13, 2004 Library Commission meeting were approved as submitted.

3. VOLUNTEER STUDY UPDATE:

MS. GNAU reported that the volunteer survey has been completed and a draft document has been prepared. The administrative panel is reviewing the document. Once the review is complete a report on the survey will be presented to the Library Commission. MS. GNAU also advised the Commission that the Volunteer Luncheon would be held this year on May 12 between 12 and 2pm. She will advise them of the location once it had been determined.

4. FOUNDATION UPDATE:

MRS. ABBATT advised this item would be deferred to the next Commission meeting. The four potential chairpersons for the foundation have not yet been approached about it. The plan is to talk with them by the end of this month.

5. GLEN MICHAELS UPDATE:

MRS. BARTLES reported that the target date that Mr. Michaels has given for completion of the rotunda pool project is February 2005. He has been working on the project at regular intervals and is currently working on firing the glass for the pool bottom. There has been some concern about the pool not being refilled between Mr. Michaels visits to work on it. MRS. BARTLES explained that Mr. Michaels needs the pool to be completely dry when he works on it so we have decided not to refill it each time. We have put a sign in the rotunda to advise patrons of the work being done.

6. BRYANT BROCHURE REVIEW:

A new version of the Bryant brochure was presented to the Commission. At the last meeting the Commission had proposed several changes to the brochure regarding Bryant. Since that meeting the Mayor has also given his suggestions on the brochure and the designation as a “popular materials center” so further revisions were made to the brochure. MRS. ABBATT stated that in talking with the staff at Bryant she knows that they are anxious to receive the brochure. MR. WATTERS asked how the brochure would be distributed? MRS. HOOK stated they will be available at each library location and they will be available to use at community meetings where budget cuts and library reductions are being discussed. MR. WATTERS asked if we would post it on the web page? MRS. HOOK stated we would post it to the web page as well. MRS. ABBATT stated we also might want to make it available at City Hall in the Mayors Office, City Clerk and Treasurer’s. MR. TAUB motioned to approve the brochure, seconded by

MR. PULTORAK, all approved. MRS. ABBATT also complimented the sign recently put up at Bryant Branch that states, “There are no plans to close Bryant Branch” and is signed by DR. COADY.

7. BUDGET AND STAFF REDUCTION UPDATE:

MRS. BARTLES stated that the City budget review process is underway. They are tentatively scheduling the end of March for City Administration to turn in the entire budget package to City Council. The City Council will begin their discussions with the individual departments somewhere around the end of April.

8. CIP PROJECT UPDATE:

The Commissioner’s were given a list of capital improvement projects that have been submitted. MR. PULTROAK asked how the estimated costs of the various projects were determined? Were they taken from the deficiency study done a few years ago and if so have they been indexed for inflation? MS. BARTLES stated that for some of the projects the cost came from the deficiency study and some are cost estimates. MR. PULTORAK stated that there is the possibility some of the amounts might be under funded. MRS. BARTLES stated that the City is concerned about maintaining it’s building and has set aside an amount of funding for capital improvements for building deficiencies. MRS. BARTLES stated that the HFCL Copier/Print management project on the list has been changed. The copier and network printing services that we offer to the public cost the library quite a bit of money even though we lease the machines. The volume of copying and printing done by patrons does not cover the cost of the new digital copiers. In discussions with the Finance Department they prefer that we continue to provide copier service on a lease basis. At this point we only plan to purchase better software to manage the Internet printing service. For the relamping project there is discussion currently about having a maintenance agreement with a company to come in and maintain the lights at all four buildings. Some of the projects are for future years and will not be funded now.

9. NEW BUSINESS:

The Commissioner’s were reminded that the April Commission meeting would be held on Friday, April 2, 2004 due to the Good Friday holiday.

MR. PULTORAK stated he would miss the May and possibly the June Commission meeting due to an extended vacation.

Library patron Marge Breyer spoke to the Library Commission. She said that many Dearborn residents hold the library staff in high esteem. However, it came as a shock to her to receive the library newsletter in the mail because the article on the Bryant Branch states that the Commission was able to come up with a reduction plan that does involve closing the Bryant Branch at least through the 2004 budget year. She feels this makes people think it will close in 2005. Also, the article states that as of July 1 the Bryant Branch will become a popular materials center open 20 hours per week. This makes it sound as if a decision has been made already and she was under the impression that budget meetings with the City Council have not been conducted yet. MRS. ABBATT explained that the there are no plans to close the branch in 2005 but the budget is planned only through the 2004 fiscal year so they do not know what reductions the 2005 fiscal year will bring at this time. As far as decisions that have been made the Library Commission has voted and approved the Bryant changes and hour reductions in response to request by City Administration to meet budget reductions. MR. PULTORAK explained that City Administration must present a proposed budget to the City Council by April 15. Departments must submit their budgets to City Administration working with the information that they are given at the time. With the continuing state funding cuts the probability of further reductions in coming years is high unless changes are made on a state level. Ms. Breyer states she has attended meetings where the Mayor spoke and asked for input from citizens on creative ways to make cuts in the various city departments. She feels it was premature of the Library Commission to put in writing that this is what is going to happen when it has not been decided. MR. PULTORAK asked if it would have been better to wait until July to notify the public? Ms. Breyer stated it should not have been announced until it is definite as there may be other creative reductions found or the City may have a win fall so these changes may not go into effect. MR. PULTORAK explained that the scenario outlined in the newsletter is the most likely outcome due to the budget constraints the City is facing. MRS. ABBATT stated she could appreciate Ms. Breyer’s opinion but the Commission felt it was best to notify the public as early as possible. Ms. Breyer also feels that the reference service that will be provided at Bryant after the reductions will not be sufficient. She wonders if the business section will be kept current, if newspapers will be available and if materials such as Value Line will be available? MRS. HOOK stated that business periodicals and newspapers would be continue to be available.

Mary Weiss, who lives on Garrison behind the Bryant Branch and is a recently retired Media Specialist with the Dearborn Schools, spoke to the Library Commission. She first heard that Bryant Branch would become a popular materials center with a coffee bar, which was scary to her. She was very concerned that there would not be children’s materials available. The main value of the library is for children particularly in the summer months when the schools libraries are closed. Children cannot always get to a library location other than the one in their neighborhood. She was very glad to see that material for children will still be available at Bryant Branch. She feels that programming for children must also be maintained especially in the summer months. Programs must also be announced so parents know when they are. Branch hours have changed several times so it’s difficult for people to know when the library is open. If people are not aware of your programs and when the building is open attendance will low. MR. PULTORAK discussed one of the problems in funding programs in Michigan. The Headly Amendment allocates a specific percentage of the states budget to “local government” which protected local government as a class but did not protect cities vs. schools vs. counties vs. villages, etc. This means that a much higher percentage of the states budget is going to local school districts today which is part of the reasons cities are being cut. The problem is public libraries receive very minimal support from the State of Michigan. With the current job creation problem people have a greater need to continuously upgrade skills. We need to rethink the funding of education for children and for adults and what the public libraries role in that is. Ms. Weiss stated that studies show that library use is going down and one of the ways to combat that is to make sure people feel comfortable in the library and see it as a community resource.

If children come to the library at a young age they feel comfortable and will continue to use the library throughout their life.

Mr. Glen Okray spoke to the Library Commission. He stated he would like to reemphasize the items that have already been mentioned. He feels like the Bryant brochure fly’s in the face of what the Mayor said about the need for input from the community. At the community meeting held at the Lutheran Church everyone stressed his or her desire to keep or extend the hours of the Bryant Branch. Another thing that came through at the meeting was the need for volunteers. He would have preferred that the brochure said that we decided to extend the hours at Bryant to 40 hours a week and then lets work it out. He is a believer that after public safety the next obligation of the City of Dearborn should come to the intellectual enhancement of its citizens and the way to do that is through the library. He feels that it is important the hours be maintained and that the citizens have the belief that the Mayor and the Library Commission are listening to them. We have tons of volunteers and the way to increase the hours is to use volunteers. MRS. ABBATT stated that a study of volunteers is currently being done. MR. PULTORAK stated that if we got a program in place that was working than we may increase the hours but without having a solid program in place we cannot commit to it. MRS. BARTLES stated that library staff is going to be decreased by five full time employees. That loss of five employees has to be taken from somewhere. Due to Bryant’s proximity to Henry Ford Centennial and because Bryant has the lowest traffic of all the library locations Bryant was the logical location for hours reductions. When the building is open two staff members need to there. It is dangerous for one staff member to be alone in the building. If you schedule one full time employee and you are counting on a volunteer to be the second person and they do not show up it will cause a great deal of problems.

MRS. ABBATT thanked all the speakers for their time and for their suggestions.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:45PM.

Dr. Alex Shami

Secretary-Treasurer