DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES
LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING
1.
ATTENDANCE:
In attendance were: MRS. NANCY ZAKAR, Chairperson,
MR. MARCEL PULTORAK, Vice-Chairperson; DR. ALEX SHAMI, Secretary-Treasurer; MRS.
SYLVIA PRESSMAN, MRS. CANDYCE ABBATT, MRS. DIANE PEPPER, MR. DAVID SCHLAFF,
MR. ROBERT TAUB, MR. RONALD WATTERS, Commissioners;
DR. PATRICK COADY, Library Director, MARYANNE
BARTLES, Assistant Library Director, MS. TARA GNAU, MRS. JULIE SCHAEFER,
Administrative Librarians.
2. APPROVAL
OF MINUTES:
The minutes from the
September, October and November Commission meetings were approved as
submitted.
3. DEPARTMENTAL
RULES VOTE:
Dr. Coady explained that
Mrs. Bartles worked on simplifying, condensing and rearranging the departmental
rules. There was very little added to
the rules. We tried to go through the
document and make sure that everything was in logical sequence. Over the years many additions were added to
the end of the document and were often not logical in their placement. There
were some things taken out of the document as
4.
FOUNDATION UPDATE:
Mrs. Abbatt stated that the
Commissioners task is to put together a wish list of projects for the Library
Foundation to consider. The
Commissioners were presented with two lists of ideas, one from Candyce Abbatt
and a list compiled from library staff member idea submissions. Mrs. Abbatt asked Dr. Coady if
1.
Establish an endowment fund by focusing on estate planning and gifts.
2.
Building
a.
Statuary
b.
Children’s area
improvements at all locations (see current study).
3.
Special Programs (any commitment to programming must be for a set period of
years)
a.
Specialized
children’s programs/series
b.
Outreach service
to the elderly and homebound patrons (i.e. delivery service which might also be
applicable to other patrons).
c.
Diverse
communications projects
d.
Technology
a.
Adaptive
technology for the disabled
b.
Downloadable
audio books, news articles
4.
Enhancement of organization and operations
a.
New shelving
which would be more user-friendly with tipped bottom shelves and more face out
shelving options similar to the Esper Branch.
b.
Make individual
study rooms “computer friendly”.
5. ELECTION
OF OFFICERS:
The same slate of officers
as last year was nominated again. Nancy Zakar as chairperson,
7. NEW
BUSINESS:
Library patron Mr. Okray spoke
to the Library Commission regarding the distribution of campaign materials on
City property, particularly on library property. This issue was originally brought
up at the last Library Commission meeting when Mr. Okray spoke to the Library
Commission. Mr. Okay, Bob Bryer and Mary
Joe Durivage formed the “Save Bryant Library” group and wanted to pass out
information regarding candidates for City Charter Commission who they felt support
the library. Mr. Okray was advised by
the City Legal Department that he was not permitted to distribute election
materials on City property. Mr. Okray
does not agree with the citation he feels is being used to state he can not do
this. He was at HFCL, along with other
members of his group, on the Saturday before the election passing out campaign material
after he had been advised by the Legal Department not to do this and was told
by the library guard to leave.
Ultimately, the Dearborn Police were called and the group was told to
leave. The ordinance that both library
staff and the police quoted to the group as the reason they were not permitted
to do this was different than the citation given by the Legal Department. Mr. Okray does not feel either citation is
correct. Both Mr. Okray and Mr. Bryer
have written a letter to Corporation Counsel, Debbie Walling, but have not
received a response. Dr. Coady explained that he is obligated to follow the
guidance given by Corporation Counsel. He also explained that the library code
of conduct prohibits distributing leaflets on library property. He had been
advised that patrons complained about the group distributing flyers.
The meeting was adjourned
at