DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING

January 11, 2008  

1. ATTENDANCE

In attendance were: Mr. Marcel Pultorak, Chairperson, Dr. Alex Shami, Vice-Chairperson, Mrs. Nancy Zakar, Secretary-Treasurer. Mrs. Candyce Abbatt,

Mr. Robert Taub, Commissioners. Mrs. Maryanne Bartles, Library Director;

Mrs. Julie Schaefer, Deputy Library Director; Ms. Tara Gnau and Mr. Steve Smith, Administrative Librarians. EXCUSED:  Mr. David Schlaff, Commissioner.

 

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the December Library Commission meeting were approved as submitted.

 

3. FOUNDATION UPDATE

Mrs. Bartles reported that the Library Foundation is moving forward with the purchase order with Library Design for the children’s upgrade at HFCL. There is an issue with the data and electrical lines at the new children’s reference desk.  We would like to incorporate the data and electrical lines into the upgrade so it will not hold the project up.  We will need four data lines, two phone lines and an electrical line. Mrs. Bartles stated that the web site designer has been given information to post on the Library Foundation’s web page but she has not seen anything yet.  The next Library Foundation meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22nd at 6pm. They also have a new Library Foundation Board member, Steve Schroeder.  Mrs. Zakar asked if there were still vacancies on the board.  Mrs. Bartles stated that Mr. Nolan’s vacancy has not yet been filled.  Mrs. Zakar asked when they hoped to begin construction on the children’s upgrade project.  Mrs. Bartles stated that the project should begin in 4 to 6 weeks. 

 

4. BUDGET UPDATE

Mrs. Bartles stated that we have submitted our budget request for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.  Each department has to meet with the Mayor to discuss their department’s budget.  We are scheduled to meet with the Mayor on January 23rd.  We have been given the task of creating a budget book for that meeting that includes everything from plans, staffing, revenue, programs, hours, services, and goals. There is also a schedule for departments to meet with the City Council regarding their budget submissions but we are scheduled toward the end of those meetings.  Mr. Pultorak asked Mrs. Bartles to update the Commission after meeting with the Mayor. We will be unable to include our strategic plan in our budget book as we do not have a full Library Commission to work on this task.  Mr. Pultorak has written a letter to the Mayor regarding our need for a full Library Commission to do strategic planning.

 

5. INFORMATION ITEMS       

1.   Word Processing-Branches:  Steve Smith reported that Library Systems Manager Mark Hancock is going to reimage the computers at HFCL on January 18th.  Perhaps by the next Library Commission meeting we will have word processing installed at all the branches.  Mr. Pultorak stated that this has been on the agenda for several months.  Mrs. Bartles stated that adding word processing at the branches was going along well until we realized that the image on the computers was flawed.  Word processing has been installed at Bryant Branch but the image is flawed there as well and needs to be reimaged. Steve Smith reported that the image is not blocking programs or downloads or removing them from the computer when the patron signs off as should be happening.  The Library IT department is short staffed as well.  Mrs. Bartles stated the Microcomputer Specialist position that is vacant is a full time position.  She is waiting to get approval from the Mayor’s office to fill the position.  When Steve Smith was promoted to Administrative Librarian, Mark Hancock was promoted to fill Steve’s old position leaving Mark’s position vacant. 

2.   New Commissioners: Mr. Pultorak stated that the Commission has seen the letter he drafted to the Mayor regarding the vacancies on the Library Commission.  Hopefully, we will have some feedback from the Mayor by the next Library Commission meeting.

 

6. ACTION ITEMS

Mr. Pultorak stated he was browsing the library web page. There are downloadable lists on the web site for audio and visual titles.  It does not look like those lists have been updated since 2006.  Steve Smith said that those are going to be eliminated. Mr. Pultorak stated that if they can not be updated they need to be gotten rid of. 

 

 7. COMMENTS

Library patron Glen Savarese spoke to the Commission.  He stated that he has been following the Library Commission meetings, via the minutes posted on the library web site, for the past year and there has been a lot of discussion about the Internet.  He wanted to let the Commission know that he feels the service is excellent.  His background is in telecommunications and he had some questions about our bandwidth issues.  He asked if we had approached CDTV in using their facilities with Comcast.  Mrs. Bartles explained that we have two T1 lines and a Comcast cable line for our Internet service.  Mr. Savarese asked if the City is getting a discounted rate from Comcast.  Mr. Pultorak stated that they are not since the change in the franchising rules at the state and federal levels.  Mr. Savarese asked if the library has gone to the City’s Telecommunications Commission about our bandwidth issues.  Mrs. Bartles stated that Comcast reduced the services that they are required to provide to municipalities.  For example, Comcast used to give CDTV studio space and they no longer do so.  Mr. Savarese asked if the Library Commission was familiar with the Universal Service Grant.  Mrs. Bartles stated that we have applied for the grant in the past but just missed the threshold which is based on the school free lunch program.  The paperwork for this grant is lengthy.  The grant has a lot of bid requirements associated with it that must be followed and we are already under contract for our T1 lines.  Only the T1 lines out to the branches would be eligible for the grant.  Mrs. Bartles stated that when the contracts for the branch T1 lines come up again, if we have the staff time, we will look at applying for the grant again. 

 

Mrs. Bartles stated that the circulation numbers have been going down.  However, traffic does not seem to be going down as much as circulation.  Mrs. Bartles stated that we are providing statistics based on the way libraries were used thirty years ago.  We need to think about what other statistics will give us a better view of what happened in the past month such as how many log ins we have on our in-house computers or how many databases searches.  Mr. Pulotorak stated that these would be good additions to the statistics but we may want to track patron log ins from home as well rather than database searches.  Mrs. Abbatt stated she was not sure that we needed to include database searches. The best thing to do is keep it simple. She asked what other libraries report to their Commissions.  Mrs. Bartles stated we will put something together for the Commission to look at and she would see what she can find out about what other libraries report.

 

Julie Schaefer reported that the annual bookmark winner’s reception is Sunday, February 10th at 3pm at HFCL. 

 

Dr. Shami shared with the Library Commission stories from his trip to Germany and Turkey.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:50pm.