DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING

May 9, 2008   

1. ATTENDANCE

In attendance were: Mr. Marcel Pultorak, Chairperson, Dr. Alex Shami,

Vice-Chairperson, Mrs. Nancy Zakar, Secretary-Treasurer. Mr. Robert Taub and

Mr. David Schlaff, Commissioners. Mrs. Maryanne Bartles, Library Director;

Mrs. Julie Schaefer, Deputy Library Director; Mr. Steve Smith, Administrative Librarian. Absent: Mrs. Candyce Abbatt, Commissioner.

 

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

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

 

3. FOUNDATION UPDATE

  1. Children’s Project-Mrs. Bartles reported that the newly renovated children’s area at HFCL reopened yesterday afternoon, May 8th.  Removal of the old reference desk delayed the reopening due to the solid marble top on the old desk being difficult to take apart. We wanted to save the old desk so that we can use it somewhere else.  Mr. Pultorak asked if it had gotten a good reaction to the renovations.  Mrs. Bartles reported that the children seem to like it quite a bit. 
  2. Reception-Friday, May 30, 2008 6-8pm- Mrs. Bartles reported that the Library Foundation is working on the reception to show off the new children’s area.  The invitations were mailed yesterday afternoon. We are going to try to showcase some of the other items that we still need on a display board at the event.  We will also hand out exit cards to guests with information about the Library Foundation. Mrs. Bartles reported that Janine Brycz resigned from the Foundation.  They are down two members so if anyone knows anyone who would be interested in participating, let Mrs. Bartles know.  If they do not get more members to participate it is going to be very difficult for them to have the events they want to have in the future.  They want to have a walk/run for literacy, a golf tournament or an author luncheon but those types of events take a lot of people to plan.  Mr. Pultorak suggested that we may want to seek out volunteers to help with specific events that may not wish to be a board member of the Foundation but would be willing to assist with a project. Mrs. Bartles reported that the Foundation web site is partially finished.  Carolyn Hook has been working on the web page for them but her mother has been very ill.  One of the areas of the web site will list ways that you can help the Foundation by donation or volunteering. 

 

4. BUDGET UPDATE

Mrs. Bartles reported that the City Council has been given the budget for next year. Adoption is scheduled for May 19, 2008.  We have not gotten any questions for the Council on our budget submissions as of yet.  Per Jim O’Connor, the budget was balanced without having to tap into the rainy day fund. 

 

 

 

 

5. INFORMATION ITEMS       

A.    Library Commission Appointments-Mrs. Bartles stated that Mark Guido reported at the department head meeting that it is not that the Mayor is not working on the commission vacancies that exist on all the City commissions.  The Mayor has a list of names and he would like to interview potential Commissioners before making any appointments.  Mr. Pultorak stated that he recently did some work for the City of Melvindale and their city charter gives the Mayor a certain period of time to fill vacancies on city commissions.  If he fails to do so the City Council has the right to make the appointments.  Mrs. Zakar said that it is a major concern that the Mayor has had the potential names for over a year and a half.  Those people may no longer even be interested in serving and may have moved on to something else.  Mrs. Bartles stated that it has been suggested that she submit more names but she does not want to recruit anyone else with out knowing how long the process will be. 

B.    Wireless connectivity- Mrs. Bartles stated that at last month’s Library Commission meeting the Commission voted to use the same rules and regulations for wireless Internet connectivity as we use for wired Internet access.  The MIS director reported to Mrs. Bartles that the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority is working towards establishing a wireless cloud for the area businesses around the Bryant Branch Library.  Bryant will be part of the wireless cloud access area because of its location so it will have to have different rules for wireless access.  If we were to spend the money to add our wireless Internet service at Bryant a person who came in to use it would get two choices, the free one or ours, which means they will not pick our service for a fee. Without adding wireless at Bryant we can go to a smaller wireless controller which will save about $5000.  We will move forward with adding wireless Internet access at HFCL, Esper and Snow.  Mrs. Zakar asked when the wireless service was likely to be added at those locations.  Mrs. Bartles said that the requisition for the wireless service has been submitted.  Mrs. Bartles has to set up a meeting with the buyer and Mark Hancock, our Library Systems Manager.  We want to purchase a product called Blue Socket because it will work with our Horizon database. 

C.    Tara Gnau’s retirement-festivities-Monday is Tara Gnau’s last day of work so this is the last Library Commission meeting she will attend as an Administrative Librarian.  Mrs. Gnau thanked the Library Commission for all their support over the years.  Mrs. Zakar stated that the Library Commission also thanks Ms. Gnau for all that she has done for the library.  Mrs. Bartles stated that if any of the Commissioners can attend we are having a party for Tara this evening at 6pm. 

 

6. ACTION ITEMS-There were no action items. 

 

 7. COMMENTS

Mrs. Schaefer reported that invitations to the Library Volunteer Recognition Luncheon were sent out to the Library Commission.  The luncheon will be held on June 6th.

 

Mrs. Bartles reported that Kirt Giberson, the Director of Public Works, is retiring.  This coming Tuesday is his last day. 

 

Mrs. Bartles reported that a staff member who was at her yoga class was approached by a young man when he found out that she worked at the Dearborn Library.  He told her that he decided to move to Dearborn because of the library system. 

 

Mrs. Zakar reported that her daughter likes to come here to study and she uses the study rooms but she says that they are not very conducive to studying.  The ceilings have water stains and the rooms seem dirty.  They are used to a casual atmosphere like their libraries at college, where groups can study together, but there is nothing like that here.  Mrs. Bartles stated that we have one group study room, the Ford Room, on the second floor.  When that room is not available we recommend the mezzanine area, which is an open quiet study area where groups may meet together.  Mrs. Bartles has plans to add large and small conference rooms, a café and men’s and women’s restrooms to the mezzanine area. The project is on the capital improvement plan that was submitted to the City Council. 

 

Mrs. Zakar stated that we may want to start reviewing policy.  We had discussed periodically reviewing policies in the past.  Mrs. Bartles stated we might want to start the cycle of policy review at our September meeting as the next meeting on June 13th is the last meeting for the summer.  Mr. Pultorak stated we may have new Commissioners in place by our September meeting. 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:40pm.