DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING

10/09/09

1. ATTENDANCE

In attendance were: Mr. Marcel Pultorak, Chairperson; Mrs. Nancy Zakar, Vice-Chairperson;

Mrs. Jihan Jawad, Secretary-Treasurer; Mr. Robert Taub, Mrs. Candyce Abbatt, Mrs. Toni Straley and Mrs. Rachel Fawaz, Commissioners; Mrs. Maryanne Bartles, Library Director;

Ms. Julie Schaefer, Deputy Library Director; Mr. Steve Smith, Administrative Librarian.

Excused: Mr. David Schlaff, Commissioner.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the September 11, 2009 Library Commission Meeting were approved as submitted.

3. FOUNDATION UPDATE- Mrs. Bartles reported that the Strategic Planning Committee of the Library Foundation continues to work on an annual fundraising idea. In the interim, with the libraries help, they have put together a bookmark that can be used to register your Kroger shopping card at the store, so that the Library Foundation gets a percentage of what is spent as a donation. We will distribute the bookmarks at all the libraries. Mrs. Bartles passed the bookmark out to the Commission and asked the Commissioners if they could try signing up at Kroger with it to make sure that it works correctly. Ms. Schaefer reported that a member of the Foundation, Henry Fradkin, used to sit on the Dearborn Cable Commission. He told the Foundation about a grant that the cable fund offers that may be able to help us add the children’s literacy computers that we have at HFCL to each of the branch locations as well. The Foundation has applied for a grant from the cable fund to help purchase five more of the computers. They are very popular with small children but are expensive computers. The next meeting of the Foundation is Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6pm.

4. BUDGET UPDATE-. Mrs. Bartles reported that we are working on our internal budget right now. Supervisors have until the end of October to submit their budget request. The Mayor is moving forward with his Committee made up of 20 to 30 citizens of Dearborn who will work with City Administration to set priorities for City services. Mr. Pultorak discussed the problem of planning for city government budgets that is caused by the State having a fiscal year that is different than most cities in Michigan. He encouraged the Commissioners to stay informed about the State budget process.

5. INFORMATION ITEMS-

A. Nominees for Library Commission- Mrs. Bartles reported that Sally Smith, a librarian at University of Michigan-Dearborn, has been appointed by the Mayor to the Library Commission to fill the vacancy created by Ron Watters in 2007. Her appointment gives us a full Library Commission.

B. HFCL ADA Compliant Family Restroom- Ms. Schaefer reported that work began on the new restroom in Children’s at on Monday of this week. The contractor did a good job of enclosing the work area where the renovation is occurring which will help to keep the dust contained. They are working on the demolition portion of the project now which has been loud on some days. Mr. Pultorak asked the expected completion date for the project. Ms. Schaefer stated it should be finished in about a month.

6. ACTION ITEMS-

A. November Library Commission Meeting- Mr. Pultorak stated that the Commission discussed holding their November meeting at Bryant Branch. Mrs. Bartles stated she will call the Chamber of Commerce to see if we can use the space for the November meeting. If it is booked it was agreed to hold the November meeting at Snow Branch. Mrs. Bartles stated that we will let the Commission know the location before the November meeting.

B. 10 year purge of patron records- Mrs. Bartles explained that patrons who do not have any fines or fees outstanding on their account are purged from our system after they are inactive for ten years. The Library would also like to purge the accounts that have a fine balance of $25 or less and have been inactive for ten years. Patrons who have not returned material would tend to have a fine balance over $25. Mr. Taub motioned to approve the removal of library accounts that have been inactive for ten years and have a fee balance of $25 or less, seconded by Mrs. Zakar, all approved.

7. Comments-

Library patron Janice Shaw spoke to the Library Commission. She asked about who controls the booking of the meeting room at Bryant and asked some questions about Mrs. Bartles plans for the entrance area at the rear of Bryant. Mrs. Bartles advised that the Chamber of Commerce controls the meeting space. Mrs. Bartles recommended to Jennifer Giering, the Chamber President, that she develop some guidelines and policies for use of the room but Mrs. Bartles has not seen them. Ms. Shaw also asked why the library was purchasing unrated movies rather than the rated copy which is using taxpayer dollars for copies that only have additional violence or sexual content that add nothing to the story line. Mrs. Bartles said she will look into the issue of unrated movies and get back with Ms. Shaw.

Mrs. Bartles discussed a bill she received from The Library Network (TLN) for $750 for delivery service. She has been unable to get any further information from TLN about the charges. Our use of the delivery service is very minimal.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM.