DEARBORN DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES

LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING

09/11/09

1.  ATTENDANCE

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

Mr. David Schlaff and Mrs. Rachel Fawaz, Commissioners; Mrs. Maryanne Bartles, Library Director; Ms. Julie Schaefer, Deputy Library Director; Mr. Steve Smith, Administrative Librarian.  Attending via conference call: Mrs. Toni Straley, Commissioner. Excused:   Mrs. Jihan Jawad, Secretary-Treasurer;

Mr. Robert Taub and Mrs. Candyce Abbatt ,Commissioners.

 

2.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the June 2009 Library Commission Meeting were approved as submitted.

 

3.  FOUNDATION UPDATE- Mrs. Bartles reported that the Foundation continues to receive a few donations from the direct mail campaign.  The total received so far from the direct mail campaign is over $3000. The Foundation also has three new members.  They have formed a strategic fundraising committee.  They are trying to come up with an annual fundraising event.  They are in the preliminary planning stages but are hoping to put together a golf outing for children.  You can also now register your Kroger card so that the Library Foundation gets a percentage of what is spent as a donation.  The next meeting of the Foundation is next Tuesday, September 15, 2009. 

 

4.  BUDGET UPDATE-.

A.     Plante Moran and Citizen Committee- Mrs. Bartles reported that Plante Moran was hired by the City to meet with all the Department Heads and learn about each department in order to look for cost reductions.  Mrs. Bartles has already met with a representative from Plante Moran.  Plante Moran will compile a report of their findings and will also serve as facilitators of the Citizen’s Blue Ribbon Committee that will be appointed to prioritize City services.  Mrs. Zakar asked what the timeline was for the report to be issued.  Mrs. Bartles stated she thought it would be around March or April next year. 

 

5.  INFORMATION ITEMS-

A.     Wireless access at the Community and Performing Arts Center-  Mrs. Bartles stated that when the Commission approved wireless access it was decided that wireless users would log on to our system in the same manner as they log on to our hardwired computers.  Non library card holders have to pay a $1 to access wireless. At the time we were told that the Community and Performing Arts Center would only offer wireless access for their staff. That has since changed and they are now offering wireless Internet access to the public for free. Mrs. Bartles feels that we should not change our policies regarding wireless access.  It would be difficult for us to do so and we are offering access to our online databases as well as staff support for the $1 charge.

B.     Nominees for Library Commission?- Mrs. Bartles reported that the Mayor would like someone from the Dearborn Schools to serve on the Library Commission. Mr. Pultorak stated that a person with a school affiliation was recommended to us in the past but we never heard anything about it from the Mayor. Mr. Pultorak thought the person was a librarian at U of M, Dearborn.  Mrs. Bartles stated that when she comes back from vacation she will follow up on this previous recommendation. Mr. Schlaff recommended Ryan Lazar who works for the Dearborn Schools.

C.    New Commissioner-Rachel Fawaz- The Library Commission welcomed new Commissioner Rachel Fawaz. 

D.    Annual Report- Mrs. Bartles advised the Commissioners that a copy of the library annual report was in their meeting packet.

 

6. ACTION ITEMS-

A.     Library Code of Conduct- Changes to the library code of conduct that allow the library to search patrons belongings (i.e. purses and backpacks) if necessary and allow patrons to carry weapons as allowed by law were discussed by the Commission.  There was discussion regarding the State of Michigan open carry law in regard to carrying a gun into the library.  The library is not on a list of prohibited places to carry as weapon such as churches. A motion was made by Mrs. Zakar to approve the changes to the code of conduct, seconded by Mr. Schlaff, all approved. 

B.     USB devices for circulation- Julie Schaefer state that there is a great demand from patrons for materials to learn a foreign language.  A new form of media is available for foreign language materials which is a flash drive preloaded with foreign language software.  There are adult and children’s versions of the software. The USB drives are protected so that they can not be erased and data can not be saved to them. It is more interactive than traditional CD ROM foreign language media and they also seem to be more durable than the CD ROM format.  We would like to try out this new format.  The cost to replace the USB drives if they are lost or stolen is $100.  If the addition of the USB drives is approved we want to make sure that patrons are aware of the $100 replacement cost. A motion was made by Mr. Schlaff to approve acquisition and circulation of foreign language USB drives, seconded by Mrs. Zakar, all approved. 

 

7.     Comments-

A.     Welcome Center Grand Opening-Friday, October 2, 2009- Mrs. Bartles reported that the name will now likely be the Visitors Center rather than the Welcome Center.  There will be signage posted on the major roads and freeways in the area directing people to the Visitors Center.  All of the Commissioners should be receiving an invitation to the grand opening on Friday, October 2nd at 10am. The public opening will be at 11am.  The City Highways Department is repaving the Bryant parking lot next week so the only access to the building will be through the front doors.

B.     October Commission Meeting-Bryant?- There was discussion about the Library Commission meeting at the Bryant Branch in the newly renovated community conference room.  It was decided to try to have the November Library Commission meeting at Bryant Branch.  Mrs. Bartles will check with the Chamber of Commerce about using the community meeting room.

C.    Border’s Event-October 14, 2009 5:30-9pm- Mrs. Bartles has been trying to get out in the community to promote the library.  She has spoken to the Optimist Club, the Kiwanis’s and the Rotary Club. The Dearborn Community Arts Council (DCAC) contacted Mrs. Bartles regarding a program that they are having in October in which members of DCAC go out and do demonstrations at businesses in the community.  We will be at Borders from 5:30-9pm on Oct. 14th  to promote the library.  We will focus on the things that we have for patrons such as children’s programming and the online databases.

D.    Miscellaneous- Mrs. Bartles reported that the Rotary Club donated $1000.  We deposited the money into the Friends of the Library so that we can use the money for programming.  We give the Rotary Club a supply of children’s books that they have their weekly guest speaker’s sign with a gift plate and we add the books to the collection. 

           

            Mrs. Bartles reported that the Michigan Library Association (MLA) conference is coming up in             Lansing from November 3rd through 6th in Lansing.   All of the Commissioners are members of             MLA. If any of the Commissioners are interested in attending the conference they need to let             Mrs. Bartles know and hopefully we would be able to offset some of the cost. 

           

            Julie Schaefer reported that the digital download statistics went up quite a bit the month after          the Digital Bookmobile visit.  We had the third highest downloads for our consortium after the    visit.

     

      The Commission discussed passing a resolution in opposition to the Governors executive order  to disband the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.  It was decided to hold off on       the resolution at this time.

     

      Mrs. Bartles asked the Commissioners if they wanted to continue to receive the copies of       newspaper articles that we have been providing in order for the Commission to be aware of the       publicity the library is receiving in the local papers. The Commissioners agreed that they     would like to continue receiving the article copies.          

 

      The meeting was adjourned at 4:55 PM.