NORTHVILLE DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 28, 2010 – 7:30 p.m.
Northville District Library Carlo Meeting Room

1.    Chairperson Joe Corriveau called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. 
1.1    Roll Call - Present:  Trustees Joe Corriveau, Robert Sochacki, Alan Somershoe, Jean Hansen, Mike DeFrancesco, and Jim Morché.  Also present:  Julie Herrin, Director; Anne Mannisto, Assistant Director; Judith Williams, Administrative Assistant; and Paul Snyder, President of the NDL Friends.  In the audience: Library staff members Al Smitley and Denise LaMotte.
Absent:  Trustee Judy Sherman.
1.2    Approval of the Agenda:  MOTION:  Jim Morché made a motion to approve the agenda. Jean Hansen seconded the motion.  Motion passed.
1.3    Approval of the Regular Board Meeting minutes for September 23, 2010:  MOTION: Jean Hansen made a motion to accept the minutes for the Board Meeting of September 23, 2010.  Robert Sochacki seconded the motion.  Motion passed.
1.4    Citizen Comments:  None.

2.    Correspondence:  Julie Herrin read a note from Lynn Osaer, with the organization Women with a Purpose, thanking the Library for allowing a collection box for coats to be placed in the lobby area.  Over 150 coats, plus hats, gloves and boots, were made available to families through Northville Civic Concern and to Detroit inner-city homeless.

3.    Director’s Report:
Statistics:  The statistics for the month of September 2010, are down just under 2% from September 2009, while the door count is up almost 3%.  Checkouts of eBooks totals 197 and audio books are 221 for this month.  Youth eBooks total 103 for this month, making the annual circulation total 2,037 to date.  Database accesses are also up from August because of the resumption of school and the training presented by the Library.
Youth Programming:  951 children participated in 35 Library Youth Department events this past month.  There were 3 Real Research classes with 50 Our Lady of Victory students in each.  There is also a class scheduled for Montessori students tomorrow.  A program featuring the Balloon Meister had 20 tween (youth ages 8 to 12) participants.  The Teen Book Discussion had 9 attendees.
Adult Programming:  The two Investment Education Programs had 35 and 40 participants.  The Foreign Film this month had 55 viewers, and the Book Discussion had 12 participants.  There were 37 people at the program on composting and 25 attendees at the program on Digital Photography.  New computer classes that are being planned for the winter include Skype, Overdive downloading, and Database classes that will be subject focused.  The Community Read events were very successful.  Expenses were covered by money withdrawn from the Endowment Fund.  The 29 copies of the book “Annie’s Ghosts” purchased for the event have now circulated a total of 141 times.  The special Community Read book discussion had 17 attendees.  The History of Eloise Program, which was held at the Community Center, drew 110, and the visit with author Steve Luxenberg at the Novi Public Library drew 187. 
Endowment:  The 2010 Endowment letter will be mailed out during the second week of November and the Library Giving Tree is to be installed about the same time.  Fourteen leaves will already be engraved with donor names when the tree is installed.
Public Relations:  Julie reported that articles about the Northville Library have appeared in both the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.  She also reported that the Library and Parks and Recreations Department are discussing the possibility of partnering to co-sponsor events, such as a movie night and summer concerts in the park adjacent to the Library. 
Facilities:  Julie reported that discussion has begun with Library Design to make space adjustments in the Teen area, using the remainder of the Endowment money for part of the renovation.  Increasing shelving space and making the area more inviting to teens are the objectives.
Staff:  Two staff members attended a workshop on programming on a shoestring and two other staff members attended a workshop on legal resources.  Allison and Julie attended webinars on Overdrive training.  There were 65 volunteer hours in September.  Julie reported on a new option offered by MERS as part of its Health Care Savings Program, the tax-exempt program for post-Library employment health care expenses the Library subscribed to last year.  MERS members may now deposit their longevity pay into a MERS HCSP account. This would offer tax savings to both the Library and the staff member opting to do this.  MOTION:  Julie requested a motion for approval of adding this option to the Library’s plan.  Jean Hansen moved to adopt the proposal to add longevity pay to the MERS Health Care Savings Program.  Robert Sochacki seconded the motion.  Motion passed.

4.    Friends Report:  Friends President Paul Synder reported that the Friends Fall Used Book Sale  in October netted $1,621.  He reported that the Friends of Northville Library participated in the Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML) workshop at the Novi Public Library and that Joe Thomas presented a program on how used books are processed here that was very well received.  Paul stated that he had submitted a letter on behalf of the Friends to the editor of the Northville Record which was published in the October 28th edition, expressing support of the Library millage.  The Books for Babies program is now underway; Judy DeFrancesco has had about 6 new moms participate so far.  Paul also reported that the Friends will be selling used books at the Art House, Solid Grounds and at the First Friday Art Walk events.  He also reminded the Board about the upcoming Picks and Sticks Program. 

5.    Budget and Finance Review:
5.1    MOTION:  Treasurer Jean Hansen made a motion to approve payment of the Northville District Library List of Bills over $1,000 for October 2010 as presented to the Board.  Robert Sochacki seconded the motion.  Motion passed.
5.2    Jean distributed the Financial Reports for September, noting that the expenditures were on target and that an additional but unexpected $4,500 in State Aid was received this past month.  She also reported that $71,000 of delinquent taxes have now been received with an additional $15,000 to be forthcoming from Wayne County.  Jean stated that funds from Strategic Planning Reserve are being used to increase alternative funding for the Library, one of the Strategic Plan goals, with the installation of a Library Giving Tree.
5.3    Julie Herrin reported that she received a call from Standard & Poor’s regarding the Library’s Bond Rating.  After Julie responded to a series of questions, the S & P representative stated that the Library’s Bond Rating has been increased from A to AA-.  The Construction Bonds for the Library will be retired in 2015.

6.    Announcements and Comment

6.1    Julie requested that a Personnel Committee be scheduled to discuss a staff member’s request to purchase additional Service Credit through the MERS Pension Plan.  The Personnel Committee Meeting was set for 7:00 p.m. on November 18, prior to the November Board Meeting.
6.2    The next Finance Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the Carlo Meeting Room. 
The next Regular Meeting of the Board will be held on Thursday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carlo Meeting Room.  This will be on the third Thursday due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. 
6.3    The Annual Staff Holiday Party is scheduled for Wednesday, December 8, 2010.  All Board Members are invited and their assistance will be greatly appreciated. 

MOTION:  Robert Sochacki made a motion to adjourn the Regular Meeting.  Jim Morché seconded the motion.  Motion passed.  The Meeting was adjourned at 8:12p.m.
   
Respectfully Submitted,

Mike DeFrancesco Secretary
JW 10/1/10