Northville District Library

1. Call to Order: Chair Robert Sochacki called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

1.1 Roll Call - Present: Trustees Robert Sochacki, Jean Hansen, Mike DeFrancesco,
Paul Snyder, Joe Corriveau and Jim Morché. Also present: Julie Herrin, Library Director; Anne Mannisto, Assistant Library Director; Carla Eggert, Administrative Assistant. Staff member Nancy Clarizio and Northville resident Mary Rack were in the audience.
1.2 Approval of the Agenda: MOTION: Mike DeFrancesco made a motion to accept the agenda. Jean Hansen seconded the motion. Motion passed.
1.3 Approval of Regular Board Meeting Minutes of 10-25-12: MOTION: Mike DeFrancesco made a motion to approve the October 25, 2012 minutes as corrected. Paul Snyder seconded the motion. Motion passed.

1.4 Citizens' Comments: Mrs. Rack commented that the Board of Trustees were doing a great job following Parliamentary Procedure.

2. Correspondence: None.

3. Director's Report

Statistics: Julie Herrin distributed a new statistics report, as the usage of the Morningstar and Consumer Reports databases increased overall usage. Julie reported that circulation is up 4% and the door count is up 8%. Downloads are up 146%. In October, 106 users of Freegal Music Service downloaded 658 songs, and there were 198 visits to Brainfuse. Usage of the Library wi-fi is at an all-time high with 733 users in October.
Youth Programming: There were twelve children's programs in October that were attended by 331 children.
Teen Services: A program for International Game Day had 35 attendees.
Adult Services Programming: Several of the Adult Services programs have not occurred yet this month. The Book Discussion had 15 attendees.
Community Reads-Picking Cotton: The author speaking engagement with Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was held last night at the Novi Library and was very successful with over 200 people attending.
Technology: Julie reported that we are looking at making changes to the website to make eBook and music content, as well as information on giving to the Library, more prominent. We will need to replace ten staff workstations, as the current computers cannot run Windows 7 and support for Windows XP is ending next year. The electronic payment of fines over $5.00 using PayPal or a credit card has been activated on our online Library catalog. This service is provided in conjunction with The Library Network.
Staff: Julie reported that she and Anne attended a webinar on the state of eBooks and publishing. Six staff members attended the Michigan Library Association Annual Conference. Julie found the sessions on data-driven decision making, Michigan's personal property tax, and how penal fines are affected by parallel ordinances very informative.
Facilities: The installation charges for the project to replace the lighting around the main staircase will be over budget by $1,400, as the contractor found that the holes on the fixtures are not predrilled and will have to be done by hand when the light fixtures are being installed. The issue with the curbing in front of the Library has been addressed. The property belongs to the City of Northville. A letter was sent to the City Manager on November 2 and the City has already patched the area. Hopefully, the City will be able to repair it next year.
Public Relations: Dorie Freebury will be a judge for the PTA Reflections essay contest with the schools. The Library newsletter will go out the first week of December. Geek t-shirts have been purchased to sell in the Friends gift shop. They will be priced at $10 for youth sizes and $12 for adult. Mary Rack is a member of a group on parliamentary procedure and she has offered to have the group do a presentation for the Board of Trustees. Julie has asked her for a written proposal.

4. Friends Report: The Friends did not have a Board meeting in November.

5. Budget and Finance Review

5.1 Bills over $1,000 for approval: Treasurer Jean Hansen presented the list of bills over $1,000 for November 2012. MOTION: Jean Hansen made a motion for the approval of payment of the bills over $1,000. Paul Snyder seconded the motion. Motion passed. As the Board of Trustees meeting is early this month due to Thanksgiving, some of the bills due for the month have not come in yet. The Blue Cross bill will be $15,148.60 and the Amazon bill will be $3,573.27. MOTION: Jean Hansen made a motion to approve the payment of these bills in advance of the next Board of Trustees meeting if the due date requires. Paul Snyder seconded the motion. Motion passed.
5.2 Financial Report: Jean Hansen distributed the October 2012 financial report. We are 92% through the fiscal year and our expenses to date are right on target. Property and liability insurance was budgeted at $20,000 for next fiscal year. Previously, our deductible was $250, but this amount is no longer available from our insurer so our deductible has been raised to $1,000. The insurance is provided through Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA). Since they are not a profit-based company, they distribute any excess funds from the previous year back to their members. We will receive a distribution from MMRMA of $20,949 which will make the cost of our liability insurance for next year around $2,000.

6. Committee Reports

6.1 Policy Committee: Julie Herrin distributed a copy of the eight policies that the Policy Committee reviewed at their last meeting. When there are changes to a policy the old wording in the policy document will be struck out and the new policy underlined to make it clear what has changed. Jean Hansen presented policies for reading by the Board of Trustees in the absence of a Policy Committee Chair, due to the resignation of Suzanne Miller, who had held this position.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on the Freedom of Information Act with changes for first reading. MOTION: Jean Hansen made a motion that the Board of Trustees accept this revised Policy on the Freedom of Information Act as presented. Jim Morché seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Displays, Handouts and Postings with changes for first reading. MOTION: Paul Snyder made a motion to accept the Policy on Displays, Handouts and Postings with changes for a first reading. Jean Hansen seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Materials Selection with changes for first reading. MOTION: Paul Snyder made a motion to accept the Policy on Materials Selection with changes for first reading. Jim Morché seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Weeding of Materials with changes for first reading. MOTION: Paul Snyder made the motion to accept the Policy on Weeding of Materials for first reading. Jim Morché seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Controversial Materials and Programming with changes for first reading. MOTION: Jim Morché made the motion to accept the Policy on Controversial Materials and Programming with changes for first reading. Paul Snyder seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Gifts with changes for first reading. MOTION: Paul Snyder made the motion to accept this Policy on Gifts with changes for first reading. Jean Hansen seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jean Hansen presented the Policy on Authorization for Expenditures with changes for first reading. MOTION: Jean Hansen made the motion to accept this Policy on Authorization for Expenditures with changes for first reading. Jim Morché seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Jim Morché distributed a copy of a section of the Board of Trustee bylaws relating to the agenda. He raised the issue of whether to include as a regular part of the agenda the topic Other Business, as delineated in the bylaws. It was clarified that topics for Other Business should be submitted to the Library Director in advance of the meeting, in order to ensure that Board members and the public have an opportunity to prepare for the discussion of whatever Other Business might be under consideration. Thus Other Business is noted in the bylaws to indicate where such topics would fall in the agenda when submitted in advance. Jean Hansen noted that agenda additions at the meeting are not encouraged. Robert Sochacki stated that last-minute items brought up by Board members should be addressed under the Comment section of the agenda.

6.2 Facilities Committee: Mike DeFrancesco stated that, as Julie Herrin reported earlier, the issue with the crumbling cement in front of the Library has been determined to be the responsibility of the City of Northville as it is their property. The City has patched the area for the winter and they hope to have the funds to repair it permanently next year

7. Trustee Training: Trustee training requirements are part of the revised Enhanced Level of the Quality Services Audit Checklist (QSAC). To achieve this level of QSAC Certification, the Library would have to meet many other criteria as well as this. The QSAC Enhanced Level requires the following: "Library trustees will participate in at least one continuing education opportunity every three years. Such opportunities may include in-service programs, speakers or training at the Library, the Michigan Library Association's annual conference, or other Library of Michigan, Michigan Library Association, or library cooperative sponsored workshops."
In addition, the following requirement may be chosen from possible elective measures: "The library provides funds for an annual board development workshop or completes one annual continuing education activity at the local, regional or state level."
Jean Hansen stated that in the past the Board had a Study Session each year and this could be done again. There was discussion relating to what constitutes a Board development workshop and whether or not a Study Session would meet that requirement.
The QSAC Enhanced Standards will be a subject of a Board Study Session in 2013.

8. Announcements and Comments: The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be Tuesday, December 18, at 10:00 a.m. and the next regular meeting of the Board will be Thursday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. The interviews for the open Board of Trustee position will be held on Tuesday, November 27 and Wednesday, November 28. There will be a special meeting regarding the open Trustee position on December 6, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. in the Storytime Room. Jim Morché requested that a report from the Development Committee on the status of the reduction of taxpayer contribution to collections and programming be added to the December meeting agenda. This will be discussed during the Director's evaluation.

MOTION: Paul Snyder motioned to adjourn the November Regular Board Meeting. Joe Corriveau seconded the motion. Motion passed. The Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,
Joe Corriveau, Secretary
CE 11/21/12