SANTA  MONICA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  BOARD

 

Minutes of the REGULAR Meeting of September 5, 2002

To Be Approved

 

 

 

 

A REGULAR meeting of the Library Board was called to order by Chairperson, Gene Oppenheim, at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 5, 2002 at the Main Library in the Conference Room, 1343 Sixth Street, Santa Monica.

 

Call to Order

PRESENT:

Vice Chair Edwards, Boardmember Field, Boardmember Stern and Chair Oppenheim

 

Roll Call

ALSO PRESENT:

Sherrill Kushner, Vice President Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library; Alisa Beaton, Liaison Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library; Susan Annett, Principal Librarian for Public Services; Jamie Watson, Volunteer Services Coordinator; Catherine Ronan, Young Adult Librarian; Ellen Braby, Head of Youth Services; Greg Mullen, Assistant City Librarian

 

 

Chair Gene Oppenheim took the oath of allegiance and was sworn in.  Chair Oppenheim was reappointed to the Library Board after serving a partial term.  

 

Swearing in and Oath of Allegiance

No report.

 

Communications from the Public

Vice Chair Edwards made a motion to approve the minutes of the Library Board meeting of July 18, 2002 as mailed.  Boardmember Field seconded the motion.  The minutes were approved in a unanimous voice vote.

 

Approval of the Library Board Minutes

Alisa Beaton, Friends of the Library Liaison gave a report to the Library Board on the August 12, 2002 Friends of the Library Board meeting. 

 

Report from the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library

Ms. Beaton reported on the Montana Ave. Branch fundraiser.  The $400.00 pavers for the entryway are almost completely sold.  There are $150.00 pavers for the patio available.    

 

 

The Friends of the Library have their own web address www.friendsofsmpl.org to publicize the activities of the Friends organization.

 

 

Ms. Beaton reported that President of the Friends, Jon Arenberg will be a guest on “Local Talk”, Adelphia Communication’s Public Affairs Special on September 13.

 

 

Cynni Murphy, Image Archive Librarian, submitted a proposal to the Board to request they approve instituting fees for e-mailing high-resolution digital images available from the Library’s Image Archive.  The fee would recover the cost of the time it takes the librarian to select and save specific images to different resolutions and formats and creating the e-mail correspondence. 

 

Approval of Proposal of Fees for E-mailed Images from the Image Archive

Boardmember Field made a motion to approve the proposal for fees for e-mailing high-resolution digital images available from the Library’s Image Archive.  Vice Chair Edwards seconded the motion and it passed in an unanimous voice vote.

 

 

Ellen Braby, Head of Youth Services, reported to the Board on the summer reading program.  This year’s theme was “Wrapped up in Reading”.  Registration for preschool and elementary school children was almost as high as last years, even though two of the branches were closed.  Registration in the teen reading program increased 21%. 

 

Report on Summer Reading Program

Additional programs were held at Main and Ocean Park to make up for the branch closures.   In addition to the regular story times for babies, toddlers and preschoolers Main held three programs per week.  At Ocean Park repeat shows were held back to back to keep the audience sizes from becoming too large.  Programs ranged from magic shows, storytellers, musical programs, craft programs, temporary tattoos and puppet shows. 

 

 

Children read 7,819 hours and teens read 6,630 hours for this year’s summer reading program.

 

 

Catherine Ronan, Young Adult Librarian, gave a report to the Board on young adult programs.

 

Report on Young Adult Programs

Ms. Ronan reported that to celebrate Teen Read Week the Library is hosting a 2D/3D Cartoon & Animation Festival on Saturday, October 19 from 1pm -5:30pm.  The festival will include workshops on drawing cartoon characters, developing comic book characters and publishing Disney storybooks.  Animation workshops including hands-on animation, animation A-Z and game design and development will also be held.   

 

 

Ms. Ronan reported that the Library received a $25,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation for a portable youth technology center (YTC) consisting of 9 wireless laptops in a lockable cart with supporting software and training support.  

 

 

The portable YTC will be used for multiple purposes: 

  • Training sessions for students on the use of the library catalog and databases,
  • Classes on the use of specialized software such as Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and ARC,
  • By teens who have volunteered to work on the development of the library’s teen website,
  • SAT practice sessions using software already owned by the library,
  • Homework help using the tutor.com service, and
  • Student research and word processing.

 

 

Susan Annett, Principal Librarian, Public Services, asked the Board to approve the recommendation of the City Wide Reads Committee.  The committee has selected “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” by Dai Sijie for the Santa Monica Public Library City Wide Reads Project. 

 

Approve City Wide Reads Committee Recommendation

Boardmember Field moved to approve the City Wide Reads Committee recommendation of “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” by Dai Sijie for the Santa Monica Public Library City Wide Reads Project.  Chairperson Oppenheim seconded the motion.  The motion passed with three yes votes and one no vote. 

 

 

Mr. Mullen gave a report to the Board on the Main Library expansion.  After completing the schematic design phase of the project Moore Ruble Yudell Architects (MRY) has moved into the design development phase.   

 

Main Library Expansion - Update

On October 10 MRY will present the latest plan to the Library Board.  MRY will present the latest plan to City Council on October 22, 2002.

 

 

The Montana Ave. Branch construction is behind schedule.  However, both the Montana Ave. and Fairview Branches are scheduled to open in December 2002.

 

Branch Expansion - Update

Mr. Mullen reported that the City has signed the lease on the temporary library facility.  The facility is located at 1324 Fifth Street.  The Library has been working with an architect on the design of the improvements to the temporary library.

 

Temporary Library - Update

The Board reviewed and discussed several library journal articles.

 

Nationwide Current Library Trends

Chair Oppenheim gave an update on the meeting of the teen photography contest committee.  The next step is to schedule a meeting to establish the rules of the photography contest. 

 

Library Board Contest for Young Adults - Report

The Board has decided not to make distinctions between color and b&w or any other "photographic" medium.  They also agreed that cost would limit size of the entries and that there is probably no need to require that the work be mounted.  Unmounted prints could just be pinned to the wall.  Some distinction will be made in age groups.  The contest will be open to children who live or go to school in Santa Monica.

 

 

Boardmember Stern and Alisa Beaton reported to the Board on the progress of the arrangements for the December 7 Farewell for the Main Library. 

 

Dining Farewell for Main Library

Sherrill Kushner reported to the Board on the fundraising meeting with Chris Hershey of Hershey Associates.

 

Secretary’s Report

Ms. Kushner stated that the fundraisers are working on a case statement in order to create a market survey which will identify the number and amount of gifts the Friends can expect.  This survey will establish the target amount of the capital campaign.      

 

Report on Meeting with Hershey Assoc.

Artist, Carl Cheng presented his ideas for public art in the new Main Library to the Public Art Committee. 

 

Artist, Carl Cheng’s Presentation to the Public Art Committee

The committee approved the canopy design for the courtyard café.  They returned comments on his design for the Word Screen for the Sixth Street entrance.  Mr. Cheng will address those comments in his next presentation to the committee in October.  

 

 

Staff updated the Board on the progress of the staff farewell party, which will be held in the main reading room at the Main Library on Friday, December 13 at 7pm.

 

Farewell Party for Staff

Vice Chair Edwards made a motion to change the October meeting date to October 10, 2002 in order to hear a presentation of the latest plan by MRY.  Boardmember Field seconded the motion and the motion passed in an unanimous voice vote.

 

Change in October Meeting Date

The Library Board asked that the following items be included in next Library Board agenda:  oath of allegiance and swearing in of Boardmember Ken Breisch; an update on the photography contest for young adults by Chair Oppenheim; update on the library expansion by MRY; and discussion of a Main Library farewell fundraiser by Boardmember Stern.

 

Agenda Building

Vice Chair Edwards moved to adjourn the meeting.  Boardmember Stern seconded the motion.  The motion was approved in a unanimous voice vote.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:45pm.

 

Adjournment

Attest:

Approved:

 

 

Winona Allard

Gene Oppenheim

Secretary

Library Board Chair