SANTA MONICA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD |
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| Minutes of the SPECIAL Meeting of OCTOBER 10, 2002 |
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| To Be Approved |
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| A SPECIAL meeting of the Library Board was called to order by Chairperson, Gene Oppenheim, at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, October 10, 2002 at the Main Library in the auditorium, 1343 Sixth Street, Santa Monica. |
Call to Order |
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| PRESENT: |
Boardmember Breisch, Vice Chair Edwards, Chairperson Oppenheim and Boardmember Stern |
Roll Call |
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| ALSO PRESENT: |
Councilmember Pam O’Connor; Wini Allard, City Librarian; Greg Mullen, Assistant City Librarian; John Ruble, Principal Architect, Moore Ruble Yudell; Gordon Anderson, Assistant City Manager, Susan Annett, Principal Librarian for Public Services |
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| Boardmember Ken Breisch took the oath of allegiance and was sworn in. Boardmember Breisch was reappointed to the Library Board after serving a partial term. |
Oath of Allegiance and Swearing in |
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| Members of the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library, Board of Directors were also present for the joint meeting and discussion. Friends Boardmembers who were in attendance: Chair of the Friends of the Library, Jon Arenberg; Vice Chair of the Friends of the Library Board, Sherrill Kushner; Sara van Dyck, Friends of the Library Newsletter Editor; Larry Rosen, Director; Richard Horst, Emeritus Member. |
Joint Meeting and Discussion – Friends of Santa Monica Public Library |
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| Ms. Allard shared three written complaints the Library received from patrons with the Board. The first complaint was regarding cell phones usage in the Library. The anonymous complainant stated that it is almost impossible to do any meaningful work or reading due to distracting cell phones. |
Communications from the Public |
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| Mr. Mullen reported that most cell phone users are considerate and leave the reading area when they are talking on their phone. Library staff speaks to any patron creating a distraction. The Board suggested posting signage in the Library asking cell phone users to step outside the reading area when using their cell phone. |
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| Another complaint from Steve Katz was about the number of homeless people in the Library. |
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| The third complaint was a letter from William Thornton. |
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| Vice Chair Edwards made a motion to approve the minutes of the Library Board meeting of September 5, 2002. Boardmember Stern seconded the motion. The minutes were approved as mailed in a unanimous voice vote. |
Approval of the Library Board Minutes |
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| John Ruble, Principal Architect, Moore Ruble Yudell (MRY) presented the latest plan for the Main Library expansion to the Library Board and the Friends of the Library Board. |
Presentation of the latest plan for the Main Library |
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| MRY has been working to address comments made by City Council at the July 23, 2002 council meeting. One of City Council’s comments was in regard to the entrance to the Library at the corner of 6th and Santa Monica Blvd. In the latest design MRY has reworked the 6th Street entrance. |
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| In the current phase of design, design development, technical aspects of the building structure, mechanical systems, electrical systems, interior design, architectural materials and details are developed. Functional planning is refined to the detail of furniture layout and functional details. |
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| The Boards reviewed a model of the Main Library design. The entrance along 6th and Santa Monica Blvd. is detailed while the remainder of the building is a rough massing model that shows the footprint of the building and gives a sample of what the building will look like. Details are also being added to the courtyard. |
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| Mr. Ruble spoke to the Boards about how MRY wants to design a library that is successful functionally, incorporates current thinking about libraries and emphasizes technology. In addition, MRY wants a building that has a civic presence and culturally reflects the Santa Monica community. |
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| Mr. Ruble pointed out that the roof of the building is the highest elevation at areas closest to the street and then slopes in to a lower elevation at the center of the building towards the courtyard. The design of the roof serves to make the courtyard open to receive light and direct water runoff, which will be collected in the cistern and then used to water the landscape. |
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| Mr. Ruble spoke to the Board about architectural details of the building. On the side of the building facing Santa Monica Blvd. is a ribbon of windows. The height of the windows stretches from about 30 inches to 8 feet. White metal louvers will control how the light enters the building and is dispersed. The louvers will maximize views from the interior to the exterior. Pedestrians and motorists will have views into the reading area from Santa Monica Blvd. From the second floor bay window that floats over the entrance on 6th and Santa Monica readers will have views of the ocean. |
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| White pre-cast concrete cladding is proposed for use on the exterior of building. For the lower portion of the building a light sand color with a texture is proposed. |
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| Questions from the public. |
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| Questions and discussion from the Board followed. The Board would like to see samples of the building cladding and expressed an interest in having more art in the building. Boardmember Edwards expressed interest in the types of plantings used in the courtyard landscaping. |
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| President of the Friends of the Library, Jon Arenberg, reported on the activities of the Friends. Mr. Arenberg reported that he appeared on “Local Talk” an Adelphia Cable public affairs show to publicize the Friends of the Library organization. |
Report from the Friends of the Library, a Library Support Group |
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| At the October 14 Friends Board of Directors’ meeting the Friends will be electing officers. Currently, the primary focus of the Friends is locating a space for Friends activities during the closure of Main. The Friends book sale on September 27, 28 and 29 grossed $12,500. The Friends gave $9,000 for the Branches to purchase starter DVD collections. |
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| Ms. Allard reported that Vanna White will be reading “The Adventures of Capitol Kitty” by Sharon Davis, the First Lady of California, to children at the Main Library on October 26. Verizon is sponsoring the event for “Make a Difference Day”. Ms. White from Wheel of Fortune is Verizon’s literacy champion. The First Lady of California is expected to attend to speak to the children about writing and literacy. Verizon will present the Friends of the Library with a $25,000 grant check for a youth technology center. |
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| Chair Oppenheim gave an update on the meeting of the teen photography contest committee. |
Library Board Contest for Young Adults - Report |
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| Chair Oppenheim reported that he, Boardmember Breisch, Catherine Ronan, Young Adult Librarian, Cynni Murphy, Image Archive Librarian, David Wood, photography instructor at Santa Monica High School and Zelda Zen from Crossroads High met to develop rules for the photography contest. |
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| The contest will be open to high school students who live or go to school in Santa Monica. First prize $75.00, second prize $50.00, and third prize $25.00. Entries can be color or black and white, digital or film. One entry per person. Winning entries will be displayed at the Library. Entries are due on February 7 and an opening reception will be held in mid March. The theme is open ended. Submissions need to be mounted on 16 X 20 (maximum) foam core board. The maximum print size is 11 X 14. Photos should be taken in 2002 – 2003. Photos must be previously unpublished. Releases from people in the photographs need to be attached to the application form. The judges will establish the judging criteria. The judging committee consists of Judy Keller, Associate Curator of Photographs at the Getty; Rose Shoshona owner of the Rose Gallery of Contemporary Photography at Bergamont Station and Joanne Callas an accomplished LA photographer and teacher at the Art Center. |
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| The Board reviewed an article from the San Francisco Gate about Librarian, Zoia Horn. |
Nationwide Current Library Trends – Review of Journal articles |
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| Secretary’s Report |
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| Mr. Arenberg reported that Hershey Associates is the fundraiser the Friends have hired to help with fundraising for the Main Library. A list of items the Friends hope to raise money for is including in the Board. |
Report on Meeting with Hershey Assoc. |
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| Staff anticipates that the Branches will be open before the Main Library closes. |
Branch Expansion - Update |
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| Bidding process for contractor for the temporary library has begun. A bidder walk through for contractors was held. |
Temporary Library |
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| Library staff is planning a farewell party for staff at the Main Library on December 13. The Friends of the Library have agreed to fund the party. |
Farewell Party for Staff |
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| The California Library Association Conference will be in Sacramento from November 15 – 18. Ms. Allard encouraged Boardmembers to attend if their schedules permit. |
California Library Association Conference |
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| The Library Board asked that the following items be included in next Library Board agenda: PLA conference. |
Agenda Building |
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| Vice Chair Edwards moved to adjourn the meeting. Chair Oppenheim seconded the motion. The motion was approved in a unanimous voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 8:55pm. |
Adjournment |
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| Attest: |
Approved: |
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| Winona Allard |
Gene Oppenheim |
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| Secretary |
Library Board Chair |
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