SANTA  MONICA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  BOARD
 

Minutes of the REGULAR Meeting of December 4, 2003

To Be Approved
       

A REGULAR meeting of the Library Board was called to order by Chairperson, Ken Breisch, at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, December 4, 2003 at the Montana Ave. Branch Library, 1704 Montana Ave., Santa Monica.

  

Call to Order

PRESENT:

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

  

Roll Call

ALSO PRESENT:

Greg Mullen, Assistant City Librarian

    

Chair Breisch and Vice Chair Edwards received a letter from Mayor, Richard Bloom inviting them to attend the January 27 City Council meeting, which will focus on community priorities.  The Boardmembers are encouraged to consider their work as a commission and the needs of the Library community to then provide feedback to the City Council. 

 

Communications from the Public

Vice Chair Edwards made a motion to approve the minutes of the Library Board meeting of November 6, 2003.  Boardmember Stern seconded the motion.  The minutes were approved in a unanimous voice vote.

  

Approval of the Library Board Minutes

No report. 

 

Report from the Friends of the Library, a Library Support Group

Vice Chair Edwards reported that the Friends of the Library Fundraising Committee members met with Susan McCarthy, City Manager, and Gordon Anderson, Assistant City Manager, regarding the Friends of the Library fundraising case statement for the Main Library.  Changes to the case statement were suggested.  The Friends of the Library plan to raise money for enhancements to Library programs and facilities for the new Main Library.  

 

Report on the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library Fundraising Meeting

Mr. Mullen reported to the Board that the excavation at the Main Library building site is complete.  Currently, the contractor is pouring the concrete footings for the parking garage. 

 

Update on the Main Library Building Project

The webcam, which provides a view of the construction site, will be operational shortly.  Through the webcam patrons will be able to see the construction of the Library as it is happening. 

   

The architect, Moore Ruble Yudell, has been reworking the design of Children’s area.  They should have a design ready in early January.  

   

Staff has also been discussing shelving for the new Library.  The end panels on the ranges of shelving will be designed to be consistent with the design of the Library.  Some of the shelving ranges will have catalog stations built into the end panels, which will provide patrons ease of access to the catalog while in the stacks. 

   

The City is changing the budget process and moving to a 2-year budget cycle.  This fiscal year the goal at mid-year is to concentrate on changes to major revenue generators, changes in critical expenditures, updating community priorities objectives and identifying changes to the salary projection report. 

 

Mid-Year Budget Discussion

Mr. Mullen distributed copies of the Library’s objectives and performance measures for the fiscal year 2003/2004. 

   

One of the main objectives for the Library in the 2003/2004 fiscal year is to mitigate the impact of reduced access to resources during the Main Library Construction period.  The Library continues to inform and communicate with the community, local neighbors and city staff about construction activities.  Library staff continues to hold ongoing adult and youth programs at various community venues.  Staff also continues to purchase new and popular material in order to meet community demand.

    

In addition, the Library will continue to advance customer service improvements through the implementation of new programs that focus on self-service.  These new programs include: public access computing, express checkout, a hold item pickup system, a telephone notification system and merchandising methods.

    

Board discussion and questions followed.

    

In light of some recent court decisions, Library staff met with the City Attorney’s office to discuss changes to the Library Rules of Conduct.  A new document is in the process of being drafted. 

 

Approval of Changes to the Rules of Conduct

In a unanimous voice vote the Library Board voted to change the January 1, 2004 Library Board meeting date to January 8, 2004.  The January 8 meeting will be held at 7 pm at the conference room of the Montana Ave. Branch Library.

  

Change in January 2004 Library Board meeting date

The Board discussed an article on radio frequency ID tags from the October 6, 2003 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle.  

 

Nationwide Current Library Trends - Review of Library Journal Articles

The Board discussed a Library teen enrichment program in Queens.  The eight-week outreach program is for first-time non-violent offenders and provides career counseling, computer training, self-esteem workshops and college scholarship information.

    
   

Secretary’s Report

Mr. Mullen reported on the Holiday programs and activities planned at the libraries. 

 

Holiday Programs

An emergency evacuation drill for staff was held on November 5.  A week later on November 12 an emergency evacuation drill was held for both staff and patrons who were using the library.  The City of Santa Monica safety coordinator attended both drills and provided feedback to the staff.  The drills were successful.   

 

Evacuation Drill

Mr. Mullen updated the Board on the Library’s progress on its part in the City’s community priorities.  During the fiscal year 03/04 the City’s community priority is to enhance the quality of life, safety and community involvement of the residents of the Pico neighborhood. 

 

Collaborative Objective Update

The Library continues to provide the Pico neighborhood with the following Library services: 

  • Pre-school outreach programs with three Pico neighborhood Head Start Programs
  • Collaborate with Reading is Fundamental, distributing free books to children in the Head Start program
  • Offer Spanish language story times programs for families in the neighborhood
  • Collaborate with the Healthy Start program at the Venice Family Clinic
  • Offer a story time for babies 0-24 months and caregivers in collaboration with the SMMUSD/Infant and Family Support program
  • Opening of the Youth Technology Center consisting of eight laptops at the Fairview Branch Library for after school use by students in grades 4-12.  Dedicated staff provides homework assistance and weekly classes in information literacy. 
   

The Library is making a transition in the management of the acquisition process of the Stanton Macdonald-Wright mural.  Community and Cultural Services will take over the management of that process and continue to work with museum consultant, Ilene Fort.  Community and Cultural Services will work with the Smithsonian to evaluate and assess the mural panels condition and estimate the amount of restoration required.

  

Stanton Macdonald-Wright Mural

The Library Board asked that the following items be included in next Library Board agenda: a Citywide Reads update; an update on the photo book project; request to raise the Image Archive fees; new Library budgeting and estimated additional positions; Stanton Macdonald-Wright mural display schemes; and an update on the Friends fundraising efforts for the Main Library.

 

Agenda Building

Chair Breisch adjourned the meeting at 8:25pm.

  

Adjournment

Attest:

Approved:

    

Greg Mullen

Kenneth Breisch

Assistant City Librarian

Library Board Chair