SANTA  MONICA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  BOARD

 

Minutes of the REGULAR Meeting of May 5, 2005

To Be Approved

 

 

 

 

A REGULAR meeting of the Library Board was called to order by Chairperson, Kenneth Breisch, at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 5, 2005 at the Montana Ave. Branch Library, 1704 Montana Ave., Santa Monica.

 

Call to Order

PRESENT:

Chairperson Breisch, Boardmember Edwards, Boardmember Field, and Boardmember Stern

 

Roll Call

ALSO PRESENT:

Greg Mullen, Acting City Librarian; Rachel Foyt, Administrative Analyst

 

 

No report.

 

Communications from the Public

Vice Chair Edwards made a motion to approve the minutes of the Library Board meeting of April 7, 2005.  Boardmember Field seconded the motion.  The minutes were approved in a unanimous voice vote.

 

Approval of the Library Board Minutes

Greg Mullen, Acting City Librarian, gave a report on the Friends of the Library activities to the Board. The Friends of the Library recently received two large donations.

 

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

The Friends have formed two new sub committees to work on membership and bookstore development. Grow the Friends, the membership drive, is scheduled to coincide with the opening of the new Main Library. The bookstore committee is in the process of developing a business plan.

 

 

As part of recruiting volunteers, the Friends held a meeting at the Montana Branch to brainstorm activities and update volunteers on the development of the New Main Library.

 

 

Ellen Braby, Head of Youth Services, gave a report on the Summer Reading program. This year staff used the California Summer Reading Program Collaborative and the theme is Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds. The program uses artwork from noted illustrators Steven Kellogg and Doug Keith. The program also provides a book of program suggestions, graphics and good pricing on incentives. The teen theme is Joust Read.

 

Ellen Braby, Summer Reading Program

Prizes for summer reading include t-shirts with graphics on the front, royal ducks, paper crowns, flashing dragon pins and paperback books.

 

 

The California Karate club has offered gift certificates for a month (15 hours) of lessons to children who complete the summer reading program. 

 

 

A teen party will be held on August 17 for teens who participate in the summer reading program and read thirty or more hours.

 

 

The next tour of the new Main Library is scheduled for Thursday, May 19 at 3:30pm.

 

Update on the New Main Library

Tour of the new Main Library

Ongoing construction activities at the new Main Library:

  • Permanent power is now switched over to the building to allow for the relocation of Morley and City staff offices to the museum space.
  • Excavation of the parking garden/North parking lot will begin
  • Raised floor complete by 5/20
  • Partition walls and dry wall going in
  • Indoor painting scheduled to begin
  • Auditorium ceiling will be started
  • Café is done to the extent it will be completed until the vendor is selected and begins construction  
  • Sliding glass doors between the courtyard and the library space are installed
  • Scaffolding along Santa Monica Blvd. will come down soon
  • Excavation of the North parking lot
  • Installation of the palm trees in the North lot
  • Commissioning process has begun and will continue even after staff has moved into the building.
  • Garage is close to being complete
  • Finish details on elevators are being completed

 

 

Board discussion regarding whether or not free parking will be available for library patrons followed. The underground parking will be handled similarly to the other city structures. The Board directed staff to find out what the charge will be for parking at the new Main and the minimum amount of time charged 15 minutes, ½ hour, 1 hour, etc.

 

 

Chair Breisch reported that he received an email from Susan McCarthy, City Manager, thanking the Board for their letter regarding the vacant City Librarian position.

 

Selection Process for Santa Monica Public Library, City Librarian

The intent of the City Manager’s office is to do a promotional exam to fill the vacant City Librarian position. A promotional exam is open to internal City candidates. If there are less than three candidates that qualify in a promotional exam the City Manager has the authority to appoint a person from the list or open the position to external candidates.

 

 

The Board discussed the selection process for the new City Librarian. Staff is investigating the role of the Board in the selection process of the new City Librarian.

 

 

The tour of the Santa Monica Historical Society Museum is scheduled for Wednesday, July 6 at 4:30pm.

 

Santa Monica Historical Society Museum Tour

The Board discussed the USA PATRIOT Act and tabled a review of the resolution until the June meeting. Boardmember Field made a few editorial remarks. Citing that the capitalization for the term PATRIOT Act is not consistent in the resolution. She also noted that the Whereas sections should begin, “giving, prohibiting and undermining,” respectively.

 

Revisit of the Library Board’s Patriot Act Resolution

The Board discussed digital audiobooks and audiobooks on iPods. Currently there are two subscription systems for digital audiobooks. Through Overdrive you buy the software to manage and run a digital audiobook collection similar to a regular collection. The Library would select and purchase titles. Patrons would be able to check the digital audiobooks out one at a time.  

 

Nationwide Current Library Trends - Review of Library Journal Articles

Through a collaboration between OCLC/Net Library and Recorded Books the Library would subscribe to a database and have access to all their material. As many patrons as want to can check out the digital audiobooks. However the Library would not own the titles and would be limited to Recorded Books selections.

 

 

Patrons could download titles from home or from the Library. Net Library has digital rights management software included with the audiobook and after three weeks (the loan period) the audiobook is no longer valid. This software is not compatible with iPod.

 

 

Party planned for May 20 at Il Fornaio to honor retiring City Librarian, Wini Allard.

 

Secretary’s Report

Update on retirement party for Wini Allard

To deal with patrons who are consistently disruptive Library staff is exploring enforcing Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 1.08.030: (b) Any person who has violated any rule or regulation duly adopted by the Library Board shall be subject to the suspension of his or her borrowing privileges from the Library for a period not to exceed one year.

 

Practice of Suspending Borrowing Privileges

The Rules and Regulations for the Library stipulate that borrowing privileges can be blocked if one violates any rule or regulation duly adopted by the Library Board. A violation of the rules constitutes a misdemeanor and the Library can obtain a stay away order for patrons who continually violate the rules. Library staff will develop a procedure for suspending borrowing privileges based on Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 1.08.030: (b).

 

 

The final Citywide Reads Program will be on May 21 at Santa Monica College Pavilion/gym from 4-5:30pm. Kite Runner author Khaled Hosseini presents a reading and discusses his critically-acclaimed novel followed by a Q&A and book signing.

 

Citywide Reads Events

The Library is collaborating with the Environmental Programs Division to develop a collection of materials on sustainability. Mr. Mullen distributed flyers that were created collaboratively with Environmental Programs. He further reported that staff had a table at the farmers market to discuss sustainability and the New Main Library.

 

Sustainable City Collaboration

The Library Board asked that the following items be included in next Library Board agenda: the tabled item, Revisit the Library Board’s USA PATRIOT Act resolution; Selection Process for Santa Monica Public Library, City Librarian; Parking Structure at the New Main Library, discussion of parking rates; Stanton MacDonald Wright Mural; Citywide Reads Report.

 

Agenda Building

Vice Chair Edwards moved to adjourn the meeting.  Boardmember Stern seconded the motion. Motion carried in a unanimous voice vote. Chair Breisch adjourned the meeting at 8:35pm.

 

Adjournment

Attest:

Approved:

 

 

Greg Mullen

Kenneth Breisch

Acting City Librarian

Library Board Chair