SANTA  MONICA  PUBLIC  LIBRARY  BOARD

 

Minutes of the REGULAR Meeting of November 3, 2005

To Be Approved

 

 

 

 

A REGULAR meeting of the Library Board was called to order by Chairperson, Edward Edwards, at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, November 3, 2005 at the Montana Ave. Branch Library, 1704 Montana Ave., Santa Monica.

 

Call to Order

PRESENT:

Chairperson Edwards, Boardmember Field and Boardmember Oppenheim

 

Roll Call

ALSO PRESENT:

Jean Ann Holbrook, Community Member; Greg Mullen, City Librarian; Rachel Foyt, Administrative Analyst

 

 

No report.

 

Communications from the Public

Boardmember Field made a motion to approve the minutes of the Library Board meeting of October 6, 2005.  Boardmember Oppenheim seconded the motion.  The minutes were approved in a unanimous voice vote.

 

Approval of the Library Board Minutes

Greg Mullen, City Librarian, gave a report on the Friends of the Library’s October 10 Board meeting. The Friends are seeking a donor to help them pay for the printing and mailing of a membership brochure.

 

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

At the Friends meeting Kent Lewis distributed a second draft of a volunteer manual for the Friends bookstore. Mr. Mullen encouraged the Library Board to visit the Friends website at friendsofsmpl.org.

 

 

The next Friends meeting will be the holiday breakfast on December 12 the location to be determined.

 

 

Mr. Mullen reported that the punchlist (a list of items that have not been completed or items that need to be repaired) submitted to the contractor is 58 pages. Work on the punchlist is ongoing.

 

Update on the New Main Library

Update on Final Construction Activity

The commissioning group is currently working on evaluating the status of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating points.

 

 

Training on various building systems is on-going.

 

 

Work is being completed on the installation of the irrigation system, the partition wall in the children’s area and the trash compactor. The landscaping is complete.

 

 

The parking structure may open on December 1 to accommodate additional parking in the downtown district during the holidays. 

 

 

Items from storage, with the exception of the two grand pianos, have been moved into the new Main Library. The modular office furniture has arrived and is being assembled in the staff offices.

 

Move-in Status and Plans

The Friends of the Library bookstore and office space is complete and volunteers have begun working on setting up the store. The Friends are accepting donations of books and audio visual materials at the Temporary Main Library and the Branches.

 

 

Mr. Mullen presented a draft of the SeaScape insert to the Board. Library staff have been working with Allison & Partners to develop the piece. The insert gives details about the new Main Library and a schedule of grand opening events for the months of January and February. SeaScape is mailed to every resident of Santa Monica and will be translated into Spanish.

 

Grand Opening Plans

Another item in development is the advertising panel for the Big Blue Bus sides. Also actress Rhea Perlman volunteered her time to do a public service announcement to publicize the grand opening of the Library.

 

 

Staff and Allison & Partners have begun the planning for the grand opening day celebration. Activities are scheduled to begin at 10am with a ribbon cutting and continue throughout the day.

 

 

Chair Edwards reported on the California Association of Library Trustees And Commissioners (CALTAC) letter regarding the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006. The Board expressed a desire to pass a resolution in support of the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006.

 

CALTAC Letter Regarding the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act 2006

Chair Edwards will research sample resolutions and present a draft at the December board meeting.

 

 

The Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition will hold its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event on January 16 at the SGI auditorium on Wilshire. Following a speech by Yolanda King attendees will process over to the new Main Library for the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. auditorium.

 

Follow up on the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium

During the dedication of the auditorium a quote from and a likeness of Dr. King will be unveiled. The Cultural Affairs Division has taken over the coordination of the selection of the quote and the likeness. Jessica Cusick, Cultural Affairs Manager, will make a recommendation as to the quote and likeness.

 

 

The Board reviewed the letter of congratulations to Sylvia Anderle, Librarian I, at the Fairview Branch Library. Ms. Anderle won the New York Times Librarian of the Year Award.

 

Letter from the Library Board to Sylvia Anderle

Library staff have participated in a number of meetings with regard to Main Library security. A walk through regarding the exterior of the building and the parking structure that included staff from the Transportation Management Division, the Police Department and the City Manager’s office was held.

 

Report on Main and Branch Library Security

Currently staff is already seeing some areas where homeless individuals are camping around the building at night. Landscaping modifications may be necessary. Also increased awareness on the part of the Police Department is important.

 

 

To help ensure security in the parking structure the garage will have an attendant and will close nightly. After closure the only access will be to monthly parkers or Library staff. Board discussion followed.

 

 

Mr. Mullen reported that it is believed the Fairview Branch break in was a one time incident. The exterior and some interior doors were re-keyed.

 

 

The City has sent eighteen public works vehicles to Bayou La Batre. It is possible that Bayou La Batre could use either materials or office furniture left over from the Temporary Main Library. However the cost of disassembling and transportation of the items may be problematic. Also it may be too early for the City of Bayou La Batre to accept these types of donations. Their basic infrastructure is not in place yet. 

 

City Activities to Support the Gulf Coast City of Bayou La Batre

Item tabled until the December Board meeting.

 

Report from the Teen Council

No report.

 

Nationwide Current Library Trends - Review of Library Journal Articles

On October 31 an in service day for Library staff was held. The Temporary Main Library and Branches were closed. Approximately 110 staff members attended. The day focused on exceptional customer service and began with a welcome from City Manager, Susan McCarthy.

 

Secretary’s Report

Report on Staff In-Service Training Day

Environmental Programs presented the Library with the Sustainable Leadership Award. Library staff has been collaborating with the Environmental Programs Division to build and promote a collection on sustainability. 

 

 

Mr. Mullen reported on recent promotions: Terrie Dorio to Montana Branch Manager; Catherine Ronan to Fairview Branch Manager; Donnae Tidwell to Librarian II in Youth Services; Julie MacDonald to Librarian II in Public Services. Staff recruitments are ongoing.

 

Update on Staff Recruitments and Promotions

Closure of the Temporary Main Library is scheduled for December 5. The collection at Temp Main begins moving to the new Main Library on that day. Extra staff will be dispersed to the branches during the closure to help with heightened branch activity.

 

Closure of the Temporary Main Library

The Library Board asked that the following items be included in next Library Board agenda: Library Board resolution in support of the Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006; approval of new Library Board meeting location; report on the California Library Association Conference; report from the Teen Council and an update on the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium.

 

Agenda Building

Boardmember Oppenheim moved to adjourn the meeting.  Boardmember Field seconded the motion. The motion was approved in a unanimous voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20pm.

 

Adjournment

Attest:

Approved:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greg Mullen

Edward Edwards

City Librarian

Library Board Chair