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Minutes of the REGULAR Meeting of January 4, 2007 |
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To Be Approved |
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A REGULAR meeting of the |
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Call to Order |
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PRESENT: |
Boardmember Breisch, Chairperson Edwards, Boardmember
Field, Boardmember Oppenheim and Vice Chair Stern |
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Roll Call |
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ALSO PRESENT: |
Claudia Fishler, Assistant City Librarian; |
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Sally Ashear a docent at the Main Library made a request
to the Board. She requested the Board consider placing a plaque in the
Library to honor Elfie Asenath Mosse, the first City Librarian. Ms. Ashear
distributed a brochure on Elfie Mosse who was the City Librarian for 49
years. |
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Communications from
the Public |
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Elfie Mosse had a unique view of the Library seeing it as
a community resource not a collection of books. In 1896 she adopted the
controversial issue of direct access to shelves for library patrons. Ms.
Mosse was an advocate for service to children and any child old enough to
sign their name was granted a Library card. She began adult education
programs with services for immigrants. |
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The Board directed staff to place discussion of a tribute
to Elfie Asenath Mosse on the February Library Board agenda. |
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Greg Mullen, City Librarian, made a correction to the
minutes. The Library updated the City Manager’s Office on the budget not the
City Council as stated in the minutes. On page two of the December minutes, the
second paragraph, the second sentence should read, “As part of the mid-year
budget the Library updated the City Manager’s Office on the progress thus far.”
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Approval of the
Library Board Minutes |
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Boardmember Field made a motion to approve the minutes of
the |
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The Board heard from Erica Tang, Young Adult Librarian, Salonee
Bhaman and Yeji Lee two representatives from the Teen Council on the
activities of the Council. |
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Report from the Teen
Council |
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The Teen Council is comprised of 15 teens and Erica Tang
the Young Adult Librarian. In October the
council began working on a California Council for the Humanities youth
project called How I See It. Santa
Monica teens chose to focus on self expression. The title of the Santa Monica project is Through Our Eyes. Two ways Santa
Monica teens express themselves are spoken word and urban art. Santa Monica
teens participate in an open mic poetry event called Downbeat 720. |
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Through Our Eyes is the presentation on the
importance of self-expression through spoken word and art that the teens will
give on January 13 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium. The presentation
will include spoken word performances. |
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Report from the
Friends of the Library, a Library Support Group |
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Lisa Pound who has been serving as the Treasurer will be
transitioning to Vice President and new boardmember Howard Chung will be
taking over the Treasurer position. |
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The Friends newsletter Check
it Out will now be published twice a year instead of four times a year. |
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A non-profit organization performing a David Mamet play at
the Miles Playhouse offered to partner with the Friends for a fundraising
opportunity. The Friends would set the ticket price and sell tickets for the
performance to their membership. The Friends declined participation at this
time but would be open to future productions. |
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To mark the one year anniversary of the Main Library
opening an amnesty week has been planned. The amnesty week will run January 6
-13. Also planned are balloons and treats for visitors on January 6. |
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Celebrations to Mark
the One Year Anniversary and the One Millionth Visitor |
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The Library is planning a one millionth visitor
celebration for April. Currently the Library has had 790,000 visitors. Projections
show that the one millionth person will visit in mid April. |
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The Main Library is in the process of completing the
transition from warranty period to contract services. The City Facility
Maintenance staff is coordinating the maintenance contracts for the Library. |
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Update on Facilities
Maintenance at the Main Library |
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One of the last items related to the Main Library punch
list is replacement of the sewage ejector check valves. Wil Talaro, Building
Systems Technician is coordinating the work. |
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Mr. Mullen reported there has been improvement in
custodial services at the Main Library. However in the last year out of the scheduled
hours employees have missed 6000 hours. This is equivalent to 3 full time
employees out of the crew of 10 people. |
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The Board discussed an article from the January 2 New York
Times about libraries closing due to rowdy teens. Mr. Mullen informed the
Board that on occasion Library staff speaks to parents who are leaving
children of an inappropriate age alone at the library or parents whose child
is causing a disruption. For the most part rowdy teens are not a problem at
Santa Monica Libraries. |
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Nationwide Current
Library Trends - Review of Library Journal Articles |
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Mr. Mullen reported that the Santa Monica Public Library,
Main Library appears in the December 2006 architectural issue of Library
Journal. |
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The board welcomed Claudia Fishler the new Assistant City
Librarian. Mr. Mullen reported that Diane Bednarski has been hired to fill
the vacant Principal Librarian position in Information Management. She will
start on January 29. |
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Secretary’s Report Library Staff
Recruitments |
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There is one position that remains unfilled and that is a
position in facilities maintenance for the Library. |
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The Main Library received honorable mention for a design
award from the Southern California Development Forum. Also the American
Public Works Association of Southern California selected the Main Library as
one of its projects of the year for 2006. |
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Update on awards
received by the Main Library |
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Mr. Mullen updated the Board on the Nordic Lattitudes
exhibit. The opening reception is February 1 at 6:30pm and the exhibit runs
through March 18. |
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Update on plans for
the Nordic Lattitudes exhibit |
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The Santa Monica Public Library, Friends of the Library,
and Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners are presenting a six week
design and discussion called Nordic LAttitudes, an educational exhibit
showcasing the best in Nordic furniture and lighting design. The installation
highlights Nordic inspiration for the award winning new Library facility.
Designers to be featured include Poul Henningsen, Verner Panton, Arne
Jacobsen, Poul Kjaerholm, Hans Wegner, Alvar Aalto, Eero Saarinen, and Poul
Chritianson (Le Klint Lighting collection). Key topics to be discussed
will include the timelessness of classic modern design, cultural connections,
historical influences, key design features and manufacturing and production
methodologies. |
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In February Michael Sheridan, Architect and
Designer/Curator of Poul Kjaerholm Furniture Architect Exhibition at the
Louisana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark will speak on Nordic Attitudes: Modern
Furniture in Denmark. |
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ISD will increase the bandwidth to combat the slow down in
the Library network. This increase will double the bandwidth on the public
network from 3 megabits per second to 6 megabits per second. |
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Update on Library
technology issues |
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Hardware and software has been added to stabilize the
network as well. A product called Vernier has been installed to control the
amount of bandwidth any one individual can use during a session. |
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Library staff plans to implement a new product from SIRSI
called Director’s Station which will provide staff access to statistics. |
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The laptops at the Fairview Branch Youth Technology Center
were replaced by desktop machines. Software including; Mavis Beacon typing
tutor, a program that will allow for photo manipulation and educational games
were added to the computers. Two computers for teens were purchased for the
Montana Ave. Branch. Funds for the upgrades were provided by a grant from the
Gates Foundation. |
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The Green Prize for Sustainable Literature a collaboration
between the Environmental Programs Division and the Library will be awarded
in four categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Youth Fiction and Youth
Nonfiction. |
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Plans for the “Green
Prize” book awards |
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Books published in the US during the 2006 calendar year
are eligible for the prize. Criteria include effective presentation of
material; distinctive literary quality; and originality of scholarship. |
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The selection committee will consist of librarians and
local authorities on sustainable issues. |
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The Library Board asked that the following items be
included in next Library Board agenda: discussion of a tribute to Elfie
Mosse; report on the teen program “Through Our Eyes”; update on the Santa
Monica Historical Society Museum process; didactic labels for the Stanton
Macdonald Wright mural and a tour of the Main Library with facility
maintenance in mind. |
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Boardmember Oppenheim moved to adjourn the meeting. Boardmember Breisch seconded the
motion. The motion was approved in a
unanimous voice vote. The meeting was
adjourned at 8:50pm. |
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Adjournment |
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Attest: |
Approved: |
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Edward
Edwards |
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City
Librarian |
Library
Board Chair |
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