Board of Trustees of the St. Helena Public
Library
Minutes of the Meeting of September 8, 2010
The regular meeting of the
Board of Trustees was called to order at 5 p.m. Trustee president Dr. Darter,
Lynda Burton, Susan Swan and Julie Dickson were present, as were Friends
representative Kelly Wheaton and Library Director Jennifer Baker.
A motion to approve the
consent items was seconded and passed. The minutes of the meeting of August 11
were approved.
Library Director’s Report.
Jennifer has prepared the state
statistical report due September 30 and reports a slight decline in our numbers,
probably due to alterations in hours and other minor inconveniences imposed
during the remodel.
Remodel.
Jennifer reported that it’s DONE and all
contract obligations finalized. The shelving contractor continues to cooperate
in fine tuning, and the lighting subcontractor proposes to make improvements to
the children’s picture book room, at minimal to the library, when they perform
installations at the Silverado Museum.
Summer 2011 activity
proposals. July 15 will see the
release of the final Harry Potter film. To coincide, Jennifer proposes a 24-hour
multi-day Read-A-Thon of all seven of the Harry Potter books, by adults and
children, as a fundraiser. She also outlined a library sleepover (with one adult
for each two children) which would reward participants in the summer reading
program. She has supervised nine such sleepovers in other libraries.
Foundation Grant Request.
Jennifer had circulated information
concerning the qualifications and prior work of library consultants Joan Frye
Williams and George Needham and the study they would conduct for our library.
These consultants are already committed to conduct the staff in-service training
next month, and this grant would fund a study to begin later this calendar year.
Trustees extensively discussed the value of the information they would generate
to future planning, the range of their inquiry, and how their work might be
structured and implemented. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the
trustees recommend to the Foundation that they authorize a $10,000 grant to fund
these consultants, communicating that trustees urge the consultants’ approach to
include staff participation and emphasis on implementation of results, and that
trustees have continuing dialog with the consultants as their planning and work
progress.
Disaster Plan.
Jennifer circulated a disaster plan recently
prepared by the Silverado Museum, which focused primarily upon reclamation of
damaged collection materials. She proposes to prepare a plan for the library in
upcoming months. As the library is designated by the city as a disaster relief
center, trustees discussed the agencies and resources which might govern the
library’s plan concerning patrons, and suggested that the Silverado document and
those prepared by other libraries could be consulted concerning materials,
which, with exceptions to be delineated, would be a secondary concern to public
safety. Dr. Darter and Susan volunteered to assist Jennifer in beginning this
task.
Parking.
Jennifer reported that on September 14 the City
Council will hear requests for signage: 1) 3-hour parking on Library Lane; 2)
“Library Patrons Only” in our parking lot; and installation of a bus shelter/red
zone between the book drop and parking lot driveway. Jennifer has also had
discussions with the Napa Valley Vintners, encouraging them to ask their
day-long visitors to park in the NVV lot or on Adams Street.
State Library video.
Jennifer encouraged trustees to stay
after the meeting to view the 15-minute video on this library’s volunteer
program which will be shown at the “Transforming Life After Fifty” conference in
Portland next month. It may also be viewed on-line.
Friends of the Library,
St. Helena Public Library Foundation.
Kelly, Dr. Darter, and Lynda summarized a
productive meeting between representatives of the FOL and the Foundation. Kelly
will circulate to trustees a summary of the points addressed.
Napa Valley Wine Library
Association. Julie announced that
board member Carolyn Martini intends to re-institute a version of the basic wine
appreciation course first established by her father and his friends in the
1960s. It is tentatively set for February at CIA.
The meeting adjourned at 6:10
p.m.
Julie Dickson, recording
secretary
Board of Trustees of the
Minutes of the Meeting of September 27, 2010
The
special meeting of the Board of Trustees was called to order at 5 p.m.
Trustee president Dr. Darter, Bonnie
Long, Susan Swan and Julie Dickson were present, as was Library Director
Jennifer Baker.
FOL.
Trustees thanked Jennifer for referring to them the sourcebook “Friends
of Libraries,” edited by Sandy Dolnick, which gives a valuable overview of the
role Friends’ organizations play and the relationships between such groups and
trustees, library directors, and other library constituents.
They reviewed the history of consideration by the Friends’ board of
requests for funding, and recognized that mutual goals and priorities may need
to be examined and established.
Trustees agreed not to pursue a joint meeting between them and the Friends board
at this time.
“Building the Framework for the Future.”
Trustees agreed that all library stakeholders be invited to participate
in the in-service exercise to be conducted October 11 by the consultants who
will direct our effort to move into the future together.
Dr. Darter and another trustee will attend the October 15 meeting of the
Friends’ board to encourage them to prepare for and contribute to the ongoing
process to be led by the same consultants in the coming months.
Barney’s Backyard.
Julie reported that the vineyard needs water, and that Allen Price,
another member of the NVWLA board of directors, is in contact with Jim Haller.
Jim hopes to apply water to the vineyard when the city truck is already
at the library to clean the fountain.
Julie and Allen will stress that the vineyard is valued by the trustees
and our patrons.
The
meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.
Julie Dickson, recording secretary