City of Wheaton Library Board met Aug. 19.
Here is the agenda provided by the board:
I. Call to Order
The Board of Trustees of the Wheaton Public Library held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, August 19, 2019, in the Library Board Room. Board President Christine Fenne called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present at roll call were: Christine Fenne, Alan Herbach, Bob Lyon, Bob McDonough, Joe McHaley, Kathryn Staron and Vallari Talapatra. Absent: Laurie Metanchuk and Simone Morton. Betsy Adamowski, Library Director and Lisa Christell-Sandri, Library Finance Manager and recording secretary for this meeting, were in attendance. Mrs. Fenne led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Ms. Morton entered the meeting at 7:01 p.m.
II. Citizens to be Heard
There were five visitors, with 3 that spoke. Jeannine Kannegiesser told the Board that it was important that the library be open on Sundays in the summer so that students at the end of the school year could come and study for finals. She also stated that the library is one of only 2 cooling centers noted on the City website. The library can provide a place to come when it is very hot on Sundays when the other cooling center, Milton Township, is not open. Susan Dansdill also spoke about the need for Sunday hours and further access to resources. Eileen Rader said that the library being open that extra day is important for herself and elderly people as it is difficult for many of them to travel at night. Mrs. Adamowski said she will be getting more public views about summer Sunday hours from surveys that were just put out in the library and online. Members of the Board told the visitors that they appreciated them coming to express their thoughts.
III. Presentation of Science Kits to Public Libraries Grant by the Chicago Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Grant Distributions Manager for IEEE Norman Phoenix presented the initial grant payment of $353.00 to Lisa Barefield, Teen Services Department Head, and Rachel Weiss, Youth Services Department Head. The total grant is $1,763.00. Mr. Phoenix explained that IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization in the world. The award will go toward the purchase of science kits involving solar energy, biology, geometric shapes, and machines, among others, for the library. After they are purchased and catalogued, they will be available for checkout. Everyone thanked the IEEE for their grant.
IV. Department Head Presentation – Rachel Weiss, Youth Services Department Head
Ms. Weiss told the Board that she became the department head on July 1st and is loving the opportunity to work on a lot of different things. She talked about many of the upcoming new events such as International Dot Day, based on the book, The Dot. She is looking at having quarterly book events and looking at the current storytime set-up. There will be another Maker Day on October 19. She will be doing a Maker Day poster presentation at the ILA Conference in October. Mrs. Adamowski encouraged the members to visit the Maker Day event as she thought it was an amazing show of various activities. Last year there were 16 presenters. Ms. Weiss is also putting together sensory kits with fidget toys, headphones and other comfort items to help children with sensory sensitivities be more comfortable in the library. She is also looking at special needs programming. The other event she mentioned was International Games Week where there will be family-oriented games available. Finally, Ms. Weiss was happy to say that a new Youth Services Librarian will be starting soon. She feels this person can contribute a lot to Youth Services.
V. Minutes for the July 15, 2019 Board Meeting
VI. Financial Reports for July 2019 and Bill Listing for August 2019 Payment
Mrs. Fenne noted that there was a correction required for the minutes of June 17th as the date referred to in the minutes was May 20, but should be June 17. The motion was moved to New Business.
Mr. McHaley moved and Mr. Herbach seconded to approve this month’s Consent Agenda items.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Ms. Morton
Mr. McDonough
Ms. Talapatra
Mr. McHaley
Mr. Herbach
Mr. Lyon
Ms. Staron
Mrs. Fenne
Nays: None
Absent: Mrs. Metanchuk
Motion Carried
VII. Friends of the Library Report – Mrs. Adamowski
Mrs. Adamowski noted that the Friends Used Book Sale is this week, starting on Wednesday. She stated that they had more books in beautiful condition than ever. She also mentioned there were many relevant business books available.
VIII. Library Director’s Report for July 2019
Mrs. Adamowski said the budget was wrapping up. She mentioned that there was an incident with 6 people involved in breaking a café table and chair and leaving a mess after having a gathering on the west plaza. She stated that, luckily, since the new cameras have been installed, this was all caught on video and letters of trespass were able to be processed for all the participants. Mrs. Adamowski told the Board that she would be on vacation for the rest of this week.
IX. Unfinished Business
A. Motion to Approve Nominating Committee Minutes of July 15, 2019
Mr. Lyon moved and Ms. Morton seconded to approve the minutes.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Mr. McDonough
Mr. McHaley
Ms. Talapatra
Mr. Lyon
Mr. Herbach
Ms. Staron
Ms. Morton
Mrs. Fenne
Nays: None
Absent: Mrs. Metanchuk
Motion Carried
B. Motion to Approve Donor Wall Giving Level Names and Amounts
Mrs. Adamowski noted that the history of the library will be shown in addition to the donors and there will be a key to explain the levels. She showed a picture of how the tree will look. There was lively discussion over several names. The final proposed options were:
Andrew Carnegie $10,000
John Quincy Adams $ 5,000
Katherine Adams Wells $ 2,500
Benefactor $ 1,000
Visionary $ 500
Sustainer $ 250
Mr. Lyon moved and Mr. Herbach seconded to approve.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Ms. Morton
Mr. Herbach
Ms. Staron
Mr. McDonough
Mr. McHaley
Mr. Lyon
Ms. Talapatra
Mrs. Fenne
Nays: None
Absent: Mrs. Metanchuk
Motion Carried
X. New Business
A. Motion to Approve the Integrated Library System (ILS) Upgrade to Polaris Library System, with the Addition of Envisionware RFID Self-Checkout Hardware/Software and Envisionware eCommerce Software, Not to Exceed $85,000
Mr. McHaley moved and Ms. Morton seconded to approve.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Ms. Morton
Mr. Lyon
Ms. Staron
Mr. McHaley
Ms. Talapatra
Mr. Herbach
Mr. McDonough
Mrs. Fenne
Nays: None
Absent: Mrs. Metanchuk
Motion Carried
B. Discussion of CY2020 Budget
Mrs. Adamowski went over the different components of the 2020 draft budget. She spoke about the sources of Revenue, the Replacement/Renewal fund contributions, Personnel, Replacement/ Renewal fund usage, General Fund and General Fund Policy and possible summer Sunday hours. She mentioned that it was important to stay at full-service all the hours the library would be open, that the library is a big building that requires suitable staffing on each floor for safety. Mrs. Adamowski also expressed agreement with the visitors that since the Library is a cooling center, it would be a good idea to be open on Sundays in the summer. She told the Board that it will be at the September 16 meeting that they would vote to approve the Budget to move to the City Council for approval. There was discussion among the members about the 2020 draft budget.
C. Change Date Stated in June 17 Minutes from May 20 to June 17
Mr. Lyon moved and Ms. Morton seconded to approve the correction of the June 17 minutes.
Roll Call Vote
Ayes: Mr. Herbach
Ms. Talapatra
Mr. McHaley
Ms. Staron
Ms. Morton
Mr. Lyon
Mr. McDonough
Mrs. Fenne
Nays: None
Absent: Mrs. Metanchuk
Motion Carried
XI. Board Member Comments (Round the Table)
Ms. Staron said that her kids loved participating in the Tween Smoothie Competition program – and they won! Mrs. Fenne passed around a playbill from a very interesting dinner show that she went to in Chicago called Teatro ZinZanni.
XII. Adjournment
There being no further business of the Wheaton Public Library Board of Trustees, Mr. McDonough moved and Ms. Talapatra seconded that the meeting be adjourned. A voice vote was taken and the motion for adjournment carried at 8:46 p.m.
https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08192019-1226
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