Minutes of Scheduled Board of Trustees Meeting

December 20, 2000

Call to Order

The regular Meeting of the Library Board of Trustees was called to order at 7:02 p.m. In attendance were Board President Campbell Geeslin, Trustees Toni Cox-Burns, Betsy DeSoye, Janet Elmiger, Hope Furth, Don Simmons, Saul Yanofsky, Library Director Sandra Miranda, and Assistant Library Director Charlotte Szabo. Absent with notice was Trustee P. Lynn Oliva.

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Library Board of Trustees

The minutes of the regular meeting of November 15, 2000 were approved on a motion by Trustee DeSoye, seconded by Trustee Elmiger.

City Expenditure & Revenue Budget Reports

City Expenditure & Revenue Budget Reports as of 11/30/00 were reviewed by the Board. Mrs. Miranda reported no unusual expenses to date, but is concerned about increased gas and electric rates. She will continue to monitor and report on possible impact in current adopted and next year’s proposed budget.

Bills: 2000/01 Budget: #9 & #10

The payment of bill vouchers #9 and #10 were approved on a motion by Trustee Elmiger seconded by Trustee Furth.

Report of Library Administration

Department reports for November 2000 were reviewed by the Board. Library Director Miranda noted statistics are expected to be down for the month of December as there was some disruption in services due to carpeting installation project.

WLS

Trustee Cox-Burns reported invitations to the 3^rd Annual WLS African-American Writers & Readers Literary Tea were mailed and the Trustees should have already received their invitations. Trustee Cox-Burns said they are expecting a full turnout.

Mrs. Miranda reviewed this year’s report from WLS on "Direct Use" statistics and allocation of funds and noted that income from this distribution is down because use of the White Plains Library by nonresidents has declined. Mrs. Miranda noted that the Library’s new internal statistics confirm this and also show that use by residents has increased. She stated that declining nonresident use was most likely due to several factors, such as increased use of the Internet for research and increased use of the new Westlynx system, which allow patrons to easily request materials online from any WLS library. Trustee Furth, who serves as the White Plains representative on the WLS Board, agreed and reported that the success of the Westlynx request

service has created a costly delivery problem, since so many more items are now moving between libraries. WLS Member Library use statistics compiled from annual State reports were available for Board review.

Friends

Trustee Furth reported Friends held their annual meeting with a good attendance from other libraries and an interesting speaker, the Executive Director of Friends of Libraries USA. The next Friends Board meeting is scheduled for the second Thursday in January.

Foundation

The Minutes of the Foundation Board of Directors Meeting of November 1, 2000 and most recent Campaign Report were reviewed by the Board. Mrs. Miranda reported that new officers were elected at the annual meeting in December: Jack Phelan, President/Secretary, Peter Kindler, Vice President, and Paul Weissman, Treasurer and that Brian Wallach was elected to the Board of Directors. Library Director Miranda drew the Board’s attention to the need for revised funding goals when the Campaign is completed after the New Year and said that these will be brought to the Board for discussion and action in the first quarter of 2001, along with revised and expanded naming and sponsorship opportunities.

Advocacy

Library Director Miranda distributed current information about State Budget and encouraged the Board to write letters of support to the Governor and legislators, as suggested in these materials. She reported that County budget for 2001 has been adopted, but that we should follow up with our representatives in January regarding possibility of grant renewal.

Community Outreach

Trustee Oliva, chair of the Trustee’s Outreach Committee, provided a written report which Mrs. Miranda distributed in her absence. Trustee DeSoye noted the basic message the committee wants to bring to the community is "We’re more than just books" to highlight the breadth of the Library’s services. Trustee Geeslin suggested that the message should emphasize reading positively, and the Board agreed the message should be "We’re books and more." Mrs. Miranda reported that Trustee Oliva asked that she check with the Board on a date that the Committee could meet with Library staff to discuss the Board’s role in outreach to the community and get staff input, and the Board agreed to schedule this meeting for January 9 at 3pm.

Board Vacancies

Board President Campbell Geeslin reported that a local resident expressed interest in being appointed to the Board and that she was referred to Mayor Delfino and Common Council President, Rita Malmud, since the Library Board does not select or appoint candidates.

Capital Projects

Library Director Miranda thanked the Board members who attended the Capital Projects Review Board meeting and reported that the Capital Projects Board voted at its December 11 meeting to include funding for the Children’s Library expansion in its Capital Program recommendation, along with funding for replacement of the air conditioning controls and chiller unit. The new Capital Program will be adopted by the Common Council in February. The Board and Mrs. Miranda celebrated this milestone and expressed appreciation to the Mayor and Capital Projects Board for supporting this major project to improve Children’s services. Trustee Furth congratulated Mrs. Miranda, and Mrs. Miranda thanked the Trustees for their support.

Online Services

Library Director Miranda reported that the Library now has the option of linking to Amazon or Barnes and Noble through the Library’s new online catalog, iBistro. This would give patrons the choice to go directly from the Library web site to the vendor’s web site to look at inventory or make a purchase. If the user purchased anything by linking through the Library, the Library would be paid a percentage of the purchase. Mrs. Miranda said that, barring legal impediment, she recommends that the Library try this service, since it would help us learn what kinds of online services patrons will use. Trustee Furth asked if the vendor provides statistics on total number of people who visit the site, regardless of whether they purchase anything. Mrs. Miranda said that the Library is definitely provided with statistics related to purchases and that she would check to see if information on total visits would also be provided.

Mrs. Miranda encouraged the Board to explore the Library’s revised web page and new catalog.

Library Director Miranda announced that there would be an open house in the CyberSpot on the Library’s main floor from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on January 8 to introduce the new workstations provided through the Gates Foundation.

Mrs. Miranda reported that the Library has for several months successfully experimented with designation of two workstations permitting e-mail and requested Board’s approval to amend Library policy to prohibiting e-mail to permit e-mail on designated workstations. She noted that this change had significantly reduced confrontations and provided a valuable service for immigrants, out-of-town visitors, and people without home or office computers. On a motion by Trustee Cox-Burns, seconded by Trustee Furth, the Board amended Library policy to permit e-mail on designated workstations.

New York State Report for 1999

This report was distributed for Board information.

Other

Mrs. Miranda invited the Board to attend a surprise retirement party at the Library for Oliver Swift on December 28 at 3:00 p.m and to a reception hosted by the Benjamin family on January 13 at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate their gift of framed art relating to Shakespeare. As part of the reception on the 13^th, "Shakespeare," assisted by Trustee Geeslin, will read his 65^th sonnet and Mr. Geeslin’s marionettes from a Mid-Summer Nights Dream, Act II, Scene II will be on display.

Trustee Simmons thanked the Board for their best wishes on the recent birth of his son, Douglas William.

Adjournment

There being no more business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:32 p.m. on a motion by Trustee Elmiger, seconded by Trustee Furth.

Betsy DeSoye, Secretary

Library Board of Trustees