Minutes of Regular Meeting

April 19, 2005

Call to Order

The regular meeting of the Library Board of Trustees was called to order at 7:06 p.m. by Board President, P. Lynn Oliva. In attendance were Trustees Denise D’Ambrosio, Hope Furth, Jeane Garment, Paul Schwarz, Library Director Sandra Miranda, Assistant Library Director Patricia Thorsen, Manager of Children’s Services Rosemary Rasmussen, and Head of Internal Operations Kurt Hadeler. Absent with notice were Trustees Connors, Hawkins, James, and Trelstad.

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Library Board of Trustees

The minutes of the regular meeting of March 15, 2005 were approved on a MOTION by Trustee Garment, seconded by Trustee D’Ambrosio.

City Revenue & Expenditure Budget Reports

The Board reviewed reports as of 2/28/05.

Bills 2004/05 Budget #19 & #20

The payment of bill vouchers #19 & #20 were approved on a MOTION by Trustee Furth, seconded by Trustee Garment.

Report of Library Administration

The Board reviewed written administrative reports. Mrs. Miranda noted the Library is a collection site for the Youth Bureau’s "Save our Soles" project to collect shoes for the needy. Library Director Miranda reported construction for the Children’s project was on target so far, but fund-raising for the project had not met expected benchmarks for this time period. Mrs. Miranda was pleased to show a TV clip that aired on Channel 4 News on the renaissance of White Plains featuring Mayor Delfino and a closing piece on The Trove featuring Assistant Director Pat Thorsen.

Trustee Reports & Business:

WLS

Trustee Furth reported the search continues for a new WLS Director due to the retirement of Mitch Friedman this summer. Mrs. Furth noted the WLS has put planning to raise ancillary funds on hold until a new Director is hired. Board President Lynn Oliva reported the WLS Book & Author luncheon was enjoyable and well attended.

Advocacy

Library Director Miranda reported the state budget passed with funding for libraries included.

Friends

Board President Lynn Oliva had e-mailed her notes from the Friends meeting to the Board, and everyone thanked her for reporting.

Foundation

The Board reviewed minutes of annual and regular meetings of 3/9/05. Library Director Miranda reported the Foundation Board had directed her to cut back on $100,000 in planned expenses for decor, furnishings, shelving and equipment until additional fund-raising targets could be met. She distributed information about spring fund-raising efforts by the Foundation and urged everyone to support these activities. She noted the 5/22 event featuring Larry & Pamela Graham was by invitation for people of capacity, and the 5/26 event was in honor of Foundation Board member and Councilman Bob Greer.

Mrs. Miranda suggested the Board refurbish its "goodness fund" in order to take a full page ad in journal for Councilman Greer, and the Board was pleased to participate.

OLD BUSINESS

Proposed Budget 2005/06

Mrs. Miranda distributed copies of the Library Fund portion of the City’s Proposed Budget and was pleased to report that it included what the Library had requested. The Council will adopt a Budget at the end of May.

Report on Self-Check and Inventory Control

Library Director Miranda and Kurt Hadeler reviewed reports on self-check and inventory control with the Board, and discussed at length. Board President Oliva noted one of the primary benefits of RFID seemed to be administrative and asked for their recommendation. Mrs. Miranda said the research they’d done showed it was not clear cut. Extending the current electromagnetic security system would be a poor investment in technology at the end of its life cycle, while RFID technology was too new and therefore flawed and unproven in some important aspects. Either system would add significantly more up front and recurring costs than would be offset by reduced losses. Trustee Garment suggested waiting 6 months, and reviewing again. Mrs. Miranda said with the new Children’s room opening in the fall, a primary goal was to make self check in and check out as easy as possible, and implementing RFID technology would certainly achieve that goal. Trustee Furth noted that significant benefits of RFID were patron convenience, administrative benefits such as ability to take regular and quick inventories, and fulfillment of a moral imperative to try to protect library materials. Trustee Schwarz added another benefit was saving staff time. Board President Oliva suggested the Board further review all the materials that had been provided and consider again next month with updated pricing information. On a MOTION by Trustee Furth, seconded by Trustee Garment, the Board tabled the matter.

NEW BUSINESS:

Approval for Personnel Added & Deleted from Payroll - 1/1/05 - 3/31/05

On a MOTION by Trustee D’Ambrosio, seconded by Trustee Schwarz, the Board approved Personnel Added & Deleted from Payroll 1/1/05 - 3/31/05.

Approval to Gift Fund for the Children’s Project

Mrs. Miranda requested approval to expend the Library’s Gift Fund for the Children’s project as needed and noted that these funds would help with expenses for equipment and shelving that were not part of the Capital Project or Foundation budgets. She reported that the Friends Board had given approval to use its portion of the Fund, raised over many years from book sales. On a MOTION by Trustee Schwarz, seconded by Trustee Furth, the Board approved use of funds from the Gift Fund for the Children’s Project at discretion of Library Director.

Adjournment

There being no more business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m. on a MOTION by Trustee Garment, seconded by Trustee D’Ambrosio.

Paul Schwarz, Secretary

Library Board of Trustees