ANN ARBOR DISTRICT LIBRARY BOARD
343 S. FIFTH AVENUE, ANN ARBOR, MI
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 21, 2014
14-162 I. CALL TO ORDER
President Rosenthal called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
14-163 II. ATTENDANCE
Present: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
Absent: Barney Newman, Surovell
Staff: Neiburger, Parker, Wilson (recorder)
14-164 III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
(Item of action)
Secretary Head, supported by Trustee Kaplan moved to approve the agenda. Trustee Leary requested the agenda be amended under New Business to add a resolution to seek bids and award the contract for carpeting. Secretary Head, supported by Vice President Murphy, moved to approve the amended agenda. The amended agenda was voted on.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-165 IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 16, 2014
(Item of action)
Vice President Murphy, supported by Trustee Leary, moved to approve the minutes of June 16, 2014.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-166 V. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
Rachel Coffman
My name is Rachel Coffman from second grade going into third grade and I just really love the summer game and so do my sisters. We love it so much that we’ve been hiding codes all over our house. We would take a post-it-note and put like brush, brush, brush and put it in the tooth brush cabinet like that. It’s like a fun game, we would take little things, like paper and hide them for scavenger hunts and make little badges cut out of paper. It was really fun. I just really love the summer game. Thanks.
Lyn Davidge
I love the summer game too. My name is Lyn Davidge, I live in Scio Township and I spent the last 15 minutes running around looking for codes. And I just wrote one down. Did Rachel see the code? So I really hate to stand up here tonight and be a Grinch but there’s one in every crowd. I wanted to say that I was very pleased last Monday to attend the informational meeting for potential AADL board members. I had been looking forward to the meeting and I had been looking in various places, the AADL website, MLive Ann Arbor News, Chronicle, so forth watching for the time and the place and I was quite surprised to discover a Chronicle notice that was posted on Sunday morning the thirteenth of July at 11 a.m. announcing the meeting for Friday evening the fourteenth. In my opinion that was incredibly short notice to the public so out of curiosity and to try and double check myself I went back to the AADL website and I clicked again on everything that I could think of that might lead me to the announcement of that meeting. I also went back and searched MLive again I scanned my Sunday Ann Arbor News last Sunday and I’m passable good at tracking down information but hey, you know, I might have missed all previous announcements. It could happen. On the other hand I was left with the uncomfortable feeling that maybe the short notice notice in the Chronicle was the only notice of the potential candidates meeting and you know what that looks like don’t you? It looks like you were hoping no one would show up and I hope that you really do not want to give that impression even to one constituent at one time. Now similarly here we are tonight at the Downtown Library and I think a number of us must have hiked up three long flights of stairs to get here to attend a meeting that months ago was announced to, that it was going to be scheduled at Pittsfield Branch. Now I knew that the venue had been changed from Pittsfield to Downtown and I, very kindly a couple of trustees passed that information, they gave me a heads-up shortly after the June meeting out at the Traverwood Branch. They knew that I thought it was a good idea for the trustees to get out and move around and be visible in all of the branches at various times and they knew to that I disagreed with that decision. But hey, you know I respect and I understand the board’s right to make that decision. What I can’t understand in that particular case is why the change from Pittsfield to Downtown wasn’t just announced at the June meeting at Traverwood. That would, Mary would have heard it, it would have been in the Chronicle report and people would have had very timely notice of that schedule change. Again, it looks like you are hoping no one would show up tonight. I mean that’s the impression that people get from that kind of thing. Thank goodness it wasn’t true and thank goodness there are so many people here to speak to you tonight. The word got out very well about this meeting and I just hope that this is the wave of the future and that there will be more listing of the board meetings from now on. Thank you.
Cherie Burkheiser
Hi, I’m Cherie Burkheiser and honestly I’m here because I’m addicted to the summer game. I have a two year old son who I started visiting the library last year and finding books for him and I discovered the summer game kinda late in the season last year and I wasn’t able to get very far in it but I was immediately addicted to it. I immediately jotted in my calendar when it was going to start for this year and I was there the first day that it started this year. And I’ve been getting all the codes I can possible get so that’s really why I’m here. But, I do want to make a couple of comments, I thought that I just didn’t want to come up here, say hi, thanks for the codes, goodbye. So, in looking for certain books, I’ve poked around other library websites and I’ve lived in Ann Arbor my whole life so I only know Ann Arbor District Library and you know, you only know what you know, and so you think well, everybody’s got a website like Ann Arbor, right? No, they don’t. The website that we have is actually, very, very good. Several of the districts that I’ve been on are difficult to search, and when you do search them, you’re not really sure what you have found. You can’t really tell if they have the book or not. The Ann Arbor website, you know of course everything is going to have little quirks, nuances that irritate you, but it’s a really very good website and after seeing that I thought I would let you know that. The only comment that I think that I have negative, would be an improvement on the comments board where when somebody hits the reply button, where somebody’s made a comment and they want to reply to that comment, make it easier to follow that communication. Because right now it’s just one big long list of comments and you can’t tell that, you know, that somebody, especially with the summer game because some of people are on there are going you know, I’m having a really hard time with this code, and could somebody help giving an additional clue and you hit reply at its below ten other comments that have nothing to do with that. So that’s the one thing. The other comment I would make would is make sure when you are doing the park codes that permanent codes. Because I started late last year I didn’t get through the parks and so I’m trying to complete those badges this year at least two of the parks had non-permanent codes. And one of them was graffiti on a bench that since been sanded and painted over and another was signs on a fence that were removed for this year. So that would be the only thing when you’re out in the public, make sure that you are giving us codes that are permanent. I look forward to when my son is older and help search the catalog with me instead me of doing all the work by myself. Thank you very much.
Kathy Griswold
Good evening. The Ann Arbor community is really fortunate to have such an excellent library and truly excellent staff. I just want to talk about one lost opportunity and two minor areas of weakness. The lost opportunity is something where I feel like you are not addressing part of your mission statement for underserved populations and low income students. I’ve talked to a number of students and tried to engage them in the summer games and I don’t have the resources to do that and so I really think that we need to go out into some of those communities and I think that need is substantiated in a couple of ways. One is there are a number of non-profits that are working with underserved youth and they have limited financial resources especially compared to the resources of the library. And they are providing books for students in some of the subsidized housing units. The other thing is Kiwanis recently provided a grant for the Family Learning Institute to buy a modified bookmobile. So I would really like to see the library revisit a modified bookmobile. Maybe a bookmobile that not only has books but has computer equipment that could be used in the vehicle. In terms of weaknesses one I have addressed many, many times and that’s communications. I just want to bring your attention to the suit that was filed by the Detroit Free Press against the University of Michigan for violating the Open Meetings Act. I believe that their regents operate similar to the way that trustees operate and that is just within the limits of the Open Meetings Act. Another thing that I just cringe when I see it is the material in front of you has been printed in slide mode not in handout mode so it wastes a tremendous amount of toner. I don’t understand why you are getting white writing on black background. You do slides that way, you don’t do handouts that way. And the last thing is facilities. The step at Traverwood has not been repaired yet. It’s a very minor teeny tiny little issue, but it is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. Thank you.
Sara Mayman
Hi I’m Sara Mayman and I am also enjoying the summer game and the library all the time, all winter too. I have kind of a proposal that goes with the new tools and the kind of new media things that you guys are doing like super 8 movies and beta and zip drives and that kind of thing. I was hoping the Library could have a media room or have these things on reserve that we could check out, we patrons. They could be donated from people and I thought the maker work people could manage the upkeep on them. Or somehow work together that way. I’ve found things in my parents’ house when I was cleaning them out and I don’t know if I should throw them away. I need to look at them. I tried to buy a couple machines that haven’t worked for some reason or other. And I think a lot of people are probably in that same boat. It could be tried and if it didn’t work or broke immediately, at least it was a try. But they could be donated by patrons because pretty much you just need to see what’s on your media transfer and you’re done with it, and then if the maker works keep it. And, I was thinking check it out, but keep it in the Library in a room patrons could use at the Library and not to take home, just to keep it safe. And a bonus would be you have the ability to transfer your own media somehow at the Library. Again those are kind of expensive to buy, but you only need to use it once and then you’re done so a lot of people may need to do something like that. And lastly, I would offer to help if there’s a committee or something that I would be happy to help volunteer to do that.
Lydia and Tom Brown
Hello, I’m Tom, and I’m Lydia. [Tom] We also are enjoying the summer games a lot. Some things we’ve been to this summer, we’ve went to shrinky dinks, falcon fun dream catchers, those are all quick fun things we did. We also really enjoyed the emerging writer’s workshop. Lydia wants to be a writer, so she really likes those. We also have visited all the branches, because of all the branches we’ve been outdoors a lot so I’ve needed my hat also. We’ve went to Kids Reads Comics and that was a lot of fun, that was a big deal here. That was fun we got lots of codes there. We went to Parker Mill and we were getting our codes there and a deer was going through the woods. We thought that was cool. And then just last week we went to Barton Nature Area. I’ve lived in Ann Arbor twenty-two years and have never been to Barton Nature Area. Isn’t that sad. And the codes made me go there. That was cool. And as we were walking through there we saw a deer romping through the woods. And also near our house we went to Mary Beth Doyle Park and I hadn’t been then since it had been renewed and cleaned up and straightened out and coming back from there we saw a badger. A badger in Ann Arbor. So that was pretty neat. So, then all the branches, we’ve got seventy-eight total badges, seventy-eight total badges. We’ve saw Josie’s chickens, that was a fun one. We made a video. We have a summer games team also, our youth group at church made a summer games team. That’s been interesting getting other folks involved. First year ever, I’ve started to tag items, write reviews, rate items in the catalog and that’s been pretty neat. I’m actually working on my reading log to, just the regular reading log. [Lydia] I really dig buttons, so I’ve put all of my buttons on my AADL bag and there’s a couple of vintage AADL buttons on it too. Which is really cool. Some from the Malletts Creek age and the Loving Branch age. [Tom] We miss the Loving Branch, but we like Malletts Creek. Anything else? Thank you very much.
Jinny Potter
That was pretty awesome. I am also a summer game fan girl. So a little bit about why I love the summer game. My family moved here to Michigan about four years ago from the south like Josie. In the south we’re all super friendly and like to get together and talk and do things and when we first moved to Michigan we moved to the Metro Detroit area and I went to the library because that’s part of the community, the community center and they had things for me and my son, who was a baby at the time, once a month. I never felt like I became part of that community. So we moved to Ann Arbor and my husband has to commute for an hour each way, but it’s been worth it. Having the library has just been, it has really helped with the homesickness. The summer game has been a great introduction, learning more about the local businesses, learning about some of the parks that I never knew existed. And it’s a lot of fun to play with my family. And I just adore it. We’re hoping that the recent success with the transit being that maybe we can lead with it the expansion of the downtown branch. I think that it’s already pretty awesome but hearing some of the ideas that others have talked about of making it even more of a resource for the community. It’s really inviting and I would love if there’s a committee or board, I would love to be a part of that. I would love to give back because the library has given so much to my family. My three ½ year old who doesn’t have a favorite branch. We visit about every branch once a week. I want to go to the one with the ball machine, I want to go see the fish, I want to go make cupcakes, so he loves it. I’m really looking forward to when the book reviews are going to come out because he put that one on the calendar for a while so I’m looking forward to seeing that video of him doing a book review. His first book review. It will be a funny tale if that becomes his occupation later on. Anyway, thank you so much and I’m going to take a picture of the game code, because that’s what I do.
Gladwin McGee
My name is Gladwin McGee and I’m a resident of Ann Arbor. I’m very concerned about the purging of large numbers of reference books. Such as reference books from the downtown public library in recent months. They’re several reference books and sets of reference books that I’ve used in the past year and in recent months that have been removed from the shelves. These include a three volume Encyclopedia of Television, a three volume Encyclopedia of Musical Theater, eight volume Encyclopedia of American Constitution. Just last week there was a Merriam Webster Encyclopedia of Literature that was removed from the shelf as well as a Benet's Reader’s Encyclopedia and also the American Decades series which is a survey decade by decade of American history and culture, including volumes from the sixties and seventies and so forth. I would have hoped that it would be part of the philosophical guardian of librarians to respect various pathways of learning discovery, including respecting the choices of those of us who cherish various print reference works and found enrichment and would like to have the opportunity to continue using them. Some really wonderful sets of reference works have been removed from the reference shelves and withdrawn in the last several months. This process has seemed to increase to what seems to someone like me, which has used many times and cherish them, to be of almost bibliocidal [sic] proportions. It’s true the Internet provides unprecedented collection of facts, allows some to claim print reference books are now old, can be dispensed with. However the best reference books are more than just collections of facts. The outstanding contextual frameworks for highlighting, exploring connections of unrelated but independent sets of facts. I use the 1960s volume of American Decades series several times to explore various aspects of society, culture and historical conflict. This and other reference sets that have been recently decimated are ones that meant a lot to me. I personally sought riches of overview and insight about aspects of history, culture and ideas that I’ve explored by using these reference works have sadden me greatly to see their removal. Rather than my saying any more I think I’ll ask if anybody has any questions. I have made an appointment to talk to the director actually.
Rosie
So pretty much all this spring, my sister, Margaret and I have been talking about, oh my goodness, I can’t wait for the summer game to start up again and I’m almost a bit confused as they call it the summer game, I guess it’s kinda cool, and then we got her hooked.
So, she’s here with us and I would like to thank you all for doing such a wonderful job and for encouraging reading and other modes of learning. I would also like to thank you for hosting Nerd Night that was awesome and very informative. I just would like to say keep up the good work. I will be sad when August ends because it will be gone until next year, but thank you.
14-167 VI. FINANCIAL REPORTS
Deputy Director Neiburger reported June showed unrestricted cash balance just over $8.7 million. Tax receipts just over $11.2 million, reflecting 99% of the budgeted amount, have been received through the end of June. The fund balance stands at just over $8.1 million. Five line items are over budget and necessary year end budget adjustments are presented under New Business.
14-168 VII. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
(Item of action)
Trustee Leary, supported by Secretary Head, moved to approve the June 2014 disbursements.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-169 VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
14-170 A. COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Chairperson Head reported the committee consisting of herself and Trustees Leary and Rosenthal met and reviewed recommendations of the Allerton Hill document and progress to date. The committee discussed the success of the summer newsletter and the focus of the fall newsletter which will focus on AADL finances.
14-171 B. FACILITIES COMMITTEE
Chairperson Leary reported the committee consisting of herself and Trustees Barney Newman and Surovell met on June 25th. The committee reviewed the budget and schematics of the Downtown Library front entrance project as being presented under Old Business. The need to replace carpeting in areas Downtown and at West Branch was discussed and is being presented under New Business. The committee was updated on the Downtown Library public elevator and a resolution regarding that is also under New Business.
14-172 IX. DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Director Parker reported on the summer game. She reported that feedback from the May Visions Vendor Fair is still being received. The Bike Share program is still active and the Library will be hosting a site. A slide show of the May 2014 Visions event was shown. Director Parker reported that the Friends provided funding for that event.
14-173 X. MONTHLY STATISTICS
Associate Director Neiburger reviewed June 2014 versus June 2013 statistics of collections, users, visits, usage and participation. He reported that the Downtown Library was missing door count data for five days this month. He noted the door count equipment is an issue that would be addressed. Top tweets for the month were also presented. The Kids Reads Comics event held here and drew a large crowd.
14-174 XI. OLD BUSINESS
14-136 A. RESOLUTION APPROVING CONSTRUCTION BUDGET FOR DOWNTOWN LIBRARY FRONT ENTRANCE REDESIGN
(Item of action)
Trustee Leary, supported by Vice President Murphy, moved the Board resolves to approve the construction budget provided by O’Neal Construction Inc. for the Downtown Library front entrance redesign; to increase the budget line for Capital Outlays by $425,523.00 for redesign of the front entrance of the Downtown Library; that the $425,523.00 increase for Capital Outlays be transferred from the Fund Balance; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
Director Parker noted that changes made to the design were done by the Facilities Committee. Schematic cost estimates and proposed design changes were presented in the Board Packet. Signage was removed from the budget and is the Library’s responsibility to provide.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-175 XII. NEW BUSINESS
14-176 A. RESOLUTION TO SEEK BIDS AND AWARD CONTRACT FOR CARPETING WEST BRANCH AND PORTIONS OF THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
(Item of action)
Trustee Leary, supported by Secretary Head, moved the Board resolves that the Director be authorized to seek bids and award contract for carpeting West Branch and portions of the Downtown Library not to exceed $50,000.00; to increase the budget line for Capital Outlays by $50,000.00 for carpeting West Branch and portions of the Downtown Library; that the $50,000.00 increase for Capital Outlays be transferred from the Fund Balance; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution be rescinded.
Director Parker noted that due to the elevator repair carpeting in the lower level will need replacement. Carpeting will be replaced in the Multipurpose Room, the Friends book shop and the lower level lobby area. Also at Downtown the third floor carpeting will be replaced as it is original to the 1990’s addition. West Branch will be closed temporarily to replace worn carpeting there.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-177 B. RESOLUTION TO AWARD THE CONTRACT TO REPAIR DOWNTOWN LIBRARY PUBLIC ELEVATOR
(Item of action)
Secretary Head, supported by Vice President Murphy, moved the Board resolves to award the contracts for repair of the public elevator at the Downtown Library Branch to Schindler Elevator Corporation for the amount of $93,598.00; to increase the budget line for Capital Outlays by $57,988.00 for the repair of the public elevator at the Downtown Library; to increase the budget line for Capital Outlays by $35,610.00 for well drilling (after-drill) of elevator hole in the existing hoistway and clean out of existing hole and casing; that the $93,598.00 increase for Capital Outlays be transferred from the Fund Balance; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
Director Parker explained the process for replacement of the public elevator hydraulic jack.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-178 C. RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 2013-2014 APPROVED BUDGET
(Item of action)
Vice President Murphy, supported by Secretary Head, moved the Board resolves to transfer $22,500 from Capital Outlays to Supplies; to transfer $49,800 from Capital Outlays to Software Licenses/Maintenance; to transfer $17,000 from Utilities to Purchased Services; to transfer $6,500 from Utilities to Copier Expense; to transfer $500 from Utilities to Library Programming; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-179 D. RESOLUTION OF THANKS TO WENDY ST. ANTOINE UPON HER RETIREMENT
(Item of action)
President Rosenthal, supported by Vice President Murphy, moved the Board resolves that it would like to officially thank Wendy St. Antoine for her service as an employee from December 16, 1996 to August 15, 2014 of the Ann Arbor District Library; that all resolutions and parts of resolutions that conflict with the provisions of this resolution are rescinded.
AYES: Head, Kaplan, Leary, Murphy, Rosenthal
NAYS: None
Motion passed 5-0.
14-180 E. VOTE TO CANCEL THE AUGUST 18, 2014 REGULAR BOARD MEETING
(Item of action)
Secretary Head, supported by Vice President Murphy, moved to cancel the August 18, 2014 Ann Arbor District Library Board meeting.
After brief discussion by the board the action was approved by unanimous consent.
14-181 XIII. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS
Donald Harrison
I would like to say one thing. The codes are making me do it. In the collection of non-traditional items, musical instruments have been a really great addition. I think I’ve used most of them or tried them out. And recently a few weeks ago I was checking out something or looking for a code at the library, whatever I was doing Downtown, I saw this little green table over in that section and so I checked it out and took it to a family reunion that weekend and setup this little table, the net and within minutes we were playing Ping-Pong at the family reunion. So family members who hadn’t seen each other in probably years were having a really great time. So it was a lot of fun but also really meaningful. So things like that to me really create a lot of value. So I wanted to share that the Ping-Pong table headlines some of the other items have had. But Mary, I don’t know if you are still taking notes but maybe this will put some pressure on the Parks and Rec to get some public Ping-Pong tables. Thank you.
Donald Salberg
My name is Donald Salberg and I live in northeast Ann Arbor and I wasn’t going to talk before the board meeting until I heard about the apparent inflated cost for O’Neal to replace the front entrance to the Library. If I understand correctly and I might have missed the figures, Josie Parker had indicated for months that she hoped that cost would be kept to under $250,000 and now I’m not sure if the total cost is estimated at $425,000 or closer to $700,000. [Director Parker interjected that she did not know where Dr. Salberg came up with the $700,000.] I didn’t know if the $425,000 that I believe was the figure mentioned was going to be the total cost for the project at this time. You’re not going to answer questions? So I will assume that the $400,000 plus thousand dollar figure still represents almost doubling of the cost of constructing the front entrance. I don’t know how much of that is involved with the heating coils. I also wonder about the heating coils [Trustee Murphy interjected $67,000] $67,000 for the heating coils? This is how much it costs? That is if it works. One of the problems with heating coils as I understand it is that if it doesn’t completely melt the snow as it falls, which can be up to a foot an hour, that what you get is a thin layer of water that’s being melted by the coils covered by a thin layer of ice and snow and that could potentially make the walkway slipperier than it would be otherwise. Furthermore, I don’t know what the expected lifetime of these coils are, how frequently they break down and if there is any way that you can repair them other than by breaking up the concrete entirely and replacing everything or at least a piece of the coil. Furthermore, it would be nice to know what the estimates for cost of operation would be, how much more would the library have to spend in electricity and running these coils. I think that using salt and manual removal of snow probably has worked very well for the library in the past. I have not heard of many suits from slips and falls in winter in front of the library and I’m just wondering if this expense is entirely necessary. Thank you.
14-182 XIV. ADJOURNMENT
Director Parker announced that the Friends of the Library Book Shop is now located on the main floor area of the Library due to the elevator repair. Trustee Kaplan inquired if they could remain on the first floor after the elevator repair is completed. Director Parker responded that it was a possibility but talks with the Friends will need to take place.
Vice President Murphy moved to adjourn the meeting.
President Rosenthal adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m.