HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-02 LBOT MinutesBoard of Library Trustees Minutes: September 2, 2020 1
PALM SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES
MINUTES
Palm Springs Public Library September 2, 2020
Teleconference via Zoom
1. CALL TO ORDER
President McBride called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL PRESENT
Craig Borba Yes
Melissa Cronin Yes
Juanita Garner No
David Kelly Yes
Ed McBride Yes
STAFF PRESENT: Jeannie Kays, Director of Library Services.
CITY STAFF PRESENT: Lisa Brock, Library Operations and Collection Manager.
PUBLIC PRESENT: David Sidley and Kathy Weremiuk.
2. CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA:
7. F. Library Board Committees
MOTION: (Borba/Cronin, 4-0) To add an item to discuss committees.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.
4. CONSENT AGENDA
MOTION: (Borba/Kelly, 4-0) To approve the consent agenda, with removal of 4.B. for discussion.
4. A. Meeting Minutes of July 1, 2020
4. B. Library Statistics
This item was excluded from the consent agenda.
EXCLUDED CONSENT AGENDA
4. B. Library Statistics
Director Kays gave the report.
MOTION: (Borba/Cronin, 4-0) To approve the Library Statistics.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
5. A. Friends of the Palm Springs Library
No Report.
Board of Library Trustees Minutes: September 2, 2020 2
5. B. Palm Springs Public Library Foundation
David Sidley gave the report. The Foundation made a $10,000 payment on the loan and signed the new
promissory note. They have one new member and have three members scheduled for second
interviews. They are liquidating a fund to form an endowment and they have raised $4,000 in the last
couple of weeks from member donations.
5. C. Library Staff
The Library hosted a virtual Summer Reading Program, with 828 individuals participating. Of those, 447
were youth (pre-K-5th grade), 197 teens (grades 6-12), and 184 adults. This was the first time in recent
years that we tracked minutes read. Participants logged 227,164 minutes read (3,786 hours).
The Library-A-Go-Go service has been well received with 1,068 pickup appointments in June, 1,164 in
July, and 1,046 in August.
If you are not receiving our monthly email newsletter, consider joining our mailing list. One email is sent
each month detailing upcoming events and services.
During the month of August, we have been developing virtual programming. We are hosting weekly
story times on Facebook Live, Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. The teens are participating in a Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing event each week. Library Staff have developed “Craft Along” programming with “take
and make” craft kits. We will offer at least one of these craft programs each month.
Book Clubs have resumed on Zoom. Attendance is going well because you can be anywhere in the
world to attend the meeting.
The Library is working to create original content on our YouTube channel. We are creating “Unboxing”
videos showing us opening new deliveries of book, music CD, and DVD orders. We bring the browsing
to you.
Behind the scenes, we are working on catalog cleanup to improve user search experience. Physical
changes include relabeling books, streamlining our collections, ordering new books, and shifting our
collections.
Library staff created an “Ask a Librarian” form so that users can request items when they do not know
what to request. It lets us do the browsing and recommending for you. The form is available on our
website, www.pslibrary.org.
6. TREASURERS REPORT
Treasurer Kelly reported the Library Trust Fund balance is $1,932,701.18. He is preparing an Annual
Report that should be ready in October or November.
7. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS
7. A. Thank outgoing Trustees Courtright and Weremiuk
President McBride thanked Trustee Courtright and Trustee Weremiuk for their service on the Library
Board.
7. B. Welcome Trustees Cronin and Garner
Trustee Cronin introduced herself. She studied History and Literature at Harvard and worked in
publishing in New York. Here in Palm Springs she owns Buzz Factory; a marketing firm.
Board of Library Trustees Minutes: September 2, 2020 3
7. C. Next phase of Library Strategies plan: a discussion of Trust Funds paying for planning
phase of library project
Kathy Weremiuk spoke with members of City Council to see if they would be supportive of the Library
Board continuing the planning effort for a new Library. The City does not have the money but the contract
is in place and could be signed if the Library Board is willing to pay for the planning piece and possibly
pay for part of the design piece in the future. Directory Kays spoke with Marcus Fuller and he was very
positive and thought it would be good to have the plan ready for when the pandemic ended. Treasurer
Kelly asked how the outcome of this plan would be different from the plans that were done in the past.
Kathy Weremiuk said plans only get implemented if you have a group pushing them. The plan was
originally going to be paid for by Measure J but that money was used to cover the deficit and is no longer
available. Trustee Cronin said that the proposal in the packet seems substantially pared down from an
in person campaign and doing it digitally would be a huge difference in time and resources and that
should be reflected in what we are paying. President McBride asked the Trustees to email their questions
to Director Kays and he will do a follow up report at the October meeting. Treasurer Kelly said this is an
opportunity to get more public opinion. He suggested writing an opinion piece in the Desert Sun to
generate public opinion.
7. D. COVID updates - statistics
Reported in 4. B.
7. E. Welwood Patio project update – Receive and File
Director Kays gave an update on the project.
7. F. Library Board Committees
President McBride would like to revisit the committee assignments now that they have a full Board.
8. TRUSTEE/STAFF COMMENTS/FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The July meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
Jeannie Kays
Director of Library Services