Library Board 2025-06-04

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY Approved 3939 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 8/6/2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES: MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, June 4, 2025 ATTENDANCE INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC Members of the public who wished to attend could do so in-person, or via Microsoft Teams at columbiaheightsmn.gov/join-a-meeting and entering Meeting ID 271 987 908 772 and passcode T2uo3T8N at the scheduled meeting time. For questions, please call the library at 763-706-3690. The meeting was called to order in the Library Community Room by Melanie Magidow at 5:30pm. Members present: Melanie Magidow; Olga Herrera; Theresa Strike; Amina Maameri. Members remotely present: Amáda Márquez Simula (City Council Liaison). Members absent: Chris Polley. Others present: Renee Dougherty (Library Director); Nick Olberding (Board Secretary); Sara Ion (City Clerk). Public present: N/A. 1. An Agenda was approved as is. 2. The Minutes from the May 7, 2025, Library Board Meeting were moved and approved. 3. Review of 2025 Operating Budget: 41.37% of the year and 38.93% of the budget expended. a. Garage, Labor Burden (44050): No funds budgeted, but spent $187 on back-up generator maintenance; we will add small balance to this line for the next budget year. Community Forum: Opportunity for public input. No correspondence and no public in attendance. The CHPL website now has a contact form to submit questions or concerns: https://chplmn.org/board 4. Speaking at Board and Commission Guidelines and Form: City Clerk, Sara Ion, gave an overview of the new Community Forum form which public attendees are expected to fill out before speaking in the Community Forum portion of Library Board and other Commission meetings. Also discussed was ensuring fairness to public speakers by being consistent with the 5-minute time limits, as well as how to effectively deal with situations that become disorderly by calling a short recess (by any member who feels uncomfortable in a given situation), or in extreme situations, calling a vote to recess to a later date. If members feel unsafe, law enforcement may be called in. Old Business: 5. Proposed 2026 Budget Update: Renee wanted to allow Board members an opportunity to make recommendations for the 2026 proposed budget which needs to be submitted to the City later this month. She explained changes in funding levels of various line items over the last several years relating to e-book (42183) pricing from Anoka County Library (now charged for actual usage rather than a predictive model); a small increase to minor equipment (42010) to cover replacement computer peripherals; an increase in 2025 for end user devices (42011) to replace staff computers, a lull in 2026, and then an anticipated increase again in 2027 to replace public workstations; an increase for downloadable video (42190) to cover Kanopy streaming costs; fluctuations in expert & professional services (43050) which covers services from Anoka County Library, Unique Management (collection agency), and payments to teachers/presenters of our programs/events; an increase to telephone (43210) for anticipated cost for the upgraded phone system the City is planning to implement. All in all, the changes mean a projected 1.79% increase in budget over 2025. Melanie mentioned that at the federal level funding for the budget of the Institute of Museum and Library Services will be nonexistent if the current federal funding bill is passed; this could affect services related to inter-library loans in the future. New Business: 6. Summer Programming Overview: Provided with our summer events calendar the Board reviewed our seasonal program offerings and were pleased by the diversity of them—including a Mongolian circus, Siama’s traditional  African music session, henna workshop, Somali traveling museum, and Rangoli sand painting. Also, there were happy we are hosting an intro to Dungeons & Dragons session, a pair of tours of the Lomianki Park public gardens, and an introduction to the UMN Mapping Prejudice Project to help residents purge Columbia Heights of the racial covenants on properties. The Board noticed less of the events require registration and Renee explained that previously registration was needed to help track attendance required for grant-funded programs, but with the loss of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, we do not need to be as stringent. Now registration requirements are mostly used when the instructor requests an attendance cap, or if there’s a limited amount of supplies available. 7. Community Art & Info Fair (June 18, 4-7pm): Renee asked the Board members if anyone was willing to help table at this year’s annual Community Art & Info Fair at Huset Park; she is hoping to switch up our representation at each public event because we might be able to reach more and varied people from the community. Amina said she could be there for the first half and Theresa would be able to help for the second half of the event. Director’s Update: 8. April Board Report: Provided as an FYI. a. MN Attorney General’s Clean Slate Program expressed their gratitude for hosting their clinic. b. The new parking lot is ready; native plantings will be arriving later in the fall. c. Several student field trips came through the library, kids were fascinated by the trip books take through the automated materials handler (AMH) and back out to the shelves. d. Amina and Olga asked if there was anything more they could do as Board members to help the Library in its mission. Renee mentioned volunteer opportunities like volunteering to represent us at community events like the Community Art & Info Fair (and other various events throughout the year like HeightsNEXT Pride Fest in the fall); additionally advocating for and promoting the library through meetings/members of other community groups (e.g. Kiwanis, SACA, Athletic Boosters), online social media, and word of mouth. 9. Board Books: a. Melanie: Detective Aunty Uzma Jalaluddin; Stories of Hope & Spirit: Folktales from Eastern Europe Dan Keding b. Chris: The Children of Men P.D. James; Children of Men Alfonso Cuarón (streaming on Kanopy) c. Amina: Other Words for Home Jasmine Warga d. Renee: Slow Horses Mick Herron e. Amáda: The Twilight Zone Rod Serling (TV Show/Various books) f. Theresa: Poetry of Zen Sam Hamill/J.P. Seaton g. Nick: Antimatter Blues Edward Ashton; Atomfall (Playstation 5) Rebellion Developments (available via ACL) h. Olga: Learning to Lead: Undocumented Students Mobilizing Education Jennifer R. Nájera There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:23 pm. Respectfully submitted, Nicholas P. Olberding Recording Secretary, CHPL Board of Trustees