Library Board of Trustees

MEETING MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MARY RILEY STYLES PUBLIC LIBRARY Held in the Mary Riley Styles Public Library 120 N. Virginia Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046 September 18, 2024 This meeting was recorded. All members of the public may view this video of this meeting on the City's website at http://www.fallschurchva.gov/webcasts 1. CALL TO ORDER Ms. Stein, Board Vice Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL AND INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS The following Board members attended the meeting, and exceptions were noted: Elise Stein Robert Leopold Erin Cline Claire McCray Jessie Labukas Steve Morse Janis Johnson Attended virtually Others present for the meeting: City Manager Wyatt Shields, Deputy Director Jenny Carroll, Ms. Megan Dotzler and Library Foundation Chair Aimee Morgan. Library Acting Director Marshall Webster, and Sr. Administrative Assistant Claudia Gutierrez were also present. MOTION: I move that the Library Board of Trustees approve electronic participation by Ms. Janis Johnson from her home in tonight's meeting, for personal reason(s), pursuant to the Library Board of Trustee's Policy on Participation in Meetings Through Electronic Means. AYE NAY Notes: ELISE STEIN v ROBERT LEOPOLD v Moved: Ms. Stein ERIN CLINE v Seconded: Mr. Morse CLAIRE MCCRAY v JESS IE LABUKAS v STEVE MORSE v 3. CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.2-3711 (A)(1) OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA FOR THE "[D]ISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION OR INTERVIEWS OF PROSPECTIVE CANDI- DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT; ASSIGNMENT, APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, PERFOR- MANCE, DEMOTION, SALARIES, DISCIPLINING OR RESIGNATION OF SPECIFIC PUBLIC OFFICERS, APPOINTEES OR EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC BODY; …." [LIBRARY DIREC- TOR RECRUITMENT] The Board did not meet in closed session this evening. The Board, as well as Ms. Morgan from the Foundation, introduced themselves to the new Library Director, Ms. Megan Dotzler; and Ms. Stein officially welcomed Ms. Dotzler to MRSPL. Mr. Shields expressed his excitement to officially introduce Ms. Dotzler to the Library Board and mentioned that he will also introduce her to the full library staff tomorrow morning. An interview panel consisting of Deputy City Manager Jenny Carroll, two City department Directors, Ms. Stein and Mr. Leopold from the Library Board, and an outside library Director interviewed 5 finalists from an application pool of twenty-two applicants and recommended Ms. Dotzler as their recommended candidate. Mr. Shields pointed out Ms. Dotzler’s library background, which includes two master’s degrees and considerable experience as a Youth Services Librarian, Deputy Director, and Acting Director in New England. More recently, Ms. Dotzler has served as a branch manager and head of Youth Services (at the Central Library) at Arlington County Public Library here in the DC area. Both Mr. Shields and Ms. Carroll noted that Ms. Dotzler’s superpowers are staff support and her commitment and passion for libraries, and that she will help continue to develop and innovate the library for the City and the community. Ms. Dotzler’s first day will be Monday, October 7. Ms. Carroll thanked the Board and library staff for their patience, and their grace and trust during the hiring process. She also expressed her gratitude to Mr. Webster for serving as Acting Director for nearly a year; to Pete Sullivan, for stepping in as Acting Supervisor of Adult Services; to the library’s Management Team; and to all library staff, especially those who took extra hours over the last year. Ms. Dotzler expressed her excitement to be working with the Board, staff, and the community. 4. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION No closed session. 5. RECEIPT OF PETITIONS No petitions 6. APPROVAL OF AUGUST 21, 2024 MEETING MINUTES Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Leopold, and seconded by Mr. Morse, the Library Board approved the August 21, 2024 Meeting Minutes. 2 7. ADOPTION OF UPDATED POLICIES FOR ELECTRONIC PARTICIPATION & ALL- VIRTUAL MEETINGS Mr. Webster presented the final draft of updated policies, that apply to all Boards and Commis- sions, for remote participation and all-virtual meetings. Upon a motion duly made by Ms. Cline, and seconded by Ms. Johnson, the Library Board approved the Electronic Participation Policy as presented. Upon a motion duly made by Ms. Labukas, and seconded by Mr. Morse, the Library Board approved the All-Virtual Meetings Policy as presented. 8. DISCARD OF SEPARATE LIBRARY BOARD POLICY Mr. Webster requested that the Library Board discard the Library Board Policy, which was last updated in 2002, since all the information is included (and more current) in the Library Board Bylaws, and in state and local code. Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Morse, and seconded by Mr. Leopold, the Library Board approved to discard the Library Board Policy. 9. LIBRARY REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS August Statistics • The library had 17,701 visits in August. • Circulation continued to increase, especially use of the new Overdrive Magazines. Holidays and Closures • On Thursday, September 19, the library will be closed all day for a library staff meeting and to attend the City's annual employee picnic. • On Monday October 14, the library will be closed all day in observance oflndigenous Peoples' Day. September/October Upcoming Programs • Friday September 27- Monday, September 30: Used Book Sale • Saturday September 28: Autor Talk with Mike Richman for his biography George Allen: A Football Life. • Saturday October 5: Author Talk with Henry Wise for his novel Holy City, along with Ellen 3  Crosby author of the Virginia wine mystery series and Sophie Medina series. • Sunday October 6: Board Game Sunday for Adults (NOVA Boardgame Group) • Monday October 7: Crafty Cafe - Recycled CD Arts for Middle School & Teens • Saturday October 12: Using the Library of Congress with Cheryl Adams B uilding Updates • A requested has been submitted to the City Arborist to trim the mulberry bush by the electrical pole by the outside book drop. • RTU3 was successfully installed. • New motors for the front doors are expected to be installed on Monday, September 23. Next Month • Next Board meeting Wednesday, October 16. • Ms. Dotzler and Ms. Stein will set the agenda. 10. FOLLOW UP LIBRARY ABOUT TABLE AT FALLS CHURCH FESTIVAL ON SEPTEM- BER14 Mr. Webster thanked the Board members who volunteered at the Falls Church Festival. There were over 40 new cardholders registered and several renewals, as well as positive comments from the public about the new memory lab for scanning slides, bookmarks, and book clubs. There were also questions about programs, donations, and digital apps for TVs. The Board noted how much the community loves the library. Mr. Webster also mentioned the author talk at the library that afternoon, which was attended by 48 people who seemed very pleased with the speaker, Sindya Bhanoo. The event was unique in that it was a broad partnership between Welcoming Falls Church, AAUW, Falls Church Education Fund, and Bards Alley Bookshop. 11. FOUNDATION & LIAISON REPORTS a) FOUNDATION REPORT • The Falls Church Festival was very well attended, with a strong group of volunteers helping at the beer garden. The Foundation does not yet have a total for how much was raised at the event, but should have one by next month. • Ms. Morgan was officially nominated Chair for the Foundation. • The Foundation is planning its annual campaign, which kicks off in December right after Thanksgiving. They have 3 new volunteers and an energetic team to work on the logistics to send out the fundraising letters. • 13 nominations were submitted for the Chet DeLong Award. They will review the nominations and select a recipient during their October meeting, and the award will be 4  presented during the City Council meeting in early December. b) CITY COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT No report c) SCHOOL BOARD LIAISON REPORT • The school year had a good start. • The School Board is focusing on two main topics : use of technology for personal devices and school issued devices. o They are having several conversations throughout this fall regarding the use of cell phones at the high school. o There will also be several community engagement events on this topic in October. • Dr. Noonan announced his retirement at the end of this school year. He led the school for nine eventful years, including building a new high school under budget; stewarding the district through the pandemic, and leading the division as it enters into its first collective bargaining agreement. The Board is planning to have his successor named by the spring. • The library Board won't have a student liaison for this year. d) ARTS AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT • There was no meeting in August. Their next meeting is tomorrow. • The 75th Anniversary celebration is concluding; however, there are still some 75th Anniversary projects still underway, including: o A welcome sign at City Hall with 19 translations of the word welcome that is being reviewed with the Arts and Communities Council. o New portraits for Council Chambers. • There was ribbon cutting in August for the utility boxes around Falls Church. • There is a new city tourism website: www.visitfallschmch.com • There is a new sculptme project going on at West Falls by the secondary campus called "The Great Potential " • There is a new project for painting the drain storms. Some of them have been finished in Maple Avenue. There was a question if the library was included on the tourism website. Mr. Webster will find out and provide the information to the Board. 12. ON-GOING EQUITY DISCUSSION • A new ESOL conversation group will start on Tuesday September 24. It is a 12-week cycle taught by the English Empowerment Center (formerly Literacy Council ofNorthern Virginia) and paid using part of this year's Foundation gift. If this program is successful and EEC is still interested, a second cycle will start this winter/spring. • Fairfax County' s Department of Family Services, Adult and Aging Division will present a Medicare 101 information program in the library on October 8. 5 13. BUSINESS NOT ON THE AGENDA • Ms. McCray mentioned that the NOV A Board Game group asked her if the library would be interested in receiving board game donations. Maybe for people to borrow them or to add them to the library book sale. She will email Mr. Webster with the information and he will talk about it with Tech Services Supervisor Billette Ripy who is in charge of the book sale and donations to the library. 14. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, upon a motion duly made by Ms. McCray and seconded by Mr. Morse, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 6:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marshall Webster Acting Library Director Approved: Eli?!::~ Chairperson Copies: Board ofTrustees, City Manager, Library Reference Desk, StaffBulletin Board, City Clerk, Library Web Page. rrhe City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit ofthe Americans with Disabilities Act. To jrequest a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5032, TTY 711. 6  MARY RILEY STYLES PUBLIC LIBRARY LIBRARY BOARD MEETING September 18, 2024 GUEST SIGN-IN SHEET NAME ADDRESS EMAIL Heer.a.t\ Do+clv ~\ol }J M. fXl roe s + -tt lor ..l¢7 He5J.cn· Sh:t-cc:.. 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