Russell Library Governance Committee

Governance Committee of the Russell Library Board of Trustees Special Meeting, February 8, 2023, 5:00 PM (Online meeting via Zoom) Approved Minutes Present: Ramona Burkey (Library Director), Brandie Doyle (Assistant Director), Jennifer Hadley (recorder), Gregory Harris, Thomas Russell IV, Cynthia Sanders (Chair), Sarah Schulenberg 1. Call to Order: Trustee Sanders called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. The dialogue guidelines were presented with the agenda. 2. Approval of Minutes a. MOTION: The minutes from the January 4, 2023 Governance Committee Meeting were unanimously approved, with Trustee Hadley making the motion and Trustee Sanders seconding it. 3. Public Comment: No public present. 4. Unfinished Business a. Circulation Policy The policy was approved by the Board on 1/18/2023. Trustee Sanders commented that everyone did good work on it. b. Computer/Internet Use Policy In the current draft, Assistant Director Doyle has accepted all previously suggested revisions. She has shared it with staff and did not receive any feedback. New proposed changes include language explaining the limits on computer use, moving the explanation for filters up front in the Internet Filters section, and using friendlier language. Trustee Harris suggested that the internet usage section use the active voice, e.g., “Russell Library will take steps ..” or “Users should be aware that….” Another area that must be addressed is the parameters of help that library staff can provide when patrons are filling out forms, e.g., many online government forms. Staff can help with access but cannot sit with patrons through the whole process. Some of the information is private. Trustee Sanders summarized that the draft has a friendlier tone, better flow, consolidation of information, and links to connecting policies. Assistant Doyle will have final modifications ready and get staff comment before the March Board meeting. Trustee Harris made a two-part motion: 1) that the March Governance Committee meeting be canceled and 2) that the Computer Use and Internet Policy be approved with the addition of any technical amendments that Assistant Director Doyle makes and that the completed policy be submitted to the Board in time for the March meeting. Trustee Hadley seconded. The motion passed unanimously. c. Anti-bullying policy (Workplace Anti-bullying policy) Assistant Director Doyle has not made any further changes to the draft. She wants to consult HR and has not shared with staff yet. She will bring an enhanced draft to the next meeting.  d. Meeting Room Use Policy The old policy is out of date; the language needs to be friendlier and policies stated more broadly, with less specific information about rooms, which would require frequent updates. The proposed draft incorporates the beginning wording of the display policy. Assistant Director Doyle reported that there was much discussion about the policy at the department meeting. How does professional discretion fit in? Can one person use a room if no one else is using it? (This might result in groups being turned away.) Which spaces are good for which uses? Meeting room use changed a lot over the pandemic. Room details should be displayed on a separate web page and link to a reservation form. Should the policy continue to mention meeting room 2 (and why not 3) or should this be taken out? Why is the Pod mentioned? It’s not a meeting room. Perhaps change the name of the policy to Meeting Space Policy. The policy should be inclusive of spaces that are not rooms (i.e., don’t involve doors). For example there is a half cubicle in the career area (not reservable), a semiprivate small meeting space on the second floor on the way to Middletown Room, and the board game tables in the teen area, which get much use. Low ceilings help contain noise. What about the space below the bell tower? “Meetings” imply at least 2 people and talking. Should we designate quiet talking meeting areas? That is, should we distinguish between between doored and non-doored spaces? Assistant Director Doyle hesitates to call them quiet spaces because people think that means silent. The reading room is designated a quiet space. It is best not to list all the areas because things are constantly in flux. Librarians are good at showing people private and refuge spaces. For the spaces that will be listed and described on the website, Russell’s equity and inclusion team has suggested a map for patrons to see at a glance what spaces are available to them. They are also proposing a virtual tour, which would be helpful for people with sensory disorders to feel more comfortable with spaces. The Hubbard Room also needs to be discussed. It is currently only open for library or city government events. With the emergency Covid order expiring, the library has an opportunity to review use and potential fees, with disclaimers that fees may be waived. Potential uses might be for weddings, birthday parties, baby showers. What line would fees go to? TBD, could be something like copier fees or fundraising. Would the city ask for priority? What about a non-profit exemption? Right now there is a limit to a certain number of bookings. If organizations desire once a month meetings, it adds to scarcity. Perhaps allow organizations to reserve three times a year free and charge a fee after that. Lack of meeting space is a longterm city problem. Assistant Director Doyle will research other libraries’ policies, what they charge, and limits of usage. Some libraries have meeting spaces that can be closed off from the rest of the library to make after hour usage easier, e.g.,Cheshire. 5. New Business - None 6. Discussion of Items to Be Placed on Next Agenda under New Business a. Computer/internet use policy b. Meeting room (space) use policy c. Anti-bullying policy 7. Announcements - The February Board meeting will be combined with the retreat. 8. Open Forum/General Good and Welfare - None 9. Additional Public Comment: None 10. Meeting Adjournment: Trustee Harris moved and Trustee Russell seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:03. Next meeting: April 5, 2023 (The March meeting has been canceled.) Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Hadley