Library Board

Approved March 15, 2018 MORGANTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY Minutes of the Regular Meeting February 15, 2018 Present: Absent: Also Present: Others Present: Sue Carpenter Elizabeth McConnell Sarah Palfrey Barry Wendell Linda Durfee Kelly Funkhouser Janet Paine Penny Pugh Call to order The Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Morgantown Public Library convened at the Morgantown Public Library, on February 15, 2018. The meeting convened at 9:11am, Penny Pugh, President presiding, Kelly Funkhouser, secretary. Approval of the Minutes of the January 18, 2018 Regular Meeting The minutes stand as presented. PUBLIC FORUM Barry Wendell, City Council Member, misses being part of this board. There is an ordinance for tax break for businesses that invest $5 million or more in a downtown business. The City of Morgantown has been talking with WVU regarding partnering with the public library for a new building. Sarah Palfrey has met with the Provost Joyce McConnell, the Dean of WVU Libraries Karen Diaz, City Council member Mark Brazaitis, and City Manager Paul Brake. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS – None REPORTS OF COMMITTEES/OFFICERS A. President – Penny Pugh discussed the 2019 Federal Budget is coming into play. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is to be cut in the President’s Budget. This includes funding for the state. She urges the board to start contacting their Federal Representatives. Penny suggested the Friends join United for Libraries thru ALA. B. Treasurer –November 2017, December 2017, and January 2018 financial statements were distributed and filed for audit. REPORT OF THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR -  IMLS – Chatter is always helpful. Last year funding was restored.  Sarah Palfrey attended West Virginia Library Association Legislative Day and Monongalia County Legislative Day. Next year, Sarah would like to take a library table and include others on the bus trip. Janet Paine reported that a City Council Member had been excited to see Sarah Palfrey attend Legislative Day twice.  The state level is trying to dissolve the Department of Education and Arts, leaving West Virginia Library Commission as a stand-alone department. This could eliminate many programs including the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, bust most likely will not impact direct funding. Board Minutes – February 15, 2018 – Page 2  House Bill 2809 establishes a fund for grant money for construction for libraries involving matching funds. Also, a Service Center Improvement Fund of $150,000 to return funding to the level of 5 years ago. The West Virginia Library Commission is required by law to distribute according to population every 5 years.  There has been no cut in the governmental budget for libraries.  Crystal Isner is our new teen programming person.  Non-fiction DVDs are moving to the DVD area on the first floor in preparation of moving the young adult collection upstairs.  The Circulation Technician – evening position has moved to Crystal’s Circulation Technician – day position; The Children’s Page has moved to the Circulation Technician – evening position.  There was a break-in at the Aull Center. Glass in the front door is cracked. The perpetrator was arrested.  The ‘Take Your Child to the Library Day’ program included a scavenger hunt inspired by the book Pete the Cat Lost His Buttons. Fifteen people attended, twenty-one new cards were issued, and library cards were reset to a new patron status as fines were eliminated.  Westwood Middle School Pilot Program includes remote library card sign-up and training students how to check out items from WVDeli.  The Stick Company is programming a website for the Morgantown Public Library System for approximately $5,000. Also, vinyl wrap measuring is complete; if we choose to wrap everything that was measured, the estimated cost is $3,600. The children’s area will be addressed first.  Jim Goff, City Finance Director, emailed Sarah Palfrey in a follow up to a conversation regarding a vehicle. The City of Morgantown has set aside $30,000 toward the library purchasing a vehicle.  Sarah Palfrey has found Monongalia County Leadership meetings and has found them beneficial in establishing relationships. UNFINISHED BUSINESS  Long Range Plan – Sarah Palfrey distributed a draft plan which includes target dates.  Proposed Lease – Arnettsville – Questions from the Arnettsville Community Association, Inc. were discussed.  Clinton District Public Library – The roof is fixed. It is not leaking, but still not fully attached.  Sprucing Up Spruce Street - The next steps are the children’s section and the circulation desk.  Building update – See Public Forum. NEW BUSINESS  The article “Trickle Down Economics: Anticipating Significant Shifts in Local Political Climates for Library Taxes Following the 2017 Tax Reform Bill” was distributed. BOARD COMMENTS  Sue Carpenter mentioned that there is an academic library in California that is getting rid of their stacks and becoming a bookless library. ADJOURNMENT – March 15, 2018 at 9:00am and the Morgantown Public Library were fixed as the time and place of the next regular meeting and the meeting was adjourned at 11:08am.