Library Board of Trustees

Library Board of Trustees Cravath Lakefront Conference Room 312 W Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI, 53190 *In Person and Virtual Monday, June 16, 2025- 6:30 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER – 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Doug Anderson, Camden, Harlan, Steven Sahyun, Tara McKenzie-Peotter, Jennifer Motszko, Kathy Retzke. Absent: Elizabeth Miller. Staff Present: Diane Jaroch and Sarah French. Guests Present: Brienne Brown, Kelly Davis, Jan Bilgen, Sharon Knight. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Anderson moved, Harlan seconds, motion passes. CONSENT AGENDA Items on the Consent Agenda will be approved together unless any committee member requests that an item be removed for individual consideration. 1. Approval of the minutes of the May 19, 2025 meeting 2. Approval of Payment of Invoices for May 2025 3. Acknowledgement of Receipt of May 2025 Statistical report 4. Acknowledgement of Receipt of Financial reports 5. Acknowledgement of Receipt of May 2025 Treasurer's reports Motion to approve items 2, 3, 4, and 5 by Anderson, McKenzie-Peotter seconds, motion passes. 1. Sahyun asked to pull item 1 from the Consent Agenda and requests to strike the sentence in the May 19, 2025 meeting minutes about a hypothetical comment. Motion to approve minutes as amended. Sahyun moved, Harlan seconds, motion passes. HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS None OLD BUSINESS 6. Library Building Project general update Jaroch gave an update about movers on site, some collections moving off-site, Permar installed new alarm system, subcontractors on site, staff temporary work stations set up, curbside services will be ready to go on the timeline. Motszko gave an update about UW- W library services available to the public. 7. Review and approval of the updated Teacher Packs Policy Library Board of Trustees Agenda June 16, 2025 Page 2 Retzke motions, Sahyun seconds, motion passes. 8. Discussion and action concerning the library’s social media accounts and continuing to allow public comments Anderson moves to continue to allow public comments on the library’s social media accounts. Harlan seconds. Retzke opposed. Motion passes. NEW BUSINESS 9. Discussion concerning the creation of a social media policy Library staff will provide a draft policy at the July 2025 board meeting. 10. Discussion of informational memo provided by the City Clerk regarding the recording of minutes during closed session meetings Closed session minutes should be sent directly to the City Clerk. 10. Discussion and possible action concerning the changing of the library’s name from Irvin L. Young Memorial Library to Whitewater Public Library Jaroch gave an overview about the packet of information provided to the board and guests regarding changing the name of the library. Citizen Comment from Jane Bilgen – Thinks there is a middle ground where the Youngs could be recognized as a couple and suggested the name Whitewater Young Public Library. Thinks removing the Young name completely would be an erasure of a contract between the community and the Young family. Citizen Comment from Sharon Knight – Was surprised to hear about the potential name change. She “kinda” agrees about getting Whitewater in the name, but favors some combination of keeping the Young name. Knight also thinks that the naming rights should have been considered when the fundraising was happening. Citizen Comment from Kelly Davis – Stated that Jim Winship is very supportive of the name change. As someone who works in the Bridges library system, Davis thinks that it is very confusing to have the current name instead of the city. The other issue is donor-intent. Thinks that we can figure out a compromise which involves making sure the library is located in our community and also honoring that the library wouldn’t be here without the Young family. Citizen comment from Brienne Brown: Came to provide context but the context has been provided. Further discussion between board members, library staff, and citizen guests: Motszko stated that the new naming rights on the contract is 25 years. Andersen inquired about the controversy when the original library building on W. Center St. was built and Bilgen provided context about the history of the debate. Motszko shared other ideas that she received via email, including 2 suggestions for the phrasing “community library” and one suggestion to “add ILY to the end of the name.” Motszko discussed further considerations about naming the building and the timeline. Additional discussion points included the transition from the White Library name and discussion on how our current major donor is in favor of the name change to Whitewater Public Library. Consensus from the group is that the key words are “Whitewater” and “Young” and “Public.” Library staff will request architectural markups of some of the name combinations to bring to the July 2025 board meeting. Motszko thanks citizens for their comments. Library Board of Trustees Agenda June 16, 2025 Page 3 CONSIDERATIONS / DISCUSSIONS / REPORTS 11. Library Director's report Sarah French has been promoted to Assistant Director, could not attend the APL meeting because of movers, there was a Bridges system-wide decision to not continue Hoopla service past 2025, but more money will be put into the Advantage program (Overdrive/Libby). 12. Assistant Director's report Thanks to Clift for being an asset to the library. Almost $2,000 made on the auction. 13. Youth Educational Services report Grant for the AWE literacy station came through. 14. Programming & Makerspace report Website is about to go live. 15. Bridges Library System Staff reports Community Space in Whitewater invited Bridges librarians to come get free books. 16. Board reports FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None CONFIRMATION OF NEXT MEETING – Monday, July 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cravath Lakefront Conference Room 312 W. Whitewater Street. ADJOURNMENT – Harlan motions, Anderson seconds, motion passes. Meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m. Anyone requiring special arrangements is asked to call the Library (262-473-0530) at least 72 hours prior.