Library Board of Trustees

The Woodstock Public Library Board of Trustees met on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Robert Laurie called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Robert Laurie (President), Christy Johanson (Vice President), Marybeth Urbin (Secretary), Mary Ann Lenzen, Sarah Parisi, Susan Gullotto, Al Fyfe, and Gabi Ordóñez OTHERS PRESENT: Paul Christensen (Deputy City Manager), Nick Weber (Library Director), Katie Bradley (Asst. Circulation Manager), Ally Griffin (Library Assistant II), and Tiara Thayer (Library Assistant II) ABSENT: Mary Sugden. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Discussion and Vote on approving the Regular Minutes from the February 13, 2025 meeting as presented. Marybeth Urbin moved to approve the minutes of the February 13, 2025 regular meeting as presented, Christy Johanson seconded, and the motion passed with unanimous ayes. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: None. COMMUNICATIONS: None. LIBRARY EXPENDITURES Discussion and Vote on the February 2025 Building Fund and Operating Fund Expenditures Susan Gullotto moved to approve the February 2025 combined Warrant of operating and building expenditures, as presented, Al Fyfe seconded, and the motion carried with unanimous ayes. LIBRARIAN’S REPORT Nick Weber presented the librarian’s report, a copy of which is attached. Highlights include: • The Library Lovers’ Expedition is on track to surpass last year’s total number of visitors. • Last weekend featured the second annual Local Authors Showcase, which attracted many patrons and included even more authors than last year. • Circulation was slightly down for physical checkouts but continues to increase for digital items. Nick anticipates that circulation in both formats will increase as people look for more frugal sources of entertainment and information. • The library’s budget is ready for the next fiscal year. 1  • Multiple illnesses have impacted the library staffing and desk coverage. • The Peep Show is quickly approaching. This year there are more explicit size restrictions for the diorama submissions. • The library will serve as a polling place for the local spring election. • Mini Links will be on Saturday, April 12th. NEW BUSINESS • Statement of Economic Interest Reminder o Nick reminded the board to complete this online form at their earliest convenience and to notify him if anyone needs assistance. • Discussion: City Proposal for Paid-Time Off for Part-Time Employees at WPL and the City o Nick provided a summary of the City’s proposed changes to the part-time staff’s PTO benefits. o Ally spoke as a representative for the library’s part-time staff and voiced their disappointment with the City’s decision. o Paul explained that allowing the library to provide fully prorated PTO to their PT staff would not be fair to the other city departments with PT staff because the other departments are not currently able to fund fully prorated PTO for their staff. o Robert asked if the nature of PT work differs among the departments. Paul clarified that the difference is variable—sometimes by the work done, sometimes by how the staff is scheduled, and sometimes, both. o Marybeth asked what is preventing the library from providing fully prorated PTO to their staff while the other departments move in phases. Paul reiterated that this would be a blow to morale at other departments. o Nick noted that moving as one unit with the City would be in everyone’s best interest. o Robert asked for the potential consequences if the Board overrides the City’s timeline and dispenses prorated PTO to library PT staff immediately. Nick reiterated that the trustees risk their reappointment by the mayor and city council. Additionally, there could be possible financial repercussions from the city. o Ally asked why the sick time would not be fully prorated. Paul explained that this is what PLAWA would have awarded and that the City cannot afford to offer prorated sick time to all PT staff. o Robert asked how this compares to other libraries, which Katie explained is standard for most libraries. o This change in benefit time will go into effect at the start of the fiscal year, May 1st. o Marybeth Urbin requested that the minutes reflect her disagreement with the City’s decision. o Mary Ann Lenzen also requested that the minutes reflect that the Board sympathizes with the library’s PT staff. • Update and Discussion on Director’s Annual Evaluation Procedure. o Nick informed the board that they should be receiving an email to conduct a preliminary performance review for Nick and highlight areas of growth for him. o Nick’s performance review will again be conducted in an executive session at the board’s April meeting. 2 UNFINISHED BUSINESS • Building Update o Parking Lot Update  The staff parking lot will be replaced later this calendar year.  The public lot should be replaced next year.  Al asked if the library could replace the public lot first, and then the staff lot. Nick explained that doing the staff lot first works better for the budget, and the staff lot is in worse condition than the public lot. o Landscaping/Bayton Space Update  Requests for proposals are being sent out early next week to local landscapers. Nick asked if the Board would like to come in for a special meeting at the end of April to discuss the received proposals. The Board agreed to attend a special meeting on Wednesday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m.  The library is pursuing several grants to assist with funding the Bayton Space and landscaping projects. o Pneumatic System  The library has received controls for the new system that regulates the building’s temperature. • Staffing Update o The reference librarian vacancy has been filled. o Unfortunately, the children’s librarian position remains vacant. This position has been posted and 14 applications have been received, with four strong candidates standing out already. • Friends of the Woodstock Library Update o Nick reiterated that Mini Links is quickly approaching. Paul expanded that City staff will be able to preview the course on the Friday before the event. Discussion ensued. o There should be a Culver’s fundraiser in May. o There will not be a spring plant sale due to Gayle’s passing. ADJOURNMENT Susan Gullotto moved that the meeting be adjourned at 8:24 p.m., Marybeth Urbin seconded, and the motion passed with unanimous ayes. Respectfully submitted, Tiara Thayer All meetings of the Library Board are open to the public. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they are fully accessible, and if any further accommodations are needed, please contact the Library Director 48 hours prior to the meeting. 3  Woodstock Public Library Administrative & Staff Reports – March 2025 DIRECTOR’S REPORT March is the penultimate month of each fiscal year, and staff focuses on closing out the purchases and fiscal year dependent projects. Simultaneously, the library also shifts more fully into preparing for the upcoming year, and in particular, Summer Reading. This March was slightly less busy than last, with a slightly lower attendance and checkout level. The library held more events and presentations in March than in past years, including our second annual Local Authors event. Staffing remains lower than it should be, but progress is being made to fill the current vacancies. Outreach and collaboration with other agencies remained a focal point for the staff, with multiple connections with D200, the Rec Center, the Opera House, and local businesses occurring. Progress was made on the pneumatic system replacement project, but the Landscaping project has hit some snags. March 31 was the end of the fourth annual Library Lovers Expedition, with more people participating county-wide, although participation at Woodstock was down slightly. We also held our second annual Local Authors Showcase, featuring fifteen local authors, and it was again a huge success. Other programs included Rescue Readers at the Hooved Animal Humane Society, the AARP Senior Tax Preparation Service, and a presentation on Women Spies in World War II. Leticia Goluba, our new reference librarian, started on April 7 and her familiarity with PrairieCat and other library processes is making her transition from Harvard to Woodstock relatively smooth. The search for our new Children’s Librarian is underway, with staff interviewing six candidates via Zoom, with the goal of then selecting two or three finalists for in-person interviews. Unfortunately, our staff will be taking another blow in May, when Sarah Jane Campbell leaves the library due to a move to Wisconsin. Fortunately, her hours in Youth Services will be taken on by Tiara Thayer when she departs, and we will start the process to replace her existing part-time role soon. Things have stalled with the landscaping project, with the RFP on hold while some particulars are being ironed out. The library’s old pneumatic control system project is nearly complete, with the actual control system in place, and, so far, working according to specs. The library and the city’s IT department are coordinating on a project for FY25/26 that will upgrade and expand the library’s Wi-Fi access points. This will ensure our Wi-Fi is up-to-date on the latest technology, and that we have strong coverage throughout the building and into the parking lot. The library’s staff parking lot has been included in the city’s overall pavement plan for FY25/26, with the public parking lot due to be addressed in FY26/27. CIRCULATION & BUILDING USE March 2025 Circulation was down slightly in March compared to 2024, with both digital downloads and physical check-outs declining by a small amount. In-person use of the building was down by 4% compared to last year. 12,296 people came to the library in March, compared to 12,772 in 2024. FINANCIALS Spending out of the new fiscal budget is nearly complete, and things are tracking toward a small surplus, mostly due to savings from staff vacancies, and also from larger donations than budgeted. The new budget is mostly complete and includes raises for all staff, ranging from 3-4.5%, with most of the other budget lines holding steady, or getting small increases. MEETING/ORGANIZATION SUMMARIES City Meetings/City News The City Council meetings in March and early April were primarily focused on the forthcoming budget. The April 1st meeting did feature the library, with an annual proclamation in honor of National Library Week, and celebrating the Woodstock Public Library. Board members from both the city and rural districts were present. CIRCULATION SERVICES March saw the continuation of Library Lover’s Expedition and AARP tax preparation bringing additional visitors through our doors, but as part of the Library’s yearlong themed programming partnership with the Opera House, Katie Bradley and Carrie Zamorano helped bring visitors to other doors as well. For Lights, Camera, Woodstock, they offered a Sunday afternoon behind-the-scenes tour of the Opera House showcasing the ongoing renovations. Circulation Library Assistant Alexandra Everhart took pictures of participants standing in the spotlight on the stage. Again this month, Circulation staff stepped in to help cover unfilled vacancies. Katie hosted story times for House of Children and Crystal Lake Montessori. Sarah Jane Campbell (Circulation/Youth Services) and Martha Hansen brought library swag and information, and signed people up for library cards at Family Literacy Night at Dean Street Elementary School. Katie and Martha spent a morning at MCC recruiting future librarians at the Eighth Grade Career Fair. Shawn Wickersheim facilitated a visit from the University of Illinois Extension Office showcasing native mammals; Carrie led the Adult Craft Program which featured a bunny made from large wooden beads, and Mary Ann Del Santo helped with craft kits for a variety of events and programs. As part of their regular duties, Sarah Jane and Katie hosted an Abbott Elementary Trivia program. In celebration of Women’s History Month, Carrie and Katie presented “Women in the Arts,” a program highlighting women who made significant contributions to various humanities and arts. Katie and Carrie also hosted the second annual Local Author Showcase featuring 17 authors and more than 120 visitors. In addition to being able to meet notable local authors, patrons received donated swag including tote bags from Advia Credit Union, bookmarks from Illinois Reading Council, and books donated by Sourcebooks, Fantagraphics, Disney Publishing, and Simon & Schuster publishers. Nature photography by Cory Cosman was featured in the gallery. While March featured many special programs and activities, Circulation staff continued to meet their main focus of offering excellent customer service. At our First Friday Circulation Department meeting, we focused on the idea that “Every Time is the First Time,” highlighting that even though we often answer the same questions multiple times a day, for the patron who asked, it is the first time. We are using this phrase to remind us to give authentic customer service with every interaction. YOUTH SERVICES The end of March finished our fourth year of the McHenry County Library Lovers Expedition. Our visitors made different “quilt” squares which we added to the front of the children’s desk. We almost covered the entire desk since we had over 3100 people participate county wide again this year. One of the committee members is working on the final stats now, so we should have the winners announced later this week. Kate has a debriefing meeting with the rest of the committee on Friday. Janet Moritz, who does our Spanish storytime, graciously offered to do another storytime in English since we are currently without a children’s librarian. She’s had a pretty steady group coming each week. Sarah Jane and Kate have been shifting the books on the “J” side of the children’s department. They moved the homeschooling collection, so that it is right at the end of the non-fiction section. This gives much needed room for the Homeschooling collection to grow as well as giving some areas in the chapter books a little breathing room. Kate would like to start working on weeding the Spanish picture books next to make room for new materials there as well. We were able to partner with the Rec Center for their Taylor Swift party on March 21. The youth services department donated materials to make beaded friendship bracelets. It’s been a really great experience collaborating with other city departments. The youth services team will also be working with the outreach committee to see if it’s possible to have a “special appearance” during the Rec Center’s Playground Program this summer. We were planning on doing a weekly visit, but we don’t have the staff for that to happen, unfortunately. ADULT SERVICES Technology Assistance Appointments • 1-on-1 Appointments Requested: 8 • Resolutions: 6 • Cancellations: 2 • Most Common Consultation Subject: Phone Adult Programming • Total # of Adult Programs: 18 o 15- in-person o 3- virtual • Total Programming Attendance: 314 o 6% year-over-year increase from March of 2024 • Top-Performing Programs by Attendance: o Local Author Showcase- 120 o Madam President- 36 o Women Spies in WW2- 24 Passives • My "Women's History Month" book display had 4 checkouts. Next month's theme is conservation-themed in observance of Earth Day. • The library hosted a tabling event from the National Association for Mental Illness this month. • The first quarter of The Giant Puzzle Challenge is officially complete. CALENDAR (https://woodstock.librarycalendar.com/) Upcoming Events & Dates of Import: • April – May 2: D200 Spring Art Show • Mondays, 5:30 – 6:00 p.m.: Cuentos en Espanol/Spanish-Language Storytime • Sunday, April 6 – Saturday, April 12: FoWL Mini-links Raffle • Saturday, April 12, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Mini-links! • Saturday, April 12, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.: Rescue Readers at HAHS • Tuesday, April 15, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.: YA Picky Pads • Saturday, April 26, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.: Chicken Party! • Friday, May 2, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Library Closed for First Friday • Sunday, May 4, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Family Star Wars Party • Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Abraham Lincoln and the Common Soldier