International Falls Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
January 11th, 2022
Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Ashley Kostiuk, Paul Nevanen, Dick Peterson, William Frank, Heather Weaver, Mona Johnson
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Kostiuk.
The board welcomed William Frank. Introductions were made as needed.
Minutes – Johnson moved and Nevanen seconded to approve the December 2022 minutes. All approved.
Financial Report – Kostiuk moved and Nevanen seconded to approve January 2023 bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – Library circulation ended the year 4% above 2022. I will be working this month on tabulating program attendance and more, but am very glad that circulation was up for the year.
December program attendance was varied. The last storytime of the year attendance was 2, but I was aware that most of our storytime families were sick and Early Headstart had planned to come and the weather was very slick so only the instructor made it. Approximately 20 families attended story stations over the holidays. One family commented this morning that they were very glad to have something free and out of the house to attend over the holiday week.
We are gearing up for lots to happen at the library beginning this month. We are adding back the craft time, book discussion group and adding a Trivia Night. Storytime resumed January 5th, Libratory bags will begin again on January 10th. We’ll see if the community is ready to get involved again. We’ll do these activities through April and then evaluate. We discovered after we advertised the trivia night that Cantilever is also doing a trivia night on Wednesday evenings and the people who’d asked me about one are attending there.
Steps to the courtyard (east entrance) is usable again. Definitely still additional work to come in the spring. Board suggested getting a couple of benches to put where steps were for Internet users. Director will bring up with Street/Building director Ted Brokaw.
Old Business: Winter Reading with the schools has begun. Elementary students will keep track over the Christmas holidays – the end of February. Each student who reads at least 60 of 70 days will get a yeti cookie by Sweet Living Bake Shop. Junior high students will track days read from January 3 – March 3. The class with the highest percentage of daily readers will get a pizza party.
Policy Manual – I will be contacting both Betty and Ted with possible meeting dates to talk about the disaster plan. Will also talk about a shed or additional storage space for the Library of Things, as we really need to add tools (someone has offered to donate some) skis and bikes.
New Business: none
Next Friends of the Library book sale will be Tuesday, February 7th, 3 – 5 pm.
What are you reading? – Ashley has started back to school so is only reading Book 2 of the “Court of Thorns” series by Sarah Maas Court of Mist and Fury. Paul read City of Fire by Don Winslow and Sugar Street by Jonathan Dee. Dick is reading Days of Steel Rain by Brent E Jones and found Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus lots of fun, Mona is enjoying Oracle by Clive Cussler while Heather enjoys Practicing Thankfulness by Sam Crabtree and found The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot amazing. William is reading Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day while Diane recommended Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini and The World We Make by M.K. Jemisin (if you like urban fantasy/SF).
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 at 4:30 pm.
Meeting ended at 5:10pm.