International Falls Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
June 14th, 2023
Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Mona Johnson, Paul Nevanen, William Frank, Heather Weaver and Mary Jo Winkel
Meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Nevanen.
Minutes – Johnson moved and Weaver seconded to approve the May 2023 minutes. All approved.
Financial Report – Winkel moved and Frank seconded to approve June 2023 bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – May circulation was significantly lower than April, but that is normal. But, it was above May 2022 circulation, leaving us down 2% for the year to date. Classes were visited, programs planned, copier/printer replaced and lots of behind the scenes preparations for summer. The first week of summer reading has gone well. There were 22 at Libratory, and 37 at storytime. This needed to get into the mail before the first Big Play.
I will be presenting to the Koochiching County Aging services group at the end of June about library services to the aging. They wanted me to present in May, but I was in the midst of class visits so we scheduled for June. Douglas Skrief also nominated the library for an Aging Impact Award, we’ll hear by June 15th if we will be receiving this award.
Sherri Stensland, the city personnel director, sent me information last month about a change to the state’s mandated reporting law. She thought that if we offered youth programs we’d all need to go through training. I hadn’t heard anything from the library world about this, so reached out to the Arrowhead Library System and asked them. They too hadn’t heard anything so they reached out to the state library. The state library has let us know that libraries continue to fall into gray areas when it comes to mandated reporting, but that the basic training was good to know when anyone should report if they witness or have a child say they are being abused. So all but one staff member has completed Mandated Reporting training (and she is on vacation until later this month).
Old Business: Summer Reading has begun. Similar program attendance to last year. We have registered more for summer reading prizes than last summer.
Building Updates – no progress on steps or doors. Scott & Cynthia Adams would like to donate for a library bench once we reach that point. Regarding the shed, finally heard from Kelly Meyers, shed needs to be 4’ from walls, will work on getting it going, can’t use Industrial Arts class at HS, not offered til spring. I am working with Betty, Ted and Mike to get signs to place at the entrance to the parking lot that parking is for library use only.
Juneteenth – Frank moved and Johnson seconded to approve the library being closed on June 19th each year in observance of Juneteenth. All approved.
Disaster plan – We had an uncomfortable situation in May with a patron hitting on a staff member while obviously high. We added to the disaster plan section on ‘unruly patrons’ two safe phrases that staff could say to the staff at other service desks to get help. One phrase would bring the staff member to the other desk and the second phrase would have them call 911.
New Business: Mandated Reporting – All staff have undergone mandated reporter training even though it isn’t required. We decided it was beneficial training.
Donations: Weaver moved and Frank seconded to accept the $30 donation from Patricia Rice in memory of Terry Sontorivich and the $150 donation from Susan Congrave in memory of Amanda Crosby. All approved.
Next Friends of the Library book sale will be Friday, July 7th from 11am – 1pm.
What are you reading? – Paul is reading Passages by Cormac McCarthy (who died recently), Will is tackling Lord of the Rings again, MaryJo read It Goes So Fast by Mary Louise Kelly, a nice summer read, Diane is reading Nightbirds by Kate Armstrong, Heather is enjoying Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie, Mona just picked up The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Dick emailed that he recommends The Traders by Charles Frazier.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 12th, 4:30 pm
Meeting adjourned at 4:57 pm.