Present: Library Director Diane Adams, Ted Saxton, Lindsi Barnhart, MaryJo Winkel, Dick Peterson, Paul Nevanen
Peterson called the meeting to order: 4:30 p.m.
Review of July meeting minutes. Saxton made a motion to approve the minutes, Winkel seconded, motion approved.
Financial Report: The current bills and financial report were reviewed. Nevanen made a motion to pay the bills, Winkel seconded, motion carried. Winkel signed to pay the bills.
Director’s Report: July circulation was better than June’s and only slightly down from July 2018 which means we are currently down 3% year to date in circulation. Program attendance has been fair for storytime, Big Play and outside performers. Teens and adults haven’t participated in the creative programs planned for them. I will present the proposed 2020 budget to Ken Anderson, city administrator, Friday morning, August 9th. It is basically as presented at the July meeting, although I did tweak a few numbers. I have begun ordering items for the start of our Library of Things.
I am still having a difficult time finding anyone willing to hang the sound panels in the recording studio. I have Darcy, Dwayne and Paul coming Friday afternoon at 3 to hang the panels. The door jam has been placed and as soon as I can get the Internet box/wire fixed we will be good to go. So hopefully soon, we will have a recording studio up and running. I am proposing moving the ‘grand opening’ to October as we have lots of outside programming in September and that will give us a bit of time to make sure everything is working.
Old Business: Anna Meyer Bequest – We have money available to purchase a large scanner to begin working on digitizing the newspaper collection. However, I think we should consider using the rest of the Anna Myer donation to purchase the scanner and use city money to pay for the staffing needed to scan all those newspapers.
Digitization Project – no progress (see above)
KTI – Koochiching Technology Initiative – received both grants, will deal with beginning in July
2020 budget proposal – see attached
Donations – in memory of Einarsons – $20 from Steve & Liz Johnson, $20 from Gary & Colleen Lucachick, $25 from Paul & Denise Nevanen. Motion by Saxton, second by Barnhart to accept donations, motion approved.
New Business: I have been asked to consider serving a two year term as a Minnesota Library Association officer with a time commitment of 8 – 12 hours a month. My feeling was that if I had that much extra time each month I should use it for the International Falls community not the state library community. Board agreed, I will decline offer.
What are you reading? Dick is reading When the Bough Breaks Jonathan Kellerman’s first published novel, Paul is reading Philip Kerr’s Metropolis, Ted is learning how to Make a good brain great by Daniel Amen. Mary Jo finished Those People by Louise Candlish and Lindsi and family are on The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis and Diane is enjoying The Girl who sailed the stars by Matilda Woods.
Friends of Library book sale: August 23, noon – 4 pm
Next board meeting: Wednesday, September 11, 2019, 4:30 p.m.
Adjourned: 5:15 pm