Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees met May 14.
Here is the minutes provided by the Board:
The regular meeting of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Directors was held May 14, 2018 in the library’s conference room. Present were President Mary Fergurson, Forrest Keaton, Elizabeth Kennedy, Ted Roth, Kevin Eckhoff, and Library Director Chris Ashmore. Absent were Noel Beard, Craig Albers, Robert Underbrink and Katie Weeks.
President Fergurson called the meeting to order at 4:28 pm.
It was moved by Keaton and seconded by Eckhoff that the minutes of the April board meeting be accepted as submitted. Motion carried.
It was moved by Eckhoff and seconded by Kennedy that all financial reports for May be approved and that all properly approved bills for May in the amount of $50,211.76 be paid out of general funds as funds are available. Motion carried.
Fergurson reported the balance from the latest Endowment Report.
Director’s Report-
April was a very busy month at the Jacksonville Public Library, featuring a variety of interesting programs. The library hosted a program on medical cannabis, a program from the Phoenix Center (an LGBTQ support group in Springfield), a presentation on solar and other renewable energy applications, and an adult craft activity. I also worked with Greg Olson on a program about downtown Jacksonville that we presented to the Prairie Land Heritage Museum membership. All of these programs were in addition to our regular adult programming, including weekly English Conversation Group, Poetry Group and Book Club.
I also spent quite a bit of time in April planning future library programs and partnerships. Hillary and I met with Dr. Emily Adams from Illinois College to discuss plans for the Colson Whitehead visit in September. While Illinois College encourages its students and faculty to read The Underground Railroad, we will encourage the entire community to read the book. Efforts to do this will include a series of drawings to give away copies of the book, a discount on the book at Our Town Books for people who mention the Whitehead visit, and a series of facilitated conversations on both The Underground Railroad and the broader topic of slavery in America.
Hillary and I also met with Judy Tighe, Executive Director of Jacksonville Main Street, to discuss some partnership possibilities with that organization. The meeting was productive and several ideas were discussed, including a series of programs for small business owners and entrepreneurs and a program for maintaining historical homes.
In addition, Hillary and I met with Dr. Joe Squillace, Director of the MacMurray College Social Work Program, to discuss the availability of grants that might fund a permanent part-time social work position at the library. We will continue to receive MacMurray social work interns each semester while we explore the possibility of adding something more permanent.
On April 4, Fire Marshal Gary Hickok performed the library’s annual inspection, which was passed without problems. On April 19, I appeared with Gary Scott on WLDS to highlight upcoming library programs and new services, including Kanopy, a new movie streaming service. Also on April 19, I met with the Friends of the Library board. This was a productive meeting in which recruiting new members and fundraising options were discussed.
The last Music Under the Dome concert of this season was held on April 15. Up and coming folk/roots trio The Deep Hollow performed for a crowd of about seventy. The concert was very well received by all in attendance and I hope to have them back to the library in the future.
Meek and Co. installed a new Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi system that provides an even stronger Wi-Fi connection throughout the entire building. The new system is easy to use and staff members can download the app to their phones if they wish. Other tasks keeping me busy in April included Facebook and web site maintenance, collection development and maintaining the day-to-day operations of the library.
Adult Services-
April was a busy month, with Hillary working to get the library’s new video streaming service, Kanopy, accessible to patrons as well as promote the new service. She was interviewed by the Jacksonville Journal Courier and she created promotional and instructional materials for in-house use. Hillary also revamped the Online Resources page of the library’s website to make it more intuitive and user friendly for patrons.
Earlier in the year, Hillary wrote two grants to benefit Books on Wheels, the library’s summer bookmobile for children. She found out this month that she received both. These, in addition to the generous sponsorship of local business Serious Lip Balm, will ensure that the bookmobile will be able to revamp its collection, expand its services and provide sustainability for the future. Serious Lip Balm has a large online and social media presence that they have used to promote the library generally and the Books on Wheels program specifically. They have pledged 10% of their May sales to the bookmobile program.
Hillary continued to weed fiction in order to accommodate incoming new books as well as worked on upcoming adult programming for June. She answered reference and genealogy questions in addition to assisting patrons with general requests and technology questions.
Interlibrary Loan/Holds-
In April, there were 975 items borrowed from other libraries; 863 items lent to other libraries; and 410 reciprocal circulations.
Circulation Services-
Circulation staff continued to provide excellent customer service to every patron that entered the library. Sarah finished deleting all of the user IDs in the system that had been expired for over two years and generated two reports for Hillary. She continued to write entries for the blog as time permitted, mostly highlighting new books that have been added to the collection—electronic and otherwise. Circulation staff also withdrew items that had been missing from the shelves for some time.
Sarah spent a lot of time in April getting ready for the Adult Summer Reading Program, including sending out requests for sponsorship to local businesses, as well as meeting with potential sponsors. By the end of the month, a number of generous businesses had already responded and library money will not need to be spent to purchase prizes or other items for the program. She also began to purchase small prizes that each participant will receive. Sarah also revised the user guide that the library gives to patrons who sign up for a new library card. She spent much of her time resolving patron issues that arise on a day-to-day basis and trained staff in how to use remote circulation on the library’s laptop whenever an outreach event happens.
Sarah installed the new Orbi app on her phone and was trained in how to use it so that she can troubleshoot and change the wireless password as needed. Sarah was trained in how to use new camera software that was installed on her PC, which makes it much easier to review video and save it if needed. Finally, Sarah prepared for the computer classes that she will teach in May.
Extension Services-
Homebound patrons enjoyed reading lots of new releases in April, as some particularly exciting romance/mystery series came to a close. Diane kept busy moving books onto the "new" shelves and trying to make room on the large print shelves for more books.
Diane attended the Morgan County Professionals for Senior Wellness meeting at Heritage Health on April 5 and took part in Epilepsy Awareness training at the Morgan Scott Greene Interagency Group meeting at Passavant Hospital on April 12.
The Knollwood Book Club met on April 13 to discuss "Easter/April Fool's Day Customs" while the Jacksonville Area Senior Center Book Club chose "The San Francisco Earthquake" for their April 24 topic.
Youth Services-
April was a nice, calm month in Youth Services before the insanitary of Summer Reading begins. Cindy held her regular Story Time, Lap Sit, Lego Club and S.T.E.A.M. programs. She also added a Tuesday evening session of Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, because the other three sessions were filling up so quickly and she wanted to offer an alternative time. Friday afternoons work well for families, but an evening session adds more flexibility to the schedule.
Cindy spoke with Delta Kappa Gamma, a teachers’ honor society, about what is new in Youth Services and resources that teachers might find useful. Cindy also went to the Prevention Initiative hosted by the Early Years Program. This was an opportunity to showcase library services to members of the community, similar to Diaper Bags to Backpacks.
Technical Services-
Lauren continued to excel in her role as cataloger. With Linda’s cataloging assistance and Heidi’s and Kim’s efficient processing of materials, things ran very smoothly in Technical Services.
Committee Reports:
Automation/Technology-
None
Building and Grounds-
None
Finance-
None
Personnel-
None
Public Relations-
None
Friends Of The Library:
Ashmore reported on the April Friends of the Library Board Meeting. The Friends are planning for a May 19 book sale; working on a membership drive; and discussing various fundraising ideas.
Rails/RSA:
Ashmore reported on an upgrade performed on the library’s on-line catalog and circulation software. The changes were minor.
Old Business:
None
New Business:
Ashmore presented a Photography, Video Recording and Audio Recording Policy for the board’s discussion and approval. Concerns were expressed at the limits placed on photography and recording, including those limits placed on the press. Ashmore will research this topic further and possibly bring the policy back for discussion at a later date.
Ashmore reminded the board that there would be a special board meeting on Tuesday June 5, the purpose of which is to meet with library consultant Sarah Keister Armstrong to discuss what services she could provide the library for a long-range planning process.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:18 pm. on a motion by Eckhoff, seconded by Keaton.
https://www.jaxpl.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Minutes%20of%20May%20Board%20Meeting(2).pdf
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