Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees

Meeting Minutes

September 20, 2004

Board Members Present: Mary Burchill, Ron Hurst, Jill Fincher, John Nalbandian, and Jeff Shmalberg

Board Members Not Present: Terry Leibold, Craig Penzler

Staff Present: Bruce Flanders, Charlee Glinka, Louise Hanson, Tricia Karlin, Joyce Steiner, and Sherri Turner

Guests Present: Mary Michener of the League of Women Voters, Dr. Hal Gardner and Randy Stout of Kan-ed, and Lindsey Hale, KU student

Jill called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.

There were no public comments.

The minutes of the August 16, 2004 Library Board meeting were reviewed. Jeff moved to approve the minutes. Ron seconded the motion, which carried by voice vote.

The August staff meeting minutes were reviewed. The Board commented favorably about the Library’s involvement in the Sesquicentennial parade and fair in South Park.

Librarian’s Report

Financial and Statistical Report: Bruce reviewed the financial and statistical report, as well as library usage statistics. He noted that the dry extraction carpet cleaner was purchased with funds from the Library’s Capital Improvement Fund. A request to be presented to the Library Foundation for their consideration in October will include funding for additional building maintenance equipment. Key Library usage statistics (circulation and user visits) were up for the month of August, and for the year to date.

Music CD Distribution: Bruce noted that the controversy regarding the Kansas Attorney General’s de-selection of some music CD’s for distribution to Kansas libraries has passed, and the Library received a considerable number of interesting CD’s for addition to the collection. Those that we not selected for the Library’s collections will be given to the Friends for their sale and for distribution to Kansas Guard members who have been deployed to Iraq.

Kan-ed Presentation: Dr. Hal Gardner, the Executive Director of Kan-ed, and Randy Stout of his staff, presented information regarding the history, governance and funding of Kan-ed, and its significance in extending Internet connectivity and content databases to Kansas libraries, schools and hospitals. Kan-ed was created by the Kansas Legislature, funded in January 2003 through $10 million in Kansas Universal Service surcharge revenue (administered by the Kansas Corporation Commission). Kan-ed is also exploring alternative funding options, should this surcharge not be re-authorized at some future date.

Kan-ed’s staff of nine persons operates as a unit of the Kansas Board of Regents to extend Internet access across the state, particularly attempting to remove inequities between Internet service pricing between urban and rural areas of the state. On August 24, 2004, the statewide broadband network’s core infrastructure was completed. An early priority was to connect schools throughout the state that utilize Distance Learning technologies. Of particular importance to Lawrence Public Library are the reference databases available through Kan-ed to libraries statewide. The cost in 2004 of an initial collection of reference databases was $978,000. Librarians will be completing a survey soon to assess the value of these databases in meeting patron information needs.

Fred Atchison, the Director of the Manhattan Public Library, Marianne Reed, KU Libraries, and Marc Galbraith, Acting State Librarian, serve on Kan-ed’s library user advisory council.

Videoconference applications are growing in popularity over the Kan-ed network, with over 100 webcasts having taken place in the last year.

Libraries such as Lawrence Public Library may apply for innovation grants. Up to $250,000 per year will be available through grants. John suggested that the Library consider developing a grant application to fund a project to support Library information resources for K-12 after school programs, connecting rural areas with resources available in urban areas.

Ongoing Business

New Direction Activities: Bruce presented a draft of the New Direction Task Force report. The document will be enhanced with drawings and pro/con lists relating to the five proposed sites for an expanded library in downtown Lawrence. John recommended that the report be revised to place the development of an expanded library facility within the context of the redevelopment of the entire area of downtown surrounding the library facility. Enhanced parking will be a key component, in that it will serve not only the Library, but also the surrounding area. A new “preamble” to the report could state that the Library Board, in discussion about the future of the Library, not only determined to create a destination library that is the best public library in the state, but also to re-energize every part of the area of downtown Lawrence in which the new library facility will reside.

New Business

Budget Resolution: Bruce presented a 2005 library budget enhancement resolution for Board consideration. Mary moved to approve the resolution. Jeff seconded the motion, which carried by voice vote.

Approval of Bills

Jeff moved to approve the bills in the amount of $77,695.43. Mary seconded the motion and it carried by voice vote.

The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Bruce Flanders

Approved _________________________________________________

Date

Secretary _________________________________________________

Jill Fincher

Chair _____________________________________________________

Craig Penzler

Director ___________________________________________________

Bruce Flanders

IF YOU REQUIRE ANY ACCOMMODATION (SUCH AS QUALIFIED INTERPRETER, HEARING ASSISTANCE, ETC.) IN ORDER TO ATTEND THIS MEETING, PLEASE NOTIFY THE LIBRARY AT 843-3833 NO LATER THAN 48 HOURS PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED COMMENCEMENT OF THE MEETING.

Agenda

Lawrence Public Library

Board of Trustees Regular Meeting

707 Vermont Street

Lawrence, Kansas

Monday, October 18, 2004

at 4:30 p.m. in the Library Board Room

Call to order

Public comments

Minutes of the September board meeting and staff meeting

Librarian’s report

1. Financial/statistical report

2. Library programs, events, exhibits and displays

3. Toni Harrell, Director, Kansas State Library, Talking Book Services

4. Annual Library Staff In-Service Day, October 28

5. Access Control and Print Management system, Oct. 19-20 install

6. Expanded access to reference databases

7. CKLS meeting

8. Friends sales tax issue

9. Kansas Library Association Legislative Committee

10. Downtown Parking Advisory Board

11. Schedule for review of 2004 Library Goals and 2005 Library Goals

12. LSTA Technology Grant application

13.

Ongoing business

1. New Directions report update

New business

1. Vaccinations for staff members

Discussion of bills

Adjournment

“The mission of the Lawrence Public Library is to provide and promote

informational, intellectual, and cultural resources for our community.”