River Forest Public Library Board discusses website debut

By LocalLabs News Service

Jul 6, 2016

At a recent meeting, the River Forest Public Library Board discussed the debut of the library's new website.

The River Forest Public Library Board of Trustees adopts policies to govern library programs and operations.

Below are the minutes from this meeting, as provided by the board.

Meeting Minutes: Regular Board Meeting: May 18, 2016

Call to Order: At 8:02 pm President Smedinghoff called the regular meeting of the River Forest Public Library Board of Trustees to order. The roll was taken:

• Trustees Present: Bevan, Crowell, Hill, O’Connor, and Zobel.

• Excused: Calabrese Berry

• Also Present: Sue Quinn (Director), Joanna Bertucci (Materials & Business Services Manager)

Visitors and Guests:

? Mrs. Patt Chase

Minutes

April 18, 2016 – Regular Board Meeting

Trustee Zobel moved to accept the minutes of the April 18, 2016 regular board meeting. Trustee Hill seconded the motion and a vote was taken.

Ayes: Bevan, Crowell, Hill, O’Connor, and Zobel

Abstain: Smedinghoff

Excused: Calabrese-Berry

April Treasurer’s Report

• Warrant List: Trustee Crowell moved to accept the April warrant list. Trustee O’Connor seconded. There was a discussion regarding the HOOPLA payment. Director Quinn advised that payment is a deposit as RFPL pays a fee per use by patrons. This is the basis for the limit of eight checkouts per patron per month.

- A roll call was taken and the motion carried.

• Ayes: Bevan, Crowell, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff, and Zobel

• Excused: Calabrese-Berry

• Revenue Report: Trustees commented on property tax revenues and IL per capita grant.

• Expense Report: No questions

• Balance Sheet: No questions

Communications

• Patron Suggestions were reviewed and discussed.

Director’s Report

• Organizational Structure/Training and Staff Development

- Margaret Banerji submitted her resignation as Virtual Services Manager.

- Staff In Service Day took place on Friday, April 29th. Insights Discovery facilitated a program that was very well received by Staff.

• Marketing and Public Relations

- Director Quinn spoke with reporters about her new position as Director.

- Director Quinn attended the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society Open House on April 21st.

• Technology

- Staff computers were ordered in late April.

- The new RFPL website went live Thursday, May 12th.

• External Partnerships

- Director Quinn and Mary Kay Akers Stiff, Adult Services Manager, met with Carla Sloan of the River Forest Township and John Williams and Melissa Potrawski of the Youth Interventionist Program on April 22nd. They discussed, among other things, possible outdoor activities for students after school that would be supervised by either the Park District or the Township.

• Policies

- Director Quinn and Amy Grossman, Children’s Services Manager, met with the Policy Committee to review existing Staff policies.

• Finance

- On April 19 the State of Illinois announced that they had overpaid Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax revenues to hundreds of Illinois taxing districts for 2014 and 2015. RFPL’s share of the overpayment was about $1700.00

- The Illinois State Library approved RFPL FY 2016 Illinois Public Library Per Capita Grant in the amount of $8,611.94. The FY 2015 Per Capita Grant in the amount of $13,965 remains unpaid by the State of Illinois.

- The River Forest Township voted in April to continue to fund a portion of RFPL’s computer labs and co-sponsor targeted senior programming in 2016-2017.

- Director Quinn attended the public hearing at Village Hall on April 28th regarding the proposed Madison Street TIF District.

• Fundraising

- Two memorial plaques for the garden seat wall have been purchased.

- The Foundation book bags have arrived and are being sold, on behalf of the Foundation, at the Circulation desk for $25.00.

• Building and Furniture

- Meeting room carpet squares were installed on 4/26.

- Carpet for the Materials Services Department and Director’s Office was ordered in April. The total cost for the project is $4,360.00.

- Fire alarm panel, new smoke detectors, and new AV strobe alerts were installed and inspected in April 2016.

• Reporting

- The Illinois Department of Labor 2015 Prevailing Wage Survey was completed on April 28, 2016.

Library Snapshot

• Key Performance Indicators

- Joanna Bertucci, Materials and Business Services Manager, reported on RFPL’s statistical report. FY 2015-2016 ended on a high note with the completion of phase I of the Strategic Plan. RFPL saw an 11% increase in circulation from last year and growth in all areas of the collection and programming. The Management Team will be meeting in the coming weeks to draft new objectives and measures for Phase II of RFPL’s strategic plan.

New Business

• Committee Reports

- Facility Committee:

• Discuss Engberg Anderson proposal for capital reserves plan update.

- Trustees discussed the proposal, but did not approve the contract. The Facility Committee will re-evaluate the work that has been completed on the building since the first study was completed in 2010. Director Quinn will investigate other firms/architectural engineers to get additional information. Director Quinn may also discuss with Engberg Anderson how to create a more useable document if a contract is pursued.

• Approve Purchase of Library Book Drop

- Trustee O’Connor shared the plans for the installation of the Book Drop as part of the Roosevelt School Campus project. The Bookdrop will be ordered the first week of June and installed by District 90. Trustee Zobel moved to approve the purchase of the Library Book Drop for $6,600.00. Trustee Crowell seconded and a roll call vote was taken.

- Ayes: Bevan, Crowell, Hill, O’Connor, Smedinghoff, and Zobel

- Excused: Calabrese-Berry

- Finance and Development Committee: No report.

- Policy Committee

• Approve minor change to Trustee By-Laws

- Trustee Hill made a motion to approve the Trustee By-Laws, Trustee Crowell seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

• Prevailing Wage Resolution

- Trustee Zobel made a motion to approve the Prevailing Wage Resolution, Trustee O’Connor seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

- Collaboration Task Force

Other New Business

- Website Review

• Trustees discussed the new RFPL website.