ARNOLDS PARK LIBRARY BOARD
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014
5:00 P.M.
The Arnolds Park Library Board met Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. in the Arnolds Park Library.
Members present were Mitch Brown, Joyce Burgeson, Robb Keizer, Barb Woodley, and Librarian Kara Rice. Absent was Diana Jensen.
The minutes of June 11, 2014 were read. Burgeson approved the minutes as corrected and Keizer seconded. All aye.
Report on summer reading program: A total of 93 kids signed up. The last program ended the last week of June. Rice is thinking next year of asking for donations from some local businesses to supplement the summer program. The total cost runs $500 – $600. She saw a huge change in easy readers check-out. It has been a busy summer so far. As of July 1st, the library checked out over 700 items.
Discussion of DVD’s: Rice explained that frequently DVD’s are being returned with no DVD in the box. The procedure is being changed so that at check in time, the staff will look to make sure no DVD’s are missing. If so, the last person to check it out will get a phone call.
Discussion of overdue items and late fees: Current library policy is if the item is not returned after 2 months or more, and the staff has made reasonable attempts to contact the patron, the patron is then liable for payment of the missing item. Rice suggested the library set a time of 3 weeks overdue to trigger notification . If no response from the patron, the library sends a certified letter with a deadline. If no response, the patron receives a bill for the overdue items. After discussion, the board agreed. Rice will present an example of the certified letter next month.
Shared programming with local libraries: Rice explained two shared programs coming up on Weather Preparedness. Monday, July 14th at 3:00 p.m. at the Spirit Lake Library is a program for kids presented by Saxby the Squirrel. Tuesday, July 15th at 2:00 p.m. is a program for adults presented by Eddie Weiss called “What’s Going On With the Weather?”
Publication of Library Minutes: Rice checked with local libraries and none of them publish their minutes in the local newspaper. They just post them on their library website as Arnolds Park is doing. The board members agreed to follow the procedure in place.
Ragbrai: Rice said there was a suggestion that the library be open on Sunday July 20th so that Ragbrai participants could use the Wi-Fi and bathrooms. After discussion the board said that people can pick up Wi-Fi from outside the library and there are enough other resources for bathrooms. It shouldn’t be necessary to have the library staffed that day.
Bills for July 2014 were presented in the amount of $4,083.87. Rice reviewed the bills. Two kids magazine racks have been installed and 2 magazines ordered. The bill of $280 for Friends of the Spirit Lake Library consists of $200 for the 2014 cost of archiving of newspapers, and $80 to cover cost of the two Storm Chaser programs. Rice thought the phone bill seemed to high for one phone line and a fax line. She did some research and found the library has been paying for a second line that was cancelled several months ago. The library should be getting a refund.
Keizer moved to pay the bills as presented. Burgeson seconded. All aye.
Rice said that Bonnie McKewon, Regional Librarian, had brought her an orientation package. She will need to take two years of training. She will need to go once to Des Moines, but most of the training is available on line.
Burgeson mentioned that Hill Avenue Books in Spirit Lake has sold, but will remain a book store. In checking, she found that Arnolds Park is the only library that purchases books from them.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.
Barbara Woodley
Secretary