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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFebruary 4, 2015 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY Approved BOARD OF TRUSTEES February 6, MINUTES 2015 February 4, 2015 The meeting was called to order by Chair Patricia Sowada at 6:30 p.m. Members present were: Nancy Hoium, Steve Smith, Patricia Sowada, Barbara Tantanella and Catherine Vesley. Also present: Council Representative Gary Peterson, Library Director Renee Dougherty, and Recording Secretary Renee J. Rewitzer. The minutes of the January 7, 2015, Board meeting were approved as mailed. The bill list dated 1/7/2015 of 2014 bills was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The bill list dated 1/14/2015 of 2014 bills was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The bill list dated 1/28/2015 of 2014 bills was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The bill list dated 1/28/2015 of 2015 bills was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The February 4, 2015 accounting sheet of 2014 Budget was reviewed. The February 4, 2015 accounting sheet of 2015 Budget was reviewed. Smith noted that 3210 line description, Telephone & Telegraph, was updated; the word “telegraph” was removed. Smith asked for an explanation of line 4050; Garage, Labor Burden. Dougherty explained if any equipment owned by the library needs maintenance Public Works will bill for that. Sowada noted that line item 3320; Out of Town Travel had no allocation; Dougherty explained that she doesn’t anticipate using any funds because the Minnesota Library Association Conference will be held in St. Paul, which is considered local travel. Old Business: 1.The City received and reviewed four Proposals for architectural design of a new library last week. All members of the Library Design Task Force were asked to participate in ranking the proposals and sit in on the interviews. The Library and Public Works directors along with the City Manager participated in ranking the proposals and the interviews. All four firms were invited to interview. The firms were ranked based on the following rubric: 40% for quality of proposal, 40% project fee and 20% interview score. Hammel, Green and Abrahamson (HGA) were awarded the contract for architectural and design services At a base cost $489,000; they were also awarded contracts for bid alternate package 1 for IT/Technology $12,000 and Fixtures, Furniture and Equipment (FF&E) $35,655. The Council acted to authorize the contracts on January 26 and the contract negotiation is currently in process. 2.There was a kickoff meeting with HGA on February 4. There will be weekly meetings during the schematic design planning; potential designs will be presented to the public by mid-March. 1- 2/4/15 New Business: 1.Youth Read Down had 34 participants who spent 34.25 hours reading in the library and $136.90 in overdue fines was waived. 2.Winter Jackets/Bookwarms Update a.Winter Jackets - there have been four weekly drawing winners. There are three author events planned: John Cox America in WWI on Wednesday, February 11, Colin Mustful on Wednesday, January 28, and Sharon Stitelor, “ The Birdchick”, on Wednesday, March 11. b.Bookwarms – 129 children and 24 teens have registered. A bingo game format that promotes literacy and library use is being used. Participants can select a small prize for a bingo or a book if all the squares are filled. 3. Staffing update a.Winnie Coyne began as Clerk on 1/26 – she is currently in training and doing very well. b.The Library Page job was posted 1/2-1/23. Sixteen applications were received; nine were selected for interviews and one declined. Eight applicants will be interviewed on 2/5 and 2/6. Dougherty hopes to appoint 2 or 3 based on the results of the interviews. 4.A Star Tribune Article on Senior Surf was distributed to the Board. The class teaches students the basic use of a computer and how to navigate the internet. Classes are typically full. Items from the Floor: 1.Dougherty shared with members interest in conversation circles for adults learning to speak English. Participants speak Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Somali and Spanish. Conversation Circle meets twice a week. Dougherty notified members of the increased interest in Buddy Up and Read. Vesley asked if volunteers were needed and what is the time commitment; Dougherty affirmed that volunteers are needed and the time commitment is approximately one hour/week. Tantanella asked what the age range of Buddy Up and Read participants is; Dougherty replied 18-80. 2.Dougherty handed out the policy regarding the distribution of brochures, newspapers, newsletters and other handouts. There has been a request to add the Anoka County Record to the list of free publications distributed at the library. The Board is taking it under consideration and tabled action until the next meeting. 3.Dougherty handed out a copy of an editorial by Kit Hadley (Director of the Saint Paul Public Library System) on E-Government and the lack of data on participation rates. The Board discussed the increasing migration of government services to the internet and the lack of support and service to those without online access. 4. Dougherty promoted an upcoming library event on February 25 on medical decision- making. Honoring Choices Minnesota will be held at 6:30 p.m. 5.Vesley informed the board that Anoka County Historical Society is losing their director, th Todd Mahon, to MN Historical Society. A reception was held on February 6. Vicki Wendell will be acting executive director until a replacement is found. 6.Peterson promoted the Polar Plunge benefit for SACA on February 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 at Silver Lake Beach. 2- 2/4/15 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Renee J. Rewitzer Recording Secretary, Library Board of Trustees The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Columbia Heights services, programs, and activities. Attachments: Star Tribune Senior Surf article, Star Tribune E-government article, Policy on Distribution of brochures, free newspapers, newsletters and other handouts policy 3- 2/4/15 J'! StarTribune E- government must remain fair Article by: KIT HADLEY January 29, 2015 - 7:08 PM In a message earlier this month, the IRS announced that, for the first time, it would not be making available through public libraries paper copies of instructional booklets for the most common IRS forms. This material, which is in extremely high demand at public libraries, must now be downloaded from the Internet or requested by mail. Who is most affected by this change? No one knows, but we should. iStockphoto.com, E- government is quickly becoming the norm for all of the different ways that people interact with government: accessing information, applying for benefits, making and receiving payments, transacting business, and participating in policy debates. For many positive reasons, the IRS and all government agencies are moving to digital -only delivery of public information and services. However, the speed of the transition to e- government -only is in sharp contrast to the lack of information on its impact. We need information on all of the different capabilities that add up to adequate access. Computers at home and the availability of broadband to the residence are only part of the picture. Effective access includes considerations of availability, affordability, adoption and literacy. For example, most people who visit public libraries to use technology have Internet access at home, work or elsewhere. They use public library technology for other reasons: more users than computers at home; insufficient bandwidth; convenience; privacy, and the need for skilled help. We need to understand what type of technology and literacy are required for e- government. Data show that cellphone and tablet use are increasingly widespread, but you cannot fill out the FAFSA form (financial aid for college), apply for unemployment insurance, or do tasks requiring complicated forms or large amounts of data on a mobile phone or tablet. The growing use of mobile apps does not yet address this issue. On the IRS mobile app you cannot a -file your taxes, but you can locate the nearest in- person free tax help. We must understand who is affected as we move to greater reliance on e- government. Are we creating inequality in access to public information and services? Do availability, affordability, adoption and literacy differ depending on age, race, language, income and education level? Minneapolis's Community Technology Survey: Overcoming the Digital Equity Gap concludes: "Overall, the data on user levels point to a digital equity gap along the lines of income, race, age and education." Is this true throughout Minnesota? Is access to public services and information fundamentally fair if online is the only option? We don't know, but we can. Some data about trends at a broad population level exist. But data do not exist that are sufficiently comprehensive, localized and timely to determine the impact of digital -only access to government. Minneapolis is the only jurisdiction of which we are aware in Minnesota that has relatively comprehensive data on digital inclusion. Its third annual survey was published in April 2014. As we move to ubiquitous e- government, we must ensure that fair access by all is also ubiquitous. Not everyone will have ultra- high -speed broadband to the home and high -level digital literacy. Free public computing and support will be part of an e- government infrastructure that is fundamentally fair. We can determine whether free public computing is sufficiently robust throughout the state, but only with adequate information. There is a group that may be able to find answers to these questions. The Governor's E- Government Advisory Council was established in 2013 for the purpose of improving online government information services to citizens and businesses. The duties of the Advisory Council are focused on developing services that can be supported by fees. But perhaps its scope of responsibility should be broadened to assess the adequacy of access to e- government throughout Minnesota. As we change how we deliver public information, services, and civic participation, we must continue to deliver on the promise of fair access by all. Kit Hadley is director of the St. Paul Public Library. This article was submitted on behalf of Marlene Moulton Janssen, director, Anoka County Library, Heidi Hoks, director, Carver County Library, Ken Behringer, director, Dakota County Library, • Lois Langer Thompson, director, Hennepin County Library, Susan Nemitz, director, Ramsey County Library, Jacob Grussing, director, Scott County Library, and Pat Conley, director, Washington County Library. © 2015 Star Tribune Jw StarTribune Columbia Heights class helps seniors get comfortable with computers Article by: Liz Rolfsmeier Special to the Star Tribune January 20, 2015 - 2:35 PM On a morning when subzero temperatures closed schools around the metro area, every seat in the Senior Surf Day class at the Columbia Heights library was taken. Not a surprise, though, said adult services librarian Barb Kondrick. "It always fills up," she said. "There's always a waiting list." Chee Moua, of the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging, led the class. After passing out stacks of informational material and a classroom guide, she announced, "We're going to be doing what we call 'mousercises. "' She then set the students to work, and they advanced through tasks like scrolling down a screen (through sections of the "Iliad "), using drop -down menus (to select pizza toppings) and double - clicking (on sticks of dynamite to blow them up). While those kinds of skills might seem like second nature to regular computer users, they can prove intimidating for seniors. Issues like arthritis, which one student said was a problem for him, can make clicking tricky. "A lot of times," said Moua, "you run into people who are scared to use a mouse." These days, more seniors than ever are online. According to 2013 data from the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of Americans ages 65 and over use the Internet. However, the transition to becoming Internet savvy can be daunting, and among those who said they don't use the Internet, 66 percent said they would require assistance getting online. Moua said she'll field questions on everything from where to find the "enter" button to what to do when a screen suddenly disappears — which is the kind of thing that can leave seniors rattled. "I mess up something, and I switch it to 'off, "' said Vishnu Isreepersaud, of Blaine. Breeding familiarity One of the key aims of the class is simply getting students familiar with computers and all of their quirks, Moua said Instructor Chee Moua led students (left to right) Vishnu Isreepersaud, Joe Berzak, Steve Kondrick, Stephen Weselenak and Elton Carlson in a class on surfing the Web at Columbia Heights Public Library. Similar classes are held at a number of Twin Cities libraries. Photos by Liz Rolfsmeier • Special to the Star Tribune, Joe Berzak, left, and Steve Kondrick, both of Columbia Heights, chatted during a Senior Surf Day class at the Columbia Heights Library. Liz Rolfsmeier • Special to the Star Tribune, Elton Carlson (front) and Stephen Weselenak (back) searched for information online during Senior Surf Day at the Columbia Heights Public Library. Feed Loader, While students often arrive with a bit of experience, Moua still has classes in which nobody has ever been online. Elton Carlson, of Columbia Heights, said he has a computer that he uses on a limited basis. "I can monkey at home," he said, "but I don't know what all this stuff is. I don't do all the fancy stuff." "When I wake up at night and can't go back to sleep," he said, "I go play solitaire on it." Carlson said his wife, who passed away recently, used to play solitaire and he picked up the habit from her. He signed up for the class to get more acquainted with the computer. He said he has some cousins in Illinois who have been hounding him to be in touch over Skype. Stephen Weselenak, of Minneapolis, said he also has a computer at home but never uses it, though his grandchildren do, plenty. "All they do is gossip on it," he said. This fact actually inspired him to take the class. "[I've] got to see what they're doing on it," he said. Some people take the class because they hesitate to ask for help from family members. "Most seniors have been self - sufficient all their lives and want to have those tools," said Kondrick. "I hate asking my 8- year -old grandson for help," said Joe Berzak, of Columbia Heights — although he does dial up the youngster when his wife has technology questions he can't answer. "They're so fast," said Isreepersaud, of his own grandkids. "We're just in the wrong age bracket," Carlson said. "The kids know everything." Berzak said another reason he signed up for the class is that he's brought his desktop in several times to get debugged. "I had almost a thousand viruses," he said. Teaching the class During the class, Moua gives students tips about ways to steer clear of certain Internet hazards. "You want to be careful with what you click on," she said, suggesting they avoid pop -ups claiming they have won prizes and other sketchy pages that appear. Moua also guides users to health care sites and sites devoted to seniors, and she likes to end the class with an activity such as having students search for their houses online. The Columbia Heights library has only five computers available for Senior Surf Day, but Kondrick said that with a new library about to be built — ground will be broken this fall — that may change. "We'd like to have more computers than we have now," echoed Renee Dougherty, library director. Still, Kondrick actually counts the small size of the classes as an asset. "It's kind of a nice -sized group," she said. Kondrick said they have been doing the classes for about a year at the Columbia Heights location. After working for libraries in Hennepin County, where they have been holding similar classes for years, Kondrick said she urged them to start doing the same. "There's a Jot of seniors who didn't grow up with computers," she said. "I think they kind of feel left behind." Liz Rolfsmeier is a Twin Cities freelance writer. © 2015 Star Tribune CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY 820 40TH AVENUE N.E., COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN 55421-2996 Board of Trustees (763) 706-3690; TDD (763) 706-3692 Barbara Miller Chair Patricia Sowada Vice-Chair Catherine Vesley Secretary Lynette Thomson Nancy Hoium Members at large Bruce Kelzenberg Council Liaison COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY M. Rebecca Loader Library Director DISTRIBUTION OF BROCHURES,FREE NEWSPAPERS, NEWSLETTERS,AND OTHER HANDOUTS PURPOSE: Due to limited space at the Columbia Heights Public Library for display and distribution of"free"publications, the following guidelines have been developed. GUIDELINES: The Columbia Heights Public Library seeks to make information available on a variety of issues and topics. The library has limited space available for materials that are not part of the organized collection. The Columbia Heights Public Library will not accept for distribution, nor provide the space for multiple copies of brochures, newspapers, newsletters, advertising supplements or similar publications intended for free distribution to the public. The library may distribute publications of governmental agencies. Such approval will be by the Director. Materials left for free distribution without approval from the Library will be discarded. The following have been approved for distribution: Focus Newspaper Recreation Senior Citizen Newsletter Northeaster Newspaper State of MN brochures Minnesota Explorer Anoka County brochures N.E. Community Education Brochure Heights Happenings Columbia Heights Community Education brochure Early Childhood Family brochures University of Minnesota brochures School District 13 brochures La Presna Book Page A single copy of brochure/poster advertising an educational, cultural or civic event may be posted on the public notice board providing that it meets the library's established requirements for content. If multiple copies of items are received by the Columbia Heights Public Library, extra copies will be recycled. THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN EMPLOYMENT OR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER Approved: 6 - Columbia Heights Public Library Board of Trustees //L_L4 . Barbara E. Miller, Chair Revised 1/9/96; 9/7/99; 6/3/03; 5/21/07; 8/8/07