Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 2, 2016 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY Approved BOARD OF TRUSTEES 4/6/2016 MINUTES March 2, 2016 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 was Library Director Renee Dougherty, Recording Secretary Renee Rewitzer and Bryan Olson . Absent was Council Liaison Gary Peterson. The minutes of the February 3, 2016, Board meeting were approved. The bill list dated February 2, 2016, was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The bill list dated February 17, 2016, was reviewed. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the bills be paid. The March 2, 2016, accounting sheet was reviewed. Old Business: Update on New Library Construction Construction is roughly on schedule; the building is now fully enclosed. Dougherty said that bid packages for furniture and technology would be brought to the City Council for approval on March 14. The technology packages include all public and staff computers equipment, wireless access points, printers, and telephone equipment. RFID Update The City Council approved the contract with 3M/Bibliotheca. The contract will be divided into two parts with different delivery dates. Part one of the contract is the purchase of the book and media RFID tags, the purchase of one staff antenna workstation, and one-month rental of a mobile tagging station. Part two includes security gates, self-check stations and two additional staff stations. The Foundation voted to fund up to $65,000.00 for the RFID project. The equipment will arrive during the week of March 7. Staff will begin tagging the collection as soon as they have been trained. Barb Kondrick is assembling volunteers to assist the process. The majority of tagging should be completed in one month. Service Hours Dougherty suggested that a more consistent schedule would be appreciated by library visitors and sought Board feedback. Dougherty handed out a spreadsheet of library hours from adjacent Hennepin County, Ramsey County and Anoka County Library branches for comparison with the Columbia Heights Public Library. Smith asked when the library is most busy and Dougherty said Monday through Wednesday are the busiest days with usage lessening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dougherty offered to do a budget analysis to see how to staff the new hours within the existing Saturday data usage statistics and also stated that there should of the new location and its proximity to the Heights Theater; patron usage might increase. Smith asked if there would be staffing changes at the new librar Dougherty said theoretically the library would not need as many as we have at present. The board prefers an early opening on Thursdays. Their second priority would be to adjust closing time later on Thursda evenings. Third priority would be to examine Saturday hours. Dougherty wants to maintain consistent Saturday hours year round instead of making seasonal changes during the summer months. The board consensus is to have the library open consistently, Monday through Friday, at 9 a.m. Dougherty will bring Saturday usage statistics to the April board meeting for further discussion. New Business: Credit Card Payment Anoka County Library is working with Sirsi/Dynex and a third-party vendor named ProPay to accept credit card payments. Dougherty would like Columbia Heights Library to join this program if possible. Details of costs w the Board. Dougherty shared that the library collects approximately $14,000 of fines and fees each year. More fines and fees might be paid if the library had the ability to accept credit and debit cards. The board replied they would be interested in looking into the program. City Annual Report Dougherty handed out copies of the report to the board. They remarked on circulation counts, computer usage, and patron visits. Items from the Floor: Dougherty handed out the February April Club Book flyer. Club Book is a program hosted by the library systems in the Twin Cities metro are to bring award-winning and bestselling authors to library audiences. eBooks Minnesota (www.ebooksmn.org) is a joint project of Minitex and the Minnesota Department of Education, State Library Services. eBooks Minnesota is an online ebook collection for all Minnesotans. There are no management required for these titles and no limit to the number that can be checked out at a time. Readers can keep the title as long as they wish. There is no cost for libraries to use this collection of 2500 titles. The collection was made possible in part by funding from the Minnesota Department of Education through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Service In addition, the Minnesota Digital Library is collaborating with the Digital Public Library of America to increase online access to collections held by cultural organizations across the state. By working together on this national initiative, state institutions can offer users access to millions of itemsphotographs, maps, manuscripts, audio-visual materials, and morefrom libraries, archives, and museums across Minnesota and the United States. The app is available through iTunes, Google Play or Kindle Fire. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Renee J. Rewitzer Recording Secretary, Library Board of Trustees w; /z·ä šE /šŒÒ’,z I;zmw·­ 7š;­ “š· 7z­-©z’z“·; š“ ·w; ,­z­ 7’z­­zš“ š© --;­­ ·šr š© ·©;·’;“· š© ;’¦Œšä’;“· z“r z·­ ­;©Ýz -·zÝz·z;­u …¦š“ ©;¨Ò;­·r --š’’š7·zš“ ÞzŒŒ ,; ¦©šÝz7;7 ·š ŒŒÞz·w 7z­,zŒz·z;­ ·š ¦©·z-z¦·; z“ ŒŒ /z·ä šE /šŒÒ’,z I;zmw·­ ­;©Ý -·zÝz·z;­u Attachments: Hours of Area Libraries, City Annual Report City of Columbia Heights | [z,©©ä th 820 40 Ave NE Ph: 763-706-3690 -706-3691 www.columbiaheightsmn.gov February 2016 Mayor Members of Council Library Board Citizens of Columbia Heights Ladies and Gentlemen: 2015 was a busy year for the Columbia Heights Public Library. Staff began work in earnest, with the Library Design Task Force appointed by the City Council, to plan and design a new library for Columbia Heights. Defining what constitutes a flexible, efficient, and comfortable library able to for the next fifty years is a big job but many hands make light work. We told the story of the new library and shared design plans with the community at two public meetings, with countless individuals using the current library, Northeast Bank Foundation and the Fridley Rotary Club. Library patrons welcomed a new one. The Library maintained mutually beneficial partnerships with Early Child and Family Education, Anoka County Library, the Columbia Heights Library Foundation, the Friends of the Library, and a dedicated group of volunteers who contributed over 1200 hours of service. The library continued to provide educational and enriching programs to library users of all ages; to lend a variety of materials in multiple formats to meet community needs; and to follow our mission to support life-long learning for all citizens. Many people contribute to the ongoing success. I am especially grateful to Chair Pat Sowada and the Library Board of Trustees, Mayor Gary Peterson and the City Council, Columbia Heights City staff, and the staff of Hammel Green and Abrahamson for their fine wo 2015. Sincerely, Renee Dougherty Library Director 2015 ANNUAL REPORT CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY NARRATIVE REPORT Each year the activities occurring at the Columbia Heights Publifrom the mission welcoming environment. The work of library staff is driven by the vision to be a center of the community where services and collaborative programs are available and partnerships thrive. Collection The library strives to offer a collection of current and accurate informational, educational, and recreational materials for use by the community. New materials, purchased or donated, are continuously added to the collection. On December 31, 2015, the collection contained 73,907 items. See the attached datasheet for a breakdown of the collection by item type and reading level. Collection maintenance entails the regular removal of outdated, inaccurate, worn, dirty, and non-circulating items. Ongoing weeding of such items maintains the quality of the col enables library users to quickly find the materials they seek. During 2015 discarded items and excess donations were sold via sale carts in the lobb- day sale in August. Revenue from sales provides annual operating budget. In 2015 the library also contracted with the non-profit Better World Books which sells library discards and unusable donations through their online marketplace, returning a portion of the proceeds to the library. Better World Books donates any books they are unable to sell to agencies supporting literacy in the U.S. and throughout the worl Circulation The library circulated 109,018 items in 2015. The majority was books, videos, and audio discs borrowed Books, Audios, directly from the library. However, Videos (100,934) electronic book and downloadable Ebooks (5,845) audiobook borrowing continues to grow. Librarians created a variety of Eaudiobooks (2,239) ever-changing displays of materials throughout the year to promote borrowing. Total circulation includes bulk loans to community organizations such as private schools and after-school activity programs; bulk loans to organizations put 3,726 items into the hands of children in the community. The library also provides materials for seniors and others not able to visit the library due to age, illness, or physical challenges with delivery service. Deliveries are made by staff and volunteers and provided 778 items for homebound persons. Visits In 2015 the library was open for a total of 2,709 hours of public service. For most of the year the library is open 55 hours per week; during summer it is open 53 hours per week. A total of 102,992 people visited the library to borrow materials, use library computers, or attend a program or class. Library staff welcomed visits from individuals and groups from I Conception School, Metro North Adult Basic Education, Head Start, Valley View Elementary kindergarten, and Early Childhood and Family Education. Other groups used rooms at the library for meetings, study sessions, consultations, tutoring, meditatio or prayer, and work. Community residents reserved library meeting rooms 181 times during the year. Computer Use Many library visitors may never borrow a book; they do, however, provide computers and internet access. During 2015 over 14,700 people logged on to library computers. Those persons spent over 10,136 hours online. See a summary of how library patrons are using public computers below: How Library Computers are Used Internet (27,361) Library Catalog/Databases (2,248) Word Processing (1,696) Unknown/USB (576) Spreadsheets and Calculation (246) Presentations/PowerPoint (79) Programs Library programs provide opportunities for adults, teens, and children to build literacy; enhance written and oral language skills; engage in lifelong learning; experience art, history and culture; and interact with their neighbors to build strong community bonds. In 2015 adult programs included converations with authors John Cox, Colin Mustful, Sharon Stiteler, and Bill Jamerson on topics ranging from bird identification to the Civilian Conservation Corps to World War I. Fiction and non-fiction book clubs, which encourage close reading and engaged conversation, are held on the third Wednesday and Friday of each month. In January and February 174 adults participated in Winter Jackets, a self-paced winter reading program. Six weekly prize drawings recognized participants for their thoughtful reviews Kevin participated in the Winter Jackets reading program and won a prize drawing for his book of what they read. review. Adult programs also included a presentation by Anoka County Hist history of Columbia Heights and Hilltop; an antiques appraisal event featuring Mark Moran, a regular expert on Antiques Roadshow; a slideshow of Polish castles narrated by the local chapter of Sister Cities International; and a presentation about the Columbia Heights Police Departments visit to Lomianki, Poland. Interactive classes such as memoir writing, finding a literacy agent, learning to knit or use a computer, were presented in cooperation with community organizats such as the Loft Literary Center, the Textile Center of Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging/Senior LinkAge Line. MAA/Senior Linkage Line provided volunteers each month to teach a Senior Surf class which introduces older adults to the use of the computers and basic navigation of the internet. The library strives to help people build the twenty-first century digital literacy necessary to allow full participation in the workplace, government, and society. The Senior Surf class was featured in a January 20, 2015, article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Other programs were offered for new members of the community who seek to improve English language reading and speaking skills. Volunteer reading buddies meet with adult learners at the library to practice reading aloud, learn new vocabulary, and improve reading comprehension. Opportunities like Buddy Up and Read allow community residents from different backgrounds to get to know their neighbors and enhance the educational capacity of the community. Other volunteers facilitate conversation circles so that adults from a variety of language backgrounds can practice speaking and listening with other English Mark Moran, language learners. Passive adult programming made games such as chess, checkers, Scrabble and jigsaw puzzles available in the library so that patrons have occasions to stretch their cognitive thinking and social skills through solo or group play. Similarly, library programming for children incorporates a variety of methods, including play, to stimulate curiosity, build literacy, nurture twenty-first century STEAM skills, and Buddy Up and Read participants Pat and Nafiso encourage social interaction among children. practice reading together. STEAM programming provides youth with opportunities to explore and learn important skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. In 2015 STEAM programs for kids and teens included: LEGO Clubs for elementary-aged kids which focus on engineering and problem solving skills; Block parties which allow toddlers and parents to identify and match objects and practice counting, sorting, and social skills; Experiments with Paint and Mad Science courses for elementary students to practice scientific inquiry, formulate hypotheses, experiment, and build deductive reasoning skills which are useful across many subjects and disciplines; Maker Spaces for teens to collaborate and practice collaborative engineering by building bridges and testing the strength of everyday objects; A visit from the University of Minnesota Raptor Center which Block play builds counting, fine motor, matching, and social skills in toddlers. brought essential biological concepts to life using rehabilitated birds of prey. Over 87 story times were offered in 2015 which reached a total of 1,728 parents and children. The consistency of story time attendance demonstrates that the community values toddler, preschool, and baby story times as essential services. Story times are engaging and fun and also provide parents with the tools to foster the early literacy skills which their children need to become successful readers. Every week library staff, parents, antogether on vocabulary, letter knowledge, sound awareness, and narrative skills. In 2015 the library story times were enhanced by visits from fire, police, and public works staff. These special story times give kids an chance to learn about adult roles in the community and to sit in a fire truck, road grader, lawn mower, or squad car. Even Mayor Gary Peterson pitched in to read stories, sing songs, and talk with story time participants. Other library programs which enhanced literacy skills were regular visits from Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) and their handlers who are certified reading tutors. Practice sessions with a READ Dog and handler/tutor help build the confidence of reluctant and struggling readers and make reading a pleasurable experience. Beginning Reader Storytime, which was piloted in 2015 in response to multiple requests from parents to help kids just beginning to read, attracted new readers and their families with a drop-in, after-school program. A Drop Everything and Read event for families was held in early January to encourage parents to read with their children and to model the importance of Ivy reads to Packer, one of the Reading Assistance Education Dogs. reading for people of all ages. Self-paced library reading programs for kids were offered in winter a scheduled to coincide with holiday recess from school in December and January, encouraged 169 kids to keep reading during the break from classes. In June Minnesota Twins mascot TC Bear helped kick off the Bookawocky summer reading programren and 229 teens participated in the program by writing or drawing reviews of the books they read. Community Outreach and Reducing Barriers to Use In 2015 library staff strove to reduce barriers to library use. They sought to welcome people unfamiliar with library services to visit the building, meet staff, and learn about free resources and services available with a library card. Staff promoted library programs and services at a number of events in the community, including community picnics at Keyes and Circle Terrace Parks, and at the Jamboree Parade. Some of the most successful outreach events Language Family Nights at the Independent School District 13 schools. These events reach families of district students who do not speak English at home. Families enjoy dinner, free child care, and breakout sessions which help them navigate an unfamiliar school environment and encourage student success. Library staff answered questions for parents, provided tips for building literacy and shared services and materials available with a library card. Staff recognizes that previous bad experiences with libraries, which could include unpaid fines for lost or overdue materials, may prevent people, especially children, from visiting and using the library. In an attempt to reduce this barrier to library use, the Library Board authorized a Youth Read Down program on three occasions in 2015. Youth Read D the BookWarms winter reading program in January, during the Bookawocky summer reading program in June and July, and again in October at the beginning of the school year. Youth Read Down shows kids that reading is valuable. The library forgave $1 in fines for every 15 minutes a youth under age seventeen spent reading in the library. Over $564 of juvenile fines was waived for children and teens that spent a collective 150 hours reading! Youth Leadership Youth who participate in out-of-school activities that provide opportunities for ownership, discussion, communal decision making, and relationship building with peers and adults reap numerous social, emotional, and academic benefits. The library provides these opportunities with programs such as the summer Volunteens and Teen Advisory Board. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) provided input on the design of the new library; brainstormed program ideas such as the very popular Anti- ; and developed, created, and maintained a teen bulletin board and display. Volunteers 1400 Volunteers, both teen and adult, donated over 1,250 hours of serthe library in 2015. The Friends of the Columbia Heights Public Library are 1200 among the most dedicated volunteers. They stocked the book sale carts, served as greeters for programs, collected over 100 new books for needy 1000 children distributed by South Anoka Community Action in December and collected Campbells Soup and other labels to earn money for the library. 800 Other adult volunteers delivered books to at-home patrons, facilitated Teens book clubs, served as reading buddies for adults working on English 600 Adults language reading and speaking skills, and straightened and dusted shelves. 400 Summer Volunteens helped with program set up and clean up, assisted with reading program registrations, served as youth ambassadors at 200 , and performed numerous other tasks as needed. The service of volunteers helps keep the library running smoothly and enables 0 additional programs and services which paid staff could not provide. Volunteer Volunteers were celebrated at a reception on August 10 after which they Hours were recognized and thanked by the City Council. Community Partnerships The library continued to build and maintain partnerships with other community institutions which allowed both partners to provide essential services to our shared constituents. The library is especially grateful for partnerships with the Anoka County Library (ACL), Independent School District 13, Immaculate Conception School, and the Columbia Heights Public Library Foundation Anoka County Library provided integrated library system (ILS) software so that Columbia Heights staff can manage collection inventory and user checkouts. ACL also provides delivery of library materials and interlibrary loans three days each week. The partnership enables Columbia Heights card holders to access eBooks through 3M Cloud and Overdrive platforms, eMagazines through Zinio, and downloadable audiobooks through OneClick Digitforms. During 2015 Anoka County Library designed and implemented a new staff intranet utilizing Microsoft SharePoint and made provisions for Columbia Heights staff to access it via the county network. The county library also explored options for radio frequency identification and automated materials handling and extended joint purchasing power to Columbia Heights for this technology. RFID technology will be implemented with the Columbia Heights coll Columbia Heights Public Library also enjoyed a strong partnership with Independent School District 13ance of reading during the summer recess in order to retain important skacquired during the previous school year the loss of essential skills and minimizing the remedial work needed the following fall. New teacher orientation is offered every fall, introducing new teach resources which the library can bring to the shared educational mission. A highlight of the partnership with ISD 13 is the librarythe ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) program. Together library and district staffs offer baby story times, cross-promote classes and programs offered by each partner, and present multiple options for ensuring successful child development. The Columbia Heights Library Foundation raised funds through two- mail solicitation of local businesses and individuals. A spaghetti dinner was held Murzyn Hall and a film fundraiser at the Heights Theatre happene Foundation also worked with staff from Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, the architectural firm designing the new library, to include donor recognition in the lobby of the building. Staff The work of a library can only be accomplished through the extraordinary efforts of a dedicated staff. Winnie Coyne was hired as Clerk in January. She trained new Pages in March an on the City branding implementation committee in addition to her public, compiling use statistics, and maintaining library security and computer hardware. Bethany Grabow resigned in order to relocate and Brianna Belanger became the is responsible for the management and development of the juvenile collection. She plans programming for kids including multiple story times each week. She facilitates the Teen Advisory Board and Volunteen program. She plans educational and enriching out-of- school programs for community kids. Bri participates in the early literacy and summer reading program teams of the Anoka County Library. Adult Services Librarian Barb Kondrick oversees programming and services for adults. She manages and develops the adult media collection, which includes documentary and feature films, music, and audiobooks. She plans active and passive library programs for adults. She oversees adult volunteers and the at-home delivery service in addition to purchasing for the department. Barb participates in the arts and culture, and services to older adults teams of the Anoka County Library. Clerk Typist Renee Rewitzer serves as the circulation lead worker. She assists in developing procedures for material delivery. She communicates patron registration protocols to all staff. She oversees searches for lost and missiitems. She processes and attaches new materials in the library system catalog so that new and donated items can be borrowed. Clerk Typist Kelly Olson provides outstanding customer service in department. She oversees all book and media ordering and receiving. She reconciles cash register receipts and serves on the city employee of the year committee. Design and Construction of New Library Much of the work of the director in 2015 focused on ensuring that the regular activities of the library continued while deploying the staff needed to contribute thoughtfully to the planning and design of the new library. Staff participated in the evaluation the architectural firms responding to the request for proposal for design services in January. They attended a number of meetings of the Library Design Task Force appointed by the City Council to provide citizen participation in the project. They spent numerous hours with design staff from Hammel Green and Abrahamson on details of the building, parking lots, audiovisual technology, heating and cooling systems, energy efficient lighting, staff workspaces, an participated in two public open houses, in March and May, to hear feedback on the designs from the community. They helped to plan and participate in a public groundbreaking ceremony in September. Part of a building project is telling its story. It includes communicating the hopes and dreams of the countless people who worked on the design. It involves highlighting the features which address community needs and desires. It means patiently answering questions about progress and anticipated opening date. Library staff continues to be grateful for the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, the willingness of the Columbia Heights taxpayers to fund the project, and the ongoing donations from area businesses and individuals. We eagerly anticipate opening the new library facility in June 2016. 2015 ANNUAL REPORT CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY DATA SHEET COLLECTION TOTALS Eaudiobooks: 2,239 Adult Books 35,133 Total Circulation: 109,018 Youth Books 26,355 Adult Audio 2,818 TOTAL VISITORS 102,992 Youth Audio 1,260 Adult Video 2,597 Youth Video 1,036 INTERNET USE Users 14,777 Adult Magazines 4,368 Computer Logins 22,812 Youth Magazines 319 Minutes Used 608,136 Newspapers 9 PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY Watt Meters 4 Adult 333 Attendance 1,956 Bike Locks 8 226 Attendance 5,335 TOTAL 73,907 Teen 21 Attendance 570 COLLECTION TOTALS BY READING LEVEL Total Programs 580 Total Attendance 7,861 Adult 44,937 Young Adult 4,109 Juvenile 24,861 ROOM USE BY PUBLIC 181 REFERENCE QUESTIONS 13,923 ADDITIONAL SERVICES Items delivered sers 778 Bulk loan to institutions 3,726 CARD HOLDERS Columbia Heights Library 19,574 Interlibrary loans for items not available Anoka County Library 250,784 at COH or ACL 863 Total Served 270,358 VOLUNTEER HOURS CIRCULATION Adults 816 Physical Items: 100,934 Teens 438 Ebooks 5,845 Total 1,254 DONATED ITEMS ADDED TO COLLECTION  2015 ANNUAL REPORT COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY 2015 STAFF, BOARD, AND AFFILIATED GROUPS NAME TITLE START DATE END DATE Renee Dougherty Director 4/01/2013 (4/12/2010 ASL) Barbara J. Kondrick Adult Services Librarian 06/17/2013 (1998-2004 LS) Brianna Belanger 10/19/2015 Bethany Grabow 10/14/2013 9/28/2015 Renee Rewitzer Clerk Typist II Adult 11/03/2014 (5/01/2008 Page) Kelly J. Olson Clerk Typist II - 06/01/1992 Winnifred Coyne Clerk 1/26/2015 (4/18/2013 Page) Michelle Wermerskirchen Aide 11/19/2013 (6/23/2010 Page) Elaine Dietz-Mamaril Library Supervisor 11/15/1993 (9/04/2012 ASL) John Brosnahan Library Supervisor 9/28/1999 3/31/2015 Nancy Soldatow Library Supervisor 2/29/2000 Al Mamaril Library Supervisor 10/08/2007 Alicia Cermak Library Page 2/22/2001 (sub) Nick Olberding Library Page 4/17/2001 (sub) Dan Kleinfehn Library Page 11/15/2001 (sub) Tracy Shaffer Library Page 9/25/2006 Alison Marzolf Library Page 8/01/2007 Lauren Gutkaes Library Page 5/01/2008 5/18/2015 Rachel Meyers Library Page 5/01/2008 Gianna Ritzko Library Page 1/17/2012 Andrew Hester Library Page 4/18/2013 3/6/2015 Rosa Boda Library Page 3/2/2015 James Heryla Library Page 3/2/2015 Melissa Serafin Library Page 3/2/2015 5/2/2015 LIBRARY BOARD FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY FOUNDATIONBOARD Gary Peterson, Kay Reiners, President Marlaine Szurek, President Jane Polley, Secretary Don Vesley, Council Liaison Vice-President Nancy Hoium, Vice Chair Betty Robbins, Treasurer Kit Burgoyne, Secretary Patricia Sowada, Chair Sharon Shedlov, Treasurer Barbara Tantanella Bruce Magnuson Steve Smith Jane Polley Catherine Vesley, Secretary Cliff Shedlov Tom Sherohman, Emeritus