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Home My WebLink About12-2025 Library Board Minutes COLUMBIA HEIGHTS PUBLIC LIBRARY 3939 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 BOARD OF TRUSTEES: MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 Approved 1/7/2026 ATTENDANCE INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC Members of the public who wished to attend could do so in-person, or via Microsoft Teams by entering Meeting ID 254 921 776 562 0 and passcode QP35BK9R at the scheduled meeting time. For questions, please contact Administration at 763-706-3610. The meeting was called to order in the Library Community Room by Melanie Magidow at 5:30pm. Members present: Melanie Magidow; Theresa Strike; Chris Polley. Members remotely present: Amáda Márquez Simula (City Council Liaison). Members absent: Olga Herrera; Amina Maameri. Others present: Renee Dougherty (Library Director); Nick Olberding (Board Secretary). Public present: N/A. 1. The Agenda was approved with correspondence from Mary Thies added to the Community Forum. 2. The Minutes from November 5, 2025, Library Board Meeting were moved and approved. 3. Review of 2025 Operating Budget: 91.51% of the year completed and 86.43% of the budget expended. a. Cent. Garage Repair and Parts (42280) & Garage Labor Burden (44050): Backup power generator maintenance costs will be attributed to these two budget lines. Community Forum: Opportunity for public input. One comment e-mailed to the Mayor; no public in attendance. The CHPL website now has a contact form to submit questions or concerns: https://chplmn.org/board Mary Thies Correspondence (11/13/25): Mary visited the Library last month for the first time in years and was disappointed in the atmosphere (consisting of children running/playing, adults talking on their phones and to each other, teens playing videogames on the public computers, and staff assisting patrons at regular volume). Based on the description, staff assumed that she must have visited during the period after school lets out (the busiest time of the day/week) and although staff always tries to maintain a peaceful environment in the Library, the volume and activity in the building ebbs and flows all the time. Staff do what they can to keep kids from running outside of the children’s area and ask adults to take loud conversations into a private room, the lobby, or outside--when there’s a lot of people and activity, there is only so much that can be done. Libraries are not as quiet as they once were; in addition to a place for study, we’re a third place for people in the community to work, relax, play, socialize, and merely exist without the expectation of spending money. Although we are sorry Mary was disappointed in the environment during her visit, there are many times during any given week which would be quieter and likely more favorable to her. Amáda has replied to Mary and it was suggested that Renee should also reach out to invite Mary back at another time. Old Business: 4. Approve Revisions to the Collection Development and Management Policy: The Board reviewed the policy which Renee created with input from last month’s meeting, related policies from Anoka County and local independent public libraries. The Board approves of the more general and broad approach to the policy which should be clearer internally and externally. With two Board members missing tonight and the Library’s two librarians yet to review the changes, it was decided to table approval until next meeting. New Business: 5. Approve Library Board 2026 Meeting Dates: The dates presented remain on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30pm in the Library Community Room. The last few years the July meeting has been preemptively cancelled, but since two of the three members in attendance have terms ending soon, they did not want to make the decision for the future Board (the July meeting can be revisited in the future for cancellation if desired). A MOTION was made to approve the meeting dates as presented; it was seconded and approved. 6. Approve 2026 Library Holiday/Closed Dates: The Board was presented the Holiday/Closed dates for 2026, which are the same occasions as last year with updated dates/days of the week. Not on the presented list, Renee expressed that we should also close early at 5pm on New Year’s Eve in 2026 similarly to all other libraries in the metro area. The Board discussed the possibility of being closed for Eid Al-Fitr/Eid Al-Adha as well, but it was noted that there are many various religious holidays that we stay open for and some would argue that celebrants of the holidays may want to visit the Library on those days and would prefer we remain open; also mentioned was the fact that we used to be closed on Good Friday but this has been discontinued. The Board agreed with all the proposed dates; a MOTION was made to approve the proposed closed dates with the amended early closing on New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2026); it was seconded and approved. 7. Approve 2026 CHPL Fee Schedule: The Board reviewed the proposed 2026 fee schedule which only had one change for black+white printing (from 10¢ to 20¢ per printed side); color prints would remain at 50¢. Renee stated that the change was proposed to match Anoka County Library (also increasing in 2026) and to offset an added tariff fee our print management provider is charging monthly for supplies. Renee researched other library systems in the metro, which confirmed that the new price is still competitive with other options: HCL [B+W:20¢/C:50¢…with limited free printing allowance for cardholders]; RCL [B+W:20¢/C:75¢]; SPPL [B+W:15¢/C:75¢]; FedEx Office [B+W:26¢/C:71¢]. The Board agreed that it was still a good value; a MOTION was made to approve the 2026 CHPL Fee Schedule; it was seconded and approved. It will now go to the City Council for final approval along with other department’s proposed fee schedules. Director’s Update: 8. September Board Report: Provided as an FYI. a. The Board commented on their endorsement of the EL Family Nights we continue to host with the local schools to orient new families to the Library’s services. b. The 2026 budget will soon be approved by the City Council; the property tax levies have been set, so the budget can only be reduced, not increased at this point. The City Council recommended that the Library and Parks & Recreation receive additional funding (to be assessed early next year) for increased programming, improvements, and staffing opportunities; more information to come. c. Chris forwarded contact information about Taho Sportswear, who do great work on the school district’s Hylander branded merchandise. 9. Board Books (what we’re reading, watching, playing, listening to, or simply recommend): a. Amáda: The Power of Bridging: How to Build a World Where We All Belong john a. powell b. Theresa: All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South Ruth Coker Burks; The Fifth Elephant (Discworld series) Terry Pratchett c. Chris: Now We Are Six (youth book) A.A. Milne; La Haine (French) Mathieu Kassovitz (streaming on Kanopy) d. Melanie: The Italian Garden Charlotte Betts; Before Morning (youth book) Joyce Sidman e. Renee: The Women Kristin Hannah f. Nick: The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood; Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:20pm. Respectfully submitted, Nick Olberding Recording Secretary, CHPL Board of Trustees