Farnsworth Public Library
Meeting Minutes
for
April 26, 2016
1.Meeting called to order by Jim Lacourciere at 6:05 PM
2.Roll Call
Present: Jim Lacourciere, Kristin Laufenberg,Bobby Jo Lipp, Mary Grace Murphy,
Ron Rauscher, Debi Schroeder, Kitty Werner, Mike Werner
New Board Member: Kim Bronikowski, City Council Appointee
Excused Absence: Jenny Holmgren
3. Approval of Agenda
M/S/C K. Werner/R. Rauscher
4. Approve February 23rd Board Meeting minutes
M/S/C B. Lipp/ M.Werner
5. Discussion/Action/Recommendation on the following:
6. Director’s Report & Updates
a. Bills Submitted
M/S/C R. Rauscher/ M. Murphy to approve and pay all bills submitted
b. YTD Income & Expenditures
Jim recommends the 2016 YTD documents to be treated as information.
c. Director’s Report
Kristin Laufenberg, Library Director, reported, via email, she has completed the following from
February 22, 2016 to April 22, 2016:
1. Completed shelving. 2. Completed review for our Blue Devil student worker.
3. Created March 2016 newsletter. 4. Attended board meeting.
5. Created March staff schedule. 6. Discussed circulation budget with Mary and Cordula.
7. Wrote and submitted Farnsworth File for March. 8. Met with Bernie Faith re. stolen materials.
9. Updated website with BoT minutes and agendas. 10. Changed outdoor sign.
11. Created flyers for upcoming events. 12. Configured new telephones.
13. Distributed flyers for upcoming events. 14. Ordered books from Baker & Taylor and Amazon.com.
15. Answered several elaborate reference questions. 16. Planned upcoming adult spa program.
17. Prepared Woman’s Club presentation. 18. Ordered more handsets (telephones) for reference desk.
19. Presented to Woman’s Club. 20. Watched webinar on programming in small libraries.
21. Reconciled February credit card bill. 22. Prepared for upcoming adult computer classes.
23. Prepared and sent billed notices to patrons. 24. Prepared for adult spa class.
25. Led adult spa class with Trustee Jenny Holmgren. 26. Planned for next weekend’s Business Expo.
27. Planned April classes and events. 28. Installed last handset, completing new telephone installation.
29. Designed new nonfiction posters. 30. Attended Chamber of Commerce meeting. 31. Hosted Art Night.
32. Corresponded with city attorney re. service animals in the Library. 33. Attended Friends meeting.
34. Attended WOCO for monthly show. 35. Taught two adult computer classes.
36. Attended AAC meeting in Suring. 37. Prepared for upcoming board meeting (ultimately cancelled).
38. Set up and ran booth at Oconto Business Expo. 39. Finished April newsletter. 40. Created April 2016 staff
schedule. 41. Worked with NSight re. issues with phone lines. 42. Updated Google calendar system for
internal use. 43. Completed sick time/vacation reports for February. 44. Created posters for upcoming
events. 45. Hosted movie showing and Teen Coloring Club spring break events. 46. Changed outdoor sign.
47. Wrote thank-you notes to Chamber of Commerce and Woman’s Club. 48. Led Teen Spa DIY event.
49. Wrote April ‘Farnsworth File’ article. 50. Held movie showing. 51. Prepared and sent billed notices to
patrons. 52. Interviewed a previous employee for potential summer position. 53. Distributed flyers for
upcoming events. 54. Researched new memorial plaque. 55. Completed shelving. 56. Attended Brown
County book sale. 57. Planned upcoming May events. 58. Watched webinar on modifying Dewey Decimal
System. 59. Prepared for National Library Week. 60. Contacted H. Rennie and Elks Club re. canvas events.
61. Worked on March sick time/vacation reports. 62. Hosted listening session event.
63. Worked at Friends’ book sale preview. 64. Set up National Library Week display. 65. Ran errands and
posted flyers around town. 66. Reconciled March credit card bill. 67. Worked at circulation desk.
68. Learned cataloging basics from Cordula. 69. Cleaned and organized up book sale area.
70. Watched webinar on collections agency. 71. Worked on May newsletter. 72. Made May staff schedule.
73. Attended NFLS meeting in Green Bay. 74. Planned May canvas events with Wendy.
75. Painted shelves for circ. area. 76. Updated Mary’s computer. 77. Assembled shelves for circ. area.
78. Made henna for upcoming teen event. 79. Prepared report for County Library Board meeting.
80. Wrote and distributed Tuesday Tabloid. 81. Hosted Early Release movie showing and teen henna events.
82. Attended Friends meeting. 83. Worked on promotional materials for canvas events.
84. Researched purchase of people-counter. 85. Prepared for board meeting.
86. Researched purchasing Friend-approved items (carts, screen).
Kristin reported to the Trustees about special programming for March and April ,her presentation at a Woman’s
Club Meeting, results of the Business Expo, listening session with Wisconsin Representative Nygren,
adult , teen and children’s programming, National Library Week events and activities, upcoming special events
to be held in May at the Library:
In March we held a DIY Spa Night event for adults, with the help of Trustee Jenny Holmgren. We also held
two computer classes, on email and Microsoft Word. March was Youth Art Month and we had student
artwork up all month long, and Art Night on March 15. This was very well attended with over 300 people.
We also held eight events over the course of Spring Break for kids and teens, including movie showings, a
plush pet show, Spa Day, Makerspace, Kids' Construction, and Game Day. I also spoke at the March meeting
of Woman's Club and ran a booth at theChamber Business Expo, receiving donations from both
organizations.
In April we started with a listening session with Representative John Nygren. Our other adult program
was a Wildlife and Nature Photography presentation by Rob Zimmer. April 10-16 was National Library Week,
and we held raffles, a guessing contest, Food for Fines, and had patrons write "Library Love Letters." Our
children's events included a Teddy Bear Sleepover, a showing of the new Star Wars movie, a DIY henna tattoo
program for teens (which was very well attended), and April is National Poetry Month. Judging for the poetry
contest will go through the end of the month.
Important events in May will include our Summer Reading Program signup and an early release movie
for the kids. We will hold Coloring Club for tweens/teens on Early Release as well. We will have a
presentation on the Oconto Marsh for the whole family, and will be holding our Canvas Painting Series
(Kids & Canvas, Tweens/Teens & Canvas, and Wine & Canvas) as well.
Next week I will finish the third of my four director certification classes. I will start the final class next
September. Elaine our experience works person has returned. Becky Wendt has requested to have the
summer off. Nicola Wolf will be a summer circulation clerk.
M/S/C M. Werner/K. Werner approve the Director’s Report as reported.
7. Committee Reports
a. Administrative / Personnel
Nothing to report at this time
b. Building / Grounds
See Old Business for an update on the outdoor mural committee.
c. Finance
Kristin is requesting to have an Amazon reward card for purchasing only from Amazon.
M/SC K. Werner/ R. Rauscher to approve the application of the credit card with approved terms and conditions by the
Director’s standards.
8. Correspondence/Public Input
No G-mail correspondence to report
9. Discussion/action/recommendation on the following:
a. Recurring
i. Friends Happenings
Book Sale was very successful,” one of the best ones they ever had.“ Friends have approved the purchase of two library
carts. The Friends will hold elections at the May meeting. The Brat Fry is on Friday, May 27th at Thompson’s Market.
b. Old Business
i. Outdoor mural
After a constructive discussion, the Trustees have determined a committee for the mural needs to be decided before we
can go forward. A committee of three: Mike Werner as director of the committee and Kristin Laufenberg as
coordinator. The third person will be determined.
ii. Moving donor plaque
The Trustees have given Ron Rauscher permission to remove the donor plaque from its present location and move it to
the entrance. M/S/C M. Murphy/B. Lipp
iii. Memorial plaque
M/S/C D. Schroeder/ K. Werner approved the purchase of a special memorial plaque for donors.
iv. People counters
The Trustees have recommended for Kristin to purchase two people counters for the Library.
M/S/C B. Lipp/ D. Schroeder
c. New Business
i. Issues with service animal
Kristin gave an update on the service animal to the Board of Trustees.
ii. Use of collections agency
M/S/C R. Rauscher/ K. Bronikowski to turn over to a collection agency the theft of Library Materials.
10. Adjournmenttook placeat 7:50 PM M/S/C M. Murphy/R. Rauscher
Minutes respectfully submitted by secretary, Debi Schroeder
Next Meeting: 6:00 pm, Tuesday, May 17, 2016