FRIENDS OF THE ELYRIA PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM BOARD MEETING

August 1, 2016

PRESENT: Nancy Baldauf, Denise Klammer, Jane Leavell, Leo Kenzik, Tim and Marcia Widman, Carolyn Young

STAFF: Lynn Crouse, Jen Harmon

ABSENT: Marilyn Kenzik, Phil Lyon, Cherie Fabian, Kathy Wainwright

Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m.

Minutes

The Board identified one typo, and changed two phrases. Denise Klammer moved to accept minutes as changed. Marcia Widman seconded. Minutes were approved.

Treasurer’s Report

The balance for June was $4,769. The balance for July was $4,466.11.Carolyn Young moved to accept the June report, and Leo Kenzik seconded. Motion passed. Jane Leavell moved to accept the July report, and Leo Kenzik seconded. Motion passed.

Director’s Report

The library is having a rehearsal tonight for the murder mystery event September 9-11. There will be no dinner, but murders will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday at the WestRiver library. Attendance costs a $15 donation to the Community Foundation.

EPL branches are now sending us taped cardboard boxes of booksale donations. We’ll ask them to stop taping them.

Lyn presented renovations designs for the Main and WestRiver libraries. WestRiver has no bathrooms upstairs, and the union requires that staff persons not be alone on the floor, so if staff need to use a restroom they must call for a temporary replacement. A bathroom will be installed. The contents of the Ohio Room will moved to WestRiver. A floor/ceiling will be put on the open “art” area there that is a heat/air-conditioning drain at present. Since toddlers at Main keep pushing the front door handicapped button and going outside, we’ll move the Children’s section to the back of the building and add a bathroom there. A teen section will be added. The current children’s area will become periodicals. An ADA/family restroom will be added.

All renovations are interior. Since the library needs money for this work, it will “sell” the new rooms and windows, putting up plaques in memory of people for a fee from $500 to $25,000.

Bids for the work will start in September, and hopefully construction at WestRiver will begin about December. The library should remain open during the construction.

Committee Reports

Tim Widman reported 450 boxes were moved to St. John storage last week. The move on August 8th might clear out the remaining books, which were estimated at 300 boxes, but more have been boxed since then.

Bus driver Margaret Miller has offered to drive a rental truck the day of the sale to get last minute boxes to the sale.

We will invite Janet Stoffer to the September 6th meeting to go over book sale plans.

Jen Harmon said it will cost $675 for a book sale ad in the Chronicle-Telegram and $355 for a one day ad in the Lorain Morning Journal. There will be ads with two radio stations and Book Sale Finder. Total cost will be $2440. Free publicity should be put out with ConnectElyria, Craigslist, and Facebook.

Last year we were short of metal signs for tables at St. John. We had 52 at last count but need to count metal bases, too, and compare the signs to the current tally sheet headings.

Regarding books we don’t intend to sell but didn’t want to throw away: Maynard liked the books we sent him the first time, and upped the price he paid from $2.50/box to $5/box. Unfortunately, he felt the second delivery was much worse, and may not pay $5 for the boxes we’re asking him to pick up now. For leftover boxes after the sale, he’ll pay us $5/box.

Denise Klammer suggested contacting kidsbooksbank.org about donating leftover children’s books after the sale. They’re a nonprofit Cleveland group who distribute books to needy children through school tutoring programs, Little Free Libraries, and programs teaching parents to read to their children.

Old Business

Nancy Baldauf wants to send out the President’s Letter in a week. She will insert Janet’s phone number for people to volunteer to help. The annual meeting will be December 8th. We need to discuss how to handle it. Only four people showed up for last year’s event.

New Business

Should we postpone the annual meeting from December and instead hold it in April’s National Library Week?

Leo Kenzik moved to adjourn at 7:52, and Tim Widman seconded it. Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by Jane Leavell.