SUBURBAN LIBRARY COOPERATIVE
44750 Delco Blvd
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
(586) 685-5750
1BCOUNCIL MINUTES
2BArmada Free Public Library
3BOctober 8, 2009
I. The meeting was called to order at 9:35 a.m. at the Armada Free Public Library.
Present: Smith (Armada), Lusardi (Chesterfield), Neal (Clinton-Macomb), Sterling (Eastpointe), Slivka (Fraser), Parus (Harper Woods), Blakely (Lenox), Reghi (Lois Wagner), Casamer (Macomb), Goike (MacDonald),Graham (Ray), Harper (Romeo), Orlando (St. Clair Shores), Conklin (Shelby), Turgeon (Sterling Heights), Henderstein (Warren),Radcliffe (SLC), Woodford (SLC)
Absent: Cross (Center Line), Worrell (Mount Clemens), Valade (Roseville), Russ (Troy), Doege (Utica)
Guests: Barb Brown, Trustee (Clinton-Macomb), Sandy Casamer, Liaison (MRRC), Ron Black, Trustee (Shelby)
VI. Approval of the Agenda.
Conklin moved to approve the Agenda, supported by Slivka. Motion carried.
VII. Approval of the Minutes.
Correction to the spelling of Chris de Bear, Library Design.
Motion made by Conklin to approve the amended minutes of the September 17, 2009 meeting, supported by Harper. Motion carried.
VIII. Suburban Library Cooperative Business.
A. Automation
Upgrade to Symphony proceeded with a few glitches. Most of them have been resolved and SLC staff is responding to all questions/concerns. Chris Frezza sent out an email regarding monthly reports that didn’t run and is working on the problem.
At the end of October, SLC will convert our email system, but before this happens, the email list serves are out of date with staff and trustees that have left the Cooperative. Before the conversion, each library will receive a list of names and email addresses to update and return to the Cooperative.
B. Strategic Plan
Results of the Strategic Plan survey emailed to the directors are enclosed; 15 directors responded with 7 yes to continue with the Plan right away and 8 to delay until January or later.
Discussion regarding the options to proceed or delay the Strategic Plan took place. Overall, the census is that directors see the need for a Strategic Plan, but timing is an issue. The SLC Board Meeting is October 29th and MLA is November 3-6, 2009.
Motion made by Conklin to recommend to the Cooperative Board for SLC to start the Strategic Planning process in
November, 2009 after the MLA Conference, seconded by Turgeon. Motion carried.
C. Standards & Policies
a. AV Print Policy needs to be renamed to Holds Policy
Motion made by Lusardi to approve the Holds Policy as amended, seconded by Harper. Motion carried.
b. Holds Limit Policy needs to be reviewed in six months
Motion made by Turgeon to approve the Holds Policy as written and review the holds limit in six months, seconded by Lusardi. Motion carried.
c. Associate Membership Policy
Motion made by Lusardi to approve the Associate Membership Policy as written, seconded by Conklin. Motion carried.
d. Macomb Reference and Research Center (MRRC) Request for Associate Membership
Motion made by Sterling to accept MRRC as an Associate Membership for an annual fee of $200.00 and forward the recommendation to the Cooperative Board, seconded by Graham. Motion carried.
e. Borrowing Policy
Motion made by Parus to approve the Borrowing Policy as written, seconded by Sterling. Motion carried.
f. Special Residency and Library Staff Card Circumstances
If a patron is paying taxes in more than one city, shouldn’t that patron get a card for each city they pay taxes in?
Some libraries are not entering staff status on staff library cards if they do not live in their city. Staff cards should state a note where the staff works at i.e., staff at SLC. Ideally, a staff member in any system can get a library staff card.
Motion made by Parus to table the discussion and send the Special Residency and Library Staff Card Policies back to the Standards & Policies Committee for clarification and consistency, seconded by Orlando. Motion carried.
D. Cooperative Plan of Service
The Plan of Service was included in the Council Packet for review. The template for the Plan of Service was designed for consistency of terms throughout all Cooperatives. Under the new plan, library directors can sign the Plan of Service and it does not have to go to library boards for approval. Neal stated that his board gave him approval to approve the Plan. Discussion was held on how best to complete the Plan of Service and send the Plan to the SLC Board by the end of October.
Motion made by Lusardi to appoint Sterling, Bylaws Committee member, to revise the Plan of Service to fit the template from the state, submit revisions to SLC, and SLC will email to the directors for their Library Board approval, seconded by Orlando. Motion carried.
E. FY10 Budget
The budget for FY10 needs to be revised and changed according to the status of state aid.
IX. Announcements and Information.
A. MLA: Larry Neal
Larry Neal discussed that MLA membership is shrinking, which has promoted a survey to find out the reasons people don’t join and what MLA needs to do to retain current members. The Governor’s Executive Order was not overturned by the House. Library of Michigan is being moved to the Department of Education. MLA has communicated with Michael P. Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Instruction. The House passed a supplemental budget for $10 million, but Senate disagreed and discussions led to a 40% cut. Affects on MeL are an estimated $800,000 drop in funds. Senator Switalski has been a good supporter of libraries, but he was on the Conference Committee that approved the 40% cut. Turgeon stated that MLA has done an excellent job as far as educating the public regarding possible state aid cuts and asked Neal to thank the MLA Board for their efforts.
MLA Conference is November 3-6, 2009 at the Lansing Center & Radisson Hotel.
B. Directors Report
You should have gotten your state aid letter.
DSLRT Salary Survey is up and running.
MRRC is not a public library. Patrons cannot pick up books at MRRC. Please do not send holds to MCL.
C. MAP Statistics
0BAugust 2009 statistics were included in the Council packet. New “collateral” has been ordered and will be sent to libraries soon.
X. Member libraries’ announcements/concerns.
Thank you to Armada for hosting the Council Meeting.
ARM – An RFP is being sent out for the main steps leading to the library need to be torn out again and they just did them in 1999/2000, but we have had problems since then.
CLL – Absent.
CHE – Working on the RFID project. Parking lot filled.
CMPL – Sent library directors a copy of the letter sent to Robert Toohey regarding the $200 nonresident fee, in response to Toohey’s email about the Clinton-Macomb Public Library and the nonresident fee. The library board increased fines to 25 ¢ per day from 15 ¢ beginning January 1, 2010. This increase should generate $40-50,000 per year. The Vietnam Wall Traveling Exhibit is scheduled to be in Clinton Township on September 5&6 2010.
EPL – Closed to the public for four days while the parking lot was replaced created an opportunity to clean house. On July 1st, fines will increase to 25 ¢ per day from 15 ¢. EPL is receiving money from an estate trust fund.
FRA - We are experiencing our highest circulation numbers that we have ever had. City Manager reported that the library is number one on the list to be cut. New receipt printers installed. Pianist Penny Masouris hosted a Gershwin program with over 60 attendees. Our Chocolate Fever Program is filling up.
HPW – Bringing to the Board the fines increase to 25 ¢ per day from 15 ¢. Applying for a Federal Stimulus grant to become a deeper shade of green to produce solar electricity. Woodford will be in Harper Woods in March on a 250 years of history symposium. Encouraging directors to contact local newspapers and legislatures to keep the status quo of $10 mil.
LEN – No Report.
LWM – Getting ready for winter programs and our annual Cookie Walk in December.
MPL – Building permit received. The yellow construction tape and fencing goes up the week of Oct 12. Has anyone done a donor tree to recognize donors?
MTC – Absent.
RAY – Corn blasting started so we have no more peeling paint.
ROG – Repair to ramp at Kezar goes to Board. Working on RFID. Fall music series is fully funded with a $3,000 grant from Target.
RSV – Absent.
SCS – Progressing with RIFD and using help from MI Works and high school students. Receipt printers were installed. Have libraries experienced patrons returning books late after they started using the receipt printers? Most libraries agreed that patrons like the receipt from the printer as all of their books are listed on the receipt and patrons find it a nice check list when returning books. Late fees did not increase after the receipt printers were installed. Circulation is up 25,000 which is the highest circ since 1990.
SBL – Celebrating 30th birthday on November 16th by offering one day free video rental. Hope to submit our final steps for QSAC to our Board meeting on Oct 13.
SHL – Fines went up to 25 ¢ on July 1st. Our hours changed and we are closed on Sundays. A lot of TPL residents are coming to SHL for access to the shared system.
TPL – Absent.
UPL – Absent.
WPL- the City of Warren is concerned about budget cuts. The City is requesting that the library go for a millage next February.
XI. Public Participation.
Sandy Casamer - MRRC renovations started with walls being torn down and ceilings removed. The construction must be complete by December 31. MLBPH has a new exterior ramp. MLBPH will need to move out for some time during the construction. Macomb County is facing a large deficit and there will be a lot of upcoming layoffs.
Ron Black informed the directors that the Warren Bank has been assumed by Huntington Bank, but SLC funds are secure and that the FDIC handled the transfer very professionally and smoothly.
XII. Next meeting date.
The next meeting will be November 13, 2009 at the Clinton Macomb Main at 9:30 a.m.
XIII. Adjournment
Orlando moved to adjourn at 11:45 a.m., supported by Slivka. Motion carried.
Council Minutes – October 09
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