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LAB Minutes 12/15/2021Naples Florida. December 15, 2021 LET IT BE KNOWN that the LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD met on this date at 10:00 a.m. in the Headquarters Library with the following members present: Connie Bettinger - District 3 Joan Hochschild - District 1 Joy White - District 4 Irarjorie H. Gagnon - District 5 (absent) Carla Grieve - District 2 ALSO PRESENT Tanya Wlliams, Library Director Karen Tibbetts, Library Administrative Assistant Chloe Snider, Senior Librarian Kenneth Assal, President, Friends ofthe Library Connie Kindsvater, PaslPresident, Friends of the Library Dan Martin, Collier County Resident CALL TO ORDER 'l ) Grant LAB Member remote attendance (Motion & Approval). Quorum was met for this meeting No members requested remote access. Ms. Williams welcomed everyone to the meeting, and read the Library Advisory Board welcome message, which informs those in attendance of the emergency exits, restrooms, and procedures for speakang at the LAB meeting. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES Ms. Bettinger asked for approval of the meeting minutes of Octobet 20,2021. Dr. Hochschild moved to approve the minutes as written. l\rrs. Grieve seconded and the motion was carried unanimously. tils. Williams handed out packets of information that will be discussed at today's meeting to the members of the Library Advisory Board. l\,rs. Williams announced that she was notified that Nicolle Duquette, Library Assistant at the Estates Branch Library, passed away on Monday night. AWARDS & RECOGNITION 1) Library Division Cheers for Peers Recipients for October & November. Ms. Williams distributed copies of the Cheers for Peers recipients for October & November and noted that several staff received multiple recognitions. 2) County Service Awards. Ms. Williams announced that three Library staff members were recognized for their years of service with the County: Katherine Hemmat, Librarian (Golden Gate) = 20 years Veronica Salley, Library Technician (Admin) = 10 years Jeff Sykes, Courier (Admin) = 5 years 1 CHAIR: VICE-CHAIR: SECRETARY: BOARD REPORTSl) Report of Officers - None 2) Report of Committees - None PRESENTATIONS,) Report ofthe Friends of the Library (FOL). Mr. Ken Assal introduced himself as the new FOL President.. He stated that he and Cindy Ruddy, FOL Vice-President, are planning to visit each Library location. So far, they have visited lmmokalee, East Naples and Vanderbilt Beach branch libraries.. FOL membership is driven by the events they provide to their members, and the FOL Board hired a social media consultant to focus on reaching a younger population of 40-50-year-old residents.. The FOL has approved their budget which includes g88k for programs and $'100k for e-books.. The FOL'S Annual Appeal is underway and the last report was just under $10k received towards the $'15k target.. FOL staff continue to work remotely, however, it is expected that the flooring and painting will be updated in the FOL offices in January/February.. The first two Signature Series events were a success. Five more adult and three children presentations are planned for the next few months.. The FOL will have their Membership Appreciation event in March.. The Local Author Book Fair in October was a success with 48 authors in attendance-. Both the Nick Linn and Non-Fiction Series events are sold out. However, virtual tickets for the Nick Linn Lecture Series are still available.. The next Beach Series event will be held in April at the downtown Sudgen Theater.. Mr. Assal stated that the FOL are looking for new board members and reached out to the Greater Naples Leadership to help with their search.. The next FOL Board meeting will be held on January 21 at Headquarters Library. 2) Report ofthe Library Di.ector l\rs. Williams shared a PowerPoint presentation for her report. a. Capital Projects Update. Ms. Williams reported that the HVAC/Lighting Project at Naples Regional is in its final phase.. The Genealogy materials will be moved back on December 16. Staff and volunteers will re-shelve the books and hopefully the room with be open later this month.. The landscaping projecl at Naples Regionalwill create more green space on the west side of the building. The project cost of $163k will be funded using Shreve donation money and should be completed by the end of the year.. The Rees Meeting Room at Naples Regionalwill not reopen until the renovations are complete and the humidity in the room is stabilized.. Ms. Bettinger asked about the Golden Gate Senior Center, and Ms. Williams will provide a full report at the January LAB meeting.. There currently are five grants equating to $5.5 million that includes $2.9 million towards hazard mitigation to harden the Senior Center building, which is still on the Library's asset list.. The State did not approve the demolition and reconstruction of the building. 2 . The County took $500k from the Library's book budget to offset Capital Prolect expenses.. The lmmokalee parking lot is awaiting bid award. The material costs almost doubled since the oraginal estimates were provided.. The fiber optic installation at East Naples Branch Library is still being addressed.. lvls. Williams stated that there is a new lnterim Director for the County's lT Dept. and expects more movement in the County's organizational chart. b. Staffing Update . Ms. Williams reported that Caitlin Bingham was promoted from her part-time position at Headquarters to a full-time position at Naples Regional.. The Library posted two Librarian positions. One candidate is considering the offer and the other declined.. l\rs. Williams stated that it is difficult for the Library to compete with the starting salary offered to beginning teachers by Collier County Public Schools.. The Library is hiring new staff from outside the County for the Library Technician position at Naples Regional and two part{ime Library Assistant positions at Headquarters.. Volunteers are being brought back slowly. There currently are 48 active volunteers with 28 being students.. Three Library staff are retiring: Fay Bracken, Library Assistant, (Headquarters), retired on 1113; Tom Siebold, Courier, (Admin), is retiring 12l31;and Sonja Williams, Youth Services Librarian (Headquarters), is retiring 1/5.c. General Operations Update. l\rs. Williams shared copies of a bi-weekly report that she sends to Dan Rodriguez, Head of the Public Services Department, which summarizes key points of the Library's activitaes.. Mr. Rodriquez shares this information with the Deputy County Manager.. l\,Is. Williams reported that the Library's public computers are being updated to Windows '1'l. . She was pleased to repo( that Jared Del Re, the Library's Application Analyst, was able to image the new PC's without having to send them to the County's lT Dept. Ior processing.. Ms. White asked why the Library does not have l\raclntosh computers. Ms. Williams replied that the County does not support the different software for lvlac computers.. l\rrs. Grieve asked if the Administration phone line has been fixed. Ms. Williams replied that the lT Dept- is working on restoring that number.. l\rs. Williams stated that the 2022 SWFLN stickers are on their way, and that the current stickers are valid through the end of the year. d. Grants Update. Ms Williams reported that the Library completed its application for the 202'1- 2022 State Aid to Libraries Grant.. The lmmokalee Branch Library is still awaiting a signed contract for the Hazard Mitigation Grant to install a metal roof, impact resistant windows and doors, and a permanent generator.. The Library is working to complete l\rou's with the three American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) Grants awarded to the County, and provided to the Library as a subrecipient. 3 PUBLIC PETITIONS TO THE BOARD FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION - None PUBLIC GOMMENTS ON GENERAL TOPICS RELATED TO THE LIBRARY DIVISION - None UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1l FY 2021 Annual Statistical Report to the State Library. lrs Williams reviewed this five-page report with members explaining that the report compares statistics for FY2021 with those from FY2020.. She noted that there were five months in FY2020 that were pre-pandemic, and the remainder of the year reflects the decrease in service levels due to the pandemic. . The report also shows that circulation statistics increased, and although door counts decreased, there were increases in e-materials, databases and virtual visits.. The list of locations and service hours reflects that Naples Regional was closed for five weeks for the HVAC project. . Explanations of any statistical variants are listed at the bottom of the report.. l\rs. Williams reported that the State created a supplemental survey in response to the pandemic. . Statistics for active and passive programs were provided, and the State requested a new data set including separating children's statistics into two age groups (0-5) and (6-11).. The supplemental survey also included COVID related questions.. Ivls. Williams noted that all library locations were open during FY2021. 2) LAB Meeting Agenda Notirication/Communication Requirement (Fol/ow-up). l\rs. Williams provided information from the Attorney General's Office pertaining to notification of meetings and agendas.. lf there is a quorum of board members present, an absent member can be approved by the board to remotely participate at the meeting.. The Sunshine Law does not mandate that an agency provide notice of each item to be discussed via a published agenda, although the Attorney General's Office has recommended the publication of an agenda, if available.. The Library Administrative Assistanl will continue to mail LAB members a meeting packet one week prior to the meeting and also email them the documents.. Participating FOL members will also receive the agenda electronically one week prior to the meeting. 3) Use of Hybrid Meeting Format for Public Access (For D/scussion & Guidance). Ms. Williams stated that the Library will continue to follow the County's guidelines regarding hybrid meeting formats. NEW BUSINESS 1) 2022 Library Advisory Board Meeting Dates / Locations - DRAFT. Ms. Williams asked if LAB members had any changes to the ptoposed 2022 meeting schedule.. l\rs. Bettinger suggested adding a November '16 meeting to the schedule, since her and Dr. Hochschild's terms will expire 12l3'1l22.. LAB members will discuss visiting other Library locations at the January meeting. Ms. Williams also stated that Branch Managers will be attending future LAB meetings. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON GENERAL TOPICS RELATED TO THE LIBRARY DlvlSlON - None 4 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Library Advisory Board, the meeting was adjourned at 1 '1:20 a.m. lrls. Williams will update LAB members as to the format of the Library Advisory Board meeting scheduled to be held on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 al the Headquarters Library, 2385 Orange Blossom Drive, Naples, FL 34'109, (239\ 252-7350. Approved by: €of,f,ic.ffitinger,-Clraf Dr.- a-o^..r H.qrec{rLo, Vr4. C*a,e- Library Advisory Board 5