Regular Meeting of the Library Board of Trustees
October 16, 2007
MINUTES

Anyone requiring these minutes in an alternate format, such as large type, Braille or an audiotape, please contact the Library at 384-3150.

Location: Central Services Building, 5205 Northwest Dr., Bellingham, WA 98226.
(Note: “Library” refers to the Whatcom County Library System-WCLS.)

1. Call To Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Chair Amory Peck. A quorum was determined.

Roll Call: Trustees Present: Amory Peck, Nina Cox, Donna-Lee Elke, Jan Hunter, Janet Boyhan
Director: Joan Airoldi
Staff: Jeff Lazenby, Geoff Fitzpatrick, Sigrid Brorson, Sally Crouse, Robin Barker, Lizz Roberts, Theresa Hepker, Jeannette Blankenship.

2. Public Hearing In accordance with RCW 84.55.120 the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom County Rural Library District announced the opening of the public hearing on the proposed 2008 Preliminary Budget.

There was no public comment.

3. Public Comment No members of the public were present.

4. Minutes:

Sept. 18, 2007
Regular Board Meeting:

Oct. 2, 2007
Special Board Meeting
The minutes of the September 18, 2007 regular board meeting were reviewed.

Moved by Ms. Elke to approve the minutes of the September 18, 2007 regular board meeting. Seconded, carried.

The minutes of the October 2, 2007 special board meeting were reviewed.

Moved by Ms. Cox to accept the minutes of the October 2, 2007 special board meeting budget retreat. Seconded, carried.

5. Financial Report and Resolutions:

a. Expenditures: Mr. Lazenby reported the September and October expenditures:

September 2007 payroll Nos. 4954-5115: $279,952.02.
September 2007 second set of claims Nos. 1-84: $67,932.34.
October 2007 first set of claims Nos. 1-212: $135,234.58.

Ms. Hunter moved to approve the September and October payroll and claims as presented. Seconded, carried.
5. Financial Report

b. Resolutions Mr. Lazenby presented the following resolutions:

10/16/07-19: A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom County Rural Library District Authorizing an Increase in the Regular Property Tax Levy

10/16/07-20: A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom County Rural Library District Authorizing an Increase in the Regular Property Tax Levy

10/16/07-21: A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom County Rural Library District Adopting the Fiscal Year 2008 Preliminary Budget

10/16/07-22: A Resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Whatcom County Rural Library District Adopting the Fiscal Year 2008 Preliminary Budget

The vote on the resolutions was delayed until later in the meeting.

5. Financial Report

c. Budget Report Mr. Lazenby reviewed the September 2007 month end report. He reminded the group that the property tax revenue will be coming in during October and reported that expenditures are at about 68% of the budget with 75% of the year gone by. He said there are no unusual expenses expected in the next few months.

6. Review of Proposed 2008 Preliminary Budget

2008 Preliminary Budget Resolutions Mr. Lazenby introduced the proposed Preliminary 2008 Budget which was re-designed after his study of other library system budgets. New introductory material is included to provide tax payers with a clearer picture of the library’s financial situation. The narratives explain how the budget supports the priorities set forth by the Strategic Plan for the next five years.

There was lengthy discussion of the details in the Preliminary Budget document with the Trustees making suggestions to Mr. Lazenby for the final version of this document.

One unknown at this time is the decision pending in the Washington State Supreme Court on the constitutionality of I-747. Mr. Lazenby explained that, even though the Court probably will not actually hand down a ruling prior to December 31st, the library will submit two resolutions to the Assessor’s office as other taxing districts are doing as a contingency plan. Under I-747’s 1% limit, an actual dollar amount is required in the resolution sent to the Assessor’s office. If I-747 is ruled unconstitutional before the conclusion of 2007, a different resolution is needed in order to be eligible for the full legal maximum limit as allowed. The resolutions Mr. Lazenby has prepared will satisfy these needs.

Ms. Airoldi requested that after the library has final information on revenue and expenditures such as for health care increases, the Board considers joining the Washington Library Association for 2008 at a cost of about $6,000.

The Board expressed appreciation for the care and work devoted to preparation of the 2008 budget document.

Moved by Ms. Cox to approve the 2008 Preliminary Budget of the Whatcom County Rural Library District. Seconded, carried.

Moved by Ms. Hunter to approve resolutions 10/16/07-19, 10/16/07-20, 10/16/07-21, and 10/16/07-22. Seconded, carried.

The Board took a 10 minute break.

7. Policy Revision:

Friends of the Library Policy Ms. Peck referred to the revised draft of the Friends of the Library policy which had been reviewed only briefly in advance of this meeting. Ms. Cox, who serves on the Policy Committee with Ms. Peck, expressed some concerns about the policy and the need for the Friends groups to have additional direction and guidance from the library system.

Ms. Roberts and Ms. Airoldi described the Friends of the Library Manual that they are currently putting together which will be handed out at the Friends’ annual meeting on November 3rd. The Friends Manual is intended to provide practical information for the Friends groups. The role of the branch manager as a link between the library system and the Friends group was also discussed.

Suggestions for wording and details of the Friends of the Library policy were noted by Ms. Roberts for the next draft. Ms. Cox asked for her own copy of the Friends manual.

Ms. Boyhan asked that the Friends be made aware of the audiovisual equipment WCLS has available to use for programs. Mr. Fitzpatrick will prepare an itemized list that can be handed out to the Friends groups.

Ms. Roberts reminded the board of the annual Friends Gathering, planned for November 3rd at CS from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Ms. Airoldi proposed the idea of a Friends’ outstanding service award that would be authorized by the Library Board. The award could be given to either an individual or a group and would include a framed certificate for the recipient(s), along with a plaque or trophy that would travel to each year’s recipients’ branch.

Moved by Ms. Cox to authorize a Friends Outstanding Service Award, given to either an individual Friend or a Friends group to be awarded at the annual Friends Gathering. Seconded. It was suggested that either the Foundation representative or the Library Board’s advocacy committee be designated to look over the nominations which would come from the branches. Carried.

9. Technology Plan Update Mr. Fitzpatrick reported to the Trustees on the update of the Technology Plan. Input solicited from staff leaned heavily toward emphasizing projects that will bring in or create new users. The three priorities that emerged were:
1. Projects to create new users
2. Projects to benefit current users
3. Projects to encourage efficiencies (especially if paired with bringing in new users)

Mr. Fitzpatrick expects to have the 2008 to 2010 Technology Plan in place after the 2008 budget is finalized.

10. Strategic Plan Working Document Ms. Airoldi introduced the Strategic Plan Working Document. She explained that it is not a perfected document, but rather is designed to be a place to gather and organize ideas and materials for the coming years of the plan, an actual working document. The cover will be changed when the identity work is completed and new materials will be shared system-wide.

Ms. Roberts explained how she compiled the branch outcomes into template form, making it easy for each branch to work out and update the details of their individual strategic plans. All of the materials in the binder will be available on WCLSnet as well. The Board made several suggestions for the document including the addition of a bibliography.

Ms. Airoldi extended her thanks to everyone who worked on the strategic planning process and singled out the patience and care given by Sally Crouse in preparing the working documents in binder form.

11. OCLC Study Technical Service Manager Theresa Hepker informed the Board of the OCLC study that took place recently. Two people spent time interviewing staff and studying the processes. They then produced their findings which included the following recommendations:
1. Selection process, get things ordered in a fairly constant stream.
2. Use the OCLC service PromptCat with vendor Baker and Taylor. Baker and Taylor charge a fee per record for this.
3. Order BibNotes service.
4. Provide ongoing training for catalogers. Additional training will mean staff won’t have to ask Ms. Hepker to do portions of the cataloging they don’t know how to do.
5. Create a cataloging manual. Have already created a cataloging agreement with Bellingham Public Library and have other cataloging documents; just not in one comprehensive manual.
6. Contribute enrichments and minimal level upgrades in OCLC.
7. Manage the OCLC authorization cataloging numbers

Ms. Peck asked if the fact that the department had already caught up was due to having figured out some of these strategies on their own. Ms. Hepker said they have been considering PromptCat and have been working on better balance in the selection process. They have started some additional training in cataloging and that is going very well. Ms. Airoldi thanked Ms. Hepker for leading the department through this study and for the improvements made in the past few years.

12. Committee Reports Personnel: Next Meeting is November 20, 7:00 a.m. in the Lynden Library Conference room scheduled for completing the director’s performance review.

Foundation: Ms. Hunter reported on the activities of the WCL Foundation. They co-sponsored an event with Village Books for Banned Books Week with other local groups. Christopher Finan, author of From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act spoke as part of the taping for the Chuckanut Radio Hour. The event will be aired in November on KMRE.
Ms. Hunter told the Board that the Foundation is continuing to work with the Book Endowment group’s changes. The Foundation is sponsoring the 2007 Friends gathering which is scheduled for November 3rd at Central Services. The Foundation is holding a 2008 budget meeting before their November meeting.

Advocacy: is meeting with the Identity task force this afternoon.

13. Library News Ms. Brorson distributed Library News and shared the highlights:

Slated for the first week of January is the launching of the pilot trial of Sunday hours at the Everson branch. Ms. Brorson also had pictures of a new type of zig zag shelving being used at the Lynden branch to improve visual displays.

A new program being developed by Lisa Gresham called Reduce Redundancy which is intended to encourage efficiency in throughout the library. Samples of materials produced were shared.

Other highlights in library news:
• The annual meeting of the Friends of the Deming Library is planned for Saturday, Oct 20th at 7:00 p.m.
• The Sumas library celebrated their 60th anniversary with a party on Oct 13th.
• The Blaine Library is rearranging and increasing their internet stations. Ms. Elke commented that everything is looking wonderful.
• Ms. Boyhan recommended attending the Everson Silver Tea event on December 2nd from 2-7 p.m.

11. Community Relations Report Ms. Roberts reported on progress with the Strategic Plan, the identity and marketing projects, building relationships with the Press, and attending Friends and Foundation events.

15. Director’s Report Ms. Airoldi informed the Trustees that Kibble and Prentice has provisionally reported an overall increase of 8.3% for our benefits for next year which is within the bargaining unit agreement limits.

Ms. Airoldi also spoke about the written Director’s Report which focused on:
• WILL—Afterthoughts from the Conference
• Tenth Annual Teen Read Week
Announcements and Bouquets: Ms. Jeannette Blankenship, the new manager of the Ferndale branch arrived and was introduced to the Board.

Ms. Blankenship told the Trustees she came here from southern Oregon where she had lived for 40 years. She had been working for the Jackson County Library System for 30 years when it was forced to close because of lack of funding. During her time with Jackson County, she helped to build a new library. With the Eagle Point Friends group she worked to raise over $200,000 through booksales, grants, etc.

Ms. Blankenship asked about the timeline for moving toward a new library in Ferndale. Ms. Airoldi told her a little about all the groups that are working together on the library project and their intention to hire a project manager with funds from the anonymous donor through the Whatcom Community Foundation.

The Trustees welcomed Ms. Blankenship and expressed appreciation that she has joined WCLS.

Ms. Brorson and Ms. Airoldi offered a bouquet to the Ferndale Library staff, the Facilities staff, and anybody who had anything to do with the carpeting project at the Ferndale Library. It was a huge effort and it looks beautiful. She also thanked the Bookmobile staff for going over to offer service to the Ferndale patrons while the library was closed.

November 20, 2007 Board Meeting: The November 20, 2007 Board Meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Lynden Library.

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12.30 p.m.