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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-20-2020 - BLT - Approved Minutes CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Board of Library Trustees Newport Beach Public Library Virtual Meeting Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 – 5:00 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER – Chair Ray called the meeting to order at 5:08 p.m. II. ROLL CALL – Roll Call by Administrative Support Specialist Francine Jacome Trustees Present: Chair Janet Ray, Vice Chair Paul Watkins, Secretary Douglas Coulter, Board Member Kurt Kost Trustees Absent: Board Member Barbara Glabman Staff Present: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director Francine Jacome, Administrative Support Specialist Melissa Hartson, Acting Library Services Manager & Circulation & Technical Processing Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot, Adult Services Coordinator III. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS In response to Andi Lingle's inquiry, Library Services Director Tim Hetherton advised that the majority of Library staff have been deemed essential workers and are reporting to work. The remaining staff have taken paid leave or flex leave. Some part-time staff have opted not to work, been offered unemployment benefits, and informed that they can return to work at the Library when the public health orders have been lifted. Jim Mosher expressed surprise that no patrons have commented about the Library closure in March and suggested the Board of Library Trustees consider adding to the monitoring list an ongoing action item regarding the Library's response to the COVID crisis. V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Consent Calendar Items 1. Minutes of the February 24, 2020 Board of Library Trustees Meeting 2. Patron Comments Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from customers. 3. Library Activities Monthly update of library events, services and statistics. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 Page 2 4. Expenditure Status Report Monthly expenditure status of the library's operating expenses, services, salaries, and benefits by department. 5. Board of Library Trustees Monitoring List List of agenda items and dates for monthly review of projects by the Board of Library Trustees. Motion made by Board Member Coulter, seconded by Board Member Kost, and carried (4-0-0-1) to approve the Consent Calendar. AYES: Ray, Watkins, Coulter, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Glabman VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review 6. FY 2020-21 Library Services Proposed Budget Staff requests that the Board review and approve the proposed FY 2020-21 operating budget for the Library. Library Services Director Hetherton reported staff has requested an additional $50,000 to purchase e-content and $5,000 for art maintenance. Due to expected revenue losses caused by the pandemic, the Finance Department has requested staff reduce maintenance and operations costs, which have shown surpluses in the past. The Finance Department has also returned budget credits to the facilities maintenance accounts that have been overspent in the past. The budget is healthy, and the requested additional funding will serve the public well. In reply to Vice Chair Watkins' questions, Library Services Director Hetherton advised that there will be a slight savings in FY 2019-20 staff salaries as some staff have elected not to work. Book vendors are not shipping materials, but the funds for materials are encumbered. Acting Library Services Manager & Circulation & Technical Processing Coordinator Melissa Hartson added that there will be savings in postage, programming costs, and event insurance. Staff has not determined the amount of savings from the Library's closure for two weeks in March and all of April but will do so. Any savings will return to the City's general fund. Friends of the Library and Library Foundation donations received but not spent in FY 2019-20 will carry into FY 2020-21. In answer to Jim Mosher's queries, Library Services Director Hetherton indicated the Library Services Manager position is funded in the Library's budget. While Ms. Basmaciyan is working in the City Manager's office, the Library pays her salary. He did not foresee a loss of positions as staff has not been laid off or furloughed. He has cleared with the HR Department the rehiring of part-time staff who have elected to receive unemployment benefits. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 Page 3 Motion made by Vice Chair Watkins, seconded by Board Member Coulter, and carried (4- 0-0-1) to approve the FY 2020-21 operating budget for the Library. AYES: Ray, Watkins, Coulter, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Glabman 7. Grant Acceptance from California Library Literacy Services Staff recommends that the Board of Library Trustees accept a grant for $23,874 from California Library Literacy Services (CLLS) to support the Newport Beach Adult Literacy Program. Library Services Director Hetherton explained that with the cancellation of the March Board of Library Trustees meeting, he presented the item to the Council in March, and the Council accepted the grant. He apologized for not presenting it to the Library Board of Trustees prior to the Council, but the grant is a critical part of the budget. Motion made by Vice Chair Watkins, seconded by Board Member Coulter, and carried (4- 0-0-1) to approve the Council's acceptance of a grant in the amount of $23,874 from California Library Literacy Services to support the Newport Beach Adult Literacy Program. AYES: Ray, Watkins, Coulter, Kost NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Glabman 8. Library Material Selection and Downloadable Services Staff will provide an overview of materials selection and downloadable services. Adult Services Coordinator Rebecca Lightfoot reviewed the process by which staff selects materials for purchase. Collection HQ provides staff with data for maintenance of the collection and for purchase of new materials. Collection HQ recommends less than 5 percent of materials be uncirculated for four or more years, and currently 3.5 percent of the Library's materials have been uncirculated for more than four years. Use of Overdrive, an audio and e-book service, continues to grow. Checkouts from Overdrive increased from 109,000 in 2018 to 126,000 in 2019. Macmillan has temporarily lifted its embargo such that libraries can purchase more than one copy of e-books during the first eight weeks of publication. In February, staff upgraded the Library's subscription to RBDigital to more than 3,700 magazines. Use of Kanopy, a streaming video service, continues to grow. In answer to Vice Chair Watkins' query, Adult Services Coordinator Lightfoot indicated access to Kanopy is limited to five plays per month for adults, but there is no limit on children's videos and Great Courses. Vice Chair Watkins was pleased with staff's direction in selecting materials for the Library. Jim Mosher expressed concern about items being declared discardable and inquired about application of the circulation standard to non-circulating materials. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 Page 4 Adult Services Coordinator Lightfoot explained that staff first determines whether the content of reference materials and other non-circulating materials is current. If the content is out of date, staff replaces materials with current materials, editions, or digital content. In many instances, publishers replace out-of-date print materials with current digital materials, and staff discards the Library's copies of the print materials. 9. Foreign Language Collections Staff will provide an overview of foreign language collections at NBPL. Adult Services Coordinator Lightfoot reported Overdrive offers some foreign language materials. Several years ago, the Library purchased a small collection of Spanish and Chinese-language materials, but circulation has not met staff's expectations. A small collection of books in Spanish was housed at Mariners Branch, but it was withdrawn primarily because it did not circulate. The February upgrade to RBDigital included access to a number of foreign language periodicals. Based on limited data, circulation for the periodicals is low. The Library is known for its collection of foreign language films, and its circulation is high. Staff has many questions about starting a foreign language print collection. Vice Chair Watkins related the source of the Board of Library Trustees' interest in foreign language materials. The staff report indicates the Library's foreign language materials are appropriate for patron demand at the current time. Perhaps staff should continue to monitor patron demand for foreign language materials. 10. Lecture Hall Update Staff will report on activities related to the Library Lecture Hall project. Chair Ray noted the cancellation of Lecture Hall Committee meetings, but the Committee remains optimistic about the future. 11. Library Services Report of Library issues regarding services, patrons and staff. Library Services Director Hetherton reported staff has focused on public service in light of facility closures and the stay-at-home order. The Library may be considered an essential service to support the online education of children and to relieve patron's anxiety and stress. Curb-side service has been incredibly popular. Staff practices social distancing with the public, and curb-side service is contactless. The Library has provided staff with gloves, masks, and sanitizer. Materials returned to the Library are quarantined for 14 days even though experts indicate the virus is viable for only nine days. A recent study circulated by the Public Library Association found that the virus is viable for only a day on books. Staff has increased online programming, posted past programs to the website, and developed a page for online education. Library vendors have increased the number of online materials at no cost. Patrons have submitted many positive comments about the changes. The former credit union space in Central Library is undergoing renovations, and staff will order merchandise and displays soon. Staff has met the challenges with a good attitude and continues to work hard for the public. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 Page 5 In reply to Board Member Kost's question, Library Services Director Hetherton advised that staff is present at each Branch, and each Branch offers curb-side service. Chair Ray commended staff for an amazing job and noted the importance of the Library to the public. In answer to Jim Mosher's inquiry, Library Services Director Hetherton indicated the Library will reopen in accordance with best practices and State and Federal guidelines. As a public facility, Library Branches will probably undergo a deep cleaning. There should be some definitive information about returned materials. Social distancing will likely continue. B. Monthly Reports 12. Library Foundation Liaison Reports A. Library Foundation Board – Report of the most recently attended meeting. Meg Linton, Newport Beach Library Foundation Chief Executive Officer, reported previously canceled Library Live events and Witte lectures will be rescheduled. Programming for the next season is on hold. Staff is migrating the Library Foundation's website off the City server and the database to a better system. B. Library Live Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. C. Witte Lectures Committee – Report of the most recently attended meeting. Ms. Linton advised that both Committees are on hiatus pending the outcome of the pandemic. 13. Friends of the Library Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Friends of the Library Board meeting. Board Member Coulter indicated Friends' revenue totaled $6,912 in March, which is 38 percent of February's revenue. The Friends of the Library and its volunteers are anxious to return to business. 14. Literacy Services Liaison Report Trustee update of the most recently attended Literacy Services Advisory Board meeting. Vice Chair Watkins related that the fundraising luncheon was canceled, but a large majority of patrons are holding their tickets for a future luncheon. Classes for tutors and learners are being held online with Zoom. In March, ProLiteracy reported a bank balance of $442,000. Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes April 20, 2020 Page 6 VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Jim Mosher noted June 7 will be the official 100th anniversary of the creation of the Newport Beach Public Library and its governing board. VIII. BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) Chair Ray wanted to honor Elaine McMillion's many years of service to the Library and the Board of Library Trustees at a future meeting. She requested the next in-person meeting of the Library Board of Trustees be held at the Balboa Branch. IX. ADJOURNMENT – 6:03 p.m. Submitted by: Janet Ray Chair Approval of Minutes