HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-21-2020 - BLT - APPROVED MINUTESCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH Board of Library Trustees Newport Beach City Hall (via Zoom) 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Meeting Minutes December 21, 2020 – 5:00 p.m. I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER – Chair Watkins called the meeting to order at 5:02 P.M. II. ROLL CALL – Roll Call by Administrative Support Specialist Francine Jacome Trustees Present: Chair Paul Watkins, Vice Chair Douglas Coulter, Secretary Kurt Kost, Board Member Barbara Glabman Trustees Absent: Board Member Janet Ray Staff Present: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director
Francine Jacome, Administrative Support Specialist III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Vice Chair Coulter Library Services Director Tim Hetherton introduced the Marketing Specialist, Maria Nicklin, who expressed enthusiasm for the position and polishing the library’s brand.
IV. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Consent Calendar Items 1. Minutes of the November 16, 2020 Board of Library Trustees Meeting Chair Watkins suggested revisions to the minutes.
Newport Beach resident Jim Mosher stated that the monitoring list for November and December was thin and suggested moving items from other months to facilitate an even distribution of business. He also advised that while on a Zoom meeting he sees only three
boxes and it is difficult to tell with whom he is meeting. Board Member Glabman apologized for not having her camera on. 2. Patron Comments Monthly review of evaluations of library services through suggestions and requests received from customers. Chair Watkins complimented Rebecca Lightfoot on 16 patron responses in the past month. 3. Library Activities Monthly update of library events, services and statistics.
Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes December 21, 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 Vice Chair Coulter, seconded by Secretary Kost, and carried (4-0-0-1) to approve the Consent Calendar as amended. AYES: Watkins, Coulter, Kost, Glabman
NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENCES: Ray
VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review 6. Lecture Hall Update Trustee Ray will report on activities related to the Library Lecture Hall project. Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director, gave the report in Board Member Ray’s absence. At the December 7, 2020 meeting the architect presented and discussed possible interior and exterior layouts, the AV complement the building would have, configurations of the courtyard and landscaping. Renderings of potential exterior treatments were shown. Progress is being made and a design may be approved by the January meeting. In response to Board Member questions Library Services Director Hetherton advised that project renderings and plans could be viewed on the City’s website in the December
meeting materials. He agreed to forward the link to the Board. Newport Beach resident Jim Mosher advised that the City Council created an Ad Hoc
committee on the Library Lecture Hall. The Ad Hoc committee was to investigate funding for the Library Lecture Hall and would sunset when they reported back or by the end of the year. Mr. Mosher said they have not reported back and noted the end of the year was
quickly approaching. The Board directed Library Services Director Hetherton to look into the matter. 7. COVID-19 Update Staff will update the Trustees on the Library’s activities during the COVID-19 closure.
Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director, explained that on December 3rd the State instituted new COVID restrictions although not much changed for the library. Capacity has been reduced from 25% to 20% or approximately 88 patrons. Patrons have been asked not to consume food and beverages in the building. Grab and go remains in effect, but the public cannot linger inside the building under the COVID plan. The library has been open
Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes December 21, 2020
Page 3 since September 21, 2020, and no staff have reported illness. There are approximately
320 patrons a day and the website and services are working. 8. Library Services Report of Library issues regarding services, patrons and staff. Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director, announced that they are a Library Journal 4 Star Library. Newport Beach Public Library had good numbers across the board, but particularly in electronic retrieval which has been a particular point of focus. Institutions rated 5 Stars generally served smaller communities than Newport Beach. In response to Board Member Glabman’s question Library Services Director Hetherton
stated that they received credit for materials borrowed through Libby as an electronic retrieval or as a computer use or Wi-Fi statistic. Chair Watkins said he knows of no reason why NBPL cannot strive for, and successfully achieve, 5-Star status.
Newport Beach resident Jim Mosher cautioned against putting too much significance or time into chasing stars as the methodology could be questioned. Most notably, the Los
Angeles Public Library and the New York Public Library have never received stars from the Library Journal. Mr. Mosher believes the ratings to be random and arbitrary and would not direct staff to focus on stars. B. Monthly Reports 9. Library Foundation Liaison Reports A. Library Foundation Board – Report on the most recent activities. Chair Watkins shared information from an email from Executive Director, Meg Linton, to Board Member Ray. On December 16, 2020, the foundation launched https://nbplf.foundation/ with more content to come. The 2021 Winter/Spring issue of Bookmark Magazine will be mailed the first week of January and will be online by mid-
January. Finally, Stories from the Sea will continue into Winter 2021. The Foundation staff continues to work remotely, and the office will be closed from 12/25/2020 through 1/1/2021.
B. Library Live Lectures Committee – Report on the most recent activities.
Board Member Glabman stated the speakers list is posted online, there are currently four speakers, but they are looking to add a fifth. The committee is currently working on the 2022 lecture series and the work is fully funded. C. Witte Lectures Committee – Report on the most recent activities.
Secretary Kost said tickets are available online for Samin Nosrat on January 15th, P.J. O’Rourke on February 19th, Sam Quinones on March 12th, and Shahzia Sikander on April 16th. There can be 500 viewers, so Secretary Kost encouraged people to invite their friends and family from all over the world to participate. They had $99,000 committed this year versus the goal of $75,000 so the sponsors have been incredible. The 2022 lecture list is being finalized and contracted.
Board of Library Trustees Meeting Minutes December 21, 2020
Page 4 10. Friends of the Library Liaison Report Trustee update on the most recent activities. Vice Chair Coulter explained there was no December Friends of the Library meeting, but that the total net income in November was $13,144. There is a year-end promotion in the bookstore where for every $5 spent there is a $1 certificate for use in January 2021. Board Member Glabman commended the Friends on their marketing and fundraising and the rest of the Board agreed. 11. Literacy Services Liaison Report Trustee update on the most recent activities.
Chair Watkins said Literacy Services puts out a monthly issue called Literally Speaking and recommended the Learner’s Corner article by Young Hae Kim. He also reported they
had 68 matches of tutors and learners and $439,000 in the bank. The Board has a full twelve members heading into its first 2021 meeting on January 14th at 6:00 p.m. They hope to begin a new fundraiser in February 2021. The current campaign of Be Well –
Read t-shirts benefits pro-literacy and can be purchased on the website. VII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
None. 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) None. IX. ADJOURNMENT – 5:43 P.M.
Submitted by: Paul Watkins
Chair Approval of Minutes