Welcome to the Library Board of Zoom meeting.
I call the meeting to order.
I'm assuming there is no speaker wishing from the outside to speak, so we shall move on.
The first thing is -- oh, Jennifer, what did you want me -- oh, Laura, would you mind taking
the minutes for us?
Laura?
Sorry, I keep forgetting to unmute.
Would you take the minutes for us today, please?
Sure.
Okay.
Thank you.
All right.
I've called the meeting to order, and the first is approval of the minutes of January
14th.
Is there a motion to approve the minutes of January 14th?
Okay.
Dr. Jing.
And I need a second.
Second.
Jim Owens.
Seconded.
All in favor?
Aye.
Opposed?
Same sign?
Okay.
It's -- the minutes are approved.
Then we need to receive an informational report and hold a discussion regarding the
Emily Fowler Library Foundation.
Jennifer?
So, really no changes with the foundation.
They still have that CD of $100,000.
The latest statement we had was in December, which we went over in the January meeting,
so they have a little over $1,000 in their checking account.
They -- most of that checking account is what they use to donate for the Nook Park behind
Emily Fowler Central Library.
So that's all.
All right.
Any questions or comments for Jennifer?
Then the next item on the agenda is to receive an informational report and hold a discussion
regarding the Friends of the Denton Public Library.
The Friends is scheduling a meeting.
We've actually got that scheduled now.
It's going to be next Thursday, the 18th, at 6 p.m.
So if a Library Board member would be able to attend as the liaison, that's always good.
I cannot remember off the top of my head right now.
I may need to do some research and follow up with you all about who the assigned liaison
is for the Library Board.
Do you remember, Dr. Greenlow?
No, I don't.
Who among you was the liaison?
It was me last, I believe, but maybe not.
Maybe not when we -- I can't remember.
There will be -- the new president will name someone, but I believe I named you, yes.
So --
Okay.
So if you're available, Kate, and you want to jump on, I'll send you that link.
I think I can do it.
Okay.
The meeting -- at the meeting, they've got some changes they want to discuss about their
bylaws, and then we're going to talk about library reopening plans and our formal funding
request of that $6,000 for summer reading challenge incentives, the prize books for
2021 summer reading challenge program, but since the meeting is next week, there's not
a whole lot to report yet.
Okay.
Any questions or comments?
Anything you'd like her to -- either Kate or Jennifer to bring up at the meeting?
All right.
And the next on the agenda is receive a report and hold a discussion regarding library phased
reopening plans during COVID-19 pandemic.
So since I wrote this agenda information sheet, a lot has changed.
So ignore everything on the agenda information sheet, and let me give you the latest summary.
We are planning to remain in phase 2, which is core critical services, which we're doing
curbside, checkout of hold materials, appointments for computer use, copy machines and fax service,
and everything else is virtual.
And we will be remaining in that.
We were hoping to possibly open this spring, but we're pushing that back, and looks like
we're going to be looking at opening for phase 3, which will be walk-in entry on May 1st.
That is tentative, but that's what we're looking at right now.
Some of the things that we are trying to do in the meantime, though, we did reinstate homebound
services to the senior living centers that we had been working with prior to COVID.
So that has already been reinstituted.
We have sent out emails to our 2020 Summer Reading Challenge prize winners, giving them
an opportunity to fill out a form with their reading preferences and age group and reading
levels to schedule a curbside pickup for their prizes, because thanks to COVID, they haven't
been able to come and pick their prizes.
So that is going on right now.
We'll send a second email probably in the next week or so, and we'll just keep sending
those reminder emails.
After four days of the first email, we already had 71 pickups, so we were getting some pretty
good response.
We want to get those prize books out.
And some things we're looking at to do in the meantime, we're trying to figure out some
options to expanding curbside hold pickup.
Currently we're doing Monday through Saturday, 10 to 5, but looking at expanding to offer
evening hours, and then we're also looking at, in the near future, offering like a 30-minute
grab and go browsing appointment.
So we can have appointments for those who just want to come in and browse.
It's a quick thing.
You use the self-check, and then you're done.
So we're working on some processes and scheduling with that.
So next month I'll have some more details about that.
Any questions or comments?
Will that be at all three libraries, or okay?
Yes.
All right.
The next on the agenda is receive a report, hold a discussion, and consider recommending
approval of the following Denton Public Library policy updates.
And I'm just going to let you name them as you go through them, please, Jennifer.
Well, we only have one, but we are bringing them back.
So at each meeting we'll have at least one, and the policy that we have for you today
is the volunteer policy.
We did a review of that.
We made some clarification and some wording, including clarifying that the minimum time
commitment was an annual time commitment, and that a parent or guardian, it was pretty
vague language just saying they need to fill out forms, and we clarified that they needed
to fill out some specific forms for volunteers who are under 18 years of age.
We added in the process that volunteers must attend an orientation session and clarified
that they needed to sign in and out at the service desk at the beginning and end of their
shifts.
All right.
Do you need us to vote on that, or is this information?
It's a vote, please.
Okay.
Do we need a motion to vote on the change, please?
I have a question.
Sure.
Well, we have to make the motion first.
That's fine.
And then we can have discussion.
That's fine.
That's the way the Robert's Rules goes.
So may I have a motion first?
Kate made the motion.
A motion that we pass it as presented.
Okay.
May I have a second to the motion?
We can't have discussion unless I have a second, folks.
Second.
Jim seconded.
Now, we can have discussion.
Okay.
Well, it's really not about discussion.
I just want to kind of have a little bit of clarification, and does this volunteer policy
cover both volunteers from the community and, for example, our practicum students?
And yeah, but that's the first question.
So practicum students are considered volunteers, and so they would fall under this.
In addition, we have practicum guidelines, which are procedural, that practicums would
also have on there, and it explains a lot more detail about their duties and their preferences
and pairing them up, and then we have checklists and things like that for practicum students
also.
Okay.
I asked this question because I don't know whether the application, the volunteer application
form, for example, the background check or the relation form, whether they're new.
I actually have never, I have not recalled Denham Public Library ever ask us for background
check and that kind of thing.
It's new-ish.
I can't remember exactly when it happened, but all volunteers, we have two practicum
students currently right now for the spring semester, and both had to go through the background
check.
Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
Anything else?
Then let's vote.
All in favor?
Aye.
Or raise your hands.
It's easier.
Okay.
All opposed?
Same sign.
All right.
It passes.
Jennifer, the next is receive a report and hold a discussion regarding library grant
updates, binge box, and homebound services.
All right.
So I went over a little bit about our grants, and I just want to give you an update on some
of those.
We've had a little bit more activity on those.
The North Texas Book Festival grant and the Texas Book Festival grants, those materials
are hitting the shelves.
You'll start seeing some social media advertisement of those grants and those materials in the
next few weeks, because those are almost done being processed and cataloged.
The text treasures grant, the microfilm for the newspaper has been sent to UNT.
They have been working on it, and some of those items are already on the portal to Texas
history.
If anybody wanted to go ahead and take a look, they are just continually scanning and adding
more, that should be done towards the end of the spring or early summer.
Our special project grant, we have ordered new computer tables, collaboration tables,
and storage cabinets, too shorter and too tall, for that space already.
We are just waiting for those to arrive.
We've also ordered separately, it's not part of the grant, but part of that project, a
cricket machine, and we are in the process of working with purchasing to order two laser
engravers.
So that PO should be done next week, and then we'll start getting those in.
Our next things to order for that from the grant are a CNC carving machine, large capacity
laminator, and a 3D printer and 3D scanner.
So once those items are ordered and in, that closes out the grant portion.
And then the CARES Act grant, it went to council and was approved, so I am submitting those
orders and starting that process next week.
And then the binge box collection is a new collection for the library, and you can search
in the catalog for binge box, and you can find a variety of topics.
It's multiple movies and films in one package, so you're getting more bang for your checkout,
if you will, and it's five to seven DVDs in each box, and they follow a theme, and they've
got some really cute themes.
I think I had some examples in the AIS of Tis the Season, Heartwarming, Hallmark, Unhinged
and in Love, Love Story's Gone Bad, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
So it's all sorts of topics and things of popular movies, so you can check them out
at once and have a binge weekend and watch them all at once.
So we're very excited about that new collection.
And then just an update on Homebound, I mentioned earlier, they were suspended, those services
were suspended in March, but we have started that back up with the senior living centers
that we've been working with in the past.
We are doing a monthly drop off and pick up of materials, and we're working with the coordinators
at some of the senior living centers to help advertise and promote the service for other
residents who may not be aware that we offer that service.
Since we're already going there anyway, we'd love to serve more of the residents.
Any questions or comments about any of those?
I have a quick question, Jennifer, when you were talking about the engraving machine,
the laminator, the 3D printer, what grant was that?
It's the special projects grant, TSLAX Special Projects.
That was all I had.
Okay.
Anyone else?
Well, that ends our agenda.
Jennifer, you do need to put on next month's agenda the nominations for the officers for
next year or for this coming year.
It's going to be a very short term.
I will remind you that no one can repeat in the office that they hold at this time.
In other words, I cannot be president again.
I can hold another office, but I cannot be president.
You have to have a one-year break between holding a same office.
So think of that.
I'm president.
Who's vice?
I'm chair.
No, it is president.
It is president.
It is vice president.
Who's vice president?
Dr. Cheng, I believe.
No.
I believe Ben is the vice president.
Ben?
Uh-huh.
Does that sound okay?
And who was secretary?
Kate.
Okay.
So those three, we three cannot hold the same office.
We can hold other offices.
So be thinking of that when you come prepared to make nominations at our next meeting.
And we'll do nominations and then it's the following meeting that the voting takes place.
And then the next round of nominations should be per the bylaws in September because hopefully
all the appointments will have gone through by then.
Right.
Okay.
Anything else for Jennifer before I adjourn?
Vicki, welcome to the board.
You're our new member.
So let's all give Vicki a wave.
Yay.
Glad to have you with us.
Um, and someday we'll get to see you in person.
I hope.
You had a question, Vicki.
Well, I didn't have a question.
I just wanted to introduce myself to you all.
I am Vicki Byrd and Deb Amater recommended me for the board.
I convinced her that the library is my favorite place to be next to home.
I feel like I live in the library every time I go in.
I want to stay, but something else has come up.
I'm not sure if you all have heard or not.
My name mentioned in district one, I will be running for city council.
I've been approved and notified as of this past Monday, I believe just a couple of days.
And so I'm going to be looking forward to giving all of my energy to that.
I'll be looking forward to representing, you know, all of us in this area.
So with that being said, I'm not real sure the ordinance or the rules or processes by
which I could be on one of these boards because she just put me on this committee and now
all of these things have taken place in the last week and a half or a couple of weeks.
Okay.
You can be on the board unless you are, unless you win the council election then you go off
the board.
Okay.
But there is an attendance policy.
So you must attend the meeting.
So I know you will have other obligations in running, but there is an attendance policy.
Great.
I was waiting to hear back from the city secretary and this question just came up when I realized
that, oh, I'm on the library board, you know, so it just all just kind of popped off really
quickly.
And thank you for that information, Jean, I will keep that and just really try to do
my best and give you all any kind of knowledge that I have or any kind of questions or comments
or concerns.
I'll make sure I do that.
Good.
Glad to have you on board.
Thank you very much.
Okay.
I am going to adjourn us then.
Thank you very much.
And we'll stay safe, stay warm, get your shots.
We'll see you next month.
Thank you.
Bye.