HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-12-12; Library Board of Trustees; MinutesI ITEM ## 2
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MINUTES
MEETING OF:
DATE OF MEETING: December 12,2001
TIME OF MEETING: 4:OO PM
PLACE OF MEETING:
LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Library Board Room - 1775 Dove Lane
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairman William Kamenjarin called the meeting to order at 4:06 PM.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Library Board Trustees, Baron, Gleason Huss, Kamenjarin, Page
and Tarman.
Absent: None
Also Present: Cliff Lange, Library Director
Geoff Armour, Assistant Library Director
Heather Pizzuto, Principal Librarian, Dove Lane
Chris Holt, Principal Librarian, Cole
Dana Hartshorn, Library Management Analyst
Bee Koons, NSDCGS Liaison
Arthur Wood, Friends of the Library Liaison
Anne Sypien, League of Women Voters Observer
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The minutes of the October 17, 2001 meeting were approved as submitted.
MONTHLY LIBRARY DIVISION HEADS REPORTS:
Trustee Gleason Huss asked for a status report on the technology problems at Adult
Learning and Library Director Lange responded that Administration recently had a
meeting with the head of the IT Department to discuss the issues. Another meeting is
scheduled for next week or two to try to resolve the issues.
Assistant Library Director Armour added that currently the issue is rebuilding the server,
which requires ordering of many parts, etc. Currently they can neither print nor save
any documents.
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Minutes of December 12, 2001 Meeting
The Board expressed concern that the Adult Learning Program staff and participants
have been struggling with computer problems since August and asked to be kept
informed on the timeline for the resolution of these problems.
Trustee Gleason Huss referenced the report from Centro regarding a meeting of
Neighborhood House Association, attended by our staff and dealing with community
needs and barriers to getting the services. She asked if there were specifics and
Assistant Library Director Armour responded that he had spoken with the staff member
who attended and she said there were none.
Chairman Kamenjarin asked for more specific information on the issues discussed at
that meeting to be reported to the Board at the next Library Board meeting.
Trustee Gleason Huss asked for an update on the leaking valve in the book drop room
at the library on Dove Lane and Principal Librarian Pizzuto reported that there were
several unsuccessful efforts to repair the valve; however, they have now rebuilt the
valve and it seems to be fixed.
CENTRO de INFORMACION UPDATE:
Assistant Library Director Armour reported that the agenda bill and resolution providing
for the removal of the current structures and installation of modular buildings for the
Recreation program and the Library’s Centro had been approved several months ago;
however, the exact location and positioning of the modular structures had not been
determined. The current building permit plans call for the Centro to face the current
parking lot of the Senior Center with primary access from Harding Street and access
also available off Walnut.
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Trustee Tarman expressed concern over the access being through a parking lot since
the majority of the traffic for the Centro is either pedestrian or bicycle.
Assistant Library Director Armour continued that Finance has asked for the contract for
the modular structures to be modified to allow for a lease/purchase option at the end of
18 months. As this option was not part of the original agreement, the City has had to
renegotiate the contract with the vendor.
The demolition of the current buildings has been postponed until the summer of 2002,
so the urgency to get the modulars on site has been alleviated. Staff is working with the
shelving company to inventory all the existing shelving and designing the interior, and
the actual move will probably not take place until late February 2002. There is also the
issue of the infrastructure for the sewer and electrical lines.
Chairman Kamenjarin pointed out that the current signage for the facility is inadequate
and suggested that new signage be designed and ordered which can also be used after
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Minutes of December 12, 2001 Meeting
they move to the modular structure. He also asked about this Board’s request to the
City Council last summer for an expansion of the hours at Centro. Library Director
Lange responded that the Board’s formal request was forwarded to the City Manager‘s
office but that it will not be brought before the Council until the Council deals with all the
issues that relate to the entire site. Chairman Kamenjarin expressed his concerns
using, as an example, the Thanksgiving Holiday when the Centro closed on
Wednesday at 5PM and did not open again for over 90 hours.
Trustee Page asked if we needed Council approval to extend the hours of service if
there was no budget impact, and the proposal originally submitted was based on a zero
budget impact.
Library Director Lange responded that perhaps in a case where there was no budget
impact it would not require City Council approval but the request had already been
submitted to the City Manager for the Council and we had been directed to table the
issue at this time.
LIBRARY COMPUTER USE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES: - Library Director Lange explained that this item was placed on the agenda after he
received information from Trustee Page that a library patron had written letters to the
Trustees requesting a change in the current policy.
He also distributed a copy of a post card recently received that advocated adding filters
to the computers in the library.
The Board reviewed the current policy and procedures that had been reviewed by the
City Attorney’s office prior to the Board approval. There was some discussion on the
experience and background that helped form the current policies and procedures and
the Board received several articles dealing with Internet use and filters.
Library Director Lange reported on the instances that adults had accessed
inappropriate sites while using the computers in the Children’s area at Cole and the
inability for the limited staff to adequately “police” the users and/or delete the sites left
accessible when the user leaves the computer.
Principal Librarian Chris Holt from the Cole Library explained that their Children’s area
computers are not in a lab like at the Dove Lane facility. Initially they allowed adults to
use those computers when they were not all in use by the children but the incidences of
the adults accessing inappropriate sites, especially when the screen is in full view of the
children and other patrons, was sufficient to warrant a revision in the policy to the
r current one.
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Minutes of December 12, 2001 Meeting
Trustee Baron pointed out that the current policy is a reasonable exercise of discretion
to protect children and since we have a track record of adults abusing these machines
that are dedicated to children then we have made enough due diligence to protect the
decision and policy.
Trustee Tarman asked if there were similar complaints from the adult computer user
labs and if so, what was being done to counter that.
There have been incidences, and Principal Librarian Pizzuto, Dove Lane facility,
explained that our policy is posted between the terminals and on the walls in the
computer lab; the user has had to read the policy and sign a statement to agree to
abide by the rules before they can use the internet; and, there is a banner running on
every one of the monitors that requires each user to read, stating they have no
expectation of privacy, that their use can be monitored and that activity that is counter
to our policies will be reviewed. She continued that this kind of activity seems to be on
the increase in libraries because of the anonymity of being in a public facility without
trace to a personal computer.
Chairman Kamenjarin asked about the use of privacy walls or screens on the monitors
so that passers by could not see what was displayed. Principal Librarian Pizzuto
responded that in many cases these devices make it difficult for the user to view the
screen themselves, and if we use privacy screens, the implication is that we are
sanctioning whatever activity is taking place. She continued that it has been part of the
debate, should we abandon the idea of monitoring and just let whatever happens
happen, but protect other people from exposure?
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Trustee Tarman then pointed out that the next person to use that computer could be
exposed to the material so that the privacy screen is not totally effective either.
Chairman Kamenjarin asked if the library had talked with other library administrations to
see what methods they were using. Library Director Lange responded that there are
some libraries in the area that are using filters on all the children’s Internet computers
and some of the adult ones, but that the real problem is that the filtering software does
not work effectively. They either over exclude legitimate sites or under exclude many of
the undesirable sites, and even the ones rated as “best” have an error rate in the 80%
range, while giving the user a false sense of security.
Trustee Gleason Huss moved that the Board reaffirm its support for the current policy.
Trustee Tarman expressed his concern that we may not be providing enough protection
for the children and requested that the Board take another look at options, including
filters on only some of the children’s Internet computers. -
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Minutes of December 12, 2001 Meeting
Following the discussion the vote was taken and the motion carried four to one,
(Tarman opposing).
Trustee Page suggested that the Board revisit the policies and procedures at a future
meeting to look at what is newly available for filtering, etc. The Board agreed to put this
issue back on the agenda for March 2002.
STATE OF THE CITY VIDEO:
This item was trailed.
C 0 M M U N ITY SERVICES VI D E 0 :
This item was trailed.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
Strategic Plan -
night, concluding with the video, and was well received and approved.
The Library’s strategic plan was presented to the City Council last
New Automated svstem - The library has hired a consultant to work with the
committee to write the RFP for the new system. The first meeting between the
consultant, Administrative Staff and Automation Committee was last month.
Meanwhile, Sirsi bought out DRA, the company that owned our current system, INLEX,
and they are offering the library a “good deal” if we migrate to their product. The
committee will look over the offer at the next meeting with the consultant. One
condition of the offer is that they not be required to respond to the RFP.
Next Year Budnet - It looks as though the next budget year will be a tough one. The
State has in the past taken money from the local governments when they were in a
deficit budget situation so it is anticipated they will do it again. The State Library has
been directed to cut their current year budget by 15% and probably that much next year
as well, which will impact us through cuts in the Public Library Fund (PLF).
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY:
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Friend’s liaison Arthur Wood reported that the book sales at the store as well as at the
Cole were remaining steady. The Board approved $10,400 for various library items
including a book drop for the donations at the Dove Lane facility, and some computer
lab enhancements. He also reported that another silent book auction was held on
November 17‘h and 18‘h and raised nearly $3,000 in the two days.
* Library Board of Trustees
Minutes of December 12.2001 Meetina
Page 6
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY:
The Society’s liaison, Bee Koons, reported that they held their annual Christmas party
yesterday. Her manuscript is currently being critiqued prior to sending it to the
publisher, sometime in the spring. The book will be sold and the proceeds will benefit
the society. She also announced that despite rumors of the contrary, she is still
teaching the beginning classes, the next one being scheduled for January 5, 2002.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
NONE
LIBRARY BOARD COMMENTS :
Chairman Kamenjarin announced that he had received a letter of resignation from
Trustee Charlene Baron, effective this meeting. She has submitted her letter to the
Mayor as well.
Trustee Baron said that in her letter she had advocated that her replacement be a
representative of the Hispanic community, possibly someone who has addressed this
board about the Centro. She continued that it is her opinion that providing services to
that community is the thorniest problem this Board and Administration has to face,
practically, economically and politically. She felt it might be prudent to have an
advocate from that community serve on this board and hoped the other trustees would
actively recruit those i nd ivid ua Is.
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ADJOURNMENT:
Chairman Kamenjarin suggested the Board adjourn the formal meeting and then view
the two videos, trailed items 6 and 7 on the agenda. The Board concurred and by
proper motion, the meeting was adjourned at 5:05 PM
Respectfully submitted,
L&L Cissie Sexto
Administrat&e Secretary