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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-08-18; Library Board of Trustees; MinutesApproved MINUTES MEETING OF: DATE OF MEETING: August 18,2004 TIME OF MEETING: 4:OO PM PLACE OF MEETING: LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Carlsbad City Library Board Room 1775 Dove Lane CALL TO ORDER: Chair Rob Swette called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM. ROLL CALL: Present: Library Board Trustees, Kamenjarin, Swette, and Tarman Absent: Trustees Page and Gleason Huss. -1 Also Present: Cliff Lange, Library Director Chris Holt, Principal Librarian, Cole Library Cheryl Mast, Library Management Analyst Carolyn Hoard , NSDCGS Senior Librarians Lynda Jones, Susan Simpson & Suzanne Smithson Judy Gaitan, Special Education Teacher, Carlsbad High School Jane Schatt, League of Women Voters observer Prior to the formal meeting Library Director Lange announced the resignation of Trustee Gleason Huss. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the July 21, 2004 meeting were approved as submitted. MONTHLY LIBRARY REPORTS: Chair Swette has a question about the number of applications received for the Librarian recruitment and Principal Librarian Holt responded that Human Resources had received over seventy applications for the three advertised positions. Chair Swette also asked for more information on the volunteer training workshop conducted by Betty Stallings. Principal Librarian Holt responded that the workshop encouraged the staff to identify projects and services that the Library could provide with , Library Board of Trustees Minutes of Auaust 18. 2004 Meetina Page 2 volunteers and the next step is developing job descriptions for those areas. Senior Librarian Jones, who also attended the workshop, commented that the consultant encouraged everyone there to be creative in their thinking in the use of volunteers. MEASURING PROGRESS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS -ADULT LEARNING PROGRAM: Library Director Lange explained this item was on the agenda as a result of the request for information from Trustee Tarman, at the last Library Board meeting. Trustee Tarman commented that the last paragraph under “Standardized Testing” in the document in the agenda packet actually answered his question. He had been curious about what kind of monthly improvement was being identified. Senior Librarian Jones introduced Judy Gaitan, Special Education Teacher at Carlsbad High School, who actually doesthe testing of these students. The sessions at Adult Learning are part of their high school curriculum, offered as an elective and held during the school day. Senior Librarian Jones explained to the Board that in literacy, especially, there are multiple ways to measure success other than just the standardized test, including changes in attitude towards reading and participating in the classes. Ms. Gaitan explained that at the end of each semester she has the students list the activities and then rate them as to what is most beneficial, working for them and what is not working, and the Adult Learning tutors always are at the top of the list. Having a one-on-one tutor working with them is always the top of the list. Additionally, they also feel they are reading better, even if it doesn’t show up in a test score, which transfers over into the classroom where they are volunteering to read. Senior Librarian Jones added that this is often the case with the adults and teens in that their test scores do not show improvement and can even drop but the way they are functioning in their life with print, reading and writing, has often changed dramatically, like volunteering to read in class. Ms. Gaitan reported that this year was different in that when she administered the standardized test there were students who made significant gains, even grade levels. Since the students are in high school, they have been in school for nine or ten years and some are reading at a second grade level. They have made two grade levels of growth in nine years and then to make one, and in some cases two and three in one year is huge. Both Trustees Tarman and Kamenjarin expressed congratulations on the success of this partnership program. Library Board of Trustees Minutes of Auclust 18. 2004 Meetincl Page 3 Ms. Gaitan responded that it could not happen without the partnership. The support of the Adult Learning Program and tutors could not be replicated at the high school. The students involved in this program are all special education students and voluntarily add it to their schedule for the next year, taking Reading as an elective. The class is open to all special education students at the high school and last year thirty-two students took part in the program. Chair Swette also offered his congratulations on the success of the program and had a question about reaching out to the other schools in Carlsbad to offer this program. Senior Librarian Jones commented that the Adult Learning Program would be delighted to offer it to the other schools; however, there is a transportation issue. Ms. Gaitan transports the participants in her private vehicle to the Adult Learning Program location. There is also the issue of travel time from the school to Adult Learning since they have to have time to get back for the next class. STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING SPACE NEEDS: Senior Librarian Simpson explained that she was on hand to answer any questions on the information provided the past few months as well as in today’s packet. Library Director Lange explained that the shortage of space is not an unanticipated problem and there are various strategies to address it. Senior Librarian Simpson described the strategies as “little pieces” of the solution; all of them are being done at the same time to deal with the problem. One example is the tightening up of the periodicals area at Dove Lane, a physical moving of materials to allow for more shelf room. She continued that other considerations are more philosophical, such as money allocation and the use of technology. These take more time to develop and investigate such as taking a look at e-books and on-line databases and determining what print materials are no longer necessary. Weeding is an on-going process and the amount of space we have dictates how much “old” stuff we can keep. Trustee Kamenjarin commented that his concern is the downsizing of the collection, by shifting collections from one building to another or eliminating, thinning, and weeding of material. His concern is that one of the locations is going to be the victim of attrition if we continue to shift materials from one location then there will be less use and the numbers will go down. Senior Librarian Simpson commented that she shared his concern and that one option at Cole is to take back the Community Room for materials instead of for programming. But that comes back to the question of “what are we”. Is the Library about materials; is it about programming or a combination of those two? Library Board of Trustees Minutes of August 18, 2004 Meeting Page 4 Trustee Kamenjarin suggested that the steps being taken are only band-aide solutions to a greater problem. He suggested that at present the amount of space occupied by the genealogy collection is not in proportion to the number of users of that collection and that the library should consider a reallocation of available space. He also stated he is opposed to converting the Community Room to shelving again. Senior Librarian Simpson responded that although the steps the library staff are taking seem like band-aides, they are steps that are under our control. A greater solution, such as finding another place for the genealogy collection, which is a very valuable collection, is dependant on other events in the City over which the library staff has no control. Chair Swette responded to the philosophical question of what we want the library to be and suggested that as part of the discussion under item seven of today’s agenda, the Board can help give some shape to the community vision to answer this question. 2004 SUMMER READING PROGRAM: Senior Librarian Suzanne Smithson, Children’s Division from Cole, was on hand to walk the board through a PowerPoint presentation of some highlights of the program and end of summer reading party. A total of 3,110 children and teens participated in the program and read 1,099,047 pages. The end party was held at Valley Middle School athletic field and was attended by nearly 1700 children. LIBRARY BOARD PROJECTS/GOALS: Chair Swette asked the Trustees to consider several suggestions for Board focus for this next year. Library Director Lange presented the information on a CALTAC workshop being hosted by Cerritos Library next month. Both Trustee Kamenjarin and Tarman commented on the need to support the staff in maintaining the quality of current programs and services in view of the possible budget constraints and pending retirements in the management staff. Chair Swette had several suggestions for board focus: developing a purpose and mission for the Carlsbad City Library Learning Center; assume the role of advocacy; encourage & promote library volunteerism from the community; schedule a facilitated workshop of Board Trustees and Library staff to discuss the focus of the library in the future. Chair Swette asked the Library Director to comment on the several suggestions and Library Board of Trustees Minutes of August 18, 2004 Meeting Page 5 Library Director Lange responded that the advocacy role is very important and with the new library board member, it might be useful to have a facilitated workshop as we are approaching the end of the five-year strategic plan. There are already changes in the staffing with the addition of a new position and three new librarians, which will all impact operation and the addition of new technology will change the way we do business. The Trustees ,agreed to table any decision until Trustee Page was present. DIRECTOR’S REPORT: Shelves in Public Restrooms (Ladies)- Finally the product was located and installed in the stalls in the ladies restrooms at Dove Lane. Children’s Garden - Staff is working on the RFP for bids on the actual work for the Children’s Garden on Dove Lane. Carlsbad City Librarv Learning Center Project - The Library has selected an architect for the site plan and tenant improvements for the project. The City has negotiated a month-to-month lease for the Colonial Mall space for Adult Learning until probably next year when the new site will be ready. Business Svstems Specialist position - Human Resources received 75 applications and Library staff has reduced the number to fifteen finalists for the oral board. Of those fifteen finalists, six of them have library degrees as well as the technology experience, and a couple have experience with Sirsi. Trustee Tarman asked about an interim location for the Centro and Library Director Lange replied that the Centro would be moved to the parking lot on the corner of Pine and Harding, next to the Senior Center. FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY: Not present. G EN E ALOG I CA L S 0 C I ETY : Board Representative Carolyn Hoard reminded the Trustees of the pot luck today at 6:OO PM. PUBLIC COMMENT: None present. Library Board of Trustees Minutes of August 18, 2004 Meeting Page 6 LIBRARY BOARD COMMENTS: The Board requested an appropriate letter of thanks to former Trustee Gleason Huss. ADJOURNMENT: By proper motion, the meeting was adjourned at 510 PM. Respectfully submitted, Cissie Se&n Administrative Secretary