ST. LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT

MEETING OF THE BOARD

SACHS BRANCH

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2009

3:30 PM

The monthly meeting of the Board of the St. Louis County Library District was held at the Sachs Branch, 16400 Burkhardt Place, Chesterfield, MO  63017 on Monday, June 15, 2009 at 3:30 p.m.  The agenda had been posted in all branches of the Library District at least 24 hours before the meeting.

ATTENDANCE:

            Library Board Members:

                        Jean Weinstock, President

Dr. Lynn Beckwith, Vice President

Kenneth Stricker, Treasurer

Mrs. Edith Cunnane, Member  (via telephone)

Dr. Ching Ling Tai had an excused absence.

            Others Attending:

Charles Pace, Director; Gary Holdefer, Associate Director and Comptroller; Barbara Brain, Assistant Director for Adult and Support Services; Kristen Sorth, Manager, Human Resources; Tim Wadham, Assistant Director, Youth and Community Services; Marie Conlin, Library Planner; Lisa Stump, Lashly & Baer; and Laura Kostial, patron. SLCL staff attending:  Leander Spearman, Anna Kwiatkowski, Ken Cieslak, Robbin Oehler, Kathy Wiese, Heather Pehrson, Michael Cohen, Cynthia Schultz, Joyce Loving, Lori Boschert, Nicole Clawson, Susan Scupin, Barb Urban, Laura Kasak, Marsha Ramey, Kathy Condon-Boettcher, Trudy Williams, Emily Althoff, Ed Clark, Vicki Krueger, Nicole Clawson, Mary Arnhart, Matt Lakin, Jake Fejedelem, Laura Kasal, Roz Drohobyczer, Geri Olmstead, Leander Spearman, Jim Bogart and Sandra Williams.

The MINUTES, dated Monday, May 18, 2009 were approved by the Board with a correction regarding the Meeting Room Policy (Stricker/Cunnane).

PUBLIC COMMENTS:  NONE

TREASURER’S REPORT:

The Treasurer’s Report dated May 31, 2009 was approved subject to audit (Stricker/Cunnane). 

The Library received funds from Sachs Properties to pay for the new lighting on the outside of the building.  The funds from the closing on the property sold to Dierbergs have been received.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 

CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES

We received a number of customer complaints about the network migration and we have been working to resolve these issues. 

TELEPHONE

The new telephone system goes into effect on July 1, 2009.

TAX HEARING

Mr. Pace was given permission to move the tax hearing to the July meeting. 

ALA

Mr. Pace will be attending the annual ALA conference in Chicago, July 9-15.

The following written report was given to the Board for review.

A copy of the response letter sent to Laura Kostial is attached to my report.

One of the major issues that we faced during this month was an interruption of service to our remote access databases. As a result, customers trying to use our electronic resources were unable to do so from home. We are working directly with the database vendors to solve this problem and hope to have the situation worked out in the near future. However, it did occasion a number of complaints from our users. We also received a couple of email complaints regarding our weeding project at Cliff Cave as the size of the collection there has been sharply reduced to get ready for RFID conversion. The weeding process is now in the wind down stages across most of the system and we should be able to get by with simple maintenance weeding once it is completed.

MAJOR LIBRARY EVENTS

Friday, May 22 the library played host to Michael Pollan as he discussed his latest book In Defense of Food. In his first book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Mr. Pollan launched a national conversation about food. The crowd for this event exceeded some six hundred people and ran the gamut from college students to senior citizens. Mr. Pollan was witty and entertaining although he did field a couple of tough questions from the audience regarding his emphasis on organic foods.

Michael Connelly joined us on May 30 to discuss his latest thriller, The Scarecrow. Friends’ members had the opportunity to attend a special reception prior to the main program and over 120 did so. More than three hundred people attended this event. Another remarkable feature of the Michael Connelly program is that we signed up over fifty new members of our Friends organization, far and away our best result ever.

FACILITIES

Interviews for architects for the Tesson Ferry project will take place on June 22 and 23. SM Wilson Company, a construction management firm, assisted us in selecting the finalists to be interviewed. We will have meetings with representatives of five different firms and will be making a recommendation at the July Board meeting. Ken Stricker will be joining us for the interviews.

Work is nearing completion on the Indian Trails and Weber Road HVAC replacement projects. We expect both of these projects to be totally finished in the next few weeks.

REPORT ON COLUMBUS

Following my report, Kathy Wiese, Acquisitions Manager, will be giving a more detailed report on our trip to the Columbus Metropolitan Library and showing some accompanying slides. We are looking forward to implementing some of the things we learned in Columbus here at the St. Louis County Library.

AUTHOR EVENTS AND PROGRAMS

Friday, June 12 the Library hosted Ally Carter, author of the Gallagher Girls series. This popular series revolves around a teen age girl, Cammie Morgan who is also a spy in training. A book signing will follow the event.

On Monday, June 15 Patrick C. MacCulloch will be visiting us. Mr. MacCulloch is a descendant of the famed Campbell family of St. Louis and draws on more than 200 family letters and diaries to tell the enthralling saga of his Irish-American ancestors. Books will be available for purchase from the Missouri Historical Society Press.

Local author Susan McBride will visit us on Thursday, June 18. In Love, Lies, and Texas Dips, her sassy southern debs are back and faced with a new season of balls, boys, and big secrets.

NEXT BOARD MEETING

After checking with everyone’s schedule, the next Library Board Meeting will take place Monday, July 27^th, 2009.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY

Kathy Wiese, Acquisitions Manager, gave a Powerpoint presentation highlighting the Columbus Metro Library.  Positive points included their good signage, free standing bookshelves, merchandising features, lighted bookshelving and customer service.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (HEALTH INSURANCE)

The Library Administration in consultation with The Daniel and Henry Co. (D&H) recommended remaining with Mercy Health Plans.  D & H has reported that the average health insurance renewal this year is trending 12-14%.   The 8.8% renewal from Mercy is below trend and under budget. The Board approved the recommendation to remain with Mercy Health Plans (Stricker/Beckwith).

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (DENTAL INSURANCE)

The Library Administration in consultation with D & H is recommending that we remain with Delta Dental. Staff has reported that they are extremely pleased with the service.  The Library budgeted a 5% increase, but rates only increased 2.8 %.  This is the first time they have raised their rates in 5 years.  The Board approved remaining with Delta Dental (Beckwith/Stricker).

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (LIFE AND VISION INSURANCE)

The Library Administration in consultation with The D & H Co. recommended remaining with Reliance Standard for life, AD&D, long term disability and voluntary life insurance.  There will be no increase for the Library’s basic life, accidental death and dismemberment and long-term disability insurance.  The Board approved the recommendation (Stricker/Beckwith).

The Library Administration also recommended remaining with Crown Vision for the Library’s optional vision insurance.  There is no renewal rate increase.  The Board approved (Stricker/Beckwith).

PART TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The Library Administration in consultation with D & H recommended that the Library switch our insurance for part time employees to Reliance Standard based on their very competitive quotes.  This benefit is strictly voluntary and does not result in any cost to the Library.  If an employee chooses to participate, they are responsible for the monthly premium for the insurance.  The Board approved the recommendation (Stricker/Beckwith).

INTRODUCTORY PERIOD INCREASES

The Library Administration recommended permanently ending the practice of granting increases to new employees when they successfully complete their six month introductory period.  This change will be effective July 1, 2009.  All employees hired on July 1, 2009 and after will serve a six month introductory period but will not receive an increase at the end of this period.  The Board approved the change (Beckwith/Cunnane).

FURNITURE-LIBRARY (FLORISSANT VALLEY)

A new service desk for the Florissant Valley branch has been designed.  This is an objective of the “Visit a Comfortable Place” part of the Strategic Plan. Laura Kasak, Manager of Florissant Valley passed around the material and laminate to be used for the desk and counter top. The Board approved the recommendation of staff to have the low bidder, Chantilly Cabinet to construct the desk, counter top and hanging “cloud” for $14,609 (Beckwith/Stricker).

FOUNDATION

Jim Bogart presented a request on behalf of the Library Foundation for the early closing of Library Headquarters on September 22 and November 12 for Foundation events.  The Foundation will sponsor an evening with St. Louis Symphony and artist Billyo O’Donnell on September 22 and Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson for Family Read Night on November 12.  The Board approved the requests (Stricker/Beckwith).

Mr. Bogart also presented a request on behalf of the Library Foundation that recommends Ms. Becky Kueker be approved for a three year term of membership on the Foundation Board.  The Board also requested the reappointment of Diane Davis, Anne Gagen, Kathy Higgins, Neil Jaffe, Sally Lee and Ellen Sherberg.  The Board approved the request (Beckwith/Stricker).

POLICY (HANDOUTS)

Barbara Brain, Assistant Director, presented a revised policy which prohibits fliers that are fund raisers.  At counsel’s request, the Library Foundation Board is the exception to the policy.  The following wording is new in the policy.  Materials advocating or soliciting support for one candidate or cause and those promoting fundraising events or activities will not be accepted (Beckwith/Stricker).   

EASEMENT (DANIEL BOONE BRANCH)

Mr. Holdefer presented an easement document regarding the relocation of the Ozark Trail on the north side of the Daniel Boone Branch.  New electric service to the branch will be required.  AmerenUE requested a new easement.  The Board approved the request (Stricker/Beckwith).

CLOSED SESSION

Mr. Stricker moved that the open meeting adjourn. Dr. Beckwith seconded. All approved by individual voice vote.

The meeting adjourned at 4:18 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

___________________________________________                      __________________

Dr. Lynn Beckwith                                                                               Date

Vice President