Mae S. Bruce Library

Advisory Board Meeting

Minutes of January 19, 2006

 

The meeting was called to order at 1:10 pm by President kim Holliday.  The following board members were present:

 

Kim Holliday, President                                    Lark Tedesco, Secretary/Treasurer

Jack Long                                                        Barbara Wells

 

Absent: Linda Coyle and Lee Medley (alternate)

Library Director Brenda B. Cheatham was also present.

 

The minutes of the October 6 meeting were approved as read.  The motion to accept these minutes was made by Lark and seconded by Jack.

 

Treasurer’s Report

With the addition of booksale proceeds of $262.20, our ending balance is $725.35.

 

Directors Report

Brenda discussed the following items

 

  1. Due to the absence of Linda Coyle and Lee Medley, Advisory Board photos will be taken at a later date.

 

  1. Grant monies have been spent to cover the following items:

a.       Computer replacements for a crashed server

b.      Aging computers replaced with updated computers, & 6 Tokker Grant public access computers, to be installed later this year.  Our public access computers will then total 11 computers.

·        As a result, the Community Room will be utilized for public access computers.

·        The loss of the Community Room will negatively impact the Summer Reading Program, which utilizes the Community Room for special events.  As a result, the installation of the new computers will not take place until the conclusion of this year’s SRP, in late July.

·        At this time, no alternative meeting site has been secured for Santa Fe Community meeting purposes.

·        The computer information and reference librarian will be located in the community room.

·        Plans for the Summer Reading Program, (SRP)2007, must be made with consideration for the loss of the Community Room.

Brenda and Kim advised us that the number of participants in the SRP is 1412, with as many as 125 showing up for SRP “Kick-off” on the first day.  There are 14 programs offered.  Funding of $1000 is received for the SRP.

c.       Wireless Connectivity for computers (“WiFi”) is now available in the library.

 

  1. Currently, there is a clerk position at Mae S. Bruce Library funded through “LS Libraries” at $2500/year.  Brenda is considering hiring a “Computer Page” (a high school or college student) to work at the computer information position for 2 ½ hours daily (except during the summer vacation months).  This would require a change to the “CR” to achieve “ADR” compliance.

 

  1. There are recurring problems with unsupervised after school children racing to the library to get their names on the computer waiting list, and racing in and out to play while awaiting their turn on the computers. Brenda is considering hiring a “rent a cop” to enforce security during after school hours.

 

  1. Brenda unveiled new library informational brochures in English and Spanish.

 

  1. Brenda announced Mae S. Bruce Library’s participation in the “Galveston County Reads” program would include a discussion of autism by Dr. Julie Howard (social behaviorist with the University of Houston at Clear Lake) on February 23, at 6:30 pm.

a.    The advisory board was asked to underwrite the cost of this        event, and to set up the room and refreshments after 5:30 pm.  Cookies and punch are to be served.

b.    Kim moved and Jack seconded a motion that the Advisory Board underwrite this expense.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

New Business

 

1)      Jack announced that the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is considering sponsoring the Heritage Festival (again).

 

2)      It has been clarified that the Mae S. Bruce Library IS a 501 c  (3) tax-qualified non-profit organization, and has been such since 1981.  Therefore, donations of money and equipment ARE fully tax deductible to the extent of the law.  We are required to file a 990 federal tax form if our income exceeds $25,000 in any fiscal year.

 

Since there was no additional business, Kim declared that our next Advisory Board meeting would be held on Thursday, April 13, at 1:15 pm in the Mae S. Bruce Library Community Room.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 2:19 pm.  Moved by Jack, seconded by Barbara, approved unanimously.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Lark Tedesco-Finneman