Meinders Library
February 6, 2019 Board Minutes
Meeting was called to order by Kyle Caskey. Board members present were Kyle Caskey, Evan Schiller, Pat Weeks, Sharon Wolff, Jody Wacker, Amy Nelson, and Monica Sullivan. Members absent Justin Schroyer. New member Amy Nelson, PAS School Board Representative, joined us for her first meeting. Welcome, Amy!
Minimal community concerns were noted. A patron was concerned that a book was not available when the patron wanted it. Minutes from the January board meeting were read. Motion to approve minutes as presented by Sharon, seconded by Pat. Monica took on the role of secretary.
The financial report was given by library director, Jody Wacker. There is an increase in bill from Plum Creek from $7,500 to $12,000. The library is currently on track with the budget. Both the State Farm and SWIF grants need to be used by December 2019. There was discussion about Legacy spending since a recent Star Tribune article indicated that the state auditor was examining how monies were spent after it was revealed that some funds were being used inappropriately. This is not the case at Meinders Library. Report approved by Pat, seconded by Evan.
The director’s report focused on upcoming and past library programs. February programs include forensic psychologist and author Frank Weber and Soup and Scrabble. Mike Lynch will be returning in March and April will include World War II stories by Little Minnesota and photographer Doug Ohman. The Arn Kind program was well received by the public and some discussion followed of other programs he may offer. The report also included the addition of the online cookbook A to Z World Food. Just acquired February 1, this will begin to roll out to patrons soon. An active Meinders Library card is all that is needed to use. The subscription is just $250/year.
The quarterly circulation/metrics report indicated that January conference room usage was up primarily due to its use for PAS Speech. STEAM room usage continues to be regular with several teachers using it for classroom work in addition to public patrons. Total circulation for 2019 YTD is 4,073.
Old Business- Jody continues to work with John Draper in refining potential logos for the library. We briefly revisited the mission statement. Name tags and the adult literacy program are on hold until the new logo is approved. The literacy program would need overseeing by a licensed teacher.
Jody presented a one year strategic plan that was developed with cooperation with and input from her staff. One, grow active users by 5% (approximately 1500). The library’s youth use has increased while adult use has declined in ways we can measure. Some of this may be due to video streaming services and digital only checkouts that we are unable to track. Two, increase circulation by 5%. This can be achieved by increasing active patrons and literature centered outreach, continuing to offer a greater variety of materials (STEM, Spanish, large print), and increasing patron interest. Three, brand the library as a professional entity. The logo in particular will help make this a reality. Four, increase library visibility. This can be done by maintaining and growing current outreach and developing new opportunities. Areas particularly discussed included the Chamber of Commerce, PCMC (New Year’s Baby), new students at PAS, Water Tower Festival, the Farmer’s Market, and Social Media.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5 at 5:15 pm. At 6:04 pm the meeting was adjourned.