President Andrew Slade called the meeting of the Duluth Public Library Board to order at 4:34 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28, 2008.

Present: L. Benson Johnson, J. Brissett, D. Casperson, V. Katz, P. Markert, A. Slade,
P. Spooner, J. Sheriff, R. Zurn.
Excused: D. D'Allaird, M. Watson
Absent:

Welcome to new members:
Jane Brissett is a semi-retired freelance writer who has always wanted to serve on the Board but couldn't due to her employer's (the Duluth News Tribune) conflict of interest policy. Peter Spooner has been the curator at the Tweed Museum for 14 years and considers the library an essential part of the community.

Approval of Minutes from Library Board meeting
The Library Board minutes of the September 23, 2008, meeting were approved as distributed.

Communications

• Draft Library Board roster for additions and corrections
• City Ordinance 08-082-0: Terms of Boards and Commissions
• 2009 Library Budget, as proposed
• Bylaws, Duluth Library Board
• Draft job description - Manager, Library Services
• Articles about library coffee shops
• October and November issues of BookPage

Reports
A. Friends of the Duluth Public Library - P. Markert
Friends discussed possible coffee shop. Friends would not take on coffee shop volunteer work. Friends will support Lewis & Clark/Indian Country exhibition at UMD 12/2009-2/2010. Friends donated $25,000 to the library for a variety of special purchases, plus $500 for books in honor of Mabel Schauland. This money was raised at the annual Friends of the Library booksale.

B. Directors' Report - J. Sheriff, R. Zurn

• Manager, Library Services: City Administration is moving ahead to fill this position as soon as possible. A draft job description is included in the Board packet. Librarian IIIs have already had an opportunity for input. Human Resources hopes to bring this to the November civil service board meeting for approval. The Board is invited to make suggestions. These suggestions must be sent to HR on October 29. The City is required to adhere to rules that affect both procedures and wording. Neither the salary nor the application/interview process has been determined yet. Preliminary word is that a Board member will be included on the interview panel.
• Budget 2009: Proposed budget information is included in the Board packet. In terms of staffing, 2009 appears to be the same as late 2008. All Maintenance positions have been moved from the Library budget to a citywide department. Related maintenance expenses have been moved into the general library services budget.
• Update on shelver volunteers: To date we have had 61 applications. 43 of these applications meet the criteria for this volunteer position - about 70%. We have interviewed and given background check forms to 19 of the volunteers. 13 of the background checks have been cleared. By the end of this week, we'll have started 10 volunteer shelvers: 4 at Mount Royal, 3 at Main and 3 at West Duluth. Our shelver supervisors are coordinating the interviewing of the other volunteer applicants.
• New City Ordinance about terms of boards and commissions: In order to create efficiencies in the appointment process, a new ordinance passed by the City Council requires that terms of City boards and commissions end on March 31 each year. This ordinance also requires members to continue to serve until their replacements have been appointed and confirmed. The Board's bylaws need to be reviewed and revised in relation to this ordinance, perhaps at the next Board meeting. A copy of the bylaws is included in the Board packet.
• Impact of 32-hour week contract provision: A provision in the Basic Union Employee Contract affirms that the Employer has the right to determine staffing levels and the number of hours of positions. No employee is to have hours involuntarily reduced, except in an "unforeseen financial crisis." Due to shortfalls, City Administration reluctantly finds it necessary to impose this related clause: Effective January 1, 2008, in the event of an involuntary reduction of hours, a full-time employee's hours may be reduced to no less than 32 hours per week for up to 2 pay periods per year, unless mutually extended. This provision does not exist in other City union contracts, but Administration is asking other units for comparable efforts.For the Library, this means that four additional closed days (November 10 and 17, December 26 and 31) will be necessary. These days were set by Administration and apply citywide. Library employees will work 32 hours per week during those four weeks, rather than their regular 37.5. Librarian IIIs are discussing essential needs, such as emptying bookdrops, and how these might be handled.
• Capital Improvement Program requests: The City has been asked for $1,150,000.00 over the next five years to upgrade the Main Library mechanical systems. In 2006, Johnson Controls evaluated the Main Library and recommended replacement and upgrading of the library heating/cooling/air flow equipment. $150,000.00 was requested for 2009 to clean all the building ductwork and set a replacement schedule. $250,000.00 was requested each year for each of the following four years to upgrade the equipment based on a schedule to be developed. All equipment is beyond its life expectancy. Failure of systems might jeopardize the Library's ability to be open. Also requested for 2009 is $44,000 to replace 25 computers, upgrade the Polaris (automation system) server and purchase a digital microform reader/printer. The City is attempting to develop a four-year replacement cycle for computer equipment.
• Board report format: Zurn and Sheriff, with the assistance of Nancy Eaton and other staff, hope to revive in November the practice of distributing a broader monthly Director's Report that includes all the news of the Library - personnel, training, programs, etc. It has proved in the past to be a valuable historical reference, as well as a method of communicating with the Board and staff. This Report will continue to be supplemented, as needed, with the Board Briefing.
• SAM: Slade asked about progress on this internet signup software. Installation, training and full functionality will begin the first week in November.

Old Business
Ordinance re board terms and planning for related bylaws revisions: Slade, Zurn and Sheriff will meet to draft changes. Changes will be mailed at least 10 days before next Board meeting.

New Business
Discussion of draft job description for Manager, Library Services: Board members were surprised at the level of detail in the description. Zurn and Sheriff explained that this position is now a Civil Service position, and the job description must conform to those rules. It's very similar to other positions at the same level. Board members asked what the application and testing procedure would be and who would be involved. They also asked if there was a probationary period and whether or not the staff would have input, both before and after hiring. The Board would appreciate seeing an outline of the complete hiring process. Sheriff will send the Board's questions to Lisa Potswald (CAO) and Jan Anderson (Human Resources) for consideration as the hiring process is developed. Katz volunteered to be part of the interview team and was supported in this by other members.

The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. in the Library's Conference Room.

12/17/08