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March 14, 2018
Minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Skokie Public Library held
in the Skokie Public Library Board Room, Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
CALL TO ORDER
Mark Prosperi, President, called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m.
Members present: Mark Prosperi, President; Diana Hunter, Vice President/President
Emerita; Mira Barbir; Susan Greer; Eugene F. Griffin; and Richard Kong, Director.
Members absent: Karen Parrilli, Secretary and Jonathan H. Maks, MD.
Staff present: Laura McGrath, Deputy Director; Annabelle Mortensen, Access Services
Manager; Vanessa Rosenbaum, Graphic Designer.
Guests present: Andrew Berman and Alexander McLean of Andrew Berman Architect
who arrived at approximately 7:00 pm.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 14,
2018
Mrs. Hunter made a motion, seconded by Ms. Barbir to approve the minutes of the
regular meeting of February 14, 2018, subject to additions and/or corrections. There
being no additions or corrections, the minutes were approved unanimously and placed on
file. The vote was 5 ayes and 0 nays.
COMMENTS FROM OBSERVERS
No observers were present.
BILLS
A motion was made by Mr. Griffin seconded by Mrs. Hunter:
MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE THE BILLS, SUBJECT TO AUDIT.
The roll call vote for approval was 5 ayes and 0 nays; the motion passed unanimously.
CONSENT AGENDA (Financial Statements; Circulation Report/Dashboard; Reports
from Department Heads; Personnel)
Mr. Prosperi remarked on the drop in circulation this month. Mr. Griffin asked about
weather impact stated on the Dashboard.
Ms. Greer made a motion, seconded by Ms. Barbir:
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MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, SUBJECT TO AUDIT,
AND THAT THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS BE
PLACED ON FILE:
1. CIRCULATION REPORT/DASHBOARD
2. REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS
3. PERSONNEL: TERMINATION: BECKY THORNTON, PARTTIME REFERENCE LIBRARIAN, ADULT SERVICES,
EFFECTIVE MARCH 25, 2018; HIRE: DEVAN PARKISON, FULLTIME DATA SERVICES COORDINATOR, ADMINISTRATION,
EFFECTIVE MARCH 5, 2018.
The motion passed unanimously. There were 5 ayes and 0 nays.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Master Plan Update
Andrew Berman has made significant progress with his schematic designs for our master
plan. He has focused on the first and second floor public and staff spaces. In an effort to
seek further feedback from the public, large floorplans were posted in three different
areas of the first floor, inviting patrons to share their suggestions on post-it notes affixed
to the large floorplans. Mr. Kong also attended department staff meetings to answer
questions about the master planning process and listen to suggestions. Berman and his
colleagues attended the March Board meeting to share the initial designs and ask for
feedback from the Board.
Mr. Kong stated that approval of the Master Plan may wait until the May meeting. There
was a brief discussion regarding obtaining the public’s comments on the Master Plan. Mr.
Prosperi requested that there be another update in April about the status of the plan. Mr.
Kong suggested having Mr. Berman available by videoconference at the April meeting to
be able to view the plans one last time before the final plan.
Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Objectives
As the end of FY 2018 and the start of FY 2019 approach, staff are starting to consider
possible objectives for next year. Annual objectives support the six main goals outlined in
the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan. The library has made significant strides with much of our
plan, especially in objectives related to engaging the community through sustainable
partnerships and promoting equity. The new objectives will be presented to the Board in
May. Mr. Kong welcomes any thoughts from the Board regarding possible objectives.
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Changes in Adult Services and Learning Experiences
With the recent departures of former Information Services Coordinator Bruce Brigell and
Digital Literacy Supervisor Erika Kallman, the library is making some changes to the
staffing structure in both departments. When hired, the new information services
supervisor will oversee reference and digital literacy staff on the second floor, and the
plan is to to merge the tech help desk with the existing reference desk to provide a more
consistent, convenient experience for our patrons. Learning Experiences staff will
continue to oversee programming related to digital literacy, and Experiential Learning
Supervisor Amy Holcomb will supervise the youth computer lab and its staff. Most of
these changes will occur after the new information services supervisor begins their work.
Security System Update
The installation for both the access control system and the intrusion detection system is
complete. Staff and a small number of additional authorized users have received key fobs
that can be used to give them access to the building and various staff areas. Board
members picked up their key fobs before the Board meeting to access the third floor on
the elevators.
Mr. Griffin asked a question about what kind of access board members have through the
keyfobs.
Banking Update
Blythe Trilling, Finance Manager, and Mr. Kong met with the library’s representative
from MB Financial Bank. They were able to secure higher interest rates for all of the
library’s accounts, and started a new interest-bearing account that will be used for
incoming tax revenue. The library is also exploring higher interest rates for our CDs with
both North Shore Community Bank and First Bank & Trust to increase our interest
revenue next fiscal year.
There was brief discussion about the CD’s and increase in interest rates being offered.
Elevate Illinois Libraries Leadership Program
Mr. Kong continues to serve on the steering committee for a new leadership program for
the Illinois library community to be held on April 28, 2018 at the University of Illinois at
Springfield. Elevate is a one-day program designed to help library staff of all levels
(MLS not required) gain a better understanding of strengths-based leadership. The library
has a number of library staff applying to the program, but not everyone will be able to
attend as the selection process is competitive. Adam Goodman of Northwestern
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University, who has also facilitated the PLA Leadership Academy for many years, will
lead the program.
Asian Human Services – Family Health Center
Nancy Kim Phillips, Community Engagement Manager, and Mr. Kong met with Dr.
Muhammad Paracha of Asian Human Services. He provided a tour of and shared
information about the Skokie Family Health Center located on the corner of Lockwood
Avenue and Dempster Street. The breadth of their services and the flexible options they
provide for both the insured and uninsured are impressive. They discussed possible ways
of partnering with one another.
Voter Registration and Information
Community Engagement staff, led by manager Nancy Kim Phillips, collaborated with
volunteers organized by Niles Township Trustee Bonnie Ognisanti and the League of
Women Voters to register voters for six weekends leading up to the registration deadline
for the Illinois March primary. A table was set up in the west lobby. They registered 51
voters, a number of whom were naturalized citizens, and answered many questions about
the elections and voting. Staff also created a voter information resource
(https://skokielibrary.info/resources/voter-information/) on our website to provide
information about how to participate in the primary election and research the candidates.
Author Amani Al-Khatahtbeh Visit
This year’s Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township program features the book
Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age. Author Amani Al-Khatahtbeh will be at the library on
Monday, March 19, 2018 at 7pm for a discussion of her writing and reflections on issues
facing Muslim Americans today. There are still some openings to the event so board
members were asked to register if they are able to attend.
Public Library Association 2018 National Conference
The PLA National Conference is held every two years and is widely considered the best
professional conference for those interested in public libraries. This year the conference
will take place March 20-24 in Philadelphia. Mr. Kong is the Conference Committee
Chair and will also presenting a program about the experience of first-time library
directors. Once again, we the library will be well-represented at the conference and a
number of staff who will be presenting, including Amy Koester, Amy Holcomb, Mimosa
Shah, and Mick Jacobsen.
APPROVAL OF RESOURCES SELECTION POLICY (Presented by Annabelle
Mortensen, Access Services Manager)
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Before the discussion of the approval of the resources selection policy, Ms. Mortensen
gave a brief presentation regarding circulation statistics.
Mr. Prosperi asked a question about the possibility of the library obtaining a music
streaming subscription.
Mr. Kong mentioned the upcoming residential construction within walking distance to
the library that may increase our numbers of users and cardholders despite a nationwide
downward circulation trend.
There was brief discussion regarding circulation trends and our weeding process. Ms.
Mortensen also spoke about our donations of books to local organizations.
Ms. Mortensen then went over the changes that were made to the Resources Selection
Policy.
State law requires that the Board review the Resources Selection Policy every two years.
Because the Board last reviewed the policy in March 2016, an updated version was
provided to the Board for consideration. The primary changes appear in the first five
paragraphs of the document, with the library mission statement updated and core values
added to reflect the Strategic Plan of 2016-2019. Other minor updates on selection
responsibility reflect changes in the library’s organizational chart.
The Resources Selection Policy provides the basis for the larger Collection Development
Plan, which guides collection management on a day-to-day basis. The first few pages of
the Collection Development Plan also were provided to the Board.
Ms. Mortensen recommended the Board approval of the revised Resources Selection
Policy.
Mr. Griffin made a motion, Ms. Barbir seconded:
MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE THE REVISED RESOURCES SELECTION POLICY AS
PRESENTED.
The roll call vote for approval was unanimous. The vote was 5 ayes and 0 nays.
APPROVAL OF RENEWAL OF COLLECTIONHQ (Presented by Annabelle
Mortensen, Access Services Manager)
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The library’s three-year subscription to CollectionHQ is up for renewal; the library would
like to renew for another three years effective March 2018.
CollectionHQ is a software tool that informs collection management, most notably using
historical and current usage statistics to focus weeding projects and help identify and
target both overstocked and understocked areas. It also has modules for determining
budget allocation, identifying well-worn titles that might need replacement, and flagging
circulation trends. The tool is simple to use, organizing information in a much more
useful and actionable way than ILS data reports. In the past several years, it has helped
our collection development staff work with far greater efficiency and effectiveness.
CollectionHQ also has been crucial in facilitating our ongoing weeding efforts. When the
product was first implemented in February 2015, it flagged more than 47,000 library
items as not having circulated in four years or more. By February 2018, that number has
decreased by 45% and continues to drop steadily each month. The library sees
CollectionHQ as an essential tool as we near the approval of a master space plan and
continued movement toward our goal of “right-sizing” the collection to make it as useful
and attractive as possible.
The library paid $12,500 per year in our original three-year CollectionHQ contract. The
renewal contract for 2018-2020 stipulates a payment of $13,000 per year. CollectionHQ
will also provide a free year of their ESP module, which offers predictive analytics so
that we can determine, based on past checkouts, whether an upcoming book release may
be of particular interest to our patrons.
Ms. Mortensen recommended that the Board approve a three-year renewal of
CollectionHQ at $13,000 per year.
Mrs. Hunter made a motion, Mr. Griffin seconded:
MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE RENEWAL OF THE THREE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO
COLLECTIONHQ AT $13,000 PER YEAR.
The roll call vote for approval was unanimous. The vote was 5 ayes and 0 nays.
APPROVAL OF HVAC PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROPOSAL
The library’s current agreement for preventative maintenance (PM) on our HVAC
systems is nearing its end, and Tim Murphy, Facilities and Safety Manager, and Mr.
Kong decided it would be best to go out to bid for a new provider. The maintenance
agreement would cover preventative maintenance on our air-handling units, boilers,
chillers, cooling towers, exhaust fans, pumps, and other related equipment.
�7
An RFP (request for proposals) was posted for these PM services and received five
proposals (see attached). Tim Murphy reviewed each of the bids and recommended
approval of the bid from Atomatic Mechanical Services of Arlington Heights, which
submitted the lowest bid for all the work specified in the RFP at a total price of $14,976
for the first year. They also provided all of the necessary paperwork for the RFP,
including insurance and reference information. Murphy worked with Atomatic
Mechanical while employed at other facilities and found their service to be top-notch. He
also noted that he has always found their pricing to be competitive.
Murphy also checked multiple references for Atomatic Mechanical, including Park Ridge
Public Library, the Anti-Cruelty Society, and NBC Tower. All the comments he heard
about Atomatic’s performance were positive.
If the library were to enter an agreement with Atomatic Mechanical, we would work with
our primary and secondary assigned mechanics, as well as their contacts for service
dispatch, service management, and billing, to make the transition from Anchor to
Atomatic. Murphy assured Mr. Kong that Atomatic is very familiar with the types of
equipment in our library and will make a smooth transition.
Mr. Kong recommends Board approval of the bid from Atomatic Mechanical Services to
provide preventative maintenance for our HVAC systems at a total annual cost of
$14,976. After the first year, we will re-evaluate and will have the option to sign a multiyear agreement if we are pleased with their work.
Ms. Hunter asked if we were unhappy with our current company and Mr. Kong explained
that they had not exceeded expectations or fulfilled all of their promises.
A motion was made by Mr. Griffin, seconded by Ms. Barbir.
MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE THE TWELVE MONTH AGREEMENT WITH ATOMATIC
MECHANICAL TO PROVIDE HVAC PREVENTATIVE
MAINTENANCE AT A COST OF $14,976.00 ($1,248/MONTH) AS
PRESENTED.
The roll call vote for approval was unanimous. The vote was 5 ayes and 0 nays.
APPROVAL OF COST OF LABOR ADJUSTMENT AND MERIT INCREASE FOR
STAFF
In February, Mr. Kong provided information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing
a 2.1% annual increase in wages and salaries for state and local government workers for
calendar year 2017. It has been the Board’s practice to use this report in determining an
across-the-board adjustment to the pay scale for the following fiscal year.
�8
A copy of the proposed pay scale for FY 2018-2019 with the 2.1% adjustment across the
scale was provided to the Board. Mr. Kong asked the Board to approve this scale
adjustment.
If the Board were to approve this adjustment, all staff (unless they are above the
maximum for their pay grade) will receive the 2.1% adjustment at the beginning of the
new fiscal year.
Last year, staff received a 2.1% cost of labor adjustment and a 1.5% increase at the time
of their annual review for a total increase of up to 3.6%. Two years ago, staff received a
1.8% cost of labor adjustment and a 1.5% increase at the time of their annual review for a
total increase of 3.3%. Total increases before that were 3.6% in 2015, and 3.1% in both
2014 and 2013. If the Board would like to maintain the same total increase as last year at
3.6%, the merit increase would need to be increased to 1.5% at the time of the annual
review.
Year
COLA
Merit Increase Total Increase for Year
Increase
2017
2.1%
1.5%
3.6%
2016
1.8%
1.5%
3.3%
2015
1.6%
2%
3.6%
2014
1.1%
2%
3.1%
2013
1.1%
2%
3.1%
This year, based on research of pay increases provided by other public libraries in the
Chicagoland area in the past year, Mr. Kong recommended a 1.0% merit increase for
eligible staff for a total increase of 3.1% for the year. Libraries differ in how they handle
cost of labor adjustments and merit increases, but most of the larger libraries in our area
provided 3% increases for staff in the past year. The average salary increase for libraries
in 2017-2018 budget projections, according to Management Association of Illinois, was
2.6% for non-exempt and exempt staff. The Board also asked for information about
increases for federal and state employees. According to our finance manager, the federal
government’s 2018 pay raise will be from 1.67%-2.29% depending on area of residence.
The State of Illinois’ largest union (AFSCME) has not had an annual raise due to its
expired contract in 2015.
Mr. Kong recommended a 2.1% cost of labor adjustment and a 1.0% merit increase for
staff. Mr. Kong requested action on both the Cost of Labor adjustment and merit
increase.
A motion was made by Ms. Hunter, seconded by Ms. Greer:
MOTION:
THAT THE SKOKIE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVE A 2.1% COST OF LABOR ADJUSTMENT TO THE
LIBRARY SCALE AND THE COST OF LABOR INCREASE SHALL
BE GIVEN TO ALL STAFF UNLESS THEY ARE ABOVE THE
MAXIMUM FOR THEIR PAY GRADE; AND A 1.0% INCREASE FOR
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ALL ELIGIBLE STAFF AT THE TIME OF THEIR PERFORMANCE
REVIEW FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019.
The roll was called: Ms. Barbir—yes; Ms. Greer—yes; Mr. Griffin—yes; Mrs. Hunter—
yes; Mr. Prosperi—yes. The motion passed; there were 5 ayes and 0 nays.
PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FY 2019
In January and February, Mr. Kong presented the Board with a first and second look at
the projected operating budget for FY 2018-2019.
Changes to the proposed budget since then include:
• The salaries line was reduced because we are projecting being over-budgeted in
the current fiscal year.
• The employer’s IMRF and FICA lines were reduced based on the budgeted
amount for salaries.
• The continuing education and membership line was reduced by $10,000.
• The research resources (i.e., online databases) line was reduced by $10,000; the
physical content line was reduced by $24,000; and the leased content (i.e., digital
content such as eBooks and streaming video and audio) was increased by $4,000.
• Professional services was decreased by $1,000.
• Due to the above reductions, the capital line was significantly increased.
Approval of the budget is not required until April, but Mr. Kong welcomed questions and
comments from the Board.
At this time a short recess was taken in order to set up Mr. Berman’s presentation.
The meeting resumed at approximately 7:30 pm.
PRESENTATION OF MASTER PLAN PROGRESS BY ANDREW BERMAN
ARCHITECT
Mr. Berman presented the plans of the first and second floors in depth with questions
throughout from the board. He will most likely attend the April board meeting via
videoconference to provide the Board with an update.
REACHING ACROSS ILLINOIS LIBRARY SYSTEM (RAILS)
No report in Mrs. Parrilli’s absence.
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COMMENTS FROM TRUSTEES
Mr. Griffin shared a news update about the IMET fraud case.
ADJOURNMENT
At 9:10 p.m. a motion was made by Ms. Barbir, seconded by Ms. Hunter to adjourn the
regular meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
__________________________________
Karen Parrilli, Secretary
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Title
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Minutes, Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Creator
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Skokie Public Library. Board of Trustees
Contributor
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Parrilli, Karen (Secretary)
Date
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2018-03-14
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PDF
Subject
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Public Libraries -- Illinois -- Skokie
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LBM20180314.pdf
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Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL
Language
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eng
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2010s (2010-2019)
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Serial publication, paper document
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10 p.
2000s
2010s
library board meetings