MINUTES
MATHEWS MEMORIAL LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
April 14, 2015
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Carolyn Taylor, Chairperson, at 5:00 p.m.
ATTENDING: Jo Anna Brown, Doreen Folzenlogen, Charles Ingram, Will Story, Mary Sampson, Carolyn Taylor, and Steve Wilson. Also present was Bette Dillehay, Library Director.
MINUTES: A motion was made to approve the minutes of the March 10, 2015 board meeting. The motion was seconded and the board voted unanimously to approve.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR: Attached
• Financial Report. Operating expenditures report as of 4/14/2015 is attached.
o Operational expenses for the report period totaled $12,083.82. Included in current expenses is an adjustment of$2,332.53 to line item 5230 (Telephone), made necessary to reflect land line costs which are charged directly to County. Other expenses not routinely recorded include a payment to Melos, furnishing and equipment supplier, for filing cabinet and shelving to house art collection. Business books were relocated to area between library and new wing. Current year-to-date expenses total $74,329.10. Unencumbered funds (Not including salaries and related benefits) total $41,344.28. For the first 9 months of the current fiscal year, operational expenses averaged $8,259 per month but are expected to run higher for the remaining months of the fiscal year due to renewal of subscriptions, updates to databases, etc.
o Through March, 2015, salaries and related benefits totaled $165,873.97 or 65% of the budgeted amount for FY 2014-2015 ($255,556.00). Monthly salary expenses average $15,657 with $89,682 remaining unencumbered for FY 2015. One unfilled position is reason remaining salary funds are higher than normal.
• Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). In 2006, the Mathews Memorial Library received an award of $1 0,000 for excellence in library service. This award was made by the White House as recommended and funded through IMLS. More importantly, the library continues to benefit from the funding made available from IMLS through the Library of Virginia. IMLS administers federal funding support for more than 123,000 libraries. Many of the database resources and other forms of State Aid are possible due to these resources. Thus, it is a concern to learn that the US House Budget Committee proposes to eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
• Patron Update. Activity Report for March 2015 is attached. The current number of patrons is 10,980. The number of patrons and/or visitors to the library during the report period totaled 6,785. The daily patron count showed an increase of 62.7% over March 2014. This significant increase continues a trend observed for 2015. Statistics for electronic services for March are also attached.
• Personnel Update. Effective April 24th, Amy Hudgins will resign her position as staff member overseeing the activities in the Teen Territory. She has accepted a full-time position which she previously held. Action will be taken immediately to advertise the full-time position of Head, Adult/Teen Services. Director will advertise through Library of Virginia, the Virginia Gazette, Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal, and others. Adequate staffing, especially on the weekends when three people are needed, has become more difficult since the Teen Territory opened.
• Programs.
o Adult Programs. Perhaps the most significant activity provided to adults at the library recently has been hosting the AARP tax preparation service. This requires a significant amount of time and effort on the part of the library staff in ensuring that the facility is properly set up each Friday for the service, which runs for 11 weeks. Two programs are due to occur in April. The first is the rescheduled appearance of Larry Chowning on Thursday, April 23rd at 7 p.m. Larry is a popular author and journalist. He plans to talk about his interviews with Mathews fishermen over the years and what he has learned from them. The second event is a trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond to view their most recent exhibit, "The Art of the Flower." The day will include lunch, a lecture and a guided tour of the exhibit. We are especially pleased that 9 high school art students, along with instructor, Karen Podd, have accepted our invitation to participate in this event.
o Youth Programs. Both the young set and the teens had library experiences during March/April that were both fun and creative. March brought Dr. Seuss Day and Youth Art Month. We are particularly pleased at the outcome of the art initiative in Teen Territory. With the assistance of artist, Karen Podd, three teams designed window paintings depicting ways in which they believed the world could be made a better place. These designs were placed on the Main Street windows where they will remain through June, 2015. The library offered its 10th annual fantasy trip to young people 6-14, this year travelling to Peru on April 8th.
REPORT FROM THE FRIENDS: Steve Whiteway had no report. The Friends will host an event in the library to honor the library staff on April 21 at 10:00 a.m.
OLD BUSINESS: Budget (Operating Expenditures as of 4/14/2015 and proposed MML budget for Fiscal Year 2015-2016 are attached). The proposed budget as submitted by the County Administrator supports the proposed budget submitted by the MML BOT. The proposed budget had one typographic error on line 6014, Library Supplies. The amended budget entry should read $4,000, not $42,000 and the change entry should read 0. The (35,723) entry on the total library line under change reflects a one-time reprogramming rollover in 2014-2015 Fiscal Year; it is not a decrease.
NEW BUSINESS: Proposed new vestibule plan for new wing (TPC Glass proposal attached). The Director discussed a proposal to improve the new wing’s vestibule to (1) isolate the adult computer area from the Teen Territory entry and (2) secure the outside door. The funds for the improvement—estimated at $4,689—are available in the current budget. The Director recommended approval.
VOTE: A motion was made to approve proposed new vestibule plan. The motion was seconded and the board voted unanimously to approve.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
ADJOURNMENT: the meeting was adjourned at 5:43 p.m.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 12, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by Stephen Wilson, Secretary
Attachments to the official record as stated