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Official
Minutes of the Ramsey Free Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Meeting of the Board of Trustees December 8, 2003 The December meeting was called to order at 7:33 p.m. by President Rennie with the reading of the public meeting law. Also present were Councilman Bisaillon (arrived 7:55 p.m.), Mrs. Huot, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Lonier (arrived at 7:40 p.m.), Mayor Muti, Mrs. Ohnegian, Mrs. O’Neill, and Mrs. Sage, Trustees, and Director Bloom. The minutes of the November 10, 2003 meeting were accepted as received on motion by Mrs. Huot, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. Correspondence: A question was asked about Bryant Kuo’s thank you. The library was a collection site for his Eagle Scout project. Additionally, Mrs. Rennie received the resignation of Diana Nizamoff. Director Bloom noted that Mrs. Nizamoff will be available to work until her house sells. Mrs. O’Neill moved that the received correspondence for November be received and filed, seconded by Mrs. Ohnegian, and passed. Library Board Members Comments: None Treasurer’s Report: Mr. Johnson and Director Bloom will be working on the 2004 budget. Throughout the year they have been fine tuning the budget. The treasurer’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. Huot, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. Director’s Report: Training on the new BCCLS e-mail software which will be implemented in January was completed by Mrs. Vogel-Segarra and Mrs. Elwell who will in turn train the library staff. Director Bloom attended the New Jersey Library Association’s fall business meeting. The program dealt with the career image of librarians. Mayor Muti and the library negotiating team met on December 4th. Overtime was a little higher in 2003 than in 2002. The fire inspector questioned whether the draperies were fireproof. A testing service will be used to ascertain their flame retardancy. Interior exit signs were replaced to comply with code. Additionally, the underbrush was addressed and will be cut back. Shrubbery which blocked the view for those exiting from the library parking lot was cut down. The strategic planning report, “Serving Our Community 2004-2007,” is to be read by the trustees prior to the January meeting when it will be adopted before being brought to the Mayor and Council. There was some discussion about whether the report is a public document and should be put on the borough’s website in order to garner citizen input in advance of adoption. Director Bloom will check with Leslie Burger concerning aspects of the discussion. The New Jersey State Library and the NJLA announced their legislative priorities which include the upgrade and expansion of library facilities and technology and the providing of access to science, technology, medical, and business databases. There has been no word yet on the Community Development grant which was submitted in September although some news should be forthcoming in December. The Friends of the Library fundraising mailing will be going out as soon as possible. On November 16th, the group sponsored the Homegrown String Band which performed for an audience of forty. There will be a lecture about the Civil War and New Jersey’s involvement in it on Sunday, January 11th. Director Bloom applied for a $3,000 grant, funded by Demco, for marketing and display equipment and furnishings. There is only one winner. Director Bloom was very pleased with the first issue of the Ramsey Journal which featured the library on page 8. The newsletter will be a quarterly publication. In 2003 Mayor Muti donated $500 to the library because of the weddings which he has performed. In 2004 his donations will go to the Girl Scouts and the Ramsey Junior Football Association. The 2004 calendar for board meetings was presented. According to the by-laws, if a meeting is not held on the regularly scheduled Monday, it is to be held on Tuesday which explains why the October meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 12th. Regarding the Internet policy, it was decided to discuss it with the borough attorney prior to board adoption. Mrs. Huot will contact Borough Administrator Saros to set up a meeting. The version which the trustees received was edited by Director Bloom and Assistant Director Elwell. The director’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. O’Neill, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. Consent Resolution: None Public Comments: None Unfinished Business: None New Business: Mrs. O’Neill suggested that the president of the Friends be recognized for the outstanding job he has done in revitalizing the organization. There have been many tangible gifts made to the library. The Friends have their annual meeting in May and he will be recognized then. The request for final payment to Leslie Burger was denied. At 8:05 p.m., the
meeting moved into executive session on
motion by Mrs.
Huot, seconded
by Mrs. Ohnegian,
and passed. Meeting of the Board of Trustees November 10, 2003 The November meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by President Rennie with the reading of the public meeting law. Also present were Mrs. Huot, Mr. Lonier, Mr. Malvasi, Mayor Muti, Mrs. Ohnegian, Mrs. O’Neill (arrived 7:45 p.m.), and Mrs. Sage, Trustees, and Director Bloom. The minutes of the October 7, 2003 meeting were accepted as amended on motion by Mrs. Sage, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Due to the presence of Robert White, Executive Director of BCCLS, the regular order of business was changed. He presented the board with an overview of various aspects of BCCLS which receives no federal funding but does receive county funding in the amount of $325,000 of the total budget of 2.5 million dollars. There are seventy-three members of BCCLS, sixty-two of which are in Bergen County. Member library support makes up the balance of the BCCLS budget. Ramsey’s payment to BCCLS was $31,500 for 2003; a four percent savings is realized because of pre-payment. Thus far in 2003 Ramsey has been the tenth biggest borrower and the eighteenth largest lender. One in four transactions is done across towns. The numbers for 2002 have already been surpassed. Goals for system-wide improvement include collection and program development for young people and diverse populations. He commented upon many things which Director Bloom has brought to the attention of the trustees at the board meetings and responded to questions from the trustees. He noted that Director Bloom is a co-chairman for the observance of the 25th anniversary of BCCLS which has twenty-five events planned. Correspondence: The woman who was injured on the back steps of the library on October 24th is fine. Mrs. Huot moved that the received correspondence for October be received and filed, seconded by Mr. Lonier, and passed. Library Board Members Comments: None Treasurer’s Report: Director Bloom noted that the library is within its spending limits but is “pushing the envelope.” The treasurer’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. Sage, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Director’s Report: The regular library staff has completed the required sexual harassment training update. Gillian Buonanno and Betsy Trum are the co-managers for the library’s new Literacy Volunteers program. They attended the first of four training sessions this morning. The program should be up and running in January. The Spanish collection, which will come shelf-ready, is due to arrive in 2004. Diana Nizamoff, Library Assistant, will be leaving in late December to relocate to Pittsburgh. Overtime totaled 23.5 hours in October due in part to the October 23rd staff meeting. Since there are five Saturdays in November overtime will also be high this month. The exterior lights are done. Director Bloom has not yet received the written fire inspection report. However, extension cords have been replaced by power strips. Any other violations will also be corrected. According to Bob Buono, the overgrowth adjacent to the library is intertwined with poison ivy which would require chemicals for removal. However, its removal cannot be done because of the agreement with library neighbor Ann Charlap. But Director Bloom indicated that the fire inspector did not like the overgrowth so it may be necessary to remove it if there is a code violation. It was noted that Ms. Charlap’s shrubbery is overgrown, limiting visibility when exiting from the library onto Wyckoff Avenue. If that overgrowth is deemed a traffic hazard, it may need to be cut back. With regard to strategic planning, the committee will meet on Monday, November 24th, rescheduled from November 17th, to review the final draft and go over a proposed timeline for implementation of the action plan. Staffing patterns are being reviewed in conjunction with the strategic plan. The 2004 per capita state aid calculations were released on October 9th. When Ramsey was reassessed, the borough’s equalized evaluation increased by almost $89,000 in the 1/3 mil formula for 2004, bringing that total to $838,990, compared to $751,614 in 2003. Mayor Muti noted that the borough is speeding up the budgeting process for 2004. There will be another negotiating session on Friday, November 15th. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, BCCLS has a new website; the webmaster is a Ramsey resident. There will be a special Bergen County Library Trustee Association meeting on November 12th in New Milford to discuss the revised and updated BCCLS bylaws. The October “Book, Bake, & Bag Sale,” sponsored by the Friends of the Ramsey Library, was a success with a profit of $1,800 which will be used for children’s programs. Director Bloom commented upon the excellent cooperation with the Junior Woman’s Club through the bake sale. A teen entrepreneurship program which Carole Bollini is running is at the waiting list level. The FORL is sponsoring a concert by the Homegrown String Band on Sunday, November 16th. Their fundraising letter will go out in early December. The director’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. O’Neill, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. Consent Resolution: The discussion regarding Kathy Elwell’s increment was conducted in executive session, resulting in a consent resolution. Mayor Muti moved that Consent Resolution 2003-4 be approved, seconded by Mrs. Rennie, and passed. Public Comments: None Unfinished Business: Mrs. Rennie distributed copies of a library director’s performance evaluation. She appointed a personnel committee, consisting of Mrs. Huot, Mrs. O’Neill, and Mrs. Sage, which will evaluate Director Bloom. At 8:25 p.m., the meeting moved into executive session on motion by Mrs. Rennie, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. New Business: Mr. Lonier had requested that the minutes of the monthly meeting be sent to him as a Word file so that it could be put on the website of the Ramsey Civic Association. Following discussion of the proposal, Mr. Lonier moved that, after monthly approval of the library board minutes, they be sent to him as a Word file for inclusion on the Ramsey Civic Association website, seconded by Mrs. Huot, and passed. At 8:55 p.m., the
meeting was closed on motion
by Mr. Lonier,
seconded
by Mrs.
Huot, and
passed. Meeting of the Board of Trustees October 7, 2003 The October meeting (rescheduled from Monday, October 13, 2003) was called to order at 7:33 p.m. by President Rennie with the reading of the public meeting law. Also present were Mrs. Brown, Mr. Johnson (arrived 7:55 p.m.), Mayor Muti, Mrs. Ohnegian, Mrs. O’Neill, and Mrs. Sage, Trustees, and Director Bloom. The minutes of the September 8, 2003 meeting were accepted as received on motion by Mrs. Sage, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Correspondence: With regard to the newsletter memo from Borough Administrator Saros, Director Bloom reported that she had submitted information for the October 2nd deadline and would be able to submit more if necessary. Mayor Muti moved that the received correspondence for September be received and filed, seconded by Mrs. Ohnegian, and passed. Library Board Members Comments: Mayor Muti reported that the next negotiation session is set for October 14th. He expects a satisfactory completion by the next library board meeting. Mrs. Rennie commented upon the amount of debris she noticed around the outside of the library while she was planting flowers. Contact with Mr. Horton led to a fast clean-up of the offending materials. Treasurer’s Report: Director Bloom noted that the audit was completed and some minor bookkeeping items were brought to the attention of Mrs. Paras. The treasurer’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. Brown, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Director’s
Report: Circulation is up 3400 items from 2002 to 2003 for just the
month of September. There are many opportunities for training. “Practical Lessons in Customer Service” will be presented on October 29th at the Ridgewood Public Library. Director Bloom commented upon the September 16th workshop which she attended. Final directives for the Children’s Internet Protection Act should be in place by July 2004. There was no discussion of the Patriot Act at this meeting. She noted that there are structures in place for compliance. Colorado has come out with a flyer entitled “What You Should Know about the Patriot Act.” But she has had no public inquiry regarding either CIPA or the Patriot Act. She will be attending the Public Library Association’s February conference in Seattle. This conference is held every other year; her expenses are paid for. The eight hours of overtime in September resulted from the way the calendar fell. The new replacement globes for the exterior pole lights are not quite done. The library experienced no problems from Hurricane Isabel. With regard to strategic planning, the draft of the final report is the next step. Leslie Burger has jury duty so the process will be delayed and the requested meeting with the Mayor and Council will need to be pushed back. The next committee meeting is November 17th. Director Bloom was elected to a two-year term on the executive board of BCCLS and was appointed treasurer. Robert White, the Executive Director of BCCLS, will be at the November 10th board meeting. She noted that it is the 25th anniversary of BCCLS. The New Jersey Libraries NEWSletter, copies of which were given to the trustees, will be published quarterly and is thematic. Director Bloom is on the editorial board. It was noted that the president of the NJLA, Pat Hannon, is a Ramsey resident. Forty people attended the September 21st reading by Deedee Agee Sprecher which was sponsored by the Friends of the Ramsey Library. Book donations will be accepted for the October 25th and 26th fall “Book, Bake, & Bag Sale.” The dates for the November and December meetings of the Friends have been changed due to the holidays. The group is sponsoring a concert by the Homegrown String Band on Sunday, November 16th. Their fundraising letter will go out in early December. In Bergen County, there is an organized literacy program, Literacy Volunteers of America, headquartered in Westwood. Director Bloom explained the various facets of the well-established program and recommended Ramsey’s participation in it, beginning in 2004. The $2000 fee covers materials and training. The cost for the Spanish collection that is purchased from BCCLS is $1000, bringing the total to initiate the program to $3000. Mayor Muti moved that the library board support the Ramsey library’s participation in the LVA program, seconded by Mrs. Brown, and passed. The director’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. O’Neill, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed. Consent Resolution: The Ramapo College student who was to work at the library decided not to accept the job and another student was not available. Therefore, it was necessary to hire an adult page, Joan Maydet, to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Phil Macy. Mr. Johnson moved that Consent Resolution 2003-3 be approved, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Public Comments: None Unfinished Business: Related to discussion about the contract, Director Bloom noted that Kathy Elwell, Assistant Director and a non-union member, has not received an increment in two years. Mrs. Rennie reported that there was considerable information available at the Trustees Institute regarding evaluation of a library director. She will be appointing a personnel committee in November. Director Bloom is doing staff evaluations which are due in December. Mr. Johnson asked about Ramsey’s revised Internet policy. Discussion about the document will be on the agenda for November in preparation for passage in December. Mr. Johnson will contact Mrs. Huot and Mr. Lonier so the trustees can be given a final version of the policy to discuss. New Business: Mrs. O’Neill commented upon her experience at the October Trustees Institute. She attended a session about professional fundraising for the library which she would recommend for the Ramsey library. Mrs. Rennie commented favorably on the information which she received about strategic planning. Director Bloom noted that twenty libraries are in construction, using state funds. Round 2 will begin in June 2004 and Ramsey is well positioned, having already submitted its letter of intent. At 8:34 p.m., the meeting was closed on motion by Mrs. Ohnegian, seconded by Mrs. Brown, and passed.
The September meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by President Rennie with the reading of the public meeting law. Also present were Councilman Bisaillon (arrived 8:10 p.m.), Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Huot, Mr. Lonier, Mr. Malvasi, Mayor Muti, Mrs. O’Neill, and Mrs. Sage, Trustees, and Director Bloom. The minutes of the June 9, 2003 meeting were accepted as received on motion by Mrs. Huot, seconded by Mrs. Sage, and passed with one abstention. Correspondence: Mrs. Rennie asked about the letter from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the donation of an eighteen-item package. Director Bloom indicated that the donation is an attempt to balance library collections. Mayor Muti moved that the received correspondence for June, July, and August be accepted and filed, seconded by Mrs. O’Neill, and passed. Library Board Members Comments: None Treasurer’s Report: Director Bloom noted that there is nothing unusual in the treasurer’s report. Things are looking tight and she will be pulling back on purchases. On September 2nd the library circulated 1100 items, a record high. With the same staff level, 20,000 more items have been circulated this year than last year. Therefore, any increased budget requests are backed by the library statistics. Statistics are up across the board in BCCLS. Regarding the budget, the anticipated amount of interest is higher than that which has actually been earned. Rockland Electric increases will also impact the budget. State aid will be forthcoming in the expected amount of over $14,000. She also noted that due to illness the audit has been delayed but nothing unusual is expected. The treasurer’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Huot, and passed. Director’s Report: Three hundred sixty five children participated in the summer reading program. Their party was held on the day when the blackout occurred but no problems were encountered. The library closed at 5 p.m. rather than 9 p.m. that day. Carole Bollini also had a teen-age reading group during the summer. She participated in “YA Boot Camp,” sponsored by BCCLS to help libraries better serve middle and high school students. BCCLS will be running other fall workshops that members of the staff will be attending. New online resources include Reference USA, Country Watch, and Historical New York Times that eliminates the need for purchasing the newspaper on microfiche. It was suggested that its acquisition by the library be publicized. Ballast and bulbs were replaced and replacement globes have been ordered for the exterior pole lights. The carpeting was professionally cleaned. With regard to strategic planning, Leslie Burger was at the library today to review the work that has been done. The next committee meeting is September 29th. The requested meeting with the Mayor and Council will occur in October or November. Director Bloom is working on a New Jersey State Community Affairs Department grant for as much as $75,000 for building, equipment, and upgrades. The grant was announced on August 12th and is due on September 10th. She contacted the architectural firm of Arcari & Iovino and received technical assistance. Ramsey’s project is based upon ADA compliance and public service and will include the replacement of the circulation desk, the bookdrop, the computer workstation in the reference room, and the CD shelving units. The total amount available within the state is three million dollars. The Friends would contribute $5000 in support of the grant. Grant recipients will probably be announced by the end of the year. A new Ramapo College student has been hired. As part of the arrangement, Ramapo pays eighty per cent of the salary and the Ramsey library provides the job. The library was well represented on Ramsey Day; the new brochures, magnets, and bookmarks were distributed. The Friends sold canvas tote bags. They donated $1000 for the magnets and bookmarks, $1500 for the fall children’s program, and $3000 for media. Upcoming Friends-sponsored events include a reading by author Deedee Agee Sprecher on Sunday, September 21st and a concert by the Homegrown String Band on Sunday, November 16th. The fall book sale is scheduled for October 25th and 26th which will be followed by their membership drive. Storytime sign-ups have started. Director Bloom called attention to the flowerbeds and the landscape improvements. The two directional signs on either side of Wyckoff Avenue are both in place. The library is now open again on Saturdays. Mrs. Rennie had a question about comp time on the timesheets that Director Bloom answered. The director’s report was accepted on motion by Mrs. O’Neill, seconded by Mayor Muti, and passed. Consent Resolution: None Public Comments: None Unfinished Business: Mayor Muti updated the trustees regarding the progress of negotiations. There is a meeting tomorrow with the library union and they are near resolution on most issues. He is hopeful that there will be a contract by late September. New Business: Regarding the Internet policy, there were no committee meetings during the summer. Director Bloom will be attending a program concerned with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Also addressed will be issues pertaining to the Patriot Act and software being used in New Jersey libraries. She noted that the government is still fine- tuning its policies. Additionally, she expects that there will be pertinent information available at the October Trustees Institute. To date there have been no questions from the public. At 8:17 p.m., the meeting was closed on motion by Mrs. Brown, seconded by Mayor Muti, and passed.
Meeting of the Board of Trustees January 13, 2003 (unofficial report) I have joined the Library Board this year, along with other new appointees Joanne Brown, Patricia Huot, Mayor Richard Muti (ex-officio), and Peter Malvasi (Mayor's alternate). We join returning board members Emily Rennie (Board President), Letitia Sage (Vice President), Russell Johnson (Treasurer), Marie O'Neill (Secretary), all re-elected to their offices at the annual meeting which began the January session, in recognition of their long and valuable service. Also present were Betsey Ohnegian as the representative from the Board of Education and Superintendent Bruce DeYoung's alternate, David Bisaillon as Council Liason, and Wendy Bloom, the Library's dynamic director, who has brought new vitality to the Library. My comments are not an official communication, just my notes of the proceedings, for the benefit of the RCA membership. The director's report underlined the important role the library plays as the most visible public contributor to culture within the borough. There are impressive statistics--11,000 items circulated in the month of December, 33 uses of the Library meeting room during the month, 27 new members, 295 new books, and 253 daily visitors on average during the month. The library serves children and families, students, small business people, and seniors--providing valuable reference and lending services to every group in town. The treasurer's report elicited many questions for the benefit of myself and other new board members. Total expenditures for 2002, including $29,000 for a special item (roofing), were $765,000, including $508,000 for salaries and benefits for full and part time staff. The Library generated about $50,000 in revenues from fines, interest, state aid ($14,277), and gifts (not including a $29,000 capital gift for the roof). The balance, approximately $690,000, comes from the annual town budget. Approximately 10-15% of annual expenses are maintained as a reserve. The 2003 budget will be formulated during the next few months, and presented to the Council Finance Committee. There was discussion of some salary issues and the coming negotiations with the union that represents the full time staff. Director Bloom explained the value of the Library's membership in BCCLS (Bergen County Co-operative Library System--"Buckles"), which provides access for all 74 member libraries to a massive, searchable online periodical database maintained at the System's offices in Hackensack. Membership also includes the T-1 internet access loop that connects the Library to the Internet and to the the BCCLS system, and technical support from the System for Library computer systems. Considering the individual cost of these items on an annual basis, the $33,000 annual cost for BCCLS membership is a bargain, and allows the Ramsey Library to participate in interlibrary loans with the other institutions in the system, virtually expanding the Library's reach throughout the county. Director Bloom will be co-chair of the BCCLS 25th Anniversary Committee later this year, along with the director of the Upper Saddle River library. A well known and experienced library operations consultant, experienced in public and educational libraries throughout New Jersey and beyond, was retained in December for a small study ($14,000) to develop a strategic plan for the "Library of the Future" aligned with community needs (yes, focus groups and public forums). With the onset of online resources, e-books, electronic access and e-checkout, this study will be an important roadmap for the Board and Director in maximizing Library value and prioritizing spending on new resources during the next three to five years. One piece of old business was settled in this session. The board agreed to make permanent a highly successful test of eliminating the $1 per item fee for borrowing DVDs and recent video tapes that was begun in December. This change was particularly welcome to families borrowing children's materials, and the good will and additional access was felt to be well worth forgoing the approximate $4,000 in fees this policy had generated in 2002. The new free lending policy also streamlines the checkout process. Some offset will be possible by a more stringent enforcement of fines for late materials. The Ramsey Library enjoys highly professional direction and is a vital community resource. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me, any board member, or Director Bloom. Visit the Library website at http://www.ramseynj.com/community/library.html. --Michael Lonier |