Minutes 07-27-16 CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH
Boynton Beach City Library
Library Advisory Board Minutes
July 27, 2016
The Library Advisory Board meeting was called to order at 4:08 p.m.by Barbara McGee, Chair. Board members
Kerry-Ann Fletcher,Valerie Pleasanton and Barbara Wineberg were absent. The meeting minutes from June 22,
2016 were approved as distributed,motion by Tracy Tebo, 2nd by D'Ette Matthews,motion carried.
Correspondence: Valerie Pleasant notified Director Clark that she is working on the ocean today with the Coast
Guard and would not be able to attend today's meeting.
Public Audience:None
Chair's Report: Chair McGee inquired if there is a book club here at the library. Asst.Director Watts stated there
is a book discussion group for the teens and one for the tweens. Chair McGee inquired if people outside the city
can get a library card at our library. Director Clark explained there is a Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement with
other libraries that are members of the Library Cooperative of the Palm Beaches. He also stated reciprocation is a
requirement to receive the State Aid Grant from the Florida State Library.Residents of Boca Raton,Highland
Beach,Manalapan and Palm Beach must pay$30 per year to get a library card in Boynton Beach. Ms.Roundtree
inquired about programs for adults during the evening hours. Clark stated typically adult programs are held during
the day and during season. Mostly seniors attend our programs. There has been programming for families in the
evening and there are history programs in the evening for adults. Also staffmg levels in the evening are reduced as
well. We will be trying an adult coloring program this coming season. Clark stated we can certainly try new
things in the future in evening time slots.
Unfinished Business: Craig Clark,Library Director began the staffing update with news that Tiffany has been
promoted to Sr.Accounting Technician. Mark left for a position at the Palm Beach County Library System. Nael
has been promoted the PT Library Aide. Christina Graves will be hired to take Tiffany's PT Library Aide position
in Administration. Christina has volunteered here at the library during the past year. The third Library Aide
vacancy will be filled by Willony Barclay,who has previous in public libraries. There are two Library Page
positions that we will be recruiting for. We will be interview nine candidates in early August.
Clark distributed statistics for various library services. Visitation was down 10%from last year. Overdrive
ebooks are about the same. Zinio is up 116%. Overall circulation was down 3%. The Virtual Zone is being used a
lot by the teens. Overall we offered more programs this year compared to last year. Music Streaming and
Transparent Languages usage was up. Learning Express usage was down due to the AmeriCorps teen program
ending. Clark reported there will be three new AmeriCorps members staring in August. Tracy stated she likes the
e-sequels database. Clark stated it only costs$30 per year. Unique management has collected$141,000 of
unreturned items/overdue fines. We have collected$58,000 worth of materials that we got back. State law now
prohibits reporting library fines to collection agencies. We will retain the company to attempt collection of our
materials,because the service is still effective. We will keep an eye on the ROI to make sure the service is viable.
New Business: Clark reviewed the 2016-17 library budget request. The City Manager approved putting forward a
$10,000 increase in the book account,which will be helpful. Final approval of the budget request will occur from
City Commission at the City Commission on September 20,2016.
A new program will be launched by the library in September, "Career Online High School". The State Library of
Florida is funding the program and working with Gale Cengage, software provider,and New Horizons, an
accredited eight career curriculum online high school. Participants must be at least 19 years of age. Jeannie Taylor
and Craig Clark will manage the program. Potential participants must take an online assessment and a two week
course. Those that complete this will and pass at 70%for higher will be interviewed in person. Those people that
we think are serious about the program will be issued a free scholarship. Each student must be complete the
program within 18 months.
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We will take on about five students at first then may add more later on. This program does not take the place of a
GED,it is an real high school diploma. Counseling and tutors will be available online to the students through New
Horizons. Library staff will help keep the students motivated and on track.
Anne updated the Board on the AmeriCorps program. We have been approved by the Literacy Coalition to receive
three new members. They will begin in late August. There are 40 members throughout Palm Beach County. Last
year 21 of them served at the Library. Each member is required to work 1,700 hours per year. Many of them are
unable to get all their hours in at their locations, so they tutor here. More than 5,700 homework sessions took
place here for elementary and middle school children this past year. The teen program helps prepare teens for
college and college testing. They also tutor each other. The adult program participants learn basic English. This
program is funded by the Friends of the Boynton Beach City Library and the Library's donation account.
Craig was appointed to the LSTA Advisory Council by the Florida Secretary of State for a four-year term. We are
considering applying for an LSTA grant next year.
The Board discussed cancelling the August 2016 meeting. The Board also discussed to merge the November and
December meetings. That meeting will be held on Wednesday,December 7,2016 at 4:00 p.m. No meeting will be
held in November. Deb Hoban made a motion to cancel the August meeting and merge the November and
December board meetings to be held on 12/7/16 at 4:00 p.m.,2°d by Lesha Roundtree. Motion carried.
The library will be purchasing a locking fire&water proof cabinet to store library microfilm and other important
information including rare books that need to be protected during a hurricane emergency. The Fire Chief has
agreed to provide space at Fire Station 5, a category 5 hurricane rated building. We will be asking the Quilters to
purchase the cabinet.
The Friends' Adopt a Magazine Program is available to those that wish to donate magazine subscriptions to the
library. There is a specific list of magazine titles available to choose for adoption.
Library Director's Report: Craig distributed and reviewed the monthly report for June 2016.
The next Library Board Meeting is October 28,2016 at 4:00 p.m. in the meeting room. The meeting was
adjourned at 5:23pm.
Craig Clark for Valerie Pleasanton, Secretary