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Minutes 12-01-21 MINUTES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021, AT 6:00 P.M. IN COMMISSION CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 100 EAST OCEAN AVENUE BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA PRESENT: Marcia Levine, Chair Craig Clark, Library Director George Feldman Jeannie Taylor, Assistant Library Director Ace Tilton Ratcliff Robyn Boucard ABSENT: Dr. Hayden, Adeyemo Lindsay Karten I. Call to Order— Marcia Levine, Board Chair Chair Levine called the meeting to order at 6:09 p.m. Self introductions were made. A quorum was present. II. Approval of Minutes — Meeting of September 22, 2021, (October— no quorum) Motion Mx. Ratcliff moved to approve the September minutes. Ms. Boucard seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. III. Correspondence and Communications None. IV. Public Audience (Individual Speakers Will Be Limited to 3 Minute Presentations) None. V. Chair's Report— Marcia Levine, Board Chair Chair Levine announced she is part of a Facebook Group "Ladies 50+ Loving Life"which is comprised of about 1,000 members. She advised she is hosting a tour of the downtown on December 7th, including the Art and Cultural Center, the Kinetic Art and a walk to Pio Pio for dinner. Her motive is not only to show them the downtown, but the ladies vote Meeting Minutes Library Board Boynton Beach, Florida December 1, 2021 and candidates can meet them if they wish, the ladies are board members at various organizations, art patrons, and generally ladies with a lot of time on their hands looking for things to do. They are very active. As soon as the event went out, 40 people responded the first day. She thought more would come to the dinner. She is excited and had received a lot of collateral to give from the Library, the Art and Cultural Center and the Public Art Department. She planned to hold a tour in the Library for as many as they can fit showing the Creative Edge It will showcase all that is going on, and she excited to show the Library and City Hall. Mr. Clark also had about 70 nice Library Bags to give. The bags can be stuffed with collateral in the Library Conference Room and given out at the tour. VI. Unfinished Business: Staffing Update - Craig Clark Mr. Clark stated they just finished interviewing for the Public Technology Trainer paid for through the Arbor Grant. They will train the public with different types of software geared for small businesses. They are hoping to offer the position and onboard them in the next month, and hopefully they will be in place the first or second week in January. They are in the final stages of onboarding the part-time Library Page position. They also have a Librarian position open as an employee retired and they are getting ready to decide who to interview for that position. Ms. Boucard asked if it is difficult to fill the positions as there are not as many Library Media workers anymore. Mr. Clark explained public libraries do not usually have trouble finding people, but not everyone can be a media specialist as they need a certificate. He advised they have a nice pool of candidates to select from when filling their professional positions. Career Online High School Program - Jeannie Taylor Ms. Taylor announced they have five students in the high school and two are 70% along. She noted their scholarships are ending around March so they will have to hurry. She has a few other students that are diligently working. No one in the prerequisite program and she had one call of interest, but no applications. There are lots of scholarships available. Mr. Clark requested the members help advertise the opportunity. There are 13 scholarships available right now and many have to be given away by May. Since the scholarships are state funded, the student does not have to be a city resident. This is for general high school education. Students also receive a career certificate. They start them on career certificate as it gives them time to be familiar with the program and gives time to get transcript When transcript arrives, they may receive credit. The participant has to be 19 or older and have a Library Card. Students who have partially completed high school can have their credits transferred into the program to receive a diploma. ARPA Grant Application — Technology Training for Entrepreneurs and Career Advancement for$93,084 Mr. Clark stated they received the grant to fund the Public Technology Trainer. The position will be full-time with benefits to the end of September. The grant will also be 2 Meeting Minutes Library Board Boynton Beach, Florida December 1, 2021 used to purchase 24 laptops and a laptop charging stations to roll to the community room for training. Ms. Boucard asked if they will have to reapply next year to continue the service. Mr. Clark advised he will request the position in his budget request next year in the City Budget. There is no guarantee the City will have funds, but Mr. Clark will request the position will be funded. The grant was a one-time grant that will end September 30, 2022. The person being hired is aware the position may end, but will be requested to be continued. Social Worker Intern Program — Jeannie Taylor Ms. Taylor explained this was a bit rocky as the intern they had keeps changing her time, and she left the program. Her supervisor is coming in twice a week and will cover the position. They will have another intern from the school assigned to the Library in January. There is a lot of interest in the program. It was noted the intern must be multi-lingual and most ask for Creole/Haitian. Staff can also help with translations. The interns are working on their Masters in Social Work and come from FAU. VII. New Business Orange Boy Library Marketing Software — Maddi Kjosa, Marketing & Outreach Manager Ms. Kjosa stated the Library acquired two new marketing tools noted above. Orange Boy encompasses an email marketing tool for their new E-Newsletter called the Boynton Beach City Library Buzz. It also has an audience segmentation tool indicating what patrons are checking out. When new cardholders come in, it let staff know what they are checking out and what they may need so staff can deliver messaging to fit those needs. LibCal Library Program Calendar Software- Maddi Kjosa, Marketing&Outreach Manager LibCal is a new Library Program Calendar registration. When programs are offered, it tracks how many patrons are registered for it and how many seats are left. When a program is filled up, it wait lists them, and if a registration is cancelled, they will be emailed and put back into the program. They can see all the other programs. Staff has different views such as list view, calendar view, and the website has a plug-in showing the next five Library events and it constantly updates them. It also allows patrons to book appointments with staff and Creative Edge sessions. It will sink with the library staff calendar. Mr. Clark explained Ms. Kjosa brought the software to their attention and they all went through training to better serve patrons. Ms. Boucard asked if the same site is available at home so patrons can scroll and see it themselves. Ms. Kjosa responded it was. It is self-service and on the Library's page. Mr. Clark showed the members where it was located on the City's website. The Library has a print-out calendar at the entrance to the Library and she added a QR Code Patrons can scan that will allow them to pull it up on-their calendar and phone. There are also two TV monitors and one on the second 3 Meeting Minutes Library Board Boynton Beach, Florida December 1, 2021 floor to advertise the programs. It is not necessary for all programs to have a Library Card to attend a program or class. All upcoming events posted are constantly updated. Author Program Policy/Local Self-Published Books Mr. Clark explained this is also on the Library's Website and he showed the members the path. He explained this is a new policy because they are being inundated by those who have self-published material and want to do Library programs, but sometimes staff has to evaluate if the book has a popular subject matter for the general public and sometimes it is not. Staff had to develop a policy on how to get your book on the library shelves, how to donate a book to the library, how to add the book to the local authors collection and how to have a book signing or program at the library. The website receives program suggestions and it explained staff needs four to six months in advance. Staff was getting a book a week. They had an author, Doug Alderson, who is a Florida author. The Library had three programs with him on his books about Florida attractions, alligators and rivers. His books are of good quality and he had slide shows when he was speaking, so the Library bought books and added them to the collections. Any book has to be professionally reviewed, before they will consider the book. It cannot be reviewed by a newspaper, Google or Amazon, before it can be considered for a program. Mr. Alderson is a well-known Florida author, and he offered to present his programs virtually and for free. His program attracted 10 to 25 people. They advertised it on Facebook VIII. Library Director's Report/Statistics September & October 2021 Monthly Reports Mr. Clark noted circulation, programs and attendance was increasing and things were improving. They just held their first sewing class, it was full with five people in it and one person was from the City Manager's office who said it was excellent. They will have more classes of five at a time. The Library provides the teacher and the machine. Ms. Boucard asked if a knitting class has or will be offered and learned the Library has not had good luck with knitting. The Recreation Department also tried it but did not take off. Mr. Clark commented he is available to answer any questions. And attendees do not have to wear masks. The masks ae encouraged. IX. Announcements December 2021 Library Programming A list of upcoming programs was distributed and reviewed. These will be distributed to the Board every month. Programming was really taking off. There is an Adult Book Club that meets each month. Chair Levine asked how the Creative Edge studio was doing and learned patrons are using it, the Cricket and the laser cutter. It was promoted last month. The Florida Atlantic University Tech Runway opened this month on the first floor of City Hall, so the Library had two tables there and had the 3-D printer and Cricket maker to promote the Library event. The runway provides a place to start a business. People can use it for six-months while starting out the small business until they grow out of it. There 4 Meeting Minutes Library Board Boynton Beach, Florida December 1, 2021 will be telephones and office equipment. It got a lot of people interested in the Library and they issued a lot of Library cards then. Chair Levine observed all happening in the downtown as the space is being activated. Next Library Board Meeting — January 26, 2022 Chair Levine announced the next meeting as above. Staff training day December 16th, so the Library will be closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. X. Adjournment Motion There was no further business to discuss. Mr. Feldman moved to adjourn. Ms. Boucard seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 6:44 p.m. Mr. Clark wished all a good holiday. Catherine Cherry Minutes Specialist 5