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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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