Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• Meeting called to order by President Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch gave the invocation.

Approvals

• Georgia Blair moved the approval of the agenda. Dora Sims seconded the motion, which passed.
• Georgia Blair moved the approval of the consent agenda. Nell Allen seconded the motion, which passed.
• Renee Blalock gave an overview of the contributions and importance of Freedom to Read. Dora Sims moved the approval of the continuation of membership to American Library Association: Freedom to Read. Georgia Blair seconded the motion, which passed (YES- Georgia Blair, Gwendolyn Welch, Gwendolyn Amamoo, and Dora Sims; NO- Nell Allen; ABSTAINED- Samuel Rumore).

Presentation

• Gwendolyn Welch presented Nicole King, City Attorney, and Peggy Polk, Director of City Personnel, with certificates of recognition for their service to the Library.
• Samuel Rumore presented Nell Allen and Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch with certificates of recognition for their service on the Library Board.

New Business

• Gwendolyn Welch stated that Mayor Bell has a recommendation on the Tuesday, December 18, 2012 City Council agenda regarding the reorganization of the Library. She encouraged all Board members to attend the City Council meeting, if possible. Nicole King will find out whether or not a public hearing must first be held before voting on the ordinance can take place.

Comments

• Gwendolyn Amamoo wished everyone a Merry Christmas, thanked Samuel Rumore for thinking to recognize Board members, and thanked Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch for the efficiency of the board meeting.
• Nell Allen enjoyed the West End Christmas program which brought in over 200 children and thanked Samuel Rumore for initiating the recognition of Board members.
• Samuel Rumore wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and mentioned that he was still hunting for some Alabama National Championship game tickets.
• Dora Sims wished everyone happy holidays, thanked Samuel Rumore for initiating the recognition of Board members, stated that she participated in the Christmas parade along with the Library and Friends, thanked Chanda Temple for making parade arrangements and having a table during the Christmas parade, and congratulated the completion of Library's Wishlist. The Advocacy Committee is working with administration to develop an advocacy plan, and also that the Freedom to Read renewal is due which will be paid from the Board fund.
• Georgia Blair attended the December 7, 2012 Fashion Friday program and congratulated Chanda Temple for the outstanding program, reported that she counted 75 attendees and stated that several patrons showed interest in the Library holding more similar events, received an email that Ambassador Andrew Young of Atlanta will deliver a keynote address tonight and speak with students tomorrow in Birmingham, marking the beginning of events to commemorate the City's historic role in the modern Civil Rights Movement 50 years ago, and stated that she was surprised that SIX Branding was not recognized as a Library Champion. Renee Blalock responded that SIX Branding would be recognized next year.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch was asked to be a speaker at the ALA Midwinter Nuts and Bolts meeting on leadership, asked that all Board members keep in contact with the City Council, thanked attorneys Fred Fullerton and Nicole King their assistance to the Library, attended Katrina Pigler's gospel concert at North Birmingham and noticed that there are leaks in the meeting room, male and female bathrooms, and that there was a problem with sewage backup. She said that the Library Board should have been made aware of those problems. She congratulated Angela Hall on her article Turning Points and encouraged her to include library services in future articles and congratulated Jim Baggett for his publicity on the Chambliss papers. She is concerned that circulation only increased at North Avondale and Smithfield libraries. She highlighted some of the Board's successes achieved during her tenure as president, including:
  • expanding the Library's partnership with the Birmingham Board of Education, including receiving the Board's desegregation papers housed at Dupuy School
  • promotion of neighborhood branch managers from Librarian I to Librarian II
  • helping to make security staff a part of the Library
  • correction of Angela Fisher Hall's salary
  • recognition of staff during board meetings
  • restored fulltime hours to Inglenook and East Ensley libraries
  • national recognition of Saundra Ross as 2011 I Love My Library Award
  • introducing the concept of the Library's Young Professionals Board (a special thank you to Katrina Watson, Dora Sims, Kelsey Bates, Jennifer Neely, Angela Hall, and others for making this dream a reality)
  • assigning staff and community stakeholders serving on Library Board committees as advisory members
• Angela Fisher Hall invited the Library Board to Francine Cooper's retirement breakfast on December 14, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. and thanked Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch for acknowledging her article, Turning Points, and stated that she will be writing more articles and will include information on the Library's collection.

Submitted By

Irene S. Blalock, Secretary