Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• This meeting was called to order by President Kimberly Richardson.
• The invocation was given by Gwendolyn Amamoo.

Public Voices

• Desi Keith from The Dannon Project shared information about career training for low income youth, ages 18-24. Participants would receive training and career certification for nursing assistant, patient care technician, medical assistant, and network cabling specialist. Kimberly Richardson thanked Keith for sharing the information and will distribute the information throughout the library system.

Presentations

• Dora Sims, Chair of the Advocacy Committee, shared with the board that the Innovative Cool Award has been nationally recognized in Library Journal with an article by Lisa Peet. Sims thanked the board for the support and Gwendolyn Amamoo for developing the idea for the Innovative Cool Award.
• Sims presented certificates to three award winners. Eve Parker, Avondale received one award for “Art Attack,” an after school program in the month of October that will teach children about techniques and types of art. Mark Skinner, East Ensley received an award towards the purchase of KEVA (Knowledge, Education, Visual, Art) building blocks for youth fun and learning. The Five Points West youth department received an award for the purchase of a bubble machine and bubble solution. Storyteller Fontaine Alison and Janine Langston, Western coordinator, accepted the award. Kimberly Richardson thanked the award recipients.
• Kimberly Richardson acknowledged Jean Shanks for her 26 years of service to BPL. Shanks was not able to attend the meeting. Richardson presented a certificate of appreciation to Haruyo Miyagawa who is retiring after 27 years of service. Richardson highlighted Miyagawa’s achievements including starting Eat Drink Read Write, Bards and Brews, and Word Up. Miyagawa managed the art gallery at the Central library and was the ambassador for Miss Iwate. Lee added Miyagawa was awarded the Jefferson County Public Library Association’s inaugural award of Librarian of the Year for 2016.
• Richardson presented a certificate of appreciation to Attorney Nicole King. King was promoted to principal attorney and is expecting a child in October. On behalf of the board, Richardson thanked King for all she has done for BPL. Cupcakes were served in celebration of King’s upcoming child.

Approval of Agenda

• Georgia Morgan Blair moved to approve the agenda. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Approval of Consent Agenda

• Georgia Morgan Blair requested to pull the personnel actions from the consent agenda. Blair moved to approve the minutes from the August 2016 board meeting. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and all were in favor.
• A revised personnel action was given to Sandra Vick Lee prior to the meeting. The corrections include Maurice Harley’s salary and Development Officer dates. The revised version will be distributed to board members. Blair moved to approve the personnel actions with those corrections. Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Terry Oglesby, City Architect

• Terry Oglesby was not present for this meeting. Sandra Vick Lee reported that the city will be start work on replacing one chiller and repairing the second chiller on September 23. The library will be closed the weekend of September 24-25.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch requested Lee check on the status of the East Lake roof since it appears to be leaking and damaging the mural. Lee reported that work is being done on the elevators, and they are waiting on parts.
• Welch asked what could be done to provide cost effective solution and consistency for the lighting throughout the system. Lee said Trane surveyors have visited six libraries so far and will continue to visit libraries. Lighting is included in their scope of work.
• Welch asked if there is a process in place to address the proper timeframe in regards to the broken window at Pratt City. Lee stated Public Works was responsible for providing the quote, and the library approved it.

Nicole King, City Attorney

• Attorney Nicole King introduced Kayla Lawrence who will be filling in for King during her maternity leave. King recommended the board go into Executive Session under Alabama state code 36-25-A7 to discuss security measures. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch made a motion for approval. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and all were in favor.
• King is reviewing the policies from the previous policy meeting.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Finance Reports

• Kimberly Richardson requested the finance reports be moved from the Consent Agenda to Operational Items going forward to ensure the board is taking the time to intently view finances. Richardson stated that going into the next budget request, the board needs to make recommendations to move everyday expenses out of the library fund report and back into the city’s budget request. Amamoo requested to change “Business Cards” on the check history report to “Visa” for clarification.
• Georgia Morgan Blair asked if bundling phone and internet service was possible. Sandra Vick Lee explained the wifi hot spots are paid through special funds to T-Mobile. Tobin Cataldo is looking into a less expensive option from Mobile Beacon. Lee stated the BPL phone service is paid through E-Rate, and the company providing the service is set up through the criteria for E-Rate by the federal government. Richardson added computer leases have also been evaluated.
• Georgia Morgan Blair moved to approve the financial report. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Requests for approval of Tutwiler Fund annual withdrawal

• An updated list of funds was included in the board packet. Each time a quarterly statement arrives, it will be included in the next board packet. Barbara Watson, representative at Regions, identified $35,000 is available at this time in the Tutwiler Fund. The Southern History department is requesting $10,000 this year for the purchase. The typical annual disbursement is $5,000, and an additional $5,000 is requested for a genealogy database. Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve the withdrawal of $10,000 from the Tutwiler Fund. Willie Davis III seconded the motion. All were in favor, and it was approved.

Reports of Committees

Advocacy Committee

• Chair Dora Sims presented the Advocacy Committee’s recommendations to the board: award $50 from the board fund to Five Points West, Avondale, and East Ensley each for Innovative Awards; reinstate the “I Am BPL” award effective November 1st with revised guidelines starting with four $25 awards in December then evaluating if it should continue in 2017 with four awards per quarter; serve cake and lemonade at each branch during National Friends of the Library week on Wednesday, October 19.
• Gwendolyn Amamoo moved to accept the recommendations. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and all were in favor.

Finance Committee

• Georgia Morgan Blair reported on the last Finance Committee meeting. Representatives from the Community Foundation made presentations on the Weathers Fund and Health Workers Fund. Representatives from Regions made a presentation on the Tutwiler Fund. Blair moved to accept the report from the Finance Committee and authorize the creation of a request form for withdrawals from trusts. Gwendolyn Amamoo seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Long-Range Planning Committee

• At the last Long-Range Planning Committee meeting, the critical issues, outcomes, action items, and highlights were discussed. The recommendation was that the Long-Range Planning Committee work with Sandi to help implement the actions with the staff. Kimberly Richardson had concerns with the format since there was no linkage between goals and action items. Richardson, Lee, and Jim Sisson met to make the linkages clear.
• A special called meeting will need to take place before the end of the month to approve the Strategic Plan since it is due to the state by October 1, 2016. Richardson asked that questions and comments be submitted prior to September 23, 2016. The committee of the whole meeting is set for September 29, 2016, at 4:30 p.m.

Personnel Committee

• Judge Scott Vowell reported the Personnel Committee reviewed two job descriptions. The Grants Coordinator description was revised during the meeting and approved by the committee with the changes. The Network System Administrator job description was also revised and sent back to the committee. Georgia Morgan Blair stated “Equal Opportunity Employer” language needs to be added to both job descriptions. Richardson suggested the minimum requirement for the Network Administrator job description be revised to “Bachelor of Computer Science or other fields with three years of professional level work.” With this revision, Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve the two job descriptions. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.
• Judge Scott Vowell discussed Sandra Lee’s evaluation should be completed as the Deputy Director. Kimberly Richardson will create an online evaluation form to be reviewed by Judge Vowell then sent to the board via email.
• The committee also discussed the chief of security evaluation. The committee accepted the recommendation.

Policy Committee

• Sandra Vick Lee gave a summary of the revisions to the Customer Service Handbook specifically standardizing patron infractions and recourse. The committee also reviewed statements of suspension to adults and children. Kimberly Richardson requested to keep a master list of trespassed patrons. Lee will request that Chief Gadson start formulating a master list. Gwendolyn Amamoo asked if staff are legally allowed to take a suspended patron’s photo and circulate it to other branches. Attorney Nicole King stated she would have to check. Amamoo asked how hard it would be to circulate the photo, and Lee will check with Chief Gadson. Richardson recommended looking into best practices by ALA or other public institutions for managing this behavior. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch mentioned it may affect confidentiality and privacy.
• Lee presented the revised gallery policy and guidelines. The first and fourth floor will be used as gallery areas. The exhibitor will need to submit to the gallery manager, the exhibitor will pay half the cost of the installation fees. The library will furnish the template for the display card will be given to the exhibitor, and the exhibitor will be responsible for it. The exhibitor will also be responsible for the production of flyers based on the template provided by the library. The library will help distribute the flyers and develop press releases.
• Lee presented the board with the Board Member Request for Information. Gwedonlyn B. Guster Welch moved to accept the policies as amended. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved. All were in favor, and it was approved.

Executive Search Committee

• Kimberly Richardson gave an update of the executive search. Edith Major distributed a list of places where the job would be advertised. Richardson stated the job will be advertised in the same list of places as the previous search with the exception of the New York Times which did not produce any responses. The director position will be posted for thirty days. Since Edith Major will be out, Jamilah Woods and Peggy Polk will assist with accepting applications.
• Gwedolyn B. Guster Welch requested the full board be involved in both rounds of interviewing. Richardson thanked Welch for her input and stated if board members are interested in being involved with the search, to let her know, and they will be added to the executive search committee to ensure the search is completed in timely manner . An update will be given at the next board meeting after the job posting closes.

Unfinished Business

• Kimberly Richardson reported the budget was approved by City Council. The library received an extra $1 million for programming for reading initiatives. Richardson, other board members, and staff have been meeting. Richardson will be meeting with the superintendent of Birmingham City Schools.

• Richardson discussed the letter from patron Caroline McGuire and hoped the board reviewed it. McGuire wrote a four page letter voicing her concerns about the changes regarding refreshments policy and unisex bathrooms in Linn-Henley. Richardson will discuss the concerns with Lee and will follow up with McGuire via email.

• When reading incident reports, Richardson is concerned about the time the staff puts in towards the management of individuals especially with the homeless population. Lee stated Committee to Protect the Homeless comes in every Wednesday 12p.m. – 5p.m. Richardson requested the library become engaged with the Continuum of Care particularly because the homeless utilize the library. Richardson would like to open lines of communication to recognize the greater initiatives going on in the community and have the library actively engaged with a service provider.

New Business

• There was no new business.

Director's Report for September 2016

• Sandra Lee reported Reverend Robert Jones, storyteller and musician, will be performing at various library locations for the week of September 19 – 23.
• Chef Bryant Terry will be at the Birmingham Public Library starting October 1st for the Eat Drink Read Write series. He will attend events at Pepper Place, Jones Valley Urban Farm, and Central library.
• The Central library will host a children’s art show on unusual foods the evening of Monday, October 3, 2016. On Tuesday, a panel discussion will be held regarding fermented and foraged foods. On Thursday, the Young Professionals will host literary cocktails at the Wine Loft and promoting the library event later in October. Friday will conclude EDRW with 6 restaurants providing food tasting. Richardson asked if marketing is on full blast for the event. Lee stated Roy has coordinated for a few television spots. The first round of press releases have been gone out in addition to posters. Richardson suggested asking our partners, Pepper Place and Jones Valley to help promote the event.

Board Member's Comments

• There were no comments.

Next Board Meeting is October 11, 2016

Submitted By

Mary McCann, Senior Secretary