Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• The meeting was called to order by Vice President Georgia Morgan Blair who presided over the meeting until Kimberly Richardson arrived.
• Blair gave the invocation.

Public Voices

• There were no public voices.

Presentations

• There were no presentations.

Approval of Agenda

• Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve the agenda. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Approval of Consent Agenda

• Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Terry Oglesby, City Architect

• Terry Oglesby was not in attendance for this meeting.

Kayla Lawrence, City Attorney

• Kayla Lawrence did not have any business to discuss.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Finance Reports

• The Regions account statement for December will be added to the next board meeting since it did not arrive in the mail yet. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve the financial report. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved.

BPL Holiday Schedule

• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to accept the BPL Holiday Schedule and to close the library Saturday, December 23, 2017, and Sunday, December 24, 2017. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Reports of Committees

Personnel Committee

• Chair Judge Scott Vowell reported the Personnel Committee approved changes to the proposed program coordinator job description. These changes are recommended to the board. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve the job description. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion. All were in favor.
• The committee voted to accept the recommended candidate for a position thus in effect overruling the decision of the chairman of the board. Judge Scott Vowell moved to accept the candidate to be hired for the position the employee applied for. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• The committee recommends the library coordinator position remain pending until the new director has been selected. Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve this recommendation. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Unfinished Business

Foundation Audit Letter 2016

• Since the board has the Foundation audit, the Advocacy Committee will need to make a recommendation on the number of hours BPL employees can spend on Foundation business.

New Business

Board Meeting Schedule 2017

• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch moved to approve the board meeting schedule for 2017. Gwendolyn Amamoo seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• Kimberly Richardson met with Mayor Bell and Foundation president David Herring regarding the capital improvement program which is why Georgia Morgan Blair presided over the meeting. Blair shared with the board the city council approved the resolution requesting the mayor complete the ordinances so that the money can be appropriated for the proposed reading initiative program. The final step is the Mayor’s approval. No funds have been appropriated yet. The mayor needs to direct the finance department to complete the ordinance so it can be added to the council agenda.
• Edith Major spoke to the Personnel Department at the city and reported the Mayor did not offer administrative leave for the weekend. Therefore, the weekend the libraries were closed due to inclement weather, employees will not be paid for administrative leave. The employees scheduled for that weekend will work their normal schedule which includes the Thursday and Friday.
• The executive director interviews were rescheduled. The Executive Search Committee ultimately decided to hold the phone interviews January 27, 2017, and January 30, 2017.
• The Bards and Brews event for January was cancelled, and the February event is scheduled. The Bards and Brews committee is working on a sponsorship packet that can be delivered to different organizations since the grant funding opportunities have been utilized. A couple of lawyer groups are looking to support. At February’s event, the attendees will be asked for sponsorship suggestions and to help spread the word that sponsorships are needed. The March event will be strictly a fundraising event. This ticketed event will be an uncensored poetry reading and will be held off-site. Planning for the event is going forward. The estimated cost to sponsor an event is $1250. Funds for February’s event have been identified.
• The discussion of the impact of allowing food and drink in the library will be reserved for another time. Weeks ago, a patron sent a letter to the library regarding this issue. Welch suggested to send the patron a response informing her the library has received her letter.
• Jeh Jeh Pruitt, Fox 6 News reached out to the library about a television segment. Pruitt featured the Southern History department, highlighting the genealogy classes and genealogy resources. The last segment highlighted the MLK program on January 15, 2017, at 3 p.m.
• James A. Sullivan requested a list of job vacancies be sent to the board so the board can assist in getting positions filled.
• Stemming from a patron situation involving a language barrier, the board discussed the need for outreach to the Latino population. The library currently has an outreach working with in the community who speak Spanish and other languages. An employee’s husband was able to communicate with the patron involved in the situation. Some areas of higher Spanish-speaking populations have been identified, and libraries have made efforts to make bilingual flyers. The board suggested providing English as a second language classes and also providing Spanish classes.

Director's Report for January 2017

• Sandra Vick Lee distributed an additional letter from the auditors to the board members.
• Lee reported there is a staff shortage on the weekend of January 21 at the Five Points West library and Pratt City library. Lee requested permission to close Pratt City and send that staff to Five Points West. Welch suggested closing West End and sending staff to Pratt City and Five Points West. Georgia Morgan Blair said there was a past suggestion of conducting a study to see if the regional libraries should just stay open on the weekends.
• For the active shooter training, Chief Gadsden will need to obtain resources from the city and combine Edith Major’s information from the ALA Conference 2016. Presentations would be made to the Collection Management meeting and LAIII meeting. Ideally, training could be done at each location since each library space differs.
• Lee confirmed that when neighborhood associations donate to the library, they receive letters of gratitude.

Board Member's Comments

• Kimberly Richardson entered the board meeting and gave an update on a project at the Central library. Richardson was in a meeting with Friends Foundation President David Herring, Sherri Nielson of the Mayor’s office, and city architects regarding the replacement of escalators with stairs. Funds will need to be identified for the re-design of the staircase. Richardson suggested the city look at money in any capital line items that were complete that could possibly be reallocated. Nielson committed to move forward with that plan.
• Gwendolyn Amamoo wished everyone a happy new year.
• Eunice Johnson Rogers wished everyone a belated Merry Christmas and happy new year. Rogers expressed her appreciation for her time as a board member so far. Rogers stated it has been education and different to see the library in a new perspective and is excited.
• James A. Sullivan looks forward to a new year.
• Judge Scott Vowell wished everyone a happy new year.
• Sandra Vick Lee attended the State of the City address by Mayor Bell and commented Dora U. Sims’ appearance in the video that was shown at the event.
• Kimberly Richardson is looking forward to the new year.
• Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch thanked the board and wished all a happy new year.
• Georgia Morgan Blair welcomed Melvia Walton.

Next Board Meeting is Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Submitted By

Sandra Vick Lee, Secretary