Birmingham Public Library Board Minutes

Call To Order

• Georgia Morgan Blair called the meeting to order.
• Judge Scott Vowell provided the invocation.

Public Voices

• There were no public voices.

Presentations

• Dora Sims moved to amend the agenda to make the Advocacy Committee report after the presentation. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• Georgia Morgan Blair moved to amend the Advocacy report to add Olivia Alison and Tiffanie Jeter to the I Am BPL Award list of recipients. Gwendolyn B. Guster Welch seconded the motion, and it was approved.

• Willie Davis III presented Heather McWilliams, Smithfield with an Innovative Cool Award for a Junior Science Club. Heather McWilliams said Reba Williams developed this idea to implement STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) programs for youth.

• Davis presented Laura Gentry, Southern History with an Innovative Cool Award for her idea to make a display sign for the Hitachi reversible puppet.
• Dora Sims presented the I Am BPL Awards. Sims gave Diana Prince, Administration an award for her idea of the Readers’ Ball, a celebration for children who love to read. Nominated by Caleb West, Lance Simpson received an award for his positive attitude, work with teens, and assisting with the procurement of grants. Sims presented awards to Tiffanie Jeter, Olivia Alison, Thracie Pace, Lisa Smith, Melvia Walton, and Roy Williams for their work with the Slice Pizza fundraiser. Tiffanie Jeter nominated the recipients, and the board voted to add Jeter and Olivia Alison. Eric Gregory, Springville Road was nominated by Gwendolyn Guster Welch for his ideas about installing lights in the parking lot and attaching a photo to library cards to identify trespassed patrons.

Approval of Agenda

• Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve the agenda. Dora Sims seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Approval of Consent Agenda

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

Terry Oglesby

• Sandra Lee updated the board on Trane projects at the Central library which will result in temporarily closing some departments.

Kayla Lawrence

• Attorney Lawrence informed the board they will need to provide a letter to the Mayor’s office explaining the need for the purchase of the parking lots next to the East Lake Library. The mayor will then need to identify funds for the purchase. Then, the city council would have to approve it. It was recommended to wait for the transition at the mayor’s office and city council.
• Attorney Lawrence is looking into how the Staff Association was formed. Lawrence requested the contracts for the vending machines from the Staff Association president.
• Attorney Lawrence certified there were personnel matters the board needed to discuss in executive session. Gwendolyn Guster Welch moved the board enter executive session. Dora Sims seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• After executive session ended, Judge Scott Vowell moved to accept the minutes as read by the Executive Search Committee and adopt their recommendations. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Operational Items Requiring Board Approval

Finance Reports

• There was nothing new to report.

Committee Reports

Advocacy Committee

• Dora Sims, Chair made a motion to allocate $1195.64 out of the library board fund to pay $100 for the Innovative Cool Awards, $250 for I Am BPL Awards, $395.64 for patron appreciation cakes, and $450 for a Staff Day donation. The motion carried.

Policy Committee

• The Policy Committee reviewed the fax policy, employee use of library resources, computer use guidelines, and the emergency manual. Gwendolyn Guster Welch, Chair thanked Attorney Kayla Lawrence for sending a copy of the city’s emergency manual. An Ad Hoc Committee comprising of staff, Sandra Lee, and Welch used the city’s manual as a guide to create a version for BPL.
• Preliminary active shooter training will be presented at Staff Day, and Chief Bernal will visit each library location to provide further training. The committee discussed practicing fire drills.
• Welch moved to make amendments to 5001 Fax Policy, 4005 Employee Use of Library Resources, and 9000 Public Use of Computers. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and the motion carried.

Finance Committee

• Gwendolyn Guster Welch discussed delaying the implementation of the event staff position until after the new director is in place. Dora Sims, Chair moved to postpone action on this position until the December board meeting. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• Dora Sims made a motion to accept the recommendation to to have an Ordinance to amend the Capital Fund Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, by transferring $6,098.00 from Central Library Phase I, $7470.00 from Five Points West Library Renovations, $34,162.43 from Pratt City Library and appropriate $47,730.43 to Central (Downtown) Library for VOIP Project. Eunice Johnson Rogers seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• Dora Sims made a motion to extend the State Aid budget to include travel for staff and trustees to receive training and education. James Sullivan seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Unfinished Business

• There was a previous agreement signed by Kevin Moore of the Parks and Recreation Department stating Tabernacle Church can charge for parking in the library parking lot during Classic weekend. Gwendolyn Guster Welch moved that if needed, Attorney Kayla Lawrence can notify the church that the parking privileges at the Smithfield library parking lot have been revoked during the Magic City Classic weekend due to liability issues. Judge Scott Vowell seconded the motion, and it was approved.

New Business

• There was no new business.

Director's Report for October 2017

• Sandra Lee requested to close the Southside Library on Saturday, October 28, at 1 p.m. so staff can participate in the inaugural Storyteller Festival in Five Points South. Lee requested closing all libraries on Sunday, December 31, 2017. Judge Scott Vowell moved to approve these two requests. Willie Davis III seconded the motion, and it was approved.
• Welch asked for clarification on received and proposed sponsorship for Eat Drink Read Write. Sandra Lee will receive a full report from Development once all the events have concluded.

Comments

• Dora Sims announced the Five Points West community is going to honor BPL retiree and former neighborhood officer Virginia Guthrie on Saturday, November 4, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Five Points West Library.
• Judge Scott Vowell suggested that the board write to the members of the city council and mayor’s office, particularly the new members, letting them know when the board meets and extend an invitation.
• Gwendolyn Amamoo suggested each library employee have a library card.
• Georgia Morgan Blair attended Party for a Purpose in Ensley Park and introduced herself to new city council members Darrell O’Quinn and John Hilliard.
• Blair shared a new book written by Janice Wesley Kelsey, a foot soldier of the Civil Rights Movement, I Woke Up with My Mind on Freedom.
• Dora Sims encouraged all board members to contribute their board fund pledges before the end of the year.

Next Board Meeting is Tuesday, November 14, 2017.

Submitted By

Sandra Vick Lee, Secretary