Min - Library Board - 1999 - 10/05 - RegularMINUTES OF THE
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
OCTOBER 5, 1999
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
TWO ALLEN CIVIC PLAZA
ALLEN, TEXAS 75013
The meeting was called to order at 7 35 p in and a quorum was announced
Those present were Donna Drews Various, John Ross, Marybeth Bonczek, Cindy
Wynn -Sangster and Cal Calvin Board members Dee Teel and Frank Snidow
were absent Library Director Barbara Buehler was also present, as was a visitor
from Union City, TN City, Jacob Hudgins Mr Hudgins sits on the library board
in his community and was interested in the discussion on the Internet
H. The minutes were approved as read
IH. Drews Various led the group in a team -building activity she had been exposed to
during a workshop she attended sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Collin
County
IV. Jason Marshall from the City Attorney's office met with the Board to discuss
provision of Internet service to the public, the library's policy regarding such
service and the legal exposure the library and Board may be subject to in that
regard Marshall felt that there was virtually no possibility that the library would
be subject to complaint from adult users since no filtering is in place He was
somewhat concemed about permitting minors to have Internet access without the
presence of some filtering device His opinion was that the required parental
signature for minors to have access to the Internet did not relieve the library of
responsibility to insure that minors do not access child pornography or other
illegal sites while using the Internet at the library His opinion was that it would
be better, i e. "less restrictive to minors" and also better for the libraries for
minors to have access only to filtered terminals The Board noted that the library
had neither the space nor the funds to provide additional separate terminals that
could be filtered and stipulated for minors only Marshall recognized the
limitations In conclusion, the attorney felt that while there were in his view
better ways to treat minors, that the library was unlikely to be liable from a First
Amendment standpoint
V. The Board elected new officers for this fiscal year as follows Chair Drews
Various, Vice -Chair John Ross, Secretary Wynn -Sangster Cal Calvin agreed to
be Lay Representative to NETLS and Frank Snidow, in absentia, was
recommended to continue as Alternate Lay Representative to NETLS
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ALLEN POBLIC LIBRAR1 HOARD
OCTOBER 5. 1999
P., 3
VI. Final data on participation In summer youth programs was shared and the
suggestion of a teen advisory board was considered appealing, to be followed up
VII. John Ross reported on the NETLS geographic meeting, which he attended in
Plano Basically, the consultant shared the findings of the surveys of system
members, which helped formulate the Long -Range Plan. Coordinator Dale
Fleeger shared the draft plan which will be voted on at the System quarterly
meeting in Terrell on October 6.
VIII. Buehler reminded the Board of the two new services the library will begin
offering the week of October 9 — the library will be open an additional two hours
on Saturday (until 6:00 p in ) and the van from Plano Public Library will begin
offering basic service to return borrowed items to the library of origin (e.g. Books
borrowed from Plano can be returned to Allen Public Library and vice verse, and
the libraries will take care of transportation). In the future, the hope is to expand
this service to deliver "holds" items to the requesting library as well
IX. The date for ajoint workshop between City Council, Library Board and
Consultant is still being explored New Board members will receive a packet of
information from the Library Director to bring them up to speed on the history of
the project.
X. Members were reminded of the City's Holiday event for boards and commissions
members on December I at El Dorado Country Club,
XI. The meeting was adjourned at 10 05 p in
These minutes road and approved this 2nd day of November, 1999
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