Min - Library Board - 2022 - 02/01 - Regular •
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
REGULAR MEETING
FEBRUARY 1,2022
Board Members Present:
Scott Phillips, Chair(Place 4)
Maroba Zoeller,Vice Chair(Place 2)
Bryce Farlow(Place 1)
Laura Wooten, Secretary (Place 3)
Kimberly Hinton(Place 5)
Adyna Akins (Place 6)
Board Members Absent:
Rekha Mathai (Place 7)
City Staff/Officials Present:
Jeff Timbs, Director
Claudia Wayland, Assistant Director
Robert Townsend, Parks and Recreation Business Services Manager
Guests Present:
Aaron Babcock, Hidell and Associates Principal
Anthony Blaas, Hidell and Associates Principal
1. Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present.
With a quorum of Board Members present, of the Allen Public Library Board was called to
order by Board Chair Scott Phillips at 6:34 p.m.
2. Approve Minutes of the November 2,2021 Regular Meeting.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Maroba Zoeller and seconded by Board Member
Adyna Akins,the Board voted six for and none opposed to approve the
November 2, 2021, minutes as submitted. The motion passed.
3. Receive Overview of the City of Allen Parks and Open Space Master Plan from Parks
and Recreation Director Kate Meacham.
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Robert Townsend, Business Services Administrator for Parks and Recreation, presenting for
Kate Meacham,provided an overview of the Open Space Master Plan process.
The presentation included a summary of citizen engagement,needs analysis, and ranked
priorities. The community wish list included a dog park already under development for
Jupiter Park.
Mr. Townsend emphasized that citizens could continue to complete a short survey to share
feedback about desired projects.
4. Discuss and Provide Input for the Library Board Annual Report to the City Council.
Some Board members expressed interest in being interviewed for brief on-camera segments
similar to last year's report which combined video with PowerPoint. The Board also wanted
to include information about last year's Library services and usage to provide perspective
about the Library's role in the community and the need for future expansion.
Furthermore,they would like to mention that the Library was recently notified of its eighth
consecutive Texas Municipal Library Directors Association Achievement of Library
Excellence Award, one of 59 public libraries out of 556 in Texas to be honored. The Award
will be publicly recognized at a future City Council meeting.
Beginning in February,the Library will initiate a campaign called"What's Your Story," in
which patrons will be invited to share their library-related stories. These might include how
libraries have contributed to success in their lives, literacy, and occupations.
5. Report and Discussion on Library Initiatives and Services.
The Library continue to maintain its scheduled hours, services, and programs despite the
latest COVID-19 surge. Teen volunteers are helping to pull holds.
A new Youth Services Manager started work January 17.
This year's Summer Reading Club will run from May 23 to August 5.
Preliminary planning has begun for the Fall Festival that was enthusiastically attended by
residents last September.
6. Report and Discussion on Digital Collections.
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The cloudLibrary consortium collection now consists of approximately 224,000 items.
Additional public libraries in Texas have been approved for membership and will join soon.
Digital collection use in the first quarter of FY 2022 represented 9% of total circulation.
Bluebird Languages became available November 1. Residents can learn any of 164
languages from a phone or other mobile device. The service is being used an average 100
times per month and has received excellent feedback from those using it.
The Library received a$24,820 Texas Treasures Grant to digitize Allen American
newspapers from 1972 through 2002. Earlier and subsequent issues are not currently •
available to be digitized.
Digital files for January 1972 through December 1984 are now accessible through the
University of North Texas Libraries' Portal to Texas History collection with links provided
from the Allen Public Library website. UNT recently notified the Library that the grant
award will cover the digitization costs up to 1986. This is at least partly due to the Allen
American twice per week publication during some of this period and a higher page count per
issue in some years than the University estimated.
Therefore, the Library will apply for a second Texas Treasures Grant for next year to cover
costs from 1986 through 2002. Application deadline is March 4. The grant guidelines allow
receiving up to three grants for the same project. Although not part of this project, Allen
American newspapers from June 2011 to March 2012 are also available through the Portal to
Texas History.
The Library requested permission from Allen Independent School District to digitize Allen
High School yearbooks from 1972 to 2016. However, AISD chose not to grant permission.
7. Review and Discuss October, November, and December Library Statistics.
October: checkouts overall were up 19% and digital checkouts decreased 15% as patrons
increasingly visited the Library. In house-use was up 178%,program attendance and new
patrons doubled, and visitors were up 135%
November: checkouts overall were up 18%, and digital checkouts decreased 14%, In house-
use almost tripled,program attendance increased 131%, new patrons were up 77%, and
visitors were up 149%
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December: checkouts overall were up 17%, and digital checkouts decreased 13%. In house-
use was up 147%,program attendance decreased 29%, new patrons were up 54%, and
visitors were up 115%.
Depending on Library use this summer, annual circulation could reach 1.4 million, matching
the all-time high from FY 2019.
8. Receive Update and Discuss the Library Expansion Process.
Architects Aaron Babcock and Anthony Blaas from Hidell Associates discussed broad design
concepts based on a public survey of about 1400 responses and additional input received
from the Steering Committee, Allen residents, and Library staff. Committee members also
toured other public libraries in north Texas.
The concepts respond to community-identified needs, including additional collection space
for all ages, more space for children's and teen programs and other use, and a redesigned
exterior book drop. There will be a second opportunity for community input based on those
design concepts.
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9. Recap Friends of the Library, Allen Library Endowment Fund, and ALLen Reads
Activities.
The Friends continue to co-sponsor Bach to Books programs and NewsStand digital
magazines and will provide lunch for the May 6 staff development day.
The Endowment Fund Board will refresh its website at
https://www.allenlibraryendowment.org and add more photos. The Board will also begin
planning for its 2022 fundraising event.
10. Discuss Items for Future Board Meeting Agendas.
The Board wants to continue tracking expansion-related updates.
11. Items of Interest. [Board announcements regarding local civic and charitable events,
meetings,fundraisers, and awards.]
i. April 17—Library Closed for Easter.
ii. May 3 —Next Scheduled Library Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
iii. May 6—Library Closed for Staff Development.
iv. May 23-August 5—2022 Summer Reading Club.
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v. September 17—Fall Festival.
12. Adjourn.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Board Member Kimberly Hinton and seconded by Board
Member Maroba Zoeller, the board voted six for and none opposed to adjourn the
meeting at 8:03 p.m. The motion passed.
These minutes approved on the 3rd day of May 2022.
APPROVED: ATTEST:
CHAIR PERSON SECRETARY