Min - Library Board - 2023 - 05/02 - Regular ALLEN PUBLIC'LIBRARY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY,MAY 2,2023—6:30 P.M.
Board Members Present:
Maroba Zoeller, Chair(Place 2)
Adyna Akins, Vice Chair(Place 6)
Laura Wooten, Secretary (Place 3)
Bryce Farlow(Place 1)
Jeremy Wallace, (Place 4)
Kimberly Hinton(Place 5)
Rekha Mathai (Place 7)
Board Members Absent:
None
City Staff/Officials Present:
Jeff Timbs, Director
Amy Priour, Youth Services Manager
Visitors Present:
None
1. Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present.
With a quorum of Board members present,the Allen Public Library Board was called to
order by Board Chair Zoeller at 6:30 p.m. on May 2, 2023.
2. Approve Minutes of the February 7,2023,Regular Meeting.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Vice Chair Akins and seconded by Secretary Wooten,the
Board voted seven (7) for and none (0) opposed Adyna Akins to approve the
minutes. The motion carried.
3. Discuss and Complete the Annual Board Evaluation Form.
Board members discussed the evaluation form provided by the City Secretary's Office.
Discussion included the ideal characteristics and backgrounds for a Library Board member.
Board members recognized the diversity of ages and professions currently represented and
discussed the current lack of East Asian and Black representation. However, they recognize
that Councilmembers diligently screen and interview prospective.representatives and are
limited to the consideration of actual applicants. Rekha Mathai may not apply to serve
another term.
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 2,2023 Page 2
4. Preview 2023 Summer Reading Club Activities.
The 2023 Summer Reading Club for all ages will run from May 30 through August 4. Youth
Services Manager Amy Priour distributed printed calendars and previewed plans for the
summer. Based on community input, the program will return to tracking on paper logs the
hours or titles read. The goals are to encourage children and teens to read 50 books or 500
minutes this summer and adults to read five (5) books or 500 minutes.
• There will be prizes for all ages. Children and teens who complete the challenge will get a
free book, coupons to local businesses, and other giveaways. Adults who complete the
program will receive a tote bag and coupons. There will be programs and movies nearly
every week in the Auditorium as well as many other programs for all ages. Eighty
Volunteens will assist with the programs.
5. Receive an Update on and Discuss the Library Expansion.
The expansion currently encompasses approximately 17,000 square feet. This includes
updating the existing facility and adding a children's preschool activity zone, six study
rooms, a larger teen zone, and an improved drive-through book.return. The Hidell architects
are developing site plans, demolition plans, and interior elevations. They are also consulting
with automated sorting vendors on system size, design, and configuration.
6. Status Report on Library Initiatives and Services.
As the school year ends, the use of the Library by high school and college students and others
for study groups or projects has increased compared to last year and is seemingly higher than
before the pandemic.
Due to lack of use, the Library will begin phasing out the music and audiobook collections at
the end of the current calendar year. Audiobooks are already part of cloudLibrary. Staff is
exploring streaming music options although these seem to be beyond the Library's price
range especially considered in terms of anticipated usage.
The Library hopes to add a streaming video service in FY 2024, and staff has evaluated three
options available to public libraries. Some Board members requested that staff maintain a
strong physical video collection as streaming services have limitations regarding continuing
availability.
Due to Board Chair Maroba Zoeller's efforts. more than fifty people were served tacos by the
Credit Union of Texas food truck on April 25, Library Worker's Day.
On April 11, Mayor Ken Fulk awarded the Library with its 9th annual TMLDA award. On
May 4, Congressmen Keith Self will present a certificate of Congressional recognition to the
Library for its accomplishments.
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY,MAY 2,2023 Page 3
The Vega Discover interface for the library catalog will go live on June 1. Initially,patrons
can choose to search with either the classic or Vega interface. The classic interface will
eventually be phased out in favor of Vega.
The Library will be closed Friday, May 5, for staff development.
7. Status Report on Digital Collections.
Digital materials now represent more than 10% of total circulation compared to 8.5% a year
ago and 5% four years ago. There are currently 65 libraries in the cloudLibrary consortium
with an aggregate collection of 240,000 copies. These are divided approximately 2 to 1
between e-books and e-audiobooks. This represents an increase of 3000 copies since January.
cloudLibrary now has a Kids Mode which displays only preschool to 6th grade content.
• 8. Status Report on Library Initiatives and Services.
The Library had the highest overall rating for its application to receive a third TexTreasures
Grant to digitize the Allen American newspapers in its possession. Final funding approval.
will be announced this summer. A third award represents the last year of grant eligibility for
this project.
9. Review and Discuss January,February, and March 2023 Library Statistics.
Total monthly checkouts increased over FY 2022 in January and February and decreased
slightly in March. Digital checkouts had double-digit increases for all three months.
Monthly in-house use continued to show double-digit increases: 35% in January, 47% in
February, and 66% in March.
Due to continuing quality control and supply chain issues,the number of new titles decreased
except for March which showed a double-digit increase.
Program attendance was static in January, decreased slightly in February, and increased by
40% in March.
The number of new patrons increased for all three months as did information requests.
The number of filled holds decreased in January and March but increased in February.
The number of visitors showed double-digit increases for all three months: 18% in January,
25.6% in February, and 13.5% in March.
10. Recap Friends of the Library,Allen Library Endowment Fund, and ALLen Reads
Activities.
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2023 Page 4
The Friends of the Library will provide funding for the staff development day lunch on May
5. A special Friends book sale began May 1 in the Meeting Room. Volunteers handled
sorting and set-up.
The Endowment Board has scheduled its annual fundraising event for November 4.
Tentatively scheduled for Blue House Too, the venue could change. The Endowment Fund
has a new logo on their website (https://allenlibraryendowment.com) with the tagline:
Treasuring our Libraries. The group's fundraising committee is developing a plan to solicit .
sponsorships, including the determination of naming rights for selected areas and the
development of a donor wall to recognize contributors.
The ALLen Reads Committee of the Friends is making arrangements to bring in author Gary
Schmidt in October. He came to Allen in March 2013 for his book Okay for Now. This year's
adult selection will be Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel,the middle grade companion
book will be Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars (the prequel to Okay for Now), and the
elementary book will be Flibbertigibbety Words: Young Shakespeare Chases Inspiration by
Donna Guthrie.
11. Discuss Items for Future Board Meeting Agendas.
There is interest from Board members in a walking tour of the Library areas to be expanded.
12. Items of Interest. [Board announcements regarding local civic and charitable events,
meetings,fundraisers, and awards.j
i. May 5 —Library closed for Staff Development.
ii. May 28-29—Library closed for Memorial Day.
iii. May 30—August 4—2023 Summer Reading Club.
iv. July 4—Library closed for Independence Day.
v. August 1 —Next Scheduled Library Advisory Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
vi. Other Calendar Items.
13. Adjourn.
MOTION: Upon a motion made by Board Member Hinton and seconded by Board Member
Mathai, the Board voted seven(7) for and none (0) opposed to adjourn the
meeting at 7:47 p.m. The motion carried.
These minutes were approved on the first day of August 2023.
APPROVED: ATTEST:
p66/7////(a/g-At:of°1
CHAIR ECRETARY