HomeMy WebLinkAboutLibrary Board Minutes 01.11.20221
MINUTES
CITY OF LAUREL
Library Board
01/11/2022 06:00 PM
Laurel Public Library
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
X Katie Fjelstad X Arthur Vogele, Board Chair
X Kate Manley - via Zoom Samantha Barnhart
X Nancy Schmidt, Secretary Vacant
X Clair Killebrew – Foundation Liaison
OTHERS PRESENT: None
1. Public Input
Citizens may address the committee regarding any item of city business not on the agenda. The duration
for an individual speaking under Public Comment is limited to three minutes. While all comments are
welcome, the committee will not take action on any item not on the agenda.
a. Addressing the Board - None
2. General Items
a. The minutes for December 2021 were presented for approval by the Library Board
members. Kate motioned the minutes be approved, Katie seconded the motion.
Minutes were approved.
b. The library received a $100 donation from Ray Wells and Carol Blades. Carol wanted to
emphasis her appreciation of the help she received from Mike and Eli while at the
library with some tech issues.
c. Circulation Report - Traffic: up 9.98%; circulation: all items circulated totaled 3,332
(including 493 eBooks), book circulation was down 11.5%, media circulation was down
11.7%, eBook checkouts for this month was 16.7% of total book circulation, we
circulated 607 items to partners and 127 items from other libraries; computers: internet
use was up 44.5%, children’s use was up 350%, wi-fi use up 189%; patron cards: city
patrons make up 55.2% of registered users county 41.6% and out of county users make
up 3.2%. There were 53 tech assists in December.
3. New Business
a. There is still an undeclared vacancy on the library board that needs resolution by the
Mayor. After discussion, it was decided that Director Schmidt would arrange a meeting
with Mayor Waggoner to discuss the current vacancy and the possibility that we may
have another Board member leaving at the end of June.
4. Old Business
2
a. Based on the book challenge discussion held at the December board meeting, a letter
signed by the Boar Chair was written and sent to Mr. Mathews appraising him of our
decision to not ask the MSC to remove the books from the shared collection. Board
members felt it was not our place to determine the validity of his claims.
b. Jamie Jackson from CompuNet has met with Eli and Nancy about updating the cabling
and hardware for the computers at the library. As soon as he has a recommendation for
upgrades, he will send them to the State Library for approval. We are hoping to have
results by the end of January.
c. All of the public computers have been changed out for the new computers. Eli will finish
switching staff computers in the next few weeks. When that is completed, the old
computers will be cleared and given to the Veteran’s program and MSU-Billings. We
should have at least 7 more computers to pass along to the program.
5. Other Items
a. The Federation meeting is scheduled for March 22, 2022 online at 4:00 pm. Anyone
interested in attending may ask for the Zoom link or attend with library personnel in the
Community Room.
6. Announcements
a. Next regular meeting is Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at 6:00pm in the Community Room of
the Laurel Public Library.
Motion to adjourn: Kate, seconded by Katie. Meeting adjourned at 6:51 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy L Schmidt
Nancy L Schmidt
Library Director
Secretary for the Board
NOTE: This meeting is open to the public. This meeting is for information and discussion of listed
agenda items.