10-24-2016 LIBMLibrary Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, October 24, 2016 @ 4:30 p.m.
Present: Dianne Wanzek, Steve Bailey, Mary Christensen, Gerry Grinde, Jack Sandberg, Julie
Lofdahl, and Katy Hiltner, Ex -Officio
Dianne Wanzek called the meeting to order. The minutes from the September 26, 2016,
meeting were reviewed. Motion to approve with correction made by Mary Christensen and
seconded by Jack Sandberg. Minutes approved with the following correction Mary Christensen
will be going to the upcoming Pioneerland Board meeting.
Old Business:
Upcoming Program: Author Allen Eskens
Program is tomorrow at 7:00 pm. The local TV station to film the program. Allen Eskens is a
good writer. Katy described him as the real deal.
Program Updates: Family History Research Series
Programs in Hutchinson and Brownton have been well attended. The genealogy sessions will be
presented in different towns so more people can attend closer to where they live.
3. Teen Program Update: Art Journaling
Mariah Ralston hosted a program as part of Teen Read Week. The session was not well
attended because of the time of day (3:30-4:30 p.m.). However, a grandmother and child came,
and they had a really great time. A regularly scheduled Teen Art Journaling program will start in
January and will run through May. This teen event will be held the first Thursday of each month
with the time changing to 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the library's meeting room.
4. Children's Program Update: Kiwanis LEGO Club
Beginning in October, Sherry will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. the second Monday of each month
(Oct. 10, Nov. 14, and Dec. 12) to build with LEGOs. The group is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club.
Sherry is sponsoring a club naming contest, so we should have this name by our November
meeting.
5. Recommendations for Board Positions
John Hassinger and Mary Inglis have been recommended for the Pioneerland Board and Kristine
Luenze has been recommended for our library board. Kristine was given an interest form to
turn into the City.
Annual Report to McLeod County
Novemeber 1St Katy and Jackee will present at the County Board of Commissioners meeting.
The topics to be covered at the meeting include: Library Spaces, Library Collections, Library
Technology, Adult Programming, Teen Development, Ongoing Children's Programming, Family
Programming, Lifelong Learning Support, and Outreach and Partners. This is not a hard sell on
funding for the Library, but a chance to give a look at the great things the libraries have done.
To give support, the County will need reasons. This gives them a chance to see why and how
they can support the libraries.
Budgeting: Katy does a budget and sends it to Laurie Ortega at Pioneerland to review. PLS asks
each library to have a three-month reserve. If funding is not received, PLS will have Katy look at
budget to make cuts, and the first to go is frequently the book/collections budget. If budget
cuts happen, library may need to get grants for programs, donations, and funds from Friends of
the Library.
New Business:
1. Sale of Old Computers
Katy got the okay to sell the library's old computers. The top price will be $200 for keyboard,
monitor, and tower. Five or six people have been asking to purchase the computers. Funds will
go back into other on the budget.
2. McLeod County Christmas Project 2016
Library will again collect new children's books. Katy will contact schools to put donation boxes in
the elementary schools and one will also be at the library. Friends of the Library will give money
to purchase books. Project will be in the paper and possibly put on KDUZ. Jack brought up the
thought of changing the name from Christmas Project to Holiday Project. Katy will check with
County on this change. The Library may use the name Holiday Project. Board thought this was a
good idea.
3. 2017 Winter Reading Program
The adult (18 and up) reading program will be Book Your Winter Getaway. Someone from Plum
Creek submitted the logo for 2017. The dates of the program will be January 2nd to March 31St
4. Thrivent Grants
Mary Henke applied for a grant with Thrivent for the Friends Annual Fall Book Sale. She received
$250 which will be spent on children's audio books. The Board thought it was a great idea for
receiving funds for the library.
5. Other
The book for One Book, One Community will be announced in November. Watch Hutchinson
Leader for details. The library will order a set of the book for a book club kit.
Katy is still working on memorial book purchase for Jon Ross.
Mary enjoyed her first meeting of Pioneerland. She learned a lot:
o Grand Rapids library is now issuing passports. They get $25 per application. Staff takes
a four-hour course every four years.
o Fairmont library has a MN Braille and talking books program.
o PLS has hired a consulting service which is the same one the City of Hutchinson used.
o In November, PLS will start working on three-year strategic plan.
o Mary sent a flyer around showing numbers for PLS for the summer programs. There
were 580 preschool, 2093 youth and 355 tweens/teens. Total Storytimes were 210 with
attendance of 4,908.
o The Cosmos library is scheduled to reopen November 13th. New London has new site
for their library in the City Center.
o Roger Vacek invited Mary to the meeting and she will try to go quarterly.
Motion to adjourn by Steve Bailey, seconded by Gerry Grinde. Meeting adjourned 5:17 pm
Minutes submitted by
Julie Lofdahl, Secretary
Next meeting: November 28, 2016 at 4:30 p.m.
September 2016 Donations
Memorial for Jon Ross $ 30.00
3M Foundation Grant (children's programming) $250.00
Hutchinson Lioness Club (large print books) $200.00
Total $480.00