CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order by President Britt at 1:30 p.m. in the Library Board Room

ROLL CALL:

Present: Mrs. Britt, Mr. Kawase, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Hostetter, and Mrs. Mann

Staff: Al Milo, Library Director
Joanne Hardy, Library Division Manager
Carolyn Eckert, Library Division Manager
Betty Schwarzkopf CPS, Administrative Secretary

Guest: Doris Van Natta, Friends President

MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 27, 2003

Mr. Kawase requested on Pg. 2 (c) Foundation, the last sentence be corrected as follows: "If the Library has unexpected needs because of the budget crisis, they are amending their bylaws to be able to consider providing funds in order for the Library to continue to function."

Mr. Kawase moved and Mrs. Johnson seconded that the minutes be approved as corrected. The motion carried.

WARRANT REGISTER FOR MARCH 2003:

Director Milo noted that 74 percent of the expenditures were for library materials. The EBSCO invoice in the amount of $17,007.31 was for annual magazine subscriptions. Mr. Hostetter moved and Mrs. Mann seconded that the warrant register in the amount of $57,597.89 be approved. The motion carried.

EXPENDITURE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 2003:

Director Milo said that 75 percent of the fiscal year has been completed and 67 percent of the Library budget has been expended or encumbered. There was discussion as to what would happen to any savings over 2 percent at the end of the fiscal year.

Mr. Hostetter moved and Mrs. Mann seconded that the Board of Trustees directs the Library Director to inquire with the City Manager as to what will happen to any Library funds saved above 2 percent at the end of the fiscal year. The Motion failed.

Mr. Hostetter moved and Mrs. Mann seconded that the Library Director on behalf of the Board of Trustees inquire with the City Manager as to what consideration will be given to transferring any amount of savings beyond 2 percent at the end of the fiscal year to the Library Reserve Fund. The motion was approved 4:1.

The report was accepted and filed.

REPORTS:

1. Director's Report

   Joanne Hardy, Division Manager of Adult Services, applied for a grant in the amount of $1,500 from the Rotary Club of Fullerton. She has been notified that the grant has been approved. The funds will be used to convert the photographic negatives of the Fullerton Historical Building Survey into scanner-ready photographs.

   Director Milo announced that Carolyn Eckert, Division Manager of Children's Services, will retire in June after 25 years of service.

   Mrs. Eckert said that on Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m., there will be a children's music appreciation program in the Osborne Auditorium. The program will introduce classical music, instruments, and composers to school-age children and their families. The program will be provided by Paul Stein, Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist, and Ralph Alberstrom, pianist, both of the "Chamber Music Express."

   The written report for February was accepted and filed.

2. Friends of the Library

   In the absence of Doris Van Natta, President of the Friends, Director Milo reported that the Friends made $2,100 at their paperback book sale. The annual spring book sale will be held on April 4, 5, & 6.

3. Foundation

   Ray Kawase, Board of Trustees liaison to the Foundation Board, reported that the second forum session held on March 9th, "Readings From the Works of Ray Bradbury," was not as well attended as the previous session. A large turnout is expected for the third and final session on March 30th, "Modern Jazz and Improvisation - Part 2, by the Ron Kobayashi Trio." There are two vacant positions on the Foundation Board. The Board has applied for a $35,000 grant from the Phelps Foundation. If the grant is approved, the Foundation will match the amount with $20,000 of Foundation funds and $15,000 from the Dorothy Osborne fund. Mr. Kawase said it was not necessary for the Foundation to change its bylaws in order to apply for the Phelps grant since the bylaws are superceded by the Articles of Corporation. He said that Director Milo had requested funds for electronic resources that had been cut from the 2003-2004 department budget to meet a 5 percent General Fund reduction. The Foundation has agreed to help with the needed $70,000.

   Mrs. Johnson suggested that the Foundation should have its donation accepted by the Library Board of Trustees as a gift to the Library. Director Milo said it should also be presented and accepted by the City Council.

ACTIVITY REPORT:

The report was accepted and filed.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. 2003-2005 Budget

   Director Milo said that Decision Packages Nos. 1 & 2 were presented, reviewed, and accepted by the Board in February.

   Staff presented Decision Package No. 3 reflecting a 15 percent budget cut. This would include: 1) Closing the Main Library on Sundays ($40,310), and, 2) Reducing the Library Materials budget by 36 percent ($121,170).

   Mr. Kawase said it was with regret that he moved the approval of Decision Package Number 3. Mrs. Johnson seconded the motion. The motion was approved 4:1.

   In order to be able to charge non-residents for a library card (Decision Package No. 2), the Library needs to drop its membership in the Santiago Library System (SLS). According to the SLS bylaws, a member library can only submit a withdrawal notice 90 days prior to the start of a new fiscal year. The start of the new fiscal year for SLS is July 1st. Ninety days prior to July 1st is April 1st. If the Library lets this window of time pass, then it would have to wait until next year to submit its notice of withdrawal and could not implement charging for nonresident library cards. Staff recommended that the Board take such action and distributed a background sheet about SLS membership benefits.

   Mrs. Johnson moved and Mrs. Mann seconded the approval of the Fullerton Public Library's withdrawal from SLS. The motion carried.

   During the budget review meeting with the Library Management Team, the City Manager, and Fiscal Services, it was mentioned that the department would be hard pressed to achieve its decision package goals if it waited months, perhaps half a year, before the State budget was approved. Staff recommended implementing Decision Packages Nos. 1 & 2 on July 1, 2003, with the understanding some of them could be reversed at a later time.

   Mrs. Mann moved and Mr. Kawase seconded that Decision Packages Nos. 1 & 2 be implemented on July 1, 2003. The motion carried.

2. Needs Assessment Final Report

   This item was tabled to the next meeting. Sections 1 & 2 will be discussed at that time.

3. CALTAC Workshop

   This item was tabled to the next meeting.

4. Honor Wall Committee

   Director Milo said the committee had met. He distributed a list of the "Desired Features/Components" for a Fullerton Public Library Honor Wall. The committee has chosen a location for the wall and Earl Siems, the craftsman who designed the Foundation Donor Wall, is working on a similar design for the Honor Wall. Because a funding source has to be located and only one individual (Margaret Parks) has been chosen at this time to be honored, a finished wall will be installed at a later date. In the meantime, an 11 x 14 picture of Margaret Parks with her name beneath it will be installed. A plaque explaining the purpose of the honor wall will also be installed.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Memorial Day Closure

   Mr. Milo said staff requests that the Main Library be closed the Sunday (5/25) before Memorial Day. He stated that it is normally a slow business day and that the closure would help the department achieve its 2 percent budget savings.

   Mrs. Mann moved and Mr. Hostetter seconded that the Main Library be closed on Sunday May 25, the day before Memorial Day. The motion carried.

ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS:

Mr. Hostetter moved and Mrs. Mann seconded that the donations in the amount of $561.13 be accepted. The motion was approved.

CORRESPONDENCE:

There was no correspondence to report.

BOARD MEMBER ROUND TABLE:

Mrs. Mann said she has volunteered to participate in the Lawyers for Literacy program sponsored by the Orange County Bar Association. She will be working with the third grade classes at Maple, Richman, and Hermosa Drive Schools.

Mrs. Britt said that Raising the Reader will be asking for assistance from libraries to send a librarian to a workshop to teach parents about the importance of lap reading. Children's Services has agreed to send a staff member.

The Fullerton Public Library will host a CALTAC workshop in the spring of 2004.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mrs. Johnson moved and Mrs. Mann seconded that the meeting adjourn at 3:55 p.m. The motion carried.