HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Library Board - 06/08/2010 RECEIVED
Minutes JUL 1 6 2010
Library Board Meeting
June 8,2010 CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE
MEMBERS PRESENT: STAFF PRESENT:
Michael Flores Laura Garcia,Public Service Manager
Dr. Mary Jane Garza Sylvia Sanchez, Recording Secretary
Barbara Head
Larry Jordan
John B. Keys
James Martin
Lucy McCracken
Natalie Rogen
Dr. Stuart Elovitz
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
CALL TO ORDER
Michael Flores called the meeting to order at 1:18 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion for approval of the minutes of May 11,2010 was made by Natalie Rogen and seconded by Dr.
Stuart Elovitz. Motion passed unanimously.
Friends of the Library
Mrs. Rogen reported that Friends Board did not meet because members attended the event at Garcia
Library honoring Beverley Wallace. The landscaping project at Neyland Library has been completed.
The collection jar will be suspended during the summer and will be placed back in the fall. The Summer
Reading program has begun at all the libraries; the Friends sponsor the event and there has been
additional $1,000 donated by Grande Communication.
Director's Report
Mrs. Garcia reported that Grande Communication also donated one Sony HandyCam and other prizes to
be given away during the closing of the summer programs. Laura added that Mr. Canales was unable to
attend the meeting because he is attending the City Council meeting. The award of the contract for
Greenwood Library will be presented to Council today.
The City Council is still discussing the City budget. The library has cut 4 part-time vacant positions.
New Business
Motion to excuse Mrs. Head and Dr. Head from last meeting was made by Dr. Elovitz and second by
Mrs. Rogen. Motion passed unanimously
Mr.Keys stated that the Planning Committee met last month and suggested that other community leaders
or members should be invited to join the committee. There are some several community members that
are library supporters that could be helpful to the committee. Mr. Flores stated that the committee will
SCANNED
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meet after the regular hoard meeting. Mr. Keys stated that the committee will work on planning right and
continue to work the plan. The committee will be discussing on having fund raisers and have some
consensus on how the library should look. Mr.Keys added that if board members know of someone that
would like to participate to please give him a call.
Public Comment
Hatcher Chalkley,3038 Santa Fe,Corpus Christi—Mr. Chalkley is a retired Engineer who worked in the
Dallas area. He has lived in Corpus Christi approximately 8 years. Mr.Chalkley uses the library for
technical reference.
Mr. Chalkley stated that his perception of the library is that library staff runs a real efficient operation and
that the libraries are underfunded. Staff works well with what they are given. He has had the opportunity
to visit several libraries and Corpus Christi is not one of the top ones. The reason could be is that the
citizens in Corpus Christi do not understand how the library works. They do not know what the library
offers and they do not know what a great library can be. Mr.Chalkley added that when you meet
someone from the Dallas area you asked them where there are from and you can start a new conversation;
when you meet someone in Corpus Christi you know where they are from—they are from Corpus Christi
--they have not seen a lot of libraries,they think this is the way it has always been done.
The funding situation in Corpus Christi is that people talk about building funds but no one talks about
operating funds. One example is the article in the local newspaper about the new library opening in the
Southside but they didn't have money for books.
Mr. Chalkley stated that he is not a politician,he is an engineer,and he does not even understand the
politics in the library groups. They are more library support groups and that he is not aware of how they
work together. Mr.Chalkley suggested in having an information campaign to get the community
involved and/or informed.
Mr. Chalkley distributed an article from 2010 OCLC—From Awareness to Funding:A study of library
support in America. The report was put together by the Gates Foundation,and addresses the issue of
getting a national campaign to improve library funding. It has information of the depth in the different
sub groups of the community and the different motivations for supporting libraries. It has an example of
people that have 8 year olds that visit libraries because of kid driven concerns,and there a lot different
than business people that want the reference materials. Some people see the library as a social situation
and some see it as straight forward business. The report has a whole framework about what drives people
to the library. The report also addresses that if support is needed for a library do not talk only to the
people that come to the library on a regularly basis. Some of the best supporters do not show up very
often but believe it's very important to support their local library. The message that should be constructed
for them should be different. Mr.Chalkley stated that he wanted to speak to the board members because
a planning exercise is being launched and he felt that members would benefit on learning how they should
campaign for resources. Mr.Chalkley added that this is the wrong time to campaign for resources but not
the wrong time for thinking what a campaign might look like that will get launched in a year or two. Mr.
Chalkley added that since he has been in Corpus he has heard that this community supports buildings not
content. He has never seen or heard an appeal for content and he does not understand why.
Mr. Flores thanked Mr. Chalkley for his comments and taking an interest in the library.
Motion was made for meeting adjournment at 1:48 p.m.
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