Newport Public Library Foundation Meeting                     8/8/07

 

 

Present:  Wyma Rogers, Patti Littlehales, Curt Fewkes, Richard Kilbride, Terry Obteshka, Carol Fisher, Frances Clause, Carol Ruggeri, Gary Firestone (arrived late), Jennifer Keirans as secretary.

 

Patti Littlehales called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. and asked for approval of the minutes from the last meeting.  It was noted that Frances Clause’s last name was misspelled and is to be corrected.  With that correction, the minutes stand approved.

 

Patti requested that we confirm the Foundation’s new officers.  Carol Fisher so moved, Frances seconded, and all voted to confirm the officers – Cindy McConnell as President, Curt Fewkes as Vice President, and Charlotte Dinolt as Treasurer.

 

 Librarian’s Report:  presented by Wyma Rogers.

 

1.  Library to Go:  This new free program allows patrons to download audiobooks to their computers and MP3 players.  Wyma’s report explains how the program works and what sorts of MP3 players are and are not compatible (no Apple products, essentially).  The initial circulation numbers are very good, and no technical problems have been reported among those who have tried it.

 

2.  New circulation rules:   The libraries in the CRSN consortium have agreed, with some difficulty, to agree on a few new circulation rules.  They are:

Wyma emphasized how important it is that all the libraries be in agreement on these issues.

 

3.  Programs:  The Literary Flicks film and discussion series begins in September with a talk by Lu Ellen Huntley, on whose farm The Color Purple was filmed.  The group expressed enthusiasm, praised the choice of films for the series, and Carol Ruggeri asked about the possibility of showing films outdoors in the Literacy Park.

            The Harry Potter party on July 20 was a great hit.  The Summer Reading Program is a phenomenal success, largely due to the comfort and accessibility of the Literacy Park.  Teen enrollment is down a bit from last year, but still more than acceptable. 

            The Card For Every Child program continues with signup for library cards at Middle School registration.  Several Foundation members volunteered to help.

 

4.  Statistics for July:  Circulation is up 4%, and internet use is up 13%.  Wyma also passed around a graph showing that turnover rates for the library’s various collections.  This graph showed that DVDs and audiobooks (especially books on CD) are doing very well.

 

5.  Wyma presented a draft letter to the Oregon Council for the Humanities, stating our intent to apply for a grant for NEWPORT READS! 2008.  The group approved the letter.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Charlotte Dinolt, who prepared the report, was absent.  Richard Kilbride had some concerns about the format of the budget.  He suggested that it should be formatted so that the revenues = expenditures.  In its current form, the undesignated carryover is not listed among the revenues,  which makes it appear that revenues ≠ expenditures.  Richard recommended that he, Wyma, and Charlotte might get together to confer.  Patti and Wyma agreed that this would be a valuable discussion.  There was also some confusion about the designation of the Oregon Community Fund and what its role is.  Wyma said she would invite OCF staff to come to a Foundation meeting and explain how the endowment works. 

 

Approval of the full budget was tabled until such time as Charlotte, Richard, and Wyma can get together.  Curt moved to approve the expenditure portion of the budget; Carol Fisher seconded the motion, and all so voted.

 

Calendar and Committees:

 

A few adjustments were made to the fundraising committee:  Marion Brown is on it, Richard is off.  Frances and Patti are placed on the Farmer’s Market committee.  Members signed up for the Farmer’s Market (September 15) and the Middle School registration.

 

There was some discussion about the location of the next NEWPORT READS meeting.

 

Other Business

 

Curt brought up the issue of the library’s acquisition of a lot of land to the north of the library.  Curt has spoken to realtors and to Mr. Stephenson, the landowner, about this lot.  He reported that the initial estimate of the lot’s worth - $140,000 – was highly optimistic.  He found that the landowner was friendly towards the library, but that he wanted fair market value for the land.  Owner believes the property (which is zoned R4) is worth about $350,000.  Richard suggested that the landowner may be amenable to incentives other than money, such as like tax breaks, etc.  Mr. Stephenson will be in Newport next month, and Curt will report back after talking with him.

 

Since discussion had turned to expansion of the library’s physical plant, Wyma mentioned that on September 19th the library would be hearing a presentation on “The Library of the Future” and invited the Foundation to attend.  The Foundation is also invited to the November 14 meeting, at which Steve Skidmore, Director of the Siuslaw Public Library, would give a presentation on his library district’s recent planning and funding process towards expansion of the library in Florence.

 

All agreed that Newport should take part in OREGON READS 2009, which is led by the Oregon Library Association with the State Library.  Three titles have been chosen for this statewide program:  Stubborn Twig: Three Generations in the Life of a Japanese American Family by Lauren Kessler; Bat 6 by Virginia Euwer Wolff; and Apples to Oregon by Deborah Hopkinson.  The latter two books are for teens and children.  The Foundation is undecided as to whether Newport should read all three books, or should try to focus just on the adult book.

 

Carol Fisher reminded the group of a prior plan to have Marion Moir do a watercolor painting of the library for note cards and stationery.  Reception was lukewarm and Wyma suggested that the topic be given to the fundraising committee.

 

Richard asked Gary Firestone (the city attorney as well as a Foundation member) whether he could represent the Foundation.  After some deliberation, Gary replied that if the Foundation needed to retain an attorney, he could be appointed to represent it by the City Council, assuming that the city’s interests and the Foundation’s interests are aligned.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.