Right. It is Thursday, January 8th at 4 p.m. This is the New Public Library Board meeting. We'll call the meeting to order. Um, first on our agenda is the approval of the agenda. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Second.
>> Any further discussion or additions? >> All those in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Uh, next up on the agenda is to introduce our library board members. Nancy, do you want to kick us off? >> Just introduce. Say your name.
>> Nancy Burn. Ivonne Weber. Lynn Hanley. Ruth Anne Webster. >> Caitlyn Hulahan. >> Dustin Solder. >> April 80, library director. >> Do you want to say your name too? >> Megan Kerman, assistant library director.
>> Thank you. Um, next up on the agenda is election of officers, president, vice president, secretary, treasurer. Um, I spoke with our current officers. Um, Ruth Anne Webster was serving as president for 2025. Lynn Hanley was serving as vice president for 2025 and
Dustin Solder was serving as secretary treasurer for 2025. Each of them have expressed their willingness to continue in those roles should the group decide to go that route. move. Um, do we have a motion or any other nominations for those roles?
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I turn it over to our library board president, Ruth Anne Webster. >> Yay. And >> I'm back. I'm back. Give me my hammer.
Yay. Uh, and now we need uh we need do we elect the Brown County Library Board Representative? Yes. All right. Um, and I believe that Ivonne Weber has served in that role and I believe that she is willing to serve again. Is that right?
>> Yes. >> Okay. And then so I will take is there anyone else uh who wants to nominate someone else or jump in and volunteer? If not, I will take a motion to uh appoint uh Ivon Weber as our Brown County Library Board representative.
>> So moved. Second. >> A motion second. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. >> I post sign. Ivon, you're it. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Good. And now let's look at the minutes from our last uh meeting in December.
>> We we get those uh by uh email uh well in advance. Thank you to our crack staff. Any uh additions, corrections? If not, I I'd take a motion to approve those minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I'll second.
>> Any other any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Okay. The 2025 is in the books and as far as minutes. And now let's get our final our financial report.
>> All right. We are 100% through 2025 and our budget is approximately 97.79% expended. Um same notes that I've presented in past past months. Um the fund balance was used for the badge entry cabling that we did at the two
entrances. That expense was coded to the contractual maintenance building line. Um although that um was approved from our fund balance. Um, so when we consider that expense pulled from that line, the line is spent at approximately 62.95%.
Our subscriptions and memberships line is over spent because of our department header website license and our lib data license as well as other technology subscriptions which were budgeted in the in the computer supplies and equipment line. um we were recommended to change
that to the subscriptions and memberships line per our auditor um which is where they were budgeted for 2026. Um so in order to offset that um subscriptions and memberships line being overspent due to those expenses the computer supplies and equipment line is
underspent for 2025 and >> that'll change next year. >> Yes. Yeah. they they those expenses are where they should be for 2026. >> Um overall the 2025 budget is approximately 91.22%
expended when we remove the spending for the Melon Foundation grant and the badge cabling project. And then over the next few months, the city's finance department will adjust any final expenses for 2025 and complete the audit. Usually that's around April when
that happens. And then a change for um 2026 um I attached a full report of our December expenses. This is similar to what is presented um for the city to
city council. Um when I was looking over the city charter and my responsibilities to the library board, it included a um a detailed report of expenses. In the past, I've been calling out significant expenses. Um, so I will take the
direction of the board as to which you prefer, but I wanted you to see what that report might look like. >> I en I enjoyed seeing it. Um, if it's not a a lot of work, I I think it's it's good to see. Does it does it create extra time consuming
uh task for you? >> No, the full financial reports that are in here are generated through our city accounting software and I can very easily create that report while I'm doing those. And there's no extra paper because we get it all right by email, you know, so we aren't killing trees or
anything. >> And and this is consistent with the city council then. >> Yes. A very similar report appeal appears in the um city council packets. The only difference there is you would have to look through each vendor to see all of the different library expenses,
whereas this is just our library expenses for you. >> After reading it, I said to my husband, guess what? the library spent money on books this month world.
>> Um, so yes, if it's not a problem, it's it's it's nice to see it. >> I agree. >> All right. >> And I can still call out, you know, significant things from that report. >> Um, so for um December, some notable expenses included $300 to the North
American Alliance for Mental Illness. That was for our staff training day in October um where we talked about dealing with difficult situations and that came from the travel conferences and schools line budget line. >> Before we move on, tell me how that went.
>> The staff training day, >> um it went well. Some sessions we found more useful than others. Um our first session of the day was um resources for um homeless people in Brown County and we spoke with representatives from Brown County Human Services and the New Police
Department chief >> and I think that was one of our most um useful topics for the day as far as staff feedback. Okay. >> Um the the dealing with difficult situations um training um while
valuable, I think that it was not specific enough for us where we really could have used some specific examples on that. So that's something we'll be looking forward to for our next training if if we pick something similar. Okay. And then our afternoon sessions were led
by library staff and um focused on helping patrons with their own devices. Um doing readers advisory and the different tools you can use to help patrons pick out reading materials. Um
and then we also talked about some circulation topics, things that happen at our service desk, some reminders, kind of a staff meeting slashtraining to close out the day. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Um, in addition to that, in December, we
um paid $100 to the Imagination Theater and $200 to Anna Coington. Um, they presented special storytime performances for us and that came from our special events programming line. And then we also paid $352 to the New Elm Journal um
both for publishing the our 2026 fee schedule and um the ad for the library aid position that was open. and that came from the communications and printing and printing advertising and promo lines. And I'd be happy to answer any questions
you might have about those reports as well. Well, hearing none, I think we can move on to your uh report of department activities and statistics. >> All right. Um, library aid Sean Gaston
started on Monday, January 5th. um a second new library aid started and then resigned um because they received an offer of a different position that better fit their needs. Um so we are going back to that same pool that we interviewed to make another offer. We
had a good um group of candidates to work with and then um we updated the reference aid job description. Um due to those updates we retitled the position to library assistant. um it's not changing the pointing or the scale of
the position um but it's just reflecting the more general nature of the duties that they'll be assisting with. Um that position has been posted externally and will close January 25th. >> And then I'm sad to report that our
programming and technology services librarian Leroy Harris submitted his rec resignation. >> Yes. Yeah. um his last day with the library will be February 3rd. So if you have a chance to connect with him before his last day
>> um >> to recognize his good work, that's great. >> Jim, I know I know that's a hard one. >> Greatly missed. >> Oh, >> and and you know, as as we know, it will
take time to fill that position. You know, that's the thing. There's always that lag. Um, so I guess we'll all just have to buck up. >> Yeah, we're working on contingency plans for programming and for the memory lab and the, you know, the things that he
covered. He's um given us a a good lead time before he leaves us. So that was helpful for for us to make those plans. >> Good bad news. >> Okay. >> Um, we had work on the keypad in the elevator nearest the children's room.
Um, I think I had talked with you a while back about that and it just took some time to get that scheduled. Um, my understanding is that the keypad is installed, but we have to continue with some of the the cabling work at this point. Um, so the elevator is
operational. We just are still waiting for that keypad to be fixed. And then um the service desk, children's room and service desk shelving that we had budgeted for 2025 has been scheduled for the end of January, the 28th through
the 30th. And you have a resolution regarding that in your packet that we can talk about. And then as far as statistics go, we had 250 patrons attend the New Year's Eve celebration at the Civic Center on December 31st. I just want to say a thank you to Parks and Recreation for
partnering with us and to the Optus Optimus Club for sponsoring the event so that we could offer it free to the public. >> It was a good time. Thank you. >> Kids had fun. >> Um and our door count and circulation
were up slightly over December 2024, as well as the public computer and wifi use not super significantly up just a little bit. And then under the items weeded in our report, you'll see that the non-fiction items count includes the annual magazine
discard. >> So we retain the current year and the most recent past two years in our magazine collection. >> Um, and a complete list of our magazine newspaper and microfilm collection can be found at new library.org under the special collection section of the
website. >> It was fun looking through some of the old magazines from I was like, "Oh, this one. Oh, I like that one. >> Sorry. >> Oh, well, that's that's what we're here for. That's what we're here for. Any
other comments about the activities, uh, reports and statistics, otherwise programming. >> Um, the winter reading program started January 5th. That's for adults. Um, this year's theme is crossword puzzles. Um,
so you kind of fill in a crossword puzzle as you complete your your um tracking sheet. >> So patrons can receive a grand prize entry and a free book after reading five books. And you can submit up to five entries for the grand prize, but you just you just get that first initial
free book after your first entry. >> Um, so you can sign up and get your crossword puzzle at the service desk at any point now. And that'll go through the end of February. >> Oh, hooray. Hooray. >> All right. Our art group meets Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. beginning next Wednesday, January 14th, and they'll
continue through May 13th when they take a break for the summer. >> Um, so that's open to anyone who wants to come. They're just a group of individuals who are work on projects and enjoy um chatting with each other about their work and whatever other um topics
might come up. Um, that's in our our meeting room. We just ask that you bring your own materials and that they be non odorous. Friday's special story time is January 23rd at 10 a.m. We'll have stories, songs, and a craft. And our senior movie
matineese continue Fridays at 1:00 p.m. This is in partnership with um cast the community senior group, but everyone is welcome at the the film screenings. And then just a note that the library is closed on Monday, January 19th for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
>> And I think the movie group is going through the decades again. >> Yes. >> Isn't it? Yeah, the 30s and then the 40s and then the 50s. So, it's always fun. >> Yeah, >> always fun. >> Any other comments about programming? Upcoming programming? There's always something at the library.
Okay. Okay. All right. Good, good, good, good. We've got two action items. Um, we're always happy uh to accept donations. So, the the first uh resolution the first resolution is um
resolution number oh 20261. Here we go. Here we go. And um the list below describes the donations received by the library October 1st to December 31st, 2025. And there was an anonymous gift of
$17.27 dropped in the donation box. There we go. And there was another uh $57 anonymously dropped in the donation box. The donation box is scoring. There we
go. Uh and Vicky Piser donated her book. I'm sure that's her book, right? Yeah. Jews in Germantown. Great book. Uh so that's valued at $20. Uh Doug and Betty Royer uh donated $50
cash in memory of Dennis Rder uh for purchase of adult books. Uh Lisa Steve uh donated $50 in cash in memory of Dennis Rder also to be used in adult books. Uh Doug and Betty Royer um in
memory of Phyllis Gul donated $50 for adult books. Sylvia After Heidi donated $1,500 in cash for adult books. Very generous. Very
generous. Um the Friends of the New Public Library donated $74268 um for adult programs for uh John Hammond Civil War presentation.
Is that the proceeds from their book sale? >> Um, no. That was the um his speaking fee and travel expenses. >> Oh, I see. I see. So, so it's they are paying they are paying for the John Hammond Civil War presentation.
>> Yes. He presented on um I think a medical history of the Civil War. >> Yes. Right. Right. And he brought materials along. Yeah, I remember that. Thank you. and the friends of the New Public Library donated $150 in cash uh
for adult programs for stories of the se stories for the season. Um there was a an anonymous uh $20 cash uh donation which is undesated. The Friends of the New Public Library
donated $200 in cash for adult programs for the adult winter reading program. Do Meyers German store uh donated $300 in cash and that's undesated. Do Meyers
also donated $150 uh for children's programs specifically for St. Nicholas Eve cookie bags. >> And they donated the cookie bags themselves. Oh, wonderful, wonderful. Um, Finn Lan Wang in memory of Jesse Arf
from uh donated $59 in cash undesated. Uh, Randall and Katherine Frederick's in memory of Mildred Daring donated $75 in cash for large print books. Uh, and now we're back to our donation box um of
$29.24 24 cents of cash undesated. Then we've got Bill and Lori Otis in memory of Lois Cults. $100 in cash undesated. Nancy Lohen in memory of Lois Cults, $30
in cash undesated. So, we've got a total cash donations of $3,430.37, but the total of physical items donated were one were $170. So, that total to
the total total is $3,600.37. So, I will take a a motion to a motion to uh accept all of those really generous donations. People love the library. It's
really nice to see. >> Motion. >> I'll move. >> A second. >> Second. >> Any other comments or >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everyone. It's wonderful. >> Wonderful. Um any other comments?
Otherwise, secretary, call the role. >> Dustin, yes. Caitlyn, >> yes. >> Ruth Anne, >> yes. >> Lynn, >> yes. >> Ivonne, >> yes. >> Nancy, >> yes. >> Good. We have a resolution. Um, and now we move on to resolution 20262
approving the carryover of 2025 funds, which uh, April had mentioned earlier. Uh the library director recommends that the library board approve carryover of 13,545 from the 2025 office furniture and
equipment budget line to the 2026 budget. Uh the library board included that TWW included 25,000 in the 2025 budget to be used to replace the
children's room picture book bins and add shelving near the library service desk. the library board paid paid the 50% deposit of of 11,
uh,57 required to order the materials in August of 2025. And the library director is working with the vendor to schedule installation for early 2026 final payment to be due upon completion. Well,
that makes sense. That makes sense everybody. All right. Well, then I'll take a motion. >> So moved. >> All right. Second. >> Second. >> Uh, secretary, call the roll. >> Dustin, yes. Caitlyn, >> yes. >> Ruthanne, >> yes. >> Lynn, >> yes.
>> Ivonne, >> yes. >> Nancy, >> yes. >> All right. We're carrying over. All right. Any other business to come before this board? >> I found my hat. I found my wallet here. My mallet. Any other business? Anybody else? All right. Otherwise, we'll see
you next month. Meeting adjourned. Thank you.