Hello. Welcome everyone. It's uh 4 o'clock on Thursday, September 11th, 2025. We're in the city council chambers and this is the library board meeting. Our first agenda item is to
approve the agenda. We've uh get those uh by email in advance. So I'll take a motion to approve the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? We've got a short agenda. So um all in favor of
approving the agenda signify by saying I. >> I post. Same sign. And we have the approval of the minutes from our August 14th board meeting which also we received by email. If anyone has I'll take a motion to approve those minutes. I'll move
>> and a second. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second to approve the minutes. Any comments on the minutes. Any corrections or amplifications? >> Hearing none. All in favor of uh approving the minutes from our last meeting say I. >> I. I.
>> Oppose. same sign. We have minutes and now we have a financial report for August of 2025. April, >> we are 67.4% through 2025 and our budget is approximately 71.09% expended. Some of the bills that we paid
during August included $210 to the American Library Association and $170 to the Minnesota Library Association for um American Library Association, Public Library Association, and Minnesota Library Association memberships for um
either myself or the library as an institution, depending on which one it was. Um and the ALA and PLA memberships are bundled into that $210 together. Um, we also paid um $250 to MLA for conference attendance for our
programming and technology services librarian, $281 to Scholastic for summer reading program prizes. Um, those were our giveaway books that the friends of the library funded. We also paid $88, excuse me, $887 to SHI
International to replace a a PC for our LIB data server, which is um the service that we use to manage our public computer stations and the printing that we offer from those. And then we also paid our second half of our fees to the
Traverse Due Regional Library, which was $14,880. Um, and that is the conclusion of those fees for 2025. We also paid $11,455 to Library Furniture International for our upcoming shelving projects at in the
children's room in the picture book area. And then next to the service desk, we're adding some shelving for um some of our uh specialty collections like the board games and things. Um that payment to Library Furniture International is the 50% deposit that they require to
begin those projects. And then I just wanted to note some of the lines that appear more highly or overspent. Um the special events programming line includes $8,875 worth of um TDS grants that we have now
been reimbursed for. Um I received those checks the beginning of this month. So that line when you consider those reimbursements is actually about 40% expended. And then although we used fund balance for the badge entry cabling for the
entrances at the library, it's still coded to the contractual maintenance building line. And so when you consider that expense coming from the fund balance, that line is spent at approximately 63%. And then overall our budget is approximately 64% expended when we
remove the spending for the Melon Foundation grant in the library technology grant and library furniture grant lines as well as those programming grants and the badge cabling project. I'd be happy to answer any questions.
>> Any questions or comments? As usual, things are seem to be running along rather smoothly. >> So, okay. Um, just a heads up, I am looking into some options for um, furniture for our public computer
stations. Um, and we received um, a donation, I think 3 years ago now, from Charlotte and Hobart Anderson of $60,000. And so in the next coming months, once we have a better idea of what f what type of furniture we would like for that
area, I may be bringing a request for using some of that funding for that furniture. >> Okay, good. deal. >> Good. >> Okay. Uh, no other comments on the financial report and summary. Let's talk about the department activities report
and statistics for August. >> Um, library page Megan Gratham resigned from her position. Her last day with the library was September 10th. Um, we plan to post the position, but that was just this Wednesday, so we're still in the process there. Um, and I was able to sit
in on our maintenance technician interviews on September 4th. I wouldn't be that person's um direct supervisor. I just supervise the work they do for the library. They report to the city's building official. Um but they provide our maintenance and custodial work at the library fire stations and the
airport. Um so I said in on those interviews, an offer has been made and we're just waiting to hear back at this point. Um and then just an update on the Institute of Museum and Library Services funding. um the House panel that oversees the portions of the budget
related to that funding have proposed keeping the funding at the 2025 levels and that was as as of September 2nd. And then the um union and American Library Association um lawsuits as well as the state's
attorney general lawsuits continue. And in fact, just today, the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Ruled that um IMLS must remain open um pending their resolution of the government's appeal in the um state's attorney general case.
>> Thank you. And then um moving on to statistics, we had 34 study room reservations in August compared to um 32 in July and I think it was 26 in June. So that continues to um slowly increase as we get word out about
those services. And then our door count was up slightly over August 2024, but our physical circulation was down slightly. Um, and our patron computer use was up 30%, excuse me, 37% from last August. And we think that's mainly due
to a a group of teens who has been really regular visiting the library this summer and they've been coming back after school. So that's great, too. And then our Libby circulation also incre continues to increase. It's up 21% over 2024 and that is largely driven by
increases to the audio book, our e audiobook use. Okay. Okay. Any uh questions or comments? I love the that this uh study rooms are being used. We waited a long time to get those in. So, I'm glad people are appreciating them.
>> So, yes. Any other comments? >> I appreciated the partnering that you did during the excuse me, during the um week of remembrance with the historical society. >> Yes. um our programming and technology services librarian and our youth
services librarian have been meeting regularly with um different arts organizations that put on events in the community. So that includes the Brown County Historical Society, State Street Theater, the Grand um Center for Arts and Culture, um Luca Books, um I'm sorry
if I'm forgetting anybody, but they've been meeting regularly to kind of um brainstorm and collaborate and um strengthen those partnerships. So that's been really great, too, cuz it's um >> Yeah. led to more partnerships on our programming. >> Okay. Um any other comments? Otherwise,
we'll move on to the September programming calendar. >> All right. So, we have a bunch of great programs in September. Um this evening, September 11th at 6:30 p.m. we have disasters in Brown County presented by Carla Feld. Um so, she'll be talking
about natural disasters throughout the history of Brown County. Um, so we invite you to the library to join us for that. On Saturday, September 13th at 2 p.m., our teen video, excuse me, teen video game club will be meeting. Um, this is their first meeting of the
school year. And then Monday, September 15th at 700 p.m. we have wayfinding to stars to Tahiti with Steven Samson. Well, he'll be talking about um he took a journey where they just um did way finding just with the stars and and
nature um on >> Cool. >> navigating them. >> Yeah. >> And then on Tuesday, September 16th at 6:30 p.m. the Minnesota Valley Civil War Roundtable Series starts up again. They usually meet from September to May on
the 3rd Thursday at 6:30. Friday, September 19th at 3 p.m. we have Songs and Stories of the American West with Carrie Grombbacher. Um so he'll be um dis um discussing it the history of songs and stories and and um performing
them as well. And excuse me. And then on Monday, September 22nd at 6:30 p.m., we have Scott Sparan who will be um discussing his a um new children's book, which is Jack about Jack Bunion, um Paul
Bunan's son. And then Tuesday, September 23rd at 6 p.m. and Thursday, September 25th at 10 a.m. we have sensory playtime. Um so kids can join us for um stories, songs, and lots of sensory play. And then
Saturday, September 27th at 2 PM, we have a film screening of The Farewell, which was created by um Peter Buckley, a local performer. So, >> right, great. Lots going on at the library. Any any comments or things you
want to lift up any further? >> I just will note that um if you're looking for more information on any of these programs, you can visit our website, www.newal library.org, and choose library events. And there's more of a description of each of them as well as the full calendar.
>> Great. Great. And moving on to the Brown County Library Board update. >> Um so the um we met with the Brown County Library Board um I believe it was August 28th. Um and the commissioners
were um we requested a $5,000 increase total for um the Brown County libraries to the the county funds for 2026. Um the commissioners were in favor of an increase um of 3.35%
so not the full um $5,000. It was um I think it ended up being like $3,200. um they what they were trying to do was make our 2026 appropriations an even $100,000.
>> Um so they um in um are in favor of an increase but not the full amount requested just because they had other requests that they're trying to balance this year. >> Understandable >> tougher budget year money. Um, but they all did make comments that um that they
appreciate library services and recognize their importance and um were were glad to meet with us about that. Um, Ivonne also attended that meeting. I don't know if you have anything else you'd like to >> uh I don't really think so other than
just to restate that they they definitely are supportive but we're looking to keep everything at 3% um increases this year and um we got a smidge above 3%. So
>> great thank you. And then the the next um Brown County Library Board meeting is scheduled for um Monday, November 10th at 7 PM at the Comfrey Library. >> Okay. On Comry. Yay. >> Okay. Uh we have one it's called an
action item, but we really don't take action. Uh we just look at it. It's >> that it's a resolution number 202526 uh to uh that's the first reading of the
2026 library fees and fines schedule and the city of Newm annually reviews its schedule of fees and as a part of this the library is required to update its fees and fee schedules and the library director proposes the attached schedule
for 2026 fees and fines. It does not. And I'm sure you all noticed this. There's no changes. There's no changes. It's the same as last year. So, um the changes proposed by the library board
members will be incorporated uh after the second reading then on at their October 9th library board meeting the then it will be submitted to the uh finance department. So for final approval approval by the city council.
So that's all we've got. Anyone? No, no changes on the fees or fines. So that's that. >> And if anyone wants to see the draft fee and fine schedule, um if you navigate to the agendas page of the city of Newm
website, you can see um this draft in our library board packet. >> Okay. All right. Is there any other business to come before the board? Last chance. Last chance. All right. Meeting adjourned. Thanks everybody.
>> Thank you. >> Thanks.