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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-14-2014 Library Board MinutesOctober 14, 2014 Note: The Library Board Meeting for May 2014 was cancelled. Present were Board members Kenna Hatch, Joe Ed Sullivan, and Stephanie James. Also present was President of the Genealogical Society, Linda Shipp. John introduced his boss, the new Assistant City Manager, Andrew Freeman. Unger Memorial Library has been designated by the American Red Cross as a disaster shelter. In the event of a disaster such as a tornado the American Red Cross and/or FEMA will take the lead in handling and controlling the disaster needs in this area, using the library as base. John announced that the Hale County, Texas Bibliography (ed. John Sigwald) is finally finished. All the proceeds after publishing expenses are paid go to the Friends of the Unger Memorial Library. The library now has a special area where the large type books are shelved. This is to assist patrons with special vision needs to easily locate materials which are easier for them to read. These books are also labeled with a red capital L for easy distinction. John stated that the eBook collection is growing. The library now has twenty Kindle devices (one has not yet been returned after several months) and circulates just like a book. This device can also assist patrons who need Targe type materials. John mentioned the Customer Satisfaction Survey which will continue until the end of October. Its purpose is to check on services provided by the library and to determine patrons' opinions of possibly closing at 8:00 instead of 9:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. One of the reasons this change has been requested is so that the staff with young children can be home earlier. Another reason is that this hour is seldom used by the public and the lateness of the hour does not present as much of a need since more homes have computers. The decision made will be backed by statistics for patron numbers and circulations taken during this final hour on the two days in question. Also garnered from the survey was the need for items in the juvenile area for the very young patrons. John informed the Board that he has requested a grant from the Plainview Area Foundation to use toward the purchase of some "waiting room" activity centers to help fulfill this need. Most newspapers have now been digitized after a project costing about $23,000. They will soon be available online in the library only. John checked to make sure those present received the newsletter which was recently mailed. On Saturday, October 11, Friends of the Unger Memorial Library held their first fall book sale. No membership was charged as is customary with the larger book sale in the spring. The one day book sale brought in $570. The juvenile collection is being relabeled for easier visibility and cataloging. John explained that two of the monitors on the fifteen public computers had to be replaced recently. Since these computers provide a needed service it is necessary to keep them up and running as much as possible. The meeting was dismissed at 4:45.