Public Library Board June 17
A committee comprised of staff members was set up to go over the core values for the Boone County Public Library (BCPL) system. The committee came up with the acronym of CARES: Community, Access, Respect, Empowerment and Stewardship. The core values for BCPL will eventually be posted to the policies page of the BCPL website.
Board member Dr. Jackson gave an update on the ad hoc committee’s progress with the Archive & History Center. The committee came up with five recommendations as to location and staffing of the center that coincide with the BCPL’s strategic plan. Most of the lower level of the main library was proposed to be set aside to house the center and a posting will be made for an archivist within the $60,000 salary range. The committee will continue to develop and finalize their recommendations but since the ad hoc committee was authorized only through June, the board approved a motion to extend the ad hoc committee through the end of 2024. The board also approved the recommendations provided by the committee.
The Chapin Memorial Library (CML) update showed no real progress. Staffing positions are still posted, but as of the current date they still do not have two viable candidates to staff the CML. They have one but, per Director Hermann, need an additional applicant before they can start the interview process.
The Walton library is now projected to open mid-September; Director Hermann will know more after her meeting with the contractor in late June.
There was still some discussion regarding the county’s request to purchase the 2.577 acres behind the Hebron branch to erect a water tank. The appraiser retained by the BCPL was not satisfied with the proposal submitted by the county. The county suggests re-zoning those acres to Industrial 3 and therefore the appraiser believes the purchase price is too low. Further discussion by the Board was deemed necessary, and Director Hermann is still waiting on the appraiser’s report as to what he believes is the fair market value for these acres.
Director Hermann reviewed the BCPL Board by-laws, which hadn’t been reviewed since 2008, and suggested one addition: a requirement that trustees attend board meetings in person. Director Hermann suggested permitting virtual attendance for two meetings a year, plus the by-laws already allow for three absences by a Board member in a 12-month period prior to any forced resignation. However, there was some pushback from the Board and the issue was tabled for further discussion at the July board meeting.
Director Hermann also requested an increase in the fiscal year 2024 budget to provide for cybersecurity. The BCPL was contacted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as their system apparently was subjected to ransomware. The BCPL worked with DHS to resolve the issue and proposes hiring a firm to provide ongoing cybersecurity protection, which the board approved.
The beneficiaries of an estate that includes a house right behind the Florence branch have offered to sell the property to that branch. Director Hermann sought and received approval by the board to pursue this with the beneficiaries, as the BCPL’s next major project is to expand the Florence branch and this property adjacent to the library’s property can probably be utilized.
Public comment was again scheduled at the end of the meeting. There were four or five Petersburg residents who continued to set forth the same complaints about the lack of services at the CML. One resident advised the board that their core value of Respect could use some exercise, as the residents feel they were not being respected as stakeholders; e.g., BCPL can expend millions to build a new Walton branch and install EV charging stations but can’t provide enough salary or other incentives to get the CML staffed appropriately. The residents continued to complain about outdated materials and computers, no access to public restrooms, the planned elimination of a mobile library bus, not enough children’s books, etc. One resident asked when the board would meet at the CML location during fiscal year 2025 as it does with the other branches but was informed this would not happen. The residents demanded the library raise the salary offered to staff the library and that the BCPL and Director Hermann should be investing in people, not buildings. The BCPL’s HR director explained that the BCPL system has a very rigid salary scale tied to certain criteria, so the $13.60/hour salary advertised would have to remain vs. the $20/hour the residents requested.