THE DUPAGE LIBRARY SYSTEM
MEETING OF THE BOARD
January 20, 2005

 

  1. ROLL CALL OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS/RECOGNITION OF GUESTS

    The regular meeting of the DLS Board held at the DuPage Library System Center, 127 South First Street, Geneva, Illinois was called to order at 7:01 p.m. Pres. Mikyska asked Sec. Whitehead to call the roll with the following board members present to establish a quorum: Elaine Buch, Karen Hannah, Robert Kepka, Hallé Mikyska, Pattie Piotrowski, Carolyn Roys, Mesfin Tefera, Marguerite L. Treest, and Joyce Whitehead. Stephen Fulton was an excused absence, and Robert Wagner arrived at 7:20 p.m.

    DLS staff members attending were: Shirley May Byrnes, Claudia Sheets, Pamela Kramer, Jane Plass, Karen Odean, and Mary Jean McCleary.
     
  2. PUBLIC COMMENT - None
     
  3. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

    Dir. Hannah moved and Treas. Treest seconded that:

    THE AGENDA BE ADOPTED.

    Agenda adopted.

    Motion carried unanimously.

  4. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES

    A. NOVEMBER 18, 2004 Board meeting

    Vice Pres. Kepka moved and Dir. Tefera seconded that:

    THE NOVEMBER 18, 2004 BOARD MINUTES BE APPROVED.

    Minutes approved.

    Motion carried unanimously.

  5. FINANCIAL REPORT
     
    1. Confirmation of December Bills

      The December bills were approved for payment at the November meeting with confirmation at the January meeting. The total for the month of December was $125,286.97. Treest moved that:

      THE DECEMBER BILLS BE CONFIRMED

      December bills confirmed.

      Motion carried unanimously.

    2. Approval of the January 2004 Bills

      Treas. Treest presented the January 2005 bills for payment. Treas. Treest moved that :

      THE PAYMENT OF THE JANUARY 2004 BILLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $244,477.14 BE APPROVED FOR PAYMENT AS PRESENTED.

      January bills approved.

      Motion carried unanimously.

  6. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

    Scholarship fundraiser: The scholarship committee is planning a fundraiser for the DLS Library Education fund on Thursday, April 7. An evening program is planned featuring Bob Kann, a storyteller and humorist. Additional information on the program as well as exact time and place will be coming.

    Illinois Study press conference: The Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) will be unveiling the results of Powerful Libraries Make Powerful Learners: the Illinois Study of the Relationship Between Good School Libraries and Student Achievement, on February 18 at 10 a.m. at Glen Crest Middle School in Glen Ellyn. The study results show a favorable relationship between school media centers in Illinois and student achievement. Senator Dan Cronin will be in attendance, so DLS plans to use the opportunity to present his two READ posters and bookmarks.

    School Library Media Institutes: February 18 is also the date for the Kane County School Library Institute, to be held at St. Charles North High School. The DuPage County School Library Institute will be held on Friday, March 4 at Fenton High School in Bensenville. Ann Tepe, Consultant and Manager of the Ohio Study, will keynote both programs discussing what researchers learned from students about the role of school libraries in their learning. There will be several breakout sessions featuring Pamela Kramer, Tammy Gonzalez, Gail Johnson, Sally Walker, and Carolyn Roys.

    Sunshine Week: Media outlets across the nation will recognize Sunshine Week as a time when the importance of freedom of information is highlighted through news reports, editorials, columns, commentaries, and editorial cartoons. Libraries are encouraged to participate in the week by hosting community discussion programs. Talk with your local media and make sure they are participating in the week’s events. It’s a great opportunity for media /library cooperation.

    Memo on Ethics Act & referendum: Roger Ritzman, the DLS attorney, recently sent out a memo about the Ethics Act and referendum activities. This is a timely memo since several DLS libraries are planning referenda in April. The memo was sent to all public libraries, and an email was sent to all DLS trustees notifying them of the memo availability at their library.

    DLS Board seats: Six DLS board seats will expire in October 2005, and three of the current board members will not be eligible to run for a new term. The three 6-year terms expiring happen to be the vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The six seats up for election are four public library representatives, one academic, and one at-large seat. To prevent such a large turnover in the future, some of the public library terms will be for less than three years. It’s not too early to think of potential candidates and encourage them to run for the DLS Board.

  7. COMMUNICATION
     
    1. Report of the President

      Pres. Mikyska thanked DLS for the lovely holiday party. Everyone attending had a great time, and it showed what a fantastic group the staff is and how well everyone works with each other, as well as socializes together.

    2. Report from the Illinois State Library (ISL) – Michael McCaslin

      School and Per Capita Grants: The grants have all been reviewed and will be announced shortly. The State Library is beginning work on the new LSTA grants. Since Amy Kellerstrass, LSTA Coordinator, retired in December, the process is taking a little longer than normal.

      Penny Severns Literacy Grant: This grant was started in 1999 by Secretary of State Jesse White in honor of State Senator Penny Severns. The grants are offered to agencies for children and families to attend summer classes in order to build reading, math, and language skills. Grant proposals are due March 1. Fifty-five projects were funded in 2004.

      Illinois Authors Fair: The 2005 Illinois Authors Literary Weekend is being held March 4-5. This is a family event that celebrates the literary talents of more than 30 Illinois authors who will be present to give workshops and talk about their books. The weekend will include a Friday night formal dinner fundraiser held at the Illinois State Library (ISL) to benefit the Center for the Book.

      Trustee Forum Workshop: This will be held March 5 at Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Center.

      Spanish Workshops: ISL is sponsoring a series of workshops, “Empowering Library Staff to Meet Technology Needs of Spanish Speakers.” The library systems are the sites for classes to help library staff serve the growing Spanish speaking population. The workshop at DLS is scheduled for April 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

      Synergy:Synergy: the Illinois Library Leadership Initiative 2005 is a continuation of a program held the past three years. It requires a year-long commitment and attendance by the participants at three workshops. This year they will be held on April 5-7 at Starved Rock Lodge in Utica, August 9-11 at Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton, and November 15-17 at Hickory Ridge Marriott Conference Hotel in Lisle. This year’s recipients have not yet been announced.

      LibraryU: Secretary of State White has announced LibraryU Reloaded, a web-based training and continuing education initiative. ISL received a grant from the Gates Foundation in 2004 to upgrade the software and add 32 course modules.
       
    3. Legislative Report

      DLS Legislative Advocacy Committee: Byrnes reported that the DLS Legislative Committee met January 20 to plan 2005 activities.

      Illinois Library Legislative Day: Wednesday, April 13 is the date for Illinois Library Legislative Day. ILA, ISLMA, ILSDO and ISL are the co-sponsors. Byrnes and Zielinski are working on the details of the day and are working with MLS again to arrange for a bus to go to Springfield on April 12. People will register on the ILSDO website.

      National Library Legislative Day: This year it will be held on Wednesday, May 4, with an information session and the Illinois dinner on Tuesday. The usual reception will be held Wednesday evening from 5-7 p.m. The Illinois Senators host a breakfast on Thursday morning which some of us plan to attend. DLS has reserved a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn on the Hill. If you plan to attend, let Mary Jean know as soon as possible.

      In tonight’s handouts there is a packet of information from the ALA Office of Government Relations relating to national legislative issues.

      Illinois bills: There is a memo in your handouts regarding two bills which have been introduced in the 94th General Assembly pertaining to Illinois libraries and other municipal units that are affected by tax caps. The bill to amend the Confidentiality Act has not yet been filed. Kip Kolkmeier, ILA’s legislative consultant, has drafted suggested language for the amendment at ILA’s request. The draft of that language is also in your handouts. Remember to check the Cap Wiz site on ILA’s web page for legislation filed that affects libraries and to check its status.
       
    4. Correspondence:

      The correspondence and article files were passed around
       
  8. REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES

    None
     
  9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
     
    1. Resolution to purchase property

      Vice Pres. Kepka moved and Treas. Treest seconded:

      THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 05-01

      Resolution 05-01 passed

      Treas. Treest thanked Byrnes and Sheets for their work on getting Resolution 05-01 passed this matter resolved. Sec. Whitehead took a roll call vote. There were 10 ayes, no nays, no abstentions and one absence. Resolution passed.

      Treas. Treest moved and Dir. Wagner seconded:

      TO DISPERSE THE FUNDS TO PURCHASE THE PARKING LOT PROPERTY

      Funds dispersal approved

      Motion carried unanimously.

    2. Executive Director’s 2005 Goals

      Vice Pres. Kepka moved and Dir. Tefera seconded to:

      ACCEPT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S 2005 GOALS

      Exec. Director’s goals accepted.

      Motion carried unanimously.

    3. Executive Director’s Performance Review Process

      Pres. Mikyska appointed Directors Buch, Hannah, Fulton and Tefera to an ad hoc committee to meet with her to study the performance review process and report back to the Board. Dir. Hannah will chair the committee.

  10. NEW BUSINESS

    1. National Legislative Day Grants

      Discussion ensued regarding the criteria, amount of the grant, and number of grants that DLS should award to those wishing to attend National Legislative Day. Consensus was to change the wording of some of the criteria.

      Dir. Piotrowski moved and Vice Pres. Kepka seconded:

      BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT NOT TO AWARD GRANTS

      Board can award no grants

      Motion carried unanimously.

      Vice Pres. Kepka moved and Dir. Wagner seconded:

      THE NUMBER OF GRANTS AWARDED WILL REMAIN AT TWO AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR FULL EXPENSES WILL BE SUBJECT TO COMPLETED PARTICIPATION.

      Grants to stay at two; reimbursement subject to completed participation.

      Motion carried unanimously.

    Pres. Mikyska declared the meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.
     

Respectfully submitted.

 

_______________________________
Joyce Whitehead, Secretary

 

 

____Minutes approved as printed

____Minutes approved as amended

 

_______________________________

Hallé Mikyska, President