The Ainsworth Library Board held its regular monthly meeting on January 3, 2018 at the Ainsworth Public Library. This meeting was advertised in the local newspaper, over the radio, and posted at the library and on the library’s website. The meeting was called to order at 5:05 p.m. by President Mark Kovar. Notice was given on the posting of the Open Meeting Act. Roll call showed four members present. They included Phyllis Leach, Alane Lentz, Todd Flynn, and Mark Kovar. Member Traci Alberts was absent. Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present at the meeting.
Phyllis Leach moved to approve the minutes. Alane Lentz seconded the motion with all voting in favor of. Mark Kovar made the motion to approve the claims for payment. Phyllis Leach seconded this with all members in favor of. The budget spending report from the end of the fiscal year 2016-2017 was shared as well as a report from December 2017. A list of titles purchased during October, November, and December was presented. The Monthly Library Report for October, November, and December was presented. It was noted that Brown County paid the $11,000 for library service during 2017-2018.
An update was given on the Library Innovation Studio Grant (Makerspace) currently at our library through the week of April 9th. Installation of equipment was done on Nov. 14th. Training of local people was completed on Nov. 14-15th. We had at least two people on each item and 5-6 on the larger machines. An Open House was held on Dec. 3rd from 1-4 p.m. We had people demonstrating how each of the machines worked and had samples of items that they might make on them. Over 70+ people attended this. Bev Painter won the door prize of doing a Heat Pressed T-Shirt. People enjoyed cookies and drinks during this time. Denise Harders, our Library System Administer, attended and helped to show the Makey-Makey. We had Sign-Up Sheets for training by each piece of equipment. There is a State Wide Database for People Trained on the equipment. Each person that is trained is listed in it so that they may go to another library that is hosting the Makerspace and use the machines without having to go through training again. Twenty-four people are currently listed in the database. The Community Action Team has had four meetings with the last one being on Nov. 28th to plan the Open House. Now that the holidays are over, they will be meeting again soon. It was noted that various groups have been in for tours of the Makerspace. There was 22 students from the 8th Grade Shop Class that came in for live demonstration of the equipment. They came back the next week and made an item with the help of the trainers. We have two Art Classes coming in next week. We also have a group coming on Jan. 8th to learn about the Makerspace. Plans are in motion for the Career Day at School and promoting the Makerspace and how students might use this type of equipment as a future career. The Nebraska Library Commission offered a $1000 Library Internship Grant for Library Innovation Studio. The student needed to be in school and close to 18 years old. Morgan Osborn has been selected as our Intern. She has been busy learning how the machines work and training people on them. Her work is only with the Makerspace. The paperwork is in the works but the funding has not yet arrived.
The Library will have a CEO Student second semester. The Library Director will have to complete an evaluation form for the school at the end of March and in May.
The Board reviewed the Summary for 2016-2017 as well as the 2017 Nebraska Public Library Survey plus the Nebraska Library Commission Supplement Survey. This was submitted on Jan. 3, 2018. A copy has been sent to the City Clerk’s Office.
An update was given on the Library Book Basket Silent Auction held on November 18th. All 29 baskets were sold and raised a total of $1436.50.
It was noted that the Director had attended the Nebraska State Advisory Council meeting in Lincoln on Nov. 17th. Staff attended the OverDrive Training Webinar on Dec. 7th. Other meetings attended included the City Retirement/Savings Meeting on Dec. 12th and the Mayor’s Christmas Lunch on Dec. 20th.
Under correspondence, we had several thank you cards. One was for the door prize at the Makerspace Open House from Bev Painter and the other was a thank you from the 8th Grade Shop Class on the Makerspace tour and projects they did. Articles of interest from library journals and newsletters were shared.
The next meeting was set for Feb. 7th at 5 p.m. Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:49 p.m.
