The Ainsworth Library Board held its regular monthly meeting at the Ainsworth Public Library on April 3, 2024. This meeting was advertised in the local newspaper, on the radio, posted at the library, and on the library’s Facebook page and website. The meeting was called to order at 5:03 p.m. by President Phyliis Leach. Notice was given on the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act. Roll call showed four members present. They included Todd Flynn, Stacey Gilliland, Phyllis Leach, and Alane Lentz. Member Luke Hitchcock arrived at 5:15 p.m. Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present for the meeting.
Stacey Gilliland made the motion to approve the minutes. Todd Flynn seconded this. All members voted in favor of. Stacey Gilliland moved to approve the claims for payment. Phyllis Leach seconded this with all members voting in favor of. The Monthly Library Report for March was presented as well as a list of titles purchased. An update was given on the electrical problem the library had on March 23rd. A new line from the pole by the street was installed on March 27th. The street construction has closed the road off in front of the library. The library will have both the front and back doors open for visitors to enter. Construction on Highway 7 started on April 2nd and the intersection is now closed one block up from the library to the south. It was noted that the board would start the process of budget planning for 2024-2025 at the next meeting.
Plans for National Library Week (April 7-13th) were reviewed. Library will be handing out Solar Glasses on Monday for the eclipse. On Tuesday, training will be held on the telescope from 4-5 p.m. Thursday will be Lego Day from 4-5 p.m. Friday will feature D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything and Read Day). People will be encouraged to stop whatever they are doing and read for fun for a few minutes. The Art Guild will also be setting up their Spring Art Show. Judging for the show will happen on Saturday. The show will remain at the library until April 29th.
Information on the Summer Reading Program was shared with the Board. A flier will be going home with students very soon. Activities for the month of June was shared for the different groups of Toddler Time, Preschool Time, K-1st Grade group, and the 2nd-4th Grade group. The theme will be Adventure Begins at Your Library.
Discussion was held on the Sprinkler System. The Board decided to continue to use Morrison Underground Sprinklers as the service provider. Alana Lentz made the motion to pay the service charge of $110 in this month’s bills. Todd Flynn seconded this with all members voting in favor of.
It was noted that the Ainsworth Library Foundation had purchased a bronze statue of a boy reading a book while sitting on a bench. This was installed in front of the library in memory of former librarian, Freda Hinrichs. Freda had worked at the library from 8-1-1979 to 4-29-2006. The Foundation is also in the process of ordering a painting by David Dorsey to be hung by the fireplace in memory of another former librarian-Carolyn Sorenson Schipporiet.
An update was given on the Poison Prevention Class held on March 12th, Book Club on the 18th, and Storytime on the 19th. The Book Club discussion for in April will be the last one until the fall. The group will be taking the summer off. There will be a Storytime in April and May before we break for the summer reading program.
Reviews were given on meetings and workshops attended by staff and board members. Director attended the Thursday Director’s Zoom on the 14th, the NCompass: No More Summer Time Blues on the 22nd, and the Nebraska State Advisory Council of Libraries Board Meeting in Lincoln on the 20th. Library Legislative Day was held on the 20th. Informational sheets given to the Senators were shared with the Board. It was noted that Alane Lentz had watched the Big Talk From Small Libraries Memory Cafes and Towering Book Stacks and that Stacey Gilliland had watched the Memory Cafes. These continuing education hours will be submitted to the Board Certification Program. The Board members were also encouraged to watch the upcoming “Evaluating Your Library Director” on April 9th.
Under correspondence, we had a thank you card from Jean Pinney on winning the Blind Date with a Book Cosy Up and Read Basket. A fax from a local health provider was received on the 12th stating that an employee was not able to attend work until further notice due to illness. Director worked most of the week by herself. Information on LB441 was shared and it was noted that the Legislature did not move that bill on. If passed, this bill would increase censorship in public and school libraries by criminalizing librarians and making them vulnerable to prosecution for upholding the rights of citizens to access information. Our Director did write to legislators encouraging them to vote no on LB 441. Nebraska OverDrive had sent out information announcing a change will affect patrons using older devices running Android operating system (OS) 7.1.0 or earlier. Beginning April 15th, patrons will be required to either update their operating system or switch to another supported device if they want to continue using OverDrive Services. Articles of interest from library newsletters and journals were shared.
The next meeting date was set for May 1st at 5 p.m. Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m.
