Ainsworth Public Library

The Ainsworth Library Board held their monthly meeting on November 10, 2021 at the Public Library.  This meeting was advertised in the local newspaper, over the radio, and posted at the Library.  President Phyllis Leach called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m.  Notice was given on the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act.  Roll call showed four members present.  They included Todd Flynn, Stacie Gililand, Phyllis Leach, and Alane Lentz.  Member Luke Hitchcock was absent.  Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present for the meeting.

Alane Lentz made the motion to approve the minutes.  Todd Flynn seconded this.  All members voted in favor of.  Alane Lentz moved to approve the claims for payment.  Phyllis Leach seconded this.  All members voted in favor of.  The Monthly Library Report for October was presented as well as a list of titles purchased.  The Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Library Report was shared.  A copy has been sent to the Mayor and City Council.  It was noted that the Public Library Survey would be available on Nov. 15, 2021 and we had until Feb. 11, 2022 to submit. Bibliostat Training will be held on Dec. 9^th at 2 p.m.  Gail Irwin does plan to attend this as changes are made from year to year on the forms.

An update was given on the ARPA Library Formula Grant submitted last month.  Our library has received a total of $4,196 which will run through the Library Foundation.  Final decisions will be made on how to spend the funding once we hear back on the application for two other grants. Word has been received that the awarding of the ARPA Library Improvement Grant and the ARPA Youth Grants for Excellence will take place later than first thought due to large number of applications.  We should hear something by November 19^th. 

Word has been received from the school librarian at Lexington Middle School on the possibility of helping her with a presentation for the Big Talk For Small Libraries Conference with the 9/11 poster exhibition we held at the library this fall.  She is hoping to connect with other Nebraska libraries that had hosted this and do a group showing. 

The Library took part in the Trunk and Treat on Main Street on October 29^th.  We handed out two boxes of books to all the children. The Chamber of Commerce had asked if I would set up by their photo booth and watch the donation jar.   The donations were going to go towards the expense of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.  Around $270 was collected.  Over 300 people had their photo taken by Jen.   In looking at the Brown County Sign-up page, we now have a total of 50 children in the program.

Discussion was held on the Covid-19 exposure at the Library on Nov. 2^nd and 3^rd.  Board felt that a notice on the door, on Facebook, and our website was fine and a good way to alert people to be on guard.   If the covid cases go down, the library is looking at starting up children’s programing again in January.

The Board did a review of the holiday closings for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.

An update was given on meetings and workshops.  One Thursday Director’s Zoom meeting was attending on Nov. 7^th.  Wanda and Gail attended the Nebraska Makerspace Conference in Lincoln on Nov. 2^nd and 3^rd.  The ladies did a presentation on the 3^rd on how to have a Makerspace in a small library.  The Innovation Studio Grant that our library was part of for the last four years paid for two nights in the motel and our Conference registration plus $.28 mileage.  Items made at the Conference were shared with the Board.  The Library Foundation Board will be meeting this month.  Gail will be attended the Nebraska State Library Advisory Council Meeting on Nov. 18^th.  Library Board member, Phyllis Leach, attended the Cricut Workshop in Atkinson on Nov. 10^th.  She shared the items that she made.  Wanda and Ellen will be attending the Fall in Love with Cricut Workshop in Grand Island on the 30^th.  The zoom Ethics in the Library Virtual Workshop will be held on Dec. 14^th.

Under correspondence, the survey on our Library’s Internet service and specific areas of work, health, and education, including telework, telehealth, and tele-education from the Library Commission was shared.  Items of interest from library newsletter and journals were shared.

The next meeting date was set for January 5^th at 5 p.m.  Since there was no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

The Ainsworth Library Board will be meeting on November 10th at the Ainsworth Public Library starting at 5 p.m. The agenda is posted on another post so please look at it if you are interested. As always, this meeting is open to the public.

The Library had a Covid-19 exposure on November 2nd and 3rd. 

If you get a fever or feel sick, please visit your doctor immediately.

AINSWORTH LIBRARY BOARD MEETING

November 10, 2021 at 5 p.m.

AGENDA

1.         Call meeting to order

2.         Notice of the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act

3.         Roll call

4.         Approve minutes

5.         Approve claims for payment

6.         Monthly Library Report/List of Titles Purchased

7.         Fiscal Year-2021 Library Report

8.         Public Library Survey

9.         Update on ARPA Formula Grant

10.       Update on NLC Youth Grant for Excellence

11.       Update on 2022 ARPA Library Improvement Grant

12.       Be part of presentation at Big Talk for Small Libraries Conference on 9/11 Poster Display

13.       Trunk/Treat on Main Street-October 29^th

14.       Re-start Children’s Programing in January

15.       Set holiday closing dates

16.       Meetings:

            a.  Thursday Director’s Zoom Meeting-Nov. 7^th

            b.  NE Makerspace Conference-Nov. 2 & 3-Lincoln

            c.  Library Foundation Board Meeting-November

            d.  Nebraska State Advisory Council Meeting-Nov. 18^th-Lincoln

            e.  Cricut Making Fun Day-Nov. 10^th-Atkinson

            e.  Fall in Love with Cricut Workshop-Nov. 30^th-Grand Island

17.       Correspondence:

            a.  NLC Survey on Library’s Internet Service

            b.  Items of interest from library newsletters and journals

18.       Set next meeting date

19.       Adjournment

The Ainsworth Library Board held their monthly meeting on October 6, 2021 at the Ainsworth Public Library.  President Phyllis Leach called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.  Notice was given on the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act.  Roll call showed four members present.  They included Todd Flynn, Luke Hitchcock, Phyllis Leach, and Alane Lentz.  Member Stacie Gilliland was absent.  Library Director, Gail Irwin, was also present for the meeting.

Todd Flynn made the motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting.  Luke Hitchcock seconded this with all members voting in favor of.  Alane Lentz moved to approve the end of year claims for payment.  Todd Flynn seconded this with all members voting in favor of.  An update was given on the budget for our new fiscal year starting October 1^st.  A list of titles purchased was shared with the board.  The Monthly Library Report for September was shared.  It was noted that the Library employees were invited to a City employee appreciation event on Sept. 24^th at the Golf Course but library staff had already made other plans and could not attend.  Discussion was held at this time on closing the Library for Columbus Day like the rest of the city departments.  The Board approved the library being closed on the 11^th.  The 2020-2021 fiscal year report will be presented at the next meeting.

The ARPA (American Rescue Plan) Formula Grant was submitted on 9-21-2021.  The check in the amount of $4,196 was received and made payable to the Ainsworth Library Foundation as we had requested.  Invoices and completion of the final report is due before the grant deadline of June 30, 2022. 

The NLC Youth Grant for Excellence application was submitted on 9-24-21. The grant application ties in with the Community Needs Response Plan of our Library.   We requested a total of $2,174 to purchase STEM/STEAM equipment, supplies, and books.  We plan to purchase a table/storage on wheels; Kid Spark Engineering Pathways Mobile STEM lab; Fort Building Kit; 4 pounds of Legos pieces, mini-figure people, and base plates; Alarm/Timer; STEM Books for grade school, middle school, and high school students.  We will be notified around October 29^th as to if we were approved for this grant or not.

The 2022 ARPA Library Improvement Grant application was submitted on October 5, 2021.  We are requesting a total of $ 1,428 to purchase Makerspace equipment and supplies.  We plan to purchase a Cricut Mug Press; Button Maker 1.25”/punch cutter; Small laminator for regular size paper and smaller; Wood Burning Kit with Soldering Iron; and supplies for these items as well as the heat press and Cricut Maker purchased right before Covid-19 issues hit.  All of the items were tied into the Community Needs Response Plan of our library; the Community’s Strategic Plan; and the Maker Space Survey completed by local citizens in 2018.  We will be notified around November 1^st if we are awarded this grant or not.

A review was presented on the 9/11 Memorial Poster Exhibition on display at our library from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.  A great number of people looked the posters over as well as the display of titles from our collection on this event.  The school teachers were notified of this display as well as the online resources available.  A final report will be submitted soon.

An update was presented on the Author Visit/Book Signing event for local author Bob Ross on September 27^th at 3 p.m.   Close to a dozen people attended.  Refreshments were served by the Library Foundation members of Wendy Allen and Marsha Fuchs. A copy of the book “Billy Above the Roofs” was presented to the Library.

Matt Mason, Nebraska State Poet, was at our library on October 4^th to present a program.  We had 15 people attend.  The library purchased two of his older books and the poet gave the library his newest title.   Board member, Alane Lentz, stated that his readings were very enjoyable.  Refreshments were served by Foundation member Wendy Allen and Director, Gail Irwin.

The Nebraska Library Commission has renewed the Public Performance Site License for the Nebraska public libraries through the Swank Movie Licensing USA Company.  This will run from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022.  The board was reminded of the rules the library needs to comply with on this license.

Under meetings and workshops, a review was given on the Thursday Director’s Zoom Meeting held on Sept. 16^th, 23^rd, and 30^th.  It was noted that Wanda Raymond and Gail Irwin would be attending the Nebraska Makerspace Conference in Lincoln on November 2^nd-3^rd.  The ladies will be on some panels to take questions from other libraries.  The travel, registration, and lodging will be paid by the Innovation Studio Grant.  The Library Foundation Board will be meeting on November 17^th.  Library Director will be in Lincoln for the Nebraska State Advisory Council Meeting on the 18^th of November.  The two part time staff members will be attending the Fall in Love with Cricut Workshop on November 20^th in Grand Island.  Board President Phyllis Leach stated that she would be interested in the workshop in Atkinson on November 10^th.  Director will get her registered for this.   The Board would receive 3 CE’s for attending this workshop towards Board Certification. 

Under correspondence, a letter from the Nebraska Library Association was shared.  It noted that the Golden Sower list of 2022-2023 Chapter Book Nominees contains 11 titles instead of the usual 10.  The Golden Sower nominees are chosen through the efforts of a group of volunteer readers from across the state.  One of these readers objected to the inclusion of one title due to LGBTQIA+ content.  An almost-final list was released prematurely on social media and following commentary, the title was replaced on the final list along with the first alternate.  That substitution was made without consulting the full Golden Sower Committee.  The NLA Executive Board became aware of the issue.  Following a discussion, it was determined that the title should be returned to the selection and thus there are now 11 titles.  The NLA wants everyone to know that the Association does not condone censorship, and stands with the American Library Association, Nebraska School Librarians Association, and American Association of School Librarians in that regard.  Items of interest from Library Newsletters and Journals were shared with the Board.

The next meeting date was set for one week later than usual due to Director being in Lincoln on that date.  The board will be meeting on November 10^th at 5 p.m.  Since there was no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:39 p.m.