HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-28-1996 Library Commission MinutesZ
Saratoga Library Commission Meeting
City of Saratoga
February 28, 1996
7:30 p.m.
Action Ninutes
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m.
II. Ro1! Call
Coemissioners Present: Ceppos, Grantham, Manzo, McLaughlin,
Sessler, Towse
Comaissioners ~nt: Foscato (notified absence)
Others Present: Dolly Barnes, Susan Fuller, Irene Jacobs/ ~i~o//
III. Report on Posting o£ CO~Ssion Agenda -tgl=~~N~/~
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda was o
properly posted on February 23, 1996.
IV. Approval of N~nutes of January_ 24, 1996 Meeting
The minutes, provided to the Commission by Jack Grantham
in the absence of Irene Jacobs at the January meeting, were
approved with a change noted by Commissioner Manzo which
included filling in Clarence Cromwell's name that had been
listed on page 2.
V. Old Business
A. Bookdrop: This item will be placed on the March agenda.
Susan Fuller, County Librarian, will brief Commissioners on
the cost estimates of the physical changes to the library
proposedby Commissioner Manzo. Ms. Fuller's understanding up
to this point is that the costs will be substantial.
B. Budget Reguest to Council: There was discussion among the
Commissioners regarding what should be requested of the City
Council to assist with the improvements to the Library. It was
decided that since there was no realistic chance of the City
Council reinstating funding for Sunday hours, then the
Commission should focus on the Council supporting one-time
projects as they had suggested to the Commission at their
joint meeting in January.
Therefore Commissioner Ceppos made a motion to request the
City to supply the materials and labor involved in moving the
large dumpster in the parking lot and using that spot to
create two new parking spaces. Commissioner McLaughlin
seconded the motion and the motion carried with a unanimous
vote.
Sally Towse informed the Commission that she and Ms. Jacobs
would draft a letter to the Council requesting the work to be
done.
C. Vision 2020: In reviewing the goals established in the
Commission's Vision 2020, it was noted that the Commission was
on schedule in meeting its goals. It was suggested that
Vision 2020 be a topic that is discussed should the Commission
schedule a Work Session (Retreat).
VI. New Business
A. Commission Retreat: Irene Jacobs suggested that the
Commission consider scheduling a retreat or work session since
they were planning to focus on the expansion of the library
which ~was a issue that would require a lot of planning and
direction.
Commissioner Manzo suggested that a representative from the
YMCA on Quito Road be invited to speak to the Commission and
share how the YMCA raised funds from both public and private
sources to fund the project. Commissioner Ceppos shared that
the same concept had been used in the construction of the
Children's Shelter in San Jose.
Commissioner Sessler recommended that during the work session,
the Commission should receive concrete advice on how to go
about organizing a bond measure or some other method of fund
raising.
Susan Fuller explained that although private and public
partnerships are a good idea, it would be difficult to raise
money from public donations to the extent that is required to
fund the expansion of the library.
The Commission discussed the fact that Los Altos Library
expansion was funded by a bond measure and it was suggested
that the Library Commission tour the Los Altos Library to see
the new library and to hear how the bond measure was passed.
Commissioner Grantham made a motion to meet on Saturday, March
23rd in order to tour the Los Altos Library and then hold the
Library Retreat afterwards. The motion was not seconded and
during the discussion it was suggested that the tour and the
Retreat/Work Session be scheduled on two different days.
Different alternative days and schedules were proposed.
Commissioner Grantham then revised his initial motion to
meeting on Saturday, March 16th in order to tour the Los Altos
Library and then moving the regular monthly Commission Meeting
to March 20th from March 27th. Commissioner Manzo seconded
the motion and the motion was passed by a unanimous vote.
B. Needs Assessment:
Commissioner Sessler made a motion to table the discussion of
the Needs Assessment until after the tour of the Los Altos
Library. The Motion was seconded by Commissioner McLaughlin
and the motion was discussed.
Dolly Barnes passed out a summary of the Needs Assessment and
said that it would be a lot of work to update the entire
document and suggested that the Commission attach an addendum
to the original document. Commissioner Grantham said that the
document should be used as an appendix rather than an
addendum because there was a good portion that needed to be
updated citing the computer aspects of the assessment as an
example.
Mr. Grantham said that the document needed to tell a story of
what had taken place over these past years. The Needs
Assessment and the idea of expanding the library had to be
abandoned and they needed to concentrate on Measure A since
there were no longer funds for operations. Now that the
funding for operations aspect had been taken care of, the
Commission is revisiting the idea of expanding the library.
Commissioner Ceppos and Susan Fuller agreed with Dolly Barnes
and felt that the document was still very workable in its
present condition. They shared that it was perhaps a bit
premature to put so much effort into updating the Needs
Assessment at this point.
Commissioner Sessler's original motion was carried and the
Needs Assessment was tabled until after the tour of the Los
Altos Library. Dolly Barnes suggested that when the issue of
the Needs Assessment is revisited, Susan Fuller should share
the County's building policy with the Commission.
C. Library ChairNominatiQns:
Commissioner S easier nominated the present Co-chair Ceppos who
thanked the Commission but declined. Commissioner Ceppos
urged both Commissioner McLaughlin and Commissioner Manzo to
serve as Chair of the Commission. Commissioner McLaughlin
thanked the Commission but declined. Commissioner Manzo was
hesitant to accept the nomination since she was so new to the
Commission but the current Chair to the Commission, Sally
Towse, assured Commissioner Manzo that she would help her out.
Commissioner Ceppos nominated Commissioner Manzo, Commissioner
Sessler seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous to
elect Commissioner Manzo as the new Chair of the Library
Commission!!!!!!
D.Reschedule meeting dates:
This item was addressed under New Business.
VII. RepOrts
Susan Fuller, County Librarian
Susan Fuller reported that the Appeals Board Hearing was
scheduled for February 29th at the Quinlan Center in
Cupertino. Ms. Fuller would stress to the board that whatever
they decided upon would be setting a precedence and she would
be reminding them that the purpose of the measure was to raise
funds not to reduce the source of funding. The appeals
process had proven to be quite time consuming and the staff
had spent a lot of time preparing for this process.
She also reported that the new topics for the partnership with
the Mercury were,"Education and Juvenile Crime". The schedule
of meetings should come out in early Spring.
Dolly Barnes~ Community Librarian
Dolly Barnes reported that the City Council, along with the
Parks and Recreation Commission and the Saratoga Rotary Club
would be planting trees outside of the library this weekend.
She also reported that the Friends of the Library had hosted
the last Chamber Mixer in the Library Community Room. It was
attended by close to 100 people who also enjoyed tours of the
library.
Sally informed the Commission that Nancy Howe had recently
been hired as the Adult Librarian.
Irene Jacobs~ Staff to the Commission
Staff member Jacobs passed out a copy of a letter that had
been addressed to the Council from the City of Temecula
requesting that Saratoga support their efforts of recovering
state library funding that has been withdrawn from County
libraries by the State of California. Ms. Jacobs asked that
the Commissioners consider requesting the Council to pass a
resolution supporting Temecula's efforts and this item would
be discussed at the next meeting.
Ms. Jacobs also informed the Commission that she had received
a memo from the City's CDBG representative inviting them to
submit an application for a CDBG Grant through the city.
Sally Towse, Chair
Commissioner Towse shared the most recent issues of the
Friends of the Library Newsletter and February 14th issue of
the Saratoga News which highlighted the Foundation and the
shortage of space in the library.
VIII.Oral and Written Communications None.
IX. Adjournment
Commissioner Manzo made a motion to adjourn the meeting and
Commissioner McLaughlin seconded the motion. The motion
carried with a unanimous vote. The meeting was adjourned at
9:15 p.m.
Prepared By:
X~ene M. Jacq~s
Administratt~ Analyst