HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/18/1984 - Regular Minutes - Bryan College Station Library System Advisory Board • MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE BRYAN LIBRARY BOARD
JANUARY 18, 1984
1. On the 18th of January, 1984, the Library Board of the City of Bryan, Texas
convened in regular session in the regular place in the Reading Area located in
the Library Building at 5 p.m. with the following members present.
ATTENDANCE
Member Present No. of meetings held No. of meetings
today since appointment attended since
appointment
Mrs. C. J. Allen, President X 98 80
Mr. Ed Madeley, Vice President X 5 5
Mrs. Willie Pruitt, Treasurer 98 70
Judge Carolyn Ruffino X 5 5
Mrs. Willie Belle Bogard X 27 21
Mr. Vic Paulos X 27 15
Mrs. Wayne Gibson X 5 3
Absent was Mrs. Willie Pruitt.
Also present was Mrs. Clara B. Mounce, City Librarian and Secretary to the Board.
3. There were no visitors.
4. Minutes for October 1983 were approved as mailed. No meetings were held in
November or December.
5. In a review of statistics it was noted that circulation continues to increase,
but on a small scale. It has been discussed at previous meetings that if
circulation made any sizeable drops, consideration of the fines would be made.
6. There were no committee reports.
7. A. Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Mounce reported on the city council actions concerning
the library. A request to change the, name from Carnegie to Bryan Library Board
was approved by city council in October, 1983.
The request to allow the library to retain damaged and lost materials fees was
denied. The council felt that the budget allows for replacement of lost and
damaged materials. They also said that if the library were allowed to keep
these fees, they would then have requests from other divisions and since none
are self supporting, this cannot be allowed. It is common in larger libraries
that all fees and fines are deposited into the city's general revenue account.
7A. The council took action on the use of the old Eagle building. They voted
to demolish the structure and make a parking lot out of the total space. Mayor
Ron Blatchley asked Mrs. Mounce to speak to the parking problem. She explained
that with Blinn Community College students, GTE employees, county courthouse
• jury calls, city employees and down town Bryan merchants, parking was always
a problem. Use of the available parking at the Eagle is now reserved for library
employees. When action is planned to make a parking lot, the members of the
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• Library Board will support the need for the library to have either a part or
all of the spaces for library use.
8A. Mrs. Mounce reported on the value and results of monthly safety meetings for
library staff. The assistant fire chief and another fireman and 3 people
from Building Maintenance joined the staff for a session on elevator safety
procedures. The Otis Elevator representative demonstrated how to open the
doors when patrons are inside, and recommended how to safely evacuate patrons.
A policy is being written with procedures for various situations. If Otis
Elevator cannot respond in 15 minutes the Bryan firemen will send a rescue
squad to assist us.
If a power failure occurs, the library now has a hand crank to use for
manual positioning of the elevator.
Mrs. Mounce and Mrs. Jerilynn Williams participated in an actual situation
where the elevator stopped between floors, in order to evaluate how a
patron might react.
8B. Friends of the library has scheduled its annual meeting for April 10 in
the library auditorium. Mrs. Jack (Polly) Kent is the new president.
8C. The librarian reported on her trip to Wimberly for a 4 day automation meet-
ing sponsored by Texas State Library. She also reported on the city of
Bryan's merit achievement awards that went to librarians Nan Ross and
Catherine Ezzell, general clerks Mary Woelfel and Juanita Gates, and chief
• office clerk Judy White. Mrs. Mounce also received a merit award.
Mrs. Mdunce reported on new equipment, purchased with Friends of the Bryan
Library funds. On order or in the library are five paperback racks, 3
mobile book browsers for the Rountree Room, adjustable stool for circu-
lation, a dictionary stand for Rountree Room, a newspaper displayer, four
book trucks, and a depressable bookdrop booktruck. The Friends have also
agreed to pay for materials for a volunteer recognition activity at the
annual meeting. There are about 15 volunteers who are working about 160
hours in a months time shelving books, helping in processing and checking
card catalog for subject headings, They are really making an impact on our
services, Mrs. Mounce stated.
Mrs. Mounce also discussed the formulation of a policy.-about children under
age 9 left unattended in the library. She explained that it is happening
and described a situation where a mother has been leaving her 61 year old
daughter at the library after school--sometime5until 9 p.m. Because the
library bathrooms were out of order for 5 hours on January 18, it caused a
problem for the child and we let her telephone her mother. The child was
told she would just have to wait until 5 o'clock. This was around 4 o'clock.
The problem then became ours and we allowed the child to go to the bathroom
in the staff lounge. I spoke with the mother and was told "There is nothing
you can do, this is a public library." Her attitude was very hostile, Mrs.
Mounce said. The Board members agreed we need a policy so that we can
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prevent this abuse, Mrs. Mounce is formulating this policy for discussion/
action at the February Board meeting, Judge Ruffino agreed to provide
input for this policy.
9. The meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
M. C . . cuilfh4 Qgba t `Vit, c e, '
Mrs. C. J. Allen, President Mrs. Clara B. Mounce, City Librarian
and Secretary Board
the Bo rd
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