HEARTLAND LIBRARY COOPERATIVE BOARD MEETING

September 23, 1998

HLC Governing Board voting members present: Hardee County-Gloria David; DeSoto County-Paul Erickson; Okeechobee County-Robbie Clarke, Marilyn Buxton; Highlands County-Perry Newport, Jeri Canale

Board members absent: Walter Olliff, Jr., Diana Youmans, Charles Evans, Barbara Smith, Jeanne Renton and Clois Harvey

Other Attendees; HLC Coordinator Mary Myers, Carolyn Hesselink, Merry Cresswell, Bob Bullard, County Commissioner-Highlands County; Donna Chapman (Born to Read program), Elizabeth Keeney-DeSoto County; Ed Kilroy-Okeechobee County; Diane Hunt-Hardee County.

The meeting was called to order by Chair Jeri Canale at 10:08 a.m. Chairman Canale declared a quorum. Public notice was read. Perry Newport moved the approval of the consent agenda with no additions, seconded by Paul Erickson, carried by voice vote. The consent agenda included the minutes from the May 20 meeting sent in the first mailing to the board members, the financial report, the Coordinator's report, and two grant agreements-Born to Read and State Aid to Libraries.

LONG RANGE PLAN AND BUDGET

Coordinator Myers referred the board to their May 20 Planning Session goals which prioritized three main areas: technology, training and children's services. The State Library funded only our Born to Read proposals. To develop the Born to Read programs in all four counties, a Born to Read Coordinator will be hired. Mrs. Myers announced that the coordinator for the Technical Grant was not funded by the State, but she recommended that we fund this staff person ourselves.

Our first Long Range Pan goal is technology and library automation. Hardee County Librarian Diane Hunt told the board about the cooperative's Florinet Grant, working in conjunction with the Hardee County School Board, that has funded a computer lab with 25 computers and custom made furniture. The lab is now ready to wire. The Cooperative purchased the printers and hubs and this site will be a training site for not only the public, but also Heartland staff members. Diane issued an invitation to the Board to hold a future meeting at Wauchula when the lab is finished.

Coordinator Myers noted that, carrying out our proposed goals will be furthered by the purchase of six laptop computers for training staff and, eventually, the public. She would like to hire a Technology Coordinator to be a trainer and Help Desk technical person for our staffs and the public. This position would also be responsible for our web page design and upkeep. She emphasized that raining for staffs comes firs. Our Help Desk capabilities would cover only Microsoft product support, as that is what we use. Toll free calling is a possibility, especially when the E Rate begins, which will give us an 800# service as a 78% discount.

The board wanted to know how much equipment we have now. Coordinator Myers replied that we own some 80 computers, plus servers, and printers, much of which has replaced older county-owned equipment. This past year has been our first year to buy materials. Over $200,000 was available for collection development (some 10,000 titles), but anticipated rollover will be more than $180,000 because Hardee, Okeechobee and Highlands (Sebring) libraries all are overcrowded and awaiting new construction or remodeling in 1999.

The second Long Range Plan goal is collections and collection development. The librarians believe that purchasing shelf-ready materials will save time (i.e., money). Several companies have been contacted to present their plans, especially Brodart. Mrs. Myers reported that the librarian agreed to standardize their cataloging to enable this to be done. Robbie Clarke noted that, in her experience with the Charlotte County Library, cost benefits are considerable when materials are purchased shelf-ready from a vendor compared to paying staff to prepare materials. If public service is paramount, then the time the materials sit on the shelf waiting for staff to prepare them for use, also must be considered as part of the cost.

Our third Long Range Plan goals is patron, especially children's, services. The four county Board to Read grants, partnerships with county agencies and directed by a Born to Read Coordinator, will target at-risk teens and kids from birth to three years old. Librarian Ed Kilroy told the board about his library's program and school board contacts. He said that some 43% of all at-risk teen mothers in our four counties could be reached by this program. The grant will fund a coordinator to solicit volunteers, do publicity and oversee the four counties and we would apply for a second year's funding through LSTA. Mrs. Myers told the board that we might want, as a cooperative, to use the position eventually in a wider service to youth area, especially, young adults. Our grant will pay for a group to go to Tallahassee for training in the Born to Read program. Candidates for this BTR Coordinator position are already in the wings.

The Board looked over the budget for 1998-99. $250,000 is the base grant from the State Library for a four county cooperative, all other monies received from the State Library are based on he two prior years local support ($.25 on the dollar for cooperatives). Mrs. Myers asked the members to add an inadvertently omitted item, that of Database Coordinator (Diane Hunt) for a salary of $1,650, benefits of $123 and to take that same amount from account 56600 Library Materials, reducing it to $229,717, and the overall budget total for salaries increasing to $155,707.

Paul Erickson asked if TBLC membership is required for each county, or does our cooperative membership include all four counties. Mrs. Myers told the board that this year Tampa Bay Library Consortium (TBLC) is requiring that all our counties join. The cooperative will pay for the membership fee for DeSoto and Okeechobee.

ADOPTION OF LONG RANGE PLAN AND BUDGET

 Perry Newport moved the adoption of the Long Range Plan, Robbie Clarke seconded, and it carried by voice vote.

Perry also moved the adoption of the budget, with the changes indicated by Mrs. Myers, seconded by Robbie Clarke, and carried by voice vote.

THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WAS SET FOR NOVEMBER 18, WEDNESDAY, 10 A.M., LAKE PLACID LIBRARY MEETING ROOM.

The board thanked Jeri Canale for her dedicated service to the Heartland Library Cooperative and her outstanding leadership as chairman during our first two years.

Okeechobee Librarian Ed Kilroy announced their new construction bids are due back this week and invited everyone to their groundbreaking when it take place. He passed out brochures about investing in their building which will have four times the space of the current building with no debt!

Perry Newport agreed to accept the position as chairman of the board until we have our county appointments made. DeSoto and Highlands will appoint new commissioners to serve on our board.

We adjourned at 11:15 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Carolyn L. Hesselink

Administrative Secretary