02-12-2007 (Library) Minutes MINUTES
Library Advisory Board
Monday, February 12, 2007
Smith Public Library
800 Thomas Street
7:00 p.m.
Grace Morrison called the meeting to order.
Members Present: Grace Morrison, Shirley Burnett, Dave James, Junaid
Najamuddin, Rachel Orozco
Members Absent: Sandy Williams, Joe Murphy
Special Guests: Mindy Manson, City Manager; Rodney Bland, Library Director,
Rowlett Public Library
ciTTZENTARTIMATION
Rodney Bland, Library Director of the Rowlett Public Library is serving as
consultant for staffing. This was made possible by a grant from the Northeast
Texas Library System. Rodney has been a Library Director for 18 years and a
Librarian for 38 years.
Rodney explained that the Library would look at Service Points for better
customer service. This would include Technical Service, Processing, Circulation,
Reference, and specialized area such as Young Adult. Another factor includes new
hours that the Library will be open. The trends have been that business increases
fifty to seventy percent. He said that in trying to forecast the needs of the
community by doing surveys. Rodney gave Frisco as an example of a new building
whose circulation more than doubled. One of the ways of dealing with this is self
check-out and RFID.
Rodney explained that the community has to decide whether to go with one floor or
two. However, a second floor does require additional staff. It also has a safety
component to it. The Library has to have enough staffing to secure the second floor.
Technology has added another dimension to Library Service, requiring Librarians to
assist patrons with computer instruction and reference service. Reader's Advisory is
another aspect of Library service that requires staff
Rodney explained that the Library is not an office setting. The Library has its own
unique requirements for staffing.
Rodney will use the focus of service points for better customer service for Wylie.
Rodney said that benchmarking with other City's as been popular. However, Wylie
has unique needs and its own use patterns. He will take into account Wylie's unique
needs when considering staffing. He wants to present a logical picture to the City
Manager.
The Library Staff will do Service Points hour-by-hour to determine staffing. After
studying service points and activities, a plan will be determined for staffing. It is
really t he first year that determines your staffing.
Self-check augments staffing, but does not replace staffing. Technology assists
Library staff in doing their work. Rodney will address Service Points rather than
one floor and two floors. The discussion will include what happens when a Library
goes to a second floor.
Rachel Orozco said that the meetings regarding the new Library are open to the
public. She had the schematic designs on the wall. The staff will review the
schematic designs more closely and send those ideas to the City Manager and the
architect.
Mindy Manson, City Manager, explained that decisions had not been made yet.
The architects are creating schematic designs for all three buildings. Phase 1 is
what the City thinks it can afford.
E #jllt
Rachel Orozco, went to the ALA-Midwinter meeting. She took a class on buildings, as
part of this, she wrote a Building. Plan. She is also taking a budget class online. The
Library spends $1.83 per child. She also did a programming budget for each department.
Rachel Orozco did a study of the Library grants. Prior to 2000, funding was more
available. Lack of funding in general and the size of the building, prohibited the
Library from receiving grants.
OTIMUTEMS
The meeting was adjourned at 8 p.m.
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race Morrison,President