Kankakee Times

Bourbonnais Public Library District Board of Trustees met May 17.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

President David Stejkowski called to order the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Bourbonnais Public Library District at 7:00 p.m.

Trustees present: David Stejkowski, Mary Kay Blankestyn, Deborah Hendrick, Laurie Hofman, Judith Smead, and Ellen Stringer.

Also present: Library Director Kelly McCully.

Administer Oath of Office for (2) Reelected Trustees: The Oath of Office was administered by Board Secretary Deborah Hendrick to reelected trustees, David Stejkowski and Laurie Hofman.

Discuss and Appoint Trustee (First of 2 Vacancies): Smead made a motion to appoint Mary Kay Blankestyn to fill the first of 2 trustee vacancies. Hofman seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Administer Oath of Office for (1) Appointed Trustee: The Oath of Office was administered by Board Secretary Deborah Hendrick to newly appointed trustee, Mary Kay Blankestyn.

President’s Report: Stejkowski noted there was a quorum present.

Secretary’s Report: The Board reviewed the minutes from the regular Board Meeting held April 19, 2021, the Personnel Committee Meeting held May 12, 2021, and the Policy Committee Meeting held May 13, 2021. Stringer made a motion to accept all the minutes as presented. Stejkowski seconded the motion and it passed with a vote of all ayes.

Correspondence & Communications and Public Comment (action items only): None

Financial Report: Stringer reviewed the transactions and asked for any questions. Stringer made a motion to pay the monthly bills as presented. Blankestyn seconded the motion. Stejkowski, Blankestyn, Hendrick, Hofman, Smead, and Stringer voted yes. The balance sheet is tracking at 76.4% and will be submitted to the auditor.

Director’s Report: Deadlines: June 19, Last day for new Board of Library Trustees to hold first organizational meeting, execute Oaths of Office, and elect President and Secretary. June 30, Fiscal year ends. July 1, Schedule of regular Library Board meeting dates must be prepared and made available to the public.

Marketing: There are currently 1,476 people on the library email list. The Library has 2,326 followers on Facebook and 799 followers on Instagram (a bar graph was included showing marketing stats).

The BPL website is undergoing further work to ensure that the website is fully accessible to all library patrons. A website accessibility check identified areas of the BPL site that need further review and updating such as font sizes, links, etc. Pathfinder will complete the accessibility work on the website.

New items have been added to the bookBonnais shop. Buttons and stickers are now available and may be purchased for $1. Coffee mugs will arrive soon. Each of these items were designed by Marketing Coordinator, Katey Moore.

Adult Services: Tech time is back! The Adult Services Department will offer one on one technology tutoring for library patrons on Thursday mornings in the library lobby. Patrons are invited to bring in their phones, tablets, and laptops to receive some individual tutoring and advice on using library applications.

Upcoming programs include a Photography Contest and a Walk and Talk Book Club at 6:30 p.m. on June 1 at the Perry Farm.

Youth Services: The Youth Services Team shared a special chicken storytime from Technical Services Supervisor, Kris Weybright’s chicken coop. Youth Services Assistant, Raegan Zelaya, skillfully entertained the chicken audience and introduced viewers to Kris’s flock. McCully included a link for Board members to watch the full video.

A Children’s Circulation Statistics chart comparing April 2019 and April 2021 was also included.

There is a new storywalk available at the Perry Farm trail. Walkers are invited to enjoy the outdoors while exploring and interacting with the story Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson.

Circulation Services: Magazines and newspapers are available for patron browsing again. The Library has resumed subscriptions to all of our newspapers. Patrons can browse current issues of newspapers and magazines. Back issues of magazines can be checked out for three weeks.

Bourbonnais Public Library circulation statistics continue to lead area libraries with an April circulation total of 5,828.

Technical Services: 352 new items were added to the collection. 140 items were weeded from the collection.

Summer Reading Adventure: The library’s Summer Reading Adventure, Reading Colors Your World, will begin on June 1 and run through July 31. Planning for this summer initiative begins in January each year; it is a combined effort between the Adult Services, Youth Services, and Marketing and Circulation Departments. Promotional materials, a rainbow BPL logo, and reading logs for children were all custom designed by Marketing Coordinator, Katey Moore. Further information and a schedule of events are available on the library’s website.

Committee Reports:

Personnel: None

Finance: Set meeting date to review FY 2021-22 Cost Control Worksheet. McCully will email Stringer with possible dates for this meeting.

Policy: None

Building and Grounds: None.

Long Range Planning: None.

Unfinished Business:

Library Reopening Plan and Response to COVID-19: McCully led a discussion of the vaccination statistics for Kankakee County and Illinois as she reviewed the Restore Illinois Guidelines. McCully reported that the majority of library staff have been vaccinated. The Board discussed the mask requirement for patrons and decided the mask mandate is still in effect. Staff may offer a mask to a patron not wearing one but if the mask is not accepted then disengage from the patron. The Library continues to offer the curbside option for patrons. Programming for children will be outside with social distancing but no masks will be required. The Library continues in Phase 4 of the Reopening Plan.

New Business:

Discuss and Appoint Trustee to the Board (Second of 2 Vacancies): Stringer made a motion to appoint Amanda Wright to fill the second of 2 trustee vacancies. Smead seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Election of Board Officers: After a brief discussion by the Board, Hendrick made a motion to retain the current slate of officers for two years. Hofman seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Assign Committee Appointments: This item was tabled until the June Board meeting.

Approve Recommendations from Personnel Committee: Blankestyn made a motion to accept the recommendation from the Personnel Committee concerning the FY 2021-22 Wage Scale. Hofman seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Approve Recommendations from Policy Committee: Smead made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Policy Committee concerning the edits to Trustees & Legal Requirements 01-02 By-Laws suggested by legal counsel. Stejkowski seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Stringer made a motion to accept the recommendations of the Policy Committee concerning Serving Our Public 03-26 Social Media Policy and Serving Our Public 03-24 Tobacco, Drug, and Alcohol Free Library Policy. Blankestyn seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Executive Session:

Discuss Director’s Evaluation: Blankestyn made a motion to move into Executive Session to discuss the director’s evaluation at 7:55 p.m. Stringer seconded the motion. Stejkowski, Blankestyn, Hendrick, Hofman, Smead, and Stringer voted yes.

McCully was not present at the Executive Session. Stejkowski noted there was a quorum present.

Smead reported on the Personnel Committee meeting held May 12 and the decision to meet with library supervisors on May 20. Smead will then meet with McCully to discuss her evaluation.

Hendrick moved that the Board return to regular session at 8:06. Stejkowski seconded the motion and it passed with all ayes.

Public Comment: None.

Adjournment: Hofman made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:06 p.m. Smead seconded the motion and it passed with a vote of all ayes.

https://www.bourbonnaislibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Minutes-5-17-2021.pdf