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MEETING MINUTES

Minutes of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Board of Trustees
October 21, 1999

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library was held on Thursday, October 21, 1999 in the Central Library pursuant to due notice to trustees. The following members were present:

Rebecca L. Mahoney, Chair; Phyllis A. Horton, Vice Chair; Simone Mitchell-Peterson, Secretary; David J. Shenk, Treasurer; James W. Burns; Frank Gist; Annette A. Juncewicz; Remy Orffeo; Elaine M. Panty; Robert J. Plache; Daniel T. Roach; Judith K. Summer; Stanley H. Zagora; Morton H. Stovroff, Trustee Emeritus; George M. Zimmermann, Trustee Emeritus

Excused: Salvatore R. Martoche, conflict; Sharon A. Thomas, conflict; Roland R. Benzow, Trustee Emeritus; Richard O. Hopkins, Trustee Emeritus; John P. Wickser, Trustee Emeritus

Chair Mahoney called the meeting to order at 4 p.m. in the Joseph B. Rounds Conference Room.

Agenda Item B – Approval / Changes to the Agenda. On motion by Mr. Shenk and seconded by Ms. Panty the Agenda was approved as amended to include Items J.4 – Request to Library Foundation for Planting Materials and J.5 – Request to Library Foundation for Milestones of Science Video Project. Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter will follow Agenda Item J.

Agenda Item C – Minutes of the Meeting of September 16, 1999. Mr. Shenk moved the approval of the Minutes of the meeting of September 16, 1999. Mr. Gist seconded the motion. Ms. Horton indicated that she was not present at the Jefferson Construction Project community meeting as was mentioned on page 9 of the Minutes. On motion by Ms. Horton and seconded by Ms. Panty the Minutes of the Meeting of September 16, 1999 were approved as amended.

Agenda Item D - Report of the Chair. Ms. Mahoney informed the Board that, as indicated in the Report of the Director, she and Mrs. Chrisman had a very positive meeting with "Forever Elmwood" representatives Michael Ferdman and Daniel Sack regarding the Aaron Cohen recommendations. At that meeting, she reiterated the point that the Strategic Plan is a working plan in progress and indicated that the Library hopes to keep the lines of communication open.

Ms. Mahoney reminded Executive Committee members that the November meeting has been rescheduled to Monday, November 8^th at 5 p.m. prior to the 6:15 debut of the Milestones of Science video.

Ms. Mahoney and Mrs. Chrisman also met with Town of Tonawanda Trustees on October 18^th to discuss the Strategic Plan and its implications. She and the Interim Director are attempting to meet with the boards of the three largest contract library systems.

Agenda Item E – Committee Reports.

Agenda Item E. 1 – Executive Committee. Ms. Horton reported that the Executive Committee met on Thursday, October 14, 1999 to approve the agenda for today’s meeting and receive reports regarding the various items on today’s agenda.

Agenda Item E. 2 – Budget & Finance Committee.

Agenda Item E.2.a. – Contract Library Transfers. On motion by Mr. Shenk and seconded by Mr. Orffeo the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-55

Agenda Item E.2.b. – Amend 1999-2000 State Corrections Grant Budget. Mr. Stone indicated that this item acknowledges an additional $3201 in State Corrections Grant funds. The grant award is based upon the estimated prison population. There were more prisoners in the three facilities within Erie County than was estimated in the Library’s budget. On motion by Mr. Orffeo and seconded by Ms. Horton the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-56

Agenda Item E.2.c – Completion Certification – State Construction Grants for OPAC Infrastructure. Mr. Stone reported that work on the two projects which supported the data cabling and electrical wiring of the public workstations in the Central Library’s training facility and network center has been completed. Resolution 99-57 accepts and approves the staff’s report that 100% of the project has been completed and authorizes staff to request final payment. On motion by Ms. Horton and seconded by Ms. Panty the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-57

Agenda Item E.2.d – Print Shop Photocopier Replacement. Mr. Stone informed the Board that the Print Shop photocopier provides print materials for all units in the B&ECPL system. The Library has been experiencing increasing repair activity and related downtime as the copier has aged. After reviewing a variety of options, staff recommends trading in the existing equipment for a new Xerox Model 5885 photocopier, utilizing New York State Contract pricing and a five-year installment purchase. On motion by Ms. Panty and seconded by Ms. Horton the following was unanimously approved:

RESOLUTION 99-58

Agenda Item E.2.e – Amend 1999 Budget County - Contingency Funds for Clarence Library. Mr. Stone reminded trustees that in July of 1998, County Executive Gorski approved the Library’s request for assistance to help defray the costs of new furnishings and opening day collection at the new Clarence Library. Mr. Gorski agreed to fund 25% of the Clarence Library’s estimated $800,000 collection/furnishings cost. On September 23, 1999 the County Legislature approved the County Executive’s request to allocate $200,000 to the Clarence Library’s opening day collection. The proposed resolution confirms the Board of Trustees’ acceptance of the funds and approves a budget amendment to allocate the proceeds. Ms. Summer moved adoption of Resolution 99-59. Ms. Horton seconded the motion. During discussion Ms. Mahoney indicated that she was very pleased with the County’s action. There being no further discussion, as moved and seconded earlier the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-59

Agenda Item E.2.f – Amend 1999 Budget – Snow Emergency Reimbursement. Mr. Stone reported that last January’s snow emergency imposed above normal costs on the Library, principally in overtime expenses. A portion of that cost was eligible for emergency reimbursement. A total of $888 has been received from the federal and state governments. The proposed resolution amends the operating budget to recognize this revenue and apply it towards the Overtime budget. On motion by Mr. Shenk and seconded by Ms. Panty the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-60

Agenda Item E.2.g – Monthly Financial Report 8/31/99. The financial report for the period ending August 31, 1999 was presented for information.

Agenda Item F – Report of the Director. In addition to her written report Mrs. Chrisman reminded trustees of the following library events that will take place on Saturday, October 23^rd: The ACT trustees will meet at 10 a.m. at the Town of Concord Public Library in Springville, the Town of North Collins Public Library’s grand opening is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the Grand Island Memorial Library’s 10^th anniversary celebration will take place at 2 p.m. She indicated that anyone who is able to attend any of those events is encouraged to go. There will be adequate representation from the Library Administration.

Mrs. Chrisman called attention to a Buffalo News article in the Correspondence Book regarding a conference entitled "Fostering Community Through Applied History: A Multidisciplinary Conference in honor of Dr. Monroe Fordham." Dr. Fordham was a long-standing member of the B&ECPL Board of Trustees. Two Library staff members will present papers at the conference.

Mrs. Chrisman reminded trustees that the past year has been devoted to taking a step back and looking at the recommendations in the Aaron Cohen report. A task force has been formed to explore the Hub Services Concept, which was one of the proposals contained in the report. That committee, which includes trustees Mahoney, Horton and Summer, meets regularly and has come up with some good models and ideas which will be presented to the Planning Committee at its next meeting. A series of six meetings will be held in contract libraries to present the models developed by the Task Force and to hear the opinions, comments and input of the contract library trustees and directors.

Mrs. Chrisman informed the Board that B&ECPL staff member, Cynthia Van Ness, has recently published a book entitled "Victorian Buffalo, Images from the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library." Mrs. Chrisman shared her personal copy of the book with trustees and noted that Ms. Van Ness will be signing copies of her book at the Central Library during the New York Library Association Conference on Thursday, October 28 between 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Trustee Summer commented that the all-day ACT meeting on September 25^th was very interesting and worthwhile. She felt that Library Development representative Jim Farrell, who spoke about the responsibilities of trustees, gave people a lot to think about.

Ms. Mahoney took the opportunity to express her appreciation to Deputy Director Shirley Whelan and her staff for their efforts to install Internet workstations at all of the system libraries.

The following report was submitted by the Interim Director and transmitted to Board members prior to the meeting:

Strategic Planning: Board Chair Rebecca Mahoney and the Interim Director met with Michael Ferdman and Daniel Sack, representatives of Forever Elmwood, on September 27^th to discuss recommendations of Aaron Cohen Associates, Ltd. regarding city branches, particularly Crane Branch. Perspectives on city neighborhoods were shared and the process for obtaining community input was explained.

Various aspects of strategic planning, including Centralized Human Resources, the Hub Services Concept, the New Services and Financial Plans, Policies, Communications and Technology, were discussed at the September 25^th Workshop presented by ACT (The Association of the Boards of Trustees of the Contracting Libraries of the B&ECPL). Administrators and contract library representatives joined Board Chair Mahoney in introducing the topics. B&ECPL trustees Judith Summer and Elaine Panty attended the session.

In addition to strategic planning, the program included Assistant Deputy Director Michael Mahaney’s presentation of B&ECPL’s Internet policy, his review of national attitudes toward Internet access and discussion of the potential impacts of legislation regarding e-rate funding and unfiltered access to the Net. Jim Farrell, from the Division of Library Development in Albany, was featured in the morning session. His topic was the duties and responsibilities of trustees. Legislator Lynn Marinelli, as luncheon speaker, discussed her strong support of libraries and their importance to the education of Erie County’s children.

New Electronic Databases Demonstrated: At a System Meeting held September 29^th, Central Library staff, Mary Ann Ozimek and Jennifer Childs, demonstrated four new databases which have been added to the networked workstations throughout the B&ECPL. Featured databases included full text of the Buffalo News (dating from 1992), the New York Times (90-day rolling file), World Book Encyclopedia, and Gale Literary Resources (including Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism and Dictionary of Literary Biography). This review highlighted the wide-ranging scope of information offered as well as the ease of access.

Although these subscriptions require a substantial commitment of the materials budget ($135,000 total), this approach represents the beginning of a new era in reference service for the System. The breadth of coverage, the timeliness of the information, and the availability at every library, make this expenditure an excellent investment.

Central Librarians Take on New Assignments: Central Library managers have implemented the first of many new staff assignments to revamp supervisory responsibilities in light of recent key personnel changes (Sharon Holley, formerly Children’s Department Head, to Extension Services and Jane Rosenfeld, formerly Manager of Central Special Projects, to Hamburg). As the Strategic Plan-driven "Staffing Models" committee meets to make recommendations for long term System-wide staffing, Assistant Deputy Director Collins is working with her management team to make immediate adjustments to ensure continued high-quality public service and to plan for retirements anticipated over the next year. The ultimate goal is to redefine Central staff assignments to guarantee that specialized subject knowledge is maintained and collection/special projects related to strategic plan objectives are completed, while cross-training staff allows flexibility in scheduling for desk coverage throughout the building.

Among new assignments, Bruce Weymouth (BS&T) is liaison to the Support Services division for RECON activities; Debbie Fink (HSS) will direct the staff assigned to HSS/RECON and Patricia Monahan (RBR) will oversee the identification of items for the Rare Book Room in this next phase of the project. Ron Padwater has been assigned government documents coordination. Kate Weeks has assumed responsibility for Patent Office liaison activities. As announced previously, Linda Perkins, Children’s Services Coordinator, is acting in the capacity of the Head of the Children’s Department.

Fall Program & Tour Season Begins at Central. A new trimester of public technology training in the Central Library Training Lab began September 20^th. This continues to be an extremely popular new service, with waiting lists for most sessions through November 19^th. Central librarians/trainers include Meg Cheman, Jennifer Childs, Carey Harmon, Darlene Lysarz, Tosca Miserendino, and Rosemary Vazquez.

Among other notable programs conducted recently at Central, William H. Loos spoke to twenty-seven members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (AABA); staff assisted thirty-three SUNYAB Urban Geography students in specialized research; a B&ECPL co-sponsored SBA / SCORE workshop was conducted for thirty-one participants; Everywoman’s Opportunity Center brought a group of eight to tour; and the Children’s Room conducted nine class visits during September.

Stacks Department Reorganization: Together with the wage increase approved earlier this year by the Library Board, a number of other measures are being taken in an effort to increase the retention rate of part time (largely student) Stacks staff. After many months of study and discussion with Assistant Deputy Director Collins, Central Library department managers and page supervisors, Mary Jean Jakubowski, Circulation/Stacks Manager, has begun implementation of significant changes in the method of hiring, assigning work, and supervising pages. A new Handbook is ready for distribution in conjunction with an orientation session for all new page/senior page staff. Rosemary Vazquez (BS&T) has been assigned a lead role to assist Ms. Jakubowski in the implementation of the new procedures.

BPO Concerts to Feature Music from B&ECPL’s Collections: On October 6^th, County Executive Gorski and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra announced a new series of concerts showcasing the music collections of the B&ECPL. Funded by a $200,000 grant from the County Executive, the concerts will feature music from the Library’s unique and rare sheet music, scores and orchestral sets.

Extension Services Signs on as Literacy Partner: The Department of Extension Services will become a community partner in the Even Start Family Literacy Partnership Program at the Belle Center. Niagara Branch will provide a rotating book collection and support educational and literacy activities for children and adults.

Staff to Present Paper at Buffalo State: On October 22^nd, Coordinator of Urban Services Sharon Holley and Branch Manager Sandra Williams Bush will present a paper at Buffalo State College for "Fostering Community Through Applied History," a multidisciplinary conference in honor of Dr. Monroe Fordham. Dr. Fordham is a former member of the B&ECPL Board of Trustees.

City Branches Welcome Refugees: Buffalo Branches have been busy welcoming refugees in need of library services. Crane Branch worked with a group of Bosnians who came from the International Institute for a tour and to register for library cards. East Delavan has been serving customers from La Casa, a shelter for refugees run by Vive Inc. Currently, there are three families from Eastern European countries using the Internet to get news from their homeland.

New North Collins Library Set to Open: Although the grand opening celebration for the new North Collins library is planned for October 23^rd, Planning Coordinator Peggy Skotnicki and the Interim Director had a "sneak preview" on October 4^th. Board Chair Mahoney has been invited to speak at the opening ceremony.

Clarence Building Project: On October 13^th, revised schematics for the new Clarence Library were reviewed by Planning Coordinator Peggy Skotnicki, the Interim Director, representatives from Clarence and the architect. The new building promises to be a beautiful structure with many exciting, creative design features.

Free Direct Access Plan: In 1998, the Board of Regents adopted an amendment to Commissioner’s Regulation §90.3 affecting the onsite use and direct access provisions of the Public Library System Plans of Service. Although the amendment does not affect the B&ECPL because of provisions in both the 1953 legislation creating the System and the annual agreement with each contract library, the System is required to file a Free Direct Access Plan by December 31, 1999. Since the plan must be signed by a majority of the contract libraries, letters and copies of the plan are being sent to those boards for review, with a request to approve the plan by November 30,1999. The Plan will be brought to the B&ECPL trustees at their December 1999 meeting.

Oishei Foundation Projects: In addition to the advances reported last month regarding the Milestones of Science video, radio and web site projects, substantial progress has been made in digitizing both primary and secondary works for the creation of the Huck Finn CD-ROM. Robert Bertholf, Curator of the University at Buffalo’s Poetry and Rare Books Collection has been in contact with the editorial board of twenty distinguished Twain scholars from around the country. During this past quarter, he has solicited their assistance in determining the contents and ultimate scope of the CD-ROM. The Library is enjoying a solid, cooperative working relationship with Dr. Bertholf and his staff.

George S. Bobinski Honored: Assistant Deputy Director Michael Mahaney and the Interim Director joined many other B&ECPL staff at a reception celebrating Dr. Bobinski’s twenty-nine years as Dean of the School of Information and Library Studies.

The following report was submitted to the Interim Director by the Deputy Director, Chief Financial Officer and transmitted to the Board for information:

Library Computer Room Asbestos Abatement Project Nearly Complete: Asbestos abatement was completed successfully, with good monitoring test results. The new ceiling and lighting system is 90% installed, with work finishing up next week.

Preparation for Y2K "Wellness" Verification Continues: As a participant in the County’s Business Interruption Response Team (BIRT), the Library has submitted its plans for verifying the performance of building and automated systems in the hours and days after 12:01 a.m. January 1^st 2000. A series of tests will be performed and reported to the County’s Emergency Operations Center, which will be operational during the period. No major disruption of utilities and other basic services are antici- pated. The verification process is simply a precautionary measure.

Year Three E-Rate Training Session Fruitful: Yesterday Deputy Director Whelan and I attended a training session sponsored by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) on changes being implemented for year three of the program (July 1, 2000 – June 30, 2001).

The funding application window is anticipated to open in early November, 1999 and close in mid-January 2000. This schedule should allow funding commitments to be made prior to the July 1, 2000 start of year three. (While we have received $231,000 in funding commitments for year two requests, we have yet to receive award decisions on ten of our year two requests, representing approximately $200,000 in pre-discount cost.) The trade off is that applications must be prepared and purchasing arrangements made as far as 18 months in advance.

One problem area yet to be addressed deals with technological advances that occur between the time applications must be submitted and the time funding is awarded. Frequently equipment requested has been replaced by higher capacity and/or lower cost components. Or different/better solutions to a given activity may become available (this is particularly true in the area of wireless technology for potential use in our bookmobiles). Present rules present little flexibility to change plans to take advantage of technological advances beyond a one-for-one substitution of comparable items when the item specified is no longer current.

Attending the session was very useful from another perspective. We were able to ask and receive answers to a variety of questions specific to the B&ECPL from individuals in charge of the program and its implementation. Additionally, common problems and questions amongst both applicants and service providers were discussed and addressed. Much of this activity took place outside the formal program (to address them in the formal program would not have been practicable due to time limitations).

SLD officials were encouraged to hear of B&ECPL’s transformation from only text based or paper card catalogs one year ago to full graphical access to the library’s resources and the Internet in all our libraries by the end of November this year. E-rate discounts helped to make this possible.

The following report was submitted to the Interim Director by the Deputy Director, Corporate Information Officer and transmitted to the Board for information:

OPAC – Final Phase at Towns and Branches: It may be hard to believe but The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is in the final phase of a four-year OPAC project! There are now forty-one libraries that have personal computers with public access to the B&ECPL Web Catalog, the Internet and Microsoft applications. Newly installed libraries, which never had the original text-based OPAC, are North Collins and Greenhaven.

The installation at the last regional library, Hamburg, was completed this month. In addition, original OPAC workstations were replaced with new personal computers with the B&ECPL "Public Access Model" at nine town libraries including Elma, Boston, Lancaster, North Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Clarence, City of Tonawanda, East Aurora and Grand Island. The project is expected to be completed in early November.

It is important to reflect on how different the final product that was delivered to our patrons is from the original design. Because of rapid improvements in technology, the explosion of the Internet, spiraling decrease in costs and B&ECPL’s ability to leverage and enhance the original funding with "E-Rate" discounts and grants from prestigious organizations such as the Gates Library Foundation, MCI and our own Library Foundation, it is significantly better. Today’s public access workstation is approximately 10 times faster than the 1995 "vintage" personal computer using a 486 processor.

With the increased power, applications that were not even dreamed of previously will be readily available at all of our libraries. Not only is the Library’s catalog web-based and easier to use, but patrons have access to many more electronic resources and can combine their access with use of a full complement of software products including word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. We truly have come a long way and can say that the digital services offered at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library are as good as anywhere in the country. However, we cannot stop. Technology will continue to change even faster and we must be prepared to continue to grow.

RFP for New Laser Bar Code Scanners Developed: A Request for Proposal (RFP) for the approximately 220 new laser bar code scanners to replace our obsolete OCR wands has been completed. Response is expected during the month of November.

RFP for Printer Cost Recovery Developed: A Request for Proposal (RFP) was developed for hardware and software to automate the cost recovery for patron printing at the Central Library and possibly, the regional and larger libraries. The document is now being reviewed with Ken Stone, CFO and upon completion will be sent to Erie County Purchasing for solicitation of bids. Response is expected by December 1.

Agenda Item G – Report of the Foundation Director. In addition to her written report which contained information regarding the departure of Roland R. Benzow from the Library Foundation Board of Directors, the John R. Oishei Foundation, the Children’s Book Acquisition Project, the Grosvenor Concert Series, Children’s Author/Illustrator Series and the Staff Reimbursement Fund, Ms. Vedder acknowledged Cynthia Van Ness and her work on "Victorian Buffalo." Ms. Van Ness has generously offered to provide a portion of the proceeds to the Library Foundation for support of the B&ECPL.

Ms. Vedder invited trustees to the Grosvenor Concert’s Celtic music performance at the Cazenovia Branch library this evening at 6:30. She also encouraged trustees to attend the November 8^th debut of the "Milestones of Science" project. In response to Ms. Panty’s question regarding attendance at the Grosvenor Concerts’ branch performances, Ms. Vedder indicated that they are very popular.

Mr. Orffeo complimented the Foundation Board for recognizing the service of Roland R. Benzow to the Library and the Library Foundation by appointing him to the position of Director Emeritus.

Agenda Item H - Public Comment. Vera M. Martin of Buffalo, a resident of the Ellicott District and candidate for the office of Ellicott District Councilmember, presented a statement indicating her opposition to the closing of any community libraries and in particular the Martin Luther King Library in the Towne Gardens Plaza. Ms. Martin presented petitions with over 1000 signatures of people who are opposed to the closing of the King Branch. She questioned the selection of the Strategic Planning consultants and asked when community meetings will be scheduled.

Ms. Mahoney responded that she will answer questions in a statement following Public Comment.

Andy Goldstein of Buffalo, a candidate for Council At Large on the Green Party line expressed his concern that the Library Board will spend hours and years developing a strategic plan with very little input from the public. He stated that the Strategic Plan has been in place for one year and the public has not been engaged in debate in an ongoing manner.

A. Bluelaugh of the Buffalo Criterion and member of the Ellicott Federation of Block Clubs, expressed his concern about the closing of libraries countywide. He stated that the Board should listen and hearken to the public cause.

A. Africa indicated that he is a resident of the Ellicott District and a supporter of Vera Martin. He stated that the King Branch is the only library that serves the new home owners in that district, as well as the housing projects. He was concerned that decisions are being made without community input.

Valerie Niederhofer of Buffalo, who is running for the Green Party in the Ellicott District, expressed her concern about the closing of the Martin Luther King Library. She felt that the City of Buffalo needs to have a library board of its own in order to advocate for the city, as the boards of trustees do in the suburban and rural libraries.

Tom Potts, with a business at 2934 Genesee Street, expressed his concern about the closing of community libraries in the city. He felt that the Genesee/Doat Street area was abandoned by the B&ECPL years ago when the Genesee Branch was closed. He asked that the communities be involved in the Board’s decision making regarding the Strategic Plan.

Elizabeth Berry of Buffalo indicated that she has been attending meetings in the area regarding community involvement and actions. She stated that the Board is not listening and responding to the community. She further stated that the people have told the Board that they want to retain their neighborhood libraries and the Board has slated them for closing. She said she has petitions with 5000 signatures and will continue to collect more.

Dorothy Utnik, West Seneca Member of the Green Party of Erie County, indicated that she is campaigning to keep libraries open. She felt that people want libraries that they can get to easily. She stated "We have a good library system that’s not broken. Why would anyone want to fix it."

L. Davis, who has a business in the Ellicott district, indicated that neighborhood libraries are a good investment and asked the Board to keep the Martin Luther King Library open.

Mr. Africa spoke again and asked the Board to keep an open mind to the comments it received from the public.

There being no further public comment, Ms. Mahoney read the following statement for the public record:

The Board of Trustees of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library sitting before you invites and welcomes comments from the community. A library that fails to reflect its community fails to fulfill its mission. When those comments, though, diverge from the truth and cause confusion and consternation, however, a response is necessary.

Since the release of the Strategic Plan report of Aaron Cohen Associates in November of 1998, nearly one year ago, this Board has stated repeatedly and consistently how it intends to pursue the evaluation of that report and the development of a program that would improve and deliver library service to the residents of Buffalo and Erie County in the next millennium.

Fact. To date the Board of Trustees has not adopted a Strategic Plan. Claims that the Board is planning to undertake a variety of activities, popular or unpopular, and dramatically affect library service to this community without the involvement of the community are absolutely false. This Board, which meets monthly in public session, has not formalized its course of action and will not do so until it has concluded a variety of fact finding and related tasks and conducted the public meetings it has promised to conduct since the release of the planning report.

Fact. Some individuals have alleged that this Board intends to dissolve the contract or the suburban library boards of trustees. This board has never expressed either the inclination or intention to do such a thing. And second, the Strategic Planning Report of Aaron Cohen Associates specifically states that the contract library boards of trustees represent one of the strengths of this library system and play a vital role in its future. Anyone who alleges otherwise is distorting the truth.

Fact. Repeated allegations that this library board intends to close 22 libraries in Buffalo and surrounding suburbs are completely false. The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library has no intention of closing 22 libraries and has never proposed such action. A list disseminated to promote this rally says that the Board will do that and close the following libraries. As an example, on the sheet it states, North Collins as one of the closures. Ironically I, as well as many of you, will attend the ribbon cutting of the new North Collins Public Library this Saturday. This board congratulates that community on the completion of a worthwhile project.

Collins. This Board will entertain a request today to construct a new 8000 square foot facility to replace the current library which is situated in cramped quarters in the basement of Collins Town Hall. Thus far, the proposal has received the endorsement of the Board’s Building Advisory Committee and the Interim Director. It is farfetched to imagine that we would propose closing a building whose construction we it has vowed to endorse.

North Jefferson. Only seven weeks ago members of this Library Board and its Administration met with the community and its elected leadership to consider a new state-of-the-art library to serve the east side of Buffalo. This proposal was initiated by the City of Buffalo, just as similar projects have been advanced by the Towns of Clarence, Collins, North Collins, etc. Will the operation of a new North Jefferson library affect other libraries in the vicinity? Yes. In order to support improvements within the confines of the Library’s limited operating budget the Board must seek ways to keep new projects expenditure neutral. Every new project, though, is reviewed under the Board’s "Guidelines and Procedures for Approval of New Library Construction" so they can be assessed on a fair and equitable basis. These examples should serve to illustrate some of the facts that are being misrepresented. I repeat, the claim that the Board intends to close 22 libraries across the county is just plain wrong.

Will the Library Board conduct the public meetings it has promised to conduct before it considers the adoption of a strategic plan? Absolutely. I have stated that at every meeting for the past year. We said we would nearly one year ago and we’ve done nothing to suggest otherwise. We expect to secure the services of a permanent library director within the next two months. We intend to schedule a series of public forums to commence in the first part of the year 2000. We’ve pledged that we would institute no substantive changes without affording our constituents an opportunity to contribute. We’ve been true to our word and we appreciate your time. Thank you.

Agenda Item I – Unfinished Business.

Agenda Item I.1 – Adjustments to Sunday Service Schedule. Mrs. Chrisman reminded trustees that on September 16^th the Board adopted a resolution to open the Central Library on Election Day (a traditional holiday for County employees) in conjunction with a plan to close the Library on the Sundays after Christmas and New Year’s Day. The terms of that resolution were contingent upon the agreement of the Librarians’ Association.

Unfortunately, mutually agreeable terms for providing service on Election Day could not be reached in subsequent dialogue with the Board of the Librarians’ Association. As a result, the Central Library will remain closed on November 2^nd.

The Administrative staff believes that activity on the Sundays after Christmas and New Year’s Day will be marginal and attempts to recruit staff to work on those two days have met with little success. Closing on Sunday, January 2^nd will provide Network Support staff additional time to make sure that the library system won’t have to contend with any Y2K problems. Ms. Juncewicz made a motion to approve Resolution 99-61. Ms. Panty seconded the motion.

During discussion, Mr. Orffeo indicated that he was in favor of the resolution but disappointed in the Librarians’ Association. He felt that the Board has treated the librarians very well contractually and it was disappointing that it was unable to come to an agreement with them.

As moved and seconded earlier the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-61

Agenda Item J – New Business.

Agenda Item J.1 – Collins Public Library Construction Project. Mrs. Chrisman reported the Trustees of the Collins Public Library have proposed construction of a new library in accordance with the requirements set forth in the revised "Guidelines and Procedures for Approval of New Library Construction." The Building Advisory Committee analyzed supporting documentation and presented recommendations to the Interim Director, who reviewed the proposal and submitted her recommendation, with stipulations, to B&ECPL Trustees for consideration at their October 1999 meeting.

The Building Advisory Committee and the Interim Director agree that a new 8,000 square-foot library, with a collection of 18,000 volumes to serve the residents of Collins and neighboring communities, is warranted. The location of the proposed library on Route 39 is acceptable. Several recommendations regarding reallocation of space, elimination of a separate office for the library manager, and other design elements are outlined by BAC Chair Thomas and the Interim Director.

A key consideration in assessing the proposal is the requirement for the project to be expenditure neutral. The Building Advisory Committee and the Interim Director, with the endorsement of Legislator Frederick J. Marshall, recommended the transfer of Erie County funds from the Gowanda Free Library to the operating budget of the Collins Public Library. The funds should be used to support personnel to the level recommended by the Staffing Models Committee and to cover other operating expenses needed for the expanded facility. Funds in the 2000 budget not required for operating costs should be allocated to opening day expenses. The B&ECPL would propose an amendment to the System’s 2000 operating budget from Erie County to accommodate the transfer of funds from the Gowanda to the Collins budget line.

Although there is no need to seek support from the Erie County Legislature for operating funds in addition to the combined Collins/Gowanda allocations, the Town of Collins will apply to the County for assistance with opening day costs. As required by the revised "Guidelines…," the B&ECPL will work with contract library representatives to identify and procure appropriate grant, capital or related funding for approved projects. However, there is no certainty that funds for furnishings and books will be available from Erie County.

The Building Advisory Committee expressed concern about the amount of bonding proposed by the Town of Collins. $1.2 million may not be sufficient to cover the costs associated with construction of a building of 8,000 square-feet. B&ECPL Board approval should be contingent on confirmation that adequate bonding will be in place.

The B&ECPL Interim Director will assign staff to work with Collins staff, trustees and architects to review the plans and schematics, including future expansion and the requirement that the new construction maximize energy efficiency. The Interim Director will review these plans for compliance prior to construction.

Mr. Orffeo made a motion to approve Resolution 99-62. Ms. Horton seconded the motion.

Prior to discussion, Ms. Mahoney acknowledged the members of the Collins community who were in attendance at the meeting.

In response to Mr. Orffeo’s question regarding who will determine if the amount bonded will be adequate, Mrs. Chrisman indicated that the Town of Collins should realize thatwould make that decision. Collins Library BoardPresident member Robert Gaylord indicated that the $1.2 million submitted on the Collins Library application was a "best guesstimate." They won’t have a firmer figure until the project is approved by the B&ECPL Board and the Town Board is approached. Mr. Gaylord informed trustees that the Town Board is very supportive. The project won’t commence until a bond issue is approved.

In response to Ms. Panty’s statement that the B&ECPL Board cannot guarantee that there will be start-up funding for Collins as there was for other new libraries, Mr. Gaylord indicated that Collins will move forward with or without extra funding.

As moved as seconded earlier the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-62

Agenda Item J.2 – Library Protection Act. Mr. Mahaney reminded the Board that in 1992 the Erie County Legislature established the Library Protection Act for a two-year period in order to provide a stable funding mechanism for the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. The LPA was renewed for another two-year period in 1994 and 1996. Last year, the Board approached the Legislature with a request that the Library Protection Act be made permanent. The Legislature, for its own reasons, decided to renew the LPA for a single-year term. Resolution 99-63 requests that the Legislature renew the Library Protection Act and encourages that Honorable Body to make the Act permanent. On motion by Ms. Mitchell-Peterson and seconded by Ms. Panty the following was approved unanimously:

Resolution 99-63

Ms. Mahoney urged trustees to contact their legislators and explain to them the importance of this resolution.

Agenda Item J.3 – Gates Library Initiative Accelerated Grant Program for Large Libraries. Mrs. Chrisman reminded the Board that two years ago the B&ECPL received a $425,000 Gates Initiative grant. The Library now has an opportunity to apply for another grant under the Accelerated Grant Program for Large Libraries. This grant, though much smaller than the last one, would provide computers and printers for the branches that were not included in the last Gates grant. Those branches are Cazenovia, East Clinton, Mead and North Park. Board approval is required for staff to complete and submit the application, which must be signed by the Board Chair.

Mrs. Chrisman informed trustees that New York State has received Gates LibraryFoundation funding which will probably occur infor the year 2000. Under that initiative the following contract libraries would be eligible for funding: Angola, Collins, and Kenilworth and Sheridan Parkside in the Town of Tonawanda Library system.

In response to Mr. Gist’s question regarding criteria for Gates funding, Mrs. Chrisman indicated that this grant is also based on poverty levels.

On motion by Ms. Mitchell-Peterson and seconded by Ms. Horton the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-64

Mrs. Chrisman called attention to the two resolutions which were added to the Agenda at the beginning of the meeting. Both were reviewed and approved by the Board’s Foundation Review Committee.

Agenda Item J.4 – Request to Library Foundation for Funds for Planting Materials. On motion by Mr. Plache and seconded by Mr. Shenk the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-65

Agenda Item J.5 – Request to Library Foundation for Funds for "Milestones of Science" Video Project. Mr. Mahaney reported that the "Milestones of Science" media projects will result in professional-quality productions intended to appeal to a broad audience of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to future public broadcast, the video component is designed for use in the library as a complement to physical exhibition and as a stand-alone overview of the significance of the "Milestones" in the context of Western New York history and other rare and special collections of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library.

B&ECPL's ability to properly present the "Milestones of Science" video program to select or general audiences is hampered by the limitations of its available audio-visual equipment. While B&ECPL's video monitors and videocassette player/recorders are adequate for many internal uses, they cannot present the "Milestones" video in its best light. A new, high resolution video monitor with a 4-head stereo videocassette player/recorder are requested. On motion by Mr. Orffeo and seconded by Mr. Shenk the following was approved unanimously:

RESOLUTION 99-66

At approximately 5:25 p.m., on motion by Ms. Horton and seconded by Ms. Panty the Board adjourned into executive session for approximately ten minutes to discuss a personnel matter. No action was anticipated.

At approximately 5:31 p.m., on motion by Mr. Shenk and seconded by Ms. Horton the Board concluded executive session and returned to public session.

On motion by Mr. Shenk and seconded by Ms. Panty the meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:32 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Simone Mitchell-Peterson,Secretary

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