LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS / CHUH public library board meeting highlights [online 12-21-2015]

DECEMBER 21, 2015

  • Board President Rob Fischer completes term
  • Rebecca (Becky) Katzenmeyer retires
  • Library fund co-sponsors time capsule
  • Cost-saving measures noted
  • Balanced scorecard review
  • Adult service librarian promotions
  • November public service report highlights

Board Members Susan Beatty and Chris Mentrek were absent.

Board President Rob Fischer completes term

The board adopted a resolution honoring Fischer and remarking on his part in the successful library levy of 2014; his attention to accurate statistics, including the public demographics of our service area and its borrowing patterns; and his commitment to an independent public library serving our communities.

Rebecca (Becky) Katzenmeyer retires

Katzenmeyer began her service at the library on Oct. 1, 1984, as a library assistant, earning a master’s in library science and becoming a full-time librarian in 2003. She served two terms as president of the staff association, and was a mainstay of the adult services division, mentoring junior staff and supporting those with losses by crocheting sympathy blankets. She completed 31 years of service on Oct. 1, 2015, and retired Dec. 18.

Library fund co-sponsors time capsule

In recognition of the centennial year of library service, the Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) will bury a time capsule at the Coventry Village Library. Donors to the $100 for 100 Movement will be named in the time capsule to be opened in 2065. The website for the project is http://heightslibrary.org/100-for-100

Cost-saving measures noted

Deborah Herrmann, fiscal officer, reported that, largely through the Meeder investment portfolio, the library earned nearly three times the amount of interest ($37,904.25) on its deposits than in 2014. A continuing challenge in the years of low interest rates from banks has been maximizing return on deposits that are limited by state law to certain types of accounts. The board also approved a $500 membership in the Ohio Schools Council Cooperative Purchasing Program for further savings. In addition, the library purchases property and liability insurance through another consortium, The Ohio Plan, and will pay $32,432 for that insurance in 2016, a 3 percent increase.

Balanced scorecard review

Kim DeNero-Ackroyd, deputy director, presented highlights including: the award of an American Library Association STARnet grant which will fund the traveling exhibit, Explore Space, during 2017; provision of library cards for temporary residents; and the enlargement of the gaming collection in response to user requests.

Staff promotions of adult services librarians

Two librarians have been promoted to full-time adult services librarians. Amia Wheatley has been an adult services associate at Noble Neighborhood Library and her position has been upgraded. Andrea Lynn has been a part-time adult services associate at Lee Road Library and will continue as a full-time adult services librarian.

November public service report highlights:

  • Ninety-two people attended Alice (For the Rest of Us), a program that explored Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland through a readers’ theatre project at Dobama Theatre. WCPN’s Dee Perry hosted the celebration of the book’s 150th anniversary.
  • The Cedar-Coventry author series continued with Paula McLain discussing her new book, Circling the Sun.
  • Noble Neighborhood Library’s children’s department formed a new partnership with Greater Cleveland Head Start. The group’s visit coordinators brought the families they work with for a visit, lunch, story time, and time in the Literacy PLAYroom.
  • Pam Spangler of University Heights Library attended the Gearity Preschool Fall Open House. She engaged with 48 students and was able to provide many free books.
  • Kathy Franzinger and Anne Tisch, youth services librarians, made their first visit to the Monarch School for Autism. They led a sensory story time for kindergarten children and will return a number of times in 2016.
  • Jessica Robinson, youth services librarian, visited Heights High with a Harry Potter-based program to further engage students around fiction and comic books.

Next meeting: Monday, Jan. 25, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lee Road Library.

LWV Observer: Anne S. McFarland.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.

League of Women Voters

Observer Corps editor for the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland

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