Fargo Public Library Board - November 17, 2020 Minutes

Regular Meeting: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Minutes

Board Members Present: Mary Batcheller, Rachael Steenholdt, Whitney Oxendahl, Carrie Peterson, Kristen Schipper
Board Members Absent: Carlos Hawley Jr., Scott Beaulier
Staff: Tim Dirks, Betsy Dauer
Others Present:

President Mary Batcheller called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. and a quorum was declared. This meeting was attended virtually.

Order of Agenda
A motion was made by Kristen Schipper to approve the Order of the Agenda. Carrie Peterson seconded the motion; motion carried.

Minutes of October 20, 2020 Regular Meeting
Mary Batcheller made a motion to approve the minutes of the October 20, 2020 meeting. Kristen Schipper seconded the motion; motion carried.

Staff Report
Betsy Dauer presented a few highlights of staff updates and events.

Staff updates and Staff development activities:
• LAI Position – Tim will be talking to the Finance Committee to get permission prior to use taking any action towards filling the position; they next meet in December.

Programming:
All in-person programs have been suspended indefinitely. For a full list of all upcoming FPL activities visit FargoLibrary.org

Upcoming Events & Programs (a partial and incomplete list):
Children's
• Storytime to Go Packets. This fall storytime is on the run with our Storytime to Go packets. Inside you’ll find everything you need to have storytime success at home. Storytime to Go packets are geared towards young children ages 2 to 5 and include a book for your home library, themed songs and action rhymes, tips on reading to your child, craft ideas, and more! A new Storytime to Go packet will be available twice each month for FREE at all Fargo Public Library locations. Call the Childrens desk when you arrive to pick up your Storytime to Go packet. No pre-registration is required. Please note packets are available while supplies last, limit 1 per family, must be present to request packet.
- Nov. 30 – Walk and See ABC by Rosalind Beardshaw
- Dec. 7 – Bug Bear by Patricia Hegarty
• Baby Rhyme Time Online. Babies ages birth to 18 months are invited to join us in a GoTo Meeting for baby storytimes. Share songs, fingerplays, short books, rhythms, and rhymes with your baby while introducing them to books and the library! Pre-registration is required and will open Oct. 1. Please note: this program will be conducted online. Participants will receive an email with information on how to log into the session, so it is necessary to provide an email address when registering.
- Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
- Nov. 19 at 10 a.m.
• Crafts to Go for Kids! It’s time to get crafty again! Crafts To Go for Kids will be available for pickup twice a month. Children up to age 12 are welcome to register online for a craft packet. Pre-registration is required and will open two weeks prior to each session. Please note: this a take home project only. The same craft will be available at each location. Limit 1 craft per child, while supplies last. Call when you arrive to pick up your Crafts to Go via No Contact Curbside Pickup.
- Nov. 23 – Foam Ball Turkeys
- Dec. 14 – Pinecone Snowy Owls
• Nov. 22 – Nov. 28 – Didgeridoo Down Under. All ages are invited to take a virtual trip to the land called Oz when the Fargo Public Library presents Didgeridoo Down Under (DDU), a high-energy, Australia-themed show that combines music, culture, comedy, character building, storytelling and audience participation. The didgeridoo has been played by Aboriginal Australians for at least 1,500 years and is known for its otherworldly sound. But DDU is more than music. It’s interactive, educational, motivational and super fun. You’ll learn about Aussie culture, animals and more, all while moving & grooving to the pulsing rhythms of the didge! View this event anytime from Sunday, Nov. 22 to Saturday, Nov. 28. Look for the link on this page or on the Fargo Public Library Facebook page beginning Nov. 22. No registration is required.
Teens
• Crafts to Go for Teens! Area teens are invited pick up a special craft to make at home on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from September 28 – December 14. Craft Pick up via No Contact Curbside Pickup. 1 craft per teen. Due to limited supplies, there is a limit of 6 per family. Open for teens age 11-18. Pre-registration is required. Registration will open 2 weeks before each craft is dispensed. Register online or contact Bree at 701.476.5978 for more info.
- Nov. 23 – Snowflake Ornament
- Dec. 14 – Origami Fish Mobile
Adult
• Nov. 12 – Nov. 13 – Tea Tasting To Go in November! Tea Tasting is back, just in a slightly different way. Explore unique teas from around the world during this event. Four teas will be provided along with brewing instructions. Pre-registration is required. Once registered, participants can pick up the tea packets and instructions via No Contact Curbside Pickup at the Dr. James Carlson Library during the week of November 16. Contact Katrina at 701.241.1492 for further details.
• Trivia Events This Fall. Test your knowledge with our virtual library trivia events this fall! Gather your household or call up your friends to form your team and join us for an evening on online trivia from the comfort and safety of your own home. Space for these events is limited; pre-registration is required. Register online. Participants will receive an email the day before the event with details regarding the virtual sign-in. For details, contact Megan at 701.241.1492. Upcoming dates and topics:
- Dec. 9 – General Knowledge
Multigenerational
• Nov. 19 – Discord at 6:30 p.m. Virtual Board Games. We’ll meet-up in Discord and then head over to Boardgamearena.com to play some games. Join us for Classic/Beginner games at 6:30 p.m., and at 7 p.m. we’ll break into Nerd Alert and Classic groups depending on interest. Ages 13 & up. Pre-registration with an email address is required. Register online or contact Sarah at 701.241.8295.
• Oct. 15. – Inktober Gallery Showcase at the Main Library. The submission period closed on Nov. 9. Patrons can view the submissions in the concourse when they come to pick up their holds, crafts, documents, and other materials through the end of December. Due to our move to Curbside Pick-up, we will also feature all of the submissions on our Facebook and Instagram pages for the public to view.
• Book Clubs. Registration is required. Everyone who registers will receive an email the day before book club regarding virtual meeting details.
- Nov. 24 – History Book Club. Imperfect Union: how Jesse and John Fremont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity, and Helped Cause the Civil War by Steve Inskeep
- Dec. 14 – Virtual Tea Time Book. Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land
- Dec. 16 – Virtual Classics Book Club. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Department updates:
Circulation
• Curbside Pick-up. Patrons may call or use our online catalog to confirm their available holds and schedule an appointment to pick-up their items. Items will be available for patrons to pick up during their 10-minute appointment time in the outer lobby with No Contact Curbside Pickup. Curbside Pick-up is available at all three locations.
• Remote Library Card Creation. Patrons can apply for a library card from the comfort of their home!
Outreach
• Outreach Sites will continue to pick up items for Outreach Sites via No Contact Curbside Pickup.
Reference
• Remote printing. Patrons are able to print from anywhere using our Mobile Print service. They log-in to our server using their library card number and password (just like if they were logging into the computers in the library) and then upload any documents they need printed. The service works much like curbside pick-up for other materials: they call before they arrive, reference staff release the print job(s) from the server, we put the document into an envelope marked with their hold code and we put it out on the table for them to come in and pick up. We are not currently charging for printing, but are limiting the number of pages we’ll print for people to 10.
• Access to digital collections. Our reference staff are continuing to help our users access materials remotely by instructing them on how to log in, where to find the apps and how to download them, troubleshooting account issues, and letting customers know which digital platforms offer what types of formats.
• May We Suggest. Not sure what to read next? Have your favorite authors not published anything recently? Let our book experts – your Fargo Public Librarians – help you find your next book to check out. The library's May We Suggest is a personalized book suggestion service available to readers. You can fill out the form online or in person when you come to pick up your holds, or call in and talk to one of our Reference Librarians at the Main or Dr. James Carlson Libraries.

Director’s Report
Director Tim Dirks referred the Board to his written report in the Board Packet.

Board Members had questions about the move to No Contact Curbside Pickup that started November 16. Director Tim Dirks answered all questions.

Unfinished Business
No unfinished business.

New Business
2019 Impact Report Documentation
Director Tim Dirks briefly reviewed the 2019 Impact Report that had been mailed to all Board Members. He thanked Melisa Duncan for her work on this document. Donors and elected officials receive this document. The idea for this yearly document came from the strategic plan.

Board Members agree the 2019 Impact Report is beautifully presented and easy to digest.

Library Board Orientation Packet Draft
Director Tim Dirks referred the Board to the Library Board Orientation Packet Draft that was sent with the Board Packet for this meeting. Mary Batcheller gave a brief overview of the process to create this packet. Director Tim Dirks recommended the Board approve the Library Board Orientation Packet for use with new Board Members, updating documents as they change.

A motion was made by Rachael Steenholdt to approve the Library Board Orientation Packet as recommended. Carrie Peterson seconded the motion; motion carried.

Statistical Reports
Usage
The Library had 37,066 registered patrons for the month of October. Attendance was 1,334, which includes virtual and passive programming. Circulation was down 18.56% compared to October of the previous year. Overall circulation year to date is 590,162.

Financials
There was $10 of incoming donations. There was $1,228 expenditures of donations. The year is 83% lapsed while the budget is 76.60% expended. Revenue is at $15,506.06 year to date.

Friends of the Library Report
No Friends report.

Public Comment
No public comment.

Next Board Meeting
The next regular Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 4 p.m.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.