Director's Report - January 31, 2013

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR

OshkoshPublic Library

Thursday, January 31, 2013

FINANCIAL REPORTS                                                             

The December 2012 financial reports contain no significant surprises or anything unusual to report.  This packet includes a few January 2013 vouchers that we recommend paying now rather than waiting until the end of February.  The expenditures report for December was delayed, so it will be distributed at the meeting.  We will provide 2012 close-out figures as soon as they become available from the City.  Discussion.  Action Requested:  approval of all vouchers and special fund vouchers payable.

LIBRARY HIGHLIGHTS                          Included as Exhibit A. in this month’s board packet.

2013 BUDGET  

A 2013 library budget revision proposal was included as Exhibit B. in last month’s board packet (pages 289 – 292).  Discussion.  Action Requested:  Decide whether to approve the 2013 library budget revision proposal in Exhibit B. of the December 2012 library board packet.

ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES PROPOSAL  

Included as Exhibit C. in last month’s board packet (pages 293 – 298) was a proposal from Facility Engineering Incorporated (FEI) for Engineering Consultant Services.  The proposal covers consultant support for design, bidding and construction of the library building sealant rehabilitation project.  Funding for the project was approved on November 27, 2012 by the Oshkosh Common Council as part of its 2012 Capital Improvement budget.  Discussion.  Action Requested:  Decide whether to approve FEI’s proposal, as contained in Exhibit C. of the December 2012 library board packet, thereby authorizing me to enter into a contract for engineering consultant services.

RETIREMENT NOTIFICATION INCENTIVE                        Exhibit D. in last month’s board packet (page 299) contained a memo in which I proposed that the library extend its offer of a monetary incentive to employees who give library administrators at least 8 weeks notice of an intention to retire.  Discussion.  Action Requested: Decide whether to offer a 2013 retirement notification incentive as proposed in Exhibit D of the December 2012 library board packet.

RESCIND SUPERSEDED POLICIES                                   Exhibit E. (pages 300 – 301) in last month’s board packet contained two policies that were superseded when the library board approved a new Purchasing Policy at its September 27, 2012 meeting.  Discussion.  Action Requested:  Decide whether to rescind the superseded policies contained in Exhibit. E. of the December 2012 library board packet.

STATEMENT CONCERNING PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM EFFECTIVENESS               Exhibit B. in this month’s board packet contains a form required as a part of our Annual Report to the state.  This was developed in the statutes with the intent of providing a feedback threshold on System performance, leadership and problems that might lead to earlier intervention and problem resolution.  I have included a brief statement for your approval to be used with the report form to be submitted to the state.  Discussion.  Action Requested: Decide whether to approve the draft statement on Winnefox Library System effectiveness as included in Exhibit B. of the January 2013 library board packet.

LIBRARY RULES OF BEHAVIOR POLICY                      The library’s public services managers have proposed making the rules of behavior clearer and simpler to understand.  Exhibit C. in this month’s board packet contains a draft revision of the Rules of Behavior Policy as well as the text of the policy currently in force.  Discussion.  Action Requested: Decide whether to approve the proposed revision of the library’s rules policy as contained in Exhibit C. of the January 2013 library board packet.

PERSONNEL CHANGES – DECEMBER

  • Lauren Anibas resigned as Page in First Floor Public Services as of December 2, 2012.
  • Adeline Miller was rehired as 1.0 FTE Librarian in Children’s and Family Outreach Services as of December 10, 2012.
  • Madison Hodge was rehired as Page in First Floor Public Services as of December 21, 2012.
  • Samuel Krasny was rehired as Page in First Floor Public Services as of December 26, 2012.

MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS

  • December Donations Report – included as Exhibit D.
  • December Statistics Report-- is included as Exhibit E.
  • Library Services in the Digital Age– The Research Summary section of this new report from the Pew Internet Project is included as Exhibit F.
  • Digital Focus Group Report– was included as Exhibit H. (pages 306 – 308) of last month’s board packet.  This report completes Action 5.3 of the library’s Strategic Action Plan.  We plan to share the report with the members of the focus group and to ask for their feedback on library efforts to respond to their suggestions for improvements.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Gilderson-Duwe

Director