Dickinson Area Public Library Minutes

September 14, 2021

Paula called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.

Members present:  Rita Ennen, Paula Martin, Troy Kuntz, Brian Kopp, April Frank, Johnna Douthit. 

Reading of the minutes:  April made a motion to approve with the changes.  Brian seconded.  MSC

Approval of expenditures: 

•        Discussed annual fee for Polaris.  Page 2 - $21,000+
•        Abbreviations on page 2 – DIP = Dickinson public, BC – Billings BCSD – Billings co school Dist., CH – children 
•        Sukura – lunch for training day

Troy made a motion to approve expenditures.  April seconded.  MSC

Financial report:  The report showed expenditures and revenue as of August 31.  We are about 2/3 of the way through the year.  Expenditures are tracking very well or a little behind. 

                             Contractor labor charge. Capital betterments – funds will be moved to bookmobile. Billed to the county receiving the funds and will be moved at the end of the year.  MISC

                             revenue = everything taken in that doesn’t fall into another category.  (Earbuds, reference research $ collected, coffee sold, etc.)

Library Directors report: 

• Handed out September/October activities calendar.  Tween activities – trying out and will see how it goes.  We are still taking precautions against covid and disinfect surfaces, etc., after activities. 
• August use statistics – physical items circulation – up quite a bit from August 2020.  We have been using Hoopla a year.  Met with the rep for hoopla.  They have upped the amounts of items per month to 8 items.  Can get wi-fi statistics as well.  Every time a device connects it counts that.  Audio books – 1201, 923 unique titles.  About $3 per title.  To purchase at about $43 a title, it would have been thousands of dollars to purchase. 
• One of the part-time staff has given notice.  Other than that, things are stable. 

Unfinished business:  Discussed strategic plan Goal #5.  The goal was to make progress in several areas and they have definitely done that.  

New business:

      A.    NDLA conference – There will be three librarians attending including Rita, who is presenting.  Current presenter? is taking a job elsewhere and Rita has agreed to help out in the interim.

      B.    Friends of library – Nat’l friends of the library week of the 17th.  They will have library book sale in community room on the 23rd.  $5 a bag of books.  Discussed doing something for the

             Friends in honor of the Friends week.  April made a motion that we do something for the Friends of the Library week to be dropped off at the bookstore not to exceed $50.00.  Troy

             seconded.  Paula agreed to look for a plant.    

      C.    Slope Co budget – Rita shared the budget in our packet of information.  $3mills from Slope and 4 from Stark is what they have asked for.  We will approve the overall budget at a later

             date. 

      D.    Stark Co budget –

      E.    Stark Co commission presentation – Rita presented at the last commission meeting and asked them to agree to donate what the city has offered.  She added information based on

             questions she has been receiving.  Programming has grown so much.  She received many good questions including some regarding how the expansion will serve the area.  They asked

             what the foundation’s role would be in this.  Everyone will be expected to help fundraise. 

      F.    Space Needs Analysis – tabled until next time.

Patron concerns:  Tabled until the next meeting

April made a motion to adjourn and Troy seconded.  Meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Minutes were submitted by Johnna Douthit.