Appleton Public Library

Appleton Public Library
Board of Trustees Minutes
Board Meeting
January 17, 2012
amended
I. Call to order
President Detjen called the meeting to order at 4:32 P.M.
II.
Roll call
Present: Bergen, Bergman, Bloedow, Detjen, Hietpas, Long-Radloff, Martin, Peterson,
Truesdale-Witek
Excused: Miller
Others Present: City Attorney Behrens, Misselt, Quinlan, Rortvedt, Saecker, Thiem-Menning, Ward
Wieczorek, Wright
III. Appearances, Public Participation & Communications
Rortvedt read a thank you note she received from Jeff Langyel a parent of one of the students from
Fox Valley Lutheran High School who attended the December 2011 board meeting. He thanked
trustees for making the students feel welcome at the meeting and for taking the time to explain many
of the items on the meeting agenda.
Rortvedt also read a thank you note received in the book drop from an anonymous patron. She
thanked staff for all that they do and for being so patient and kind. She said the Library makes the
city a better place.
Approval of minutes from last meeting
Bergman moved to approve the minutes of the December 20, 2011 meeting; seconded by Martin.
The motion passed. (9 - 0)
IV.
Action Items
a) Bill Register
The December 2011 (partial) Bill Register was reviewed and discussed. Wieczorek has
separated out the operations charges and personnel charges for each section on the bill
register. The Personnel budget line is in good shape due to the vacancies in 2011.
Witek moved to approve the December 2011 (partial) Bill Register; seconded by Bloedow.
The motion passed. (9 - 0)
b) 2012 Resource Library Plan
The 2012 Resource Library Spending Plan was reviewed. Rortvedt reviewed each budget
line, noting that eBooks, audio books will be paid from the Statewide Buying Pool line,
replacing the meeting room sound system is a priority as well as replacing the obsolete
copier/printer. The Continuing Education funds are used to help with costs to attend
conferences such as IUG and PLA.

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Children’s Librarian Ashley Thiem–Menning was excited to report video games were going
to be purchased and added to the collection in 2012 with funds from the Supplemental
Materials line. Video games have long been requested by patrons and have the longest
waiting lists for holds. She said games for a variety of formats will be purchased. Only
games rated E (everyone) and YA-E10 are going to be added to the collection. Peterson
asked what the life of a game is. Thiem–Menning said the library has equipment to repair
and refurbish game discs if they become damaged or scratched.
Inter System Funds 2011 Carry over 2012 Allocation
51,961 130,168
Resource Library Funds
Part-time Staff 30,000
Part-time Admin. Staff 11,000
Network Services 24,069
FOCOL 4,000
Digital Content 10,000
Software Licenses 12,160
Statewide Buying Pool 22,900
Sound System 25,000
Supplemental Materials -
(Popular Mat. & Media) 25,000
Copier/Printer 18,000
Total 182, 129
Popular Materials 21,000
Continuing Education 2,500
Martin moved to approve the 2012 Resource Library Spending Plan as outlined; seconded by
Long-Radloff. The motion passed. (9 – 0)
c) Report of the Policy Committee
Witek reported the Policy Committee met on Monday, January 16, 2012 to review the
revisions to the Library Display Policy and the Handouts, Bulletin Board Postings, Notices
and Petitioning Policy. These policies have new names and will replace the Exhibit Policy
and the Bulletin Board and Literature Policy. The updates include clarification of policy
details and incorporating issues that have begun to come up more frequently such as
petitioning.
The Display policy outlines guidelines for library staff created displays. It also states the
Library has the authority and control over location and space provided to displayers.
Bergen moved approve the revised Library Displays Policy and Handouts, Bulletin Board
Postings, Notices and Petitioning Policy; seconded by Bloedow. The motion passed.
(9 - 0)
d) Frank P. Young / FOAL Scholarship Recommendation
Long –Radloff reminded trustees that the 2012 Library Budget Frank. P. Young / FOAL
Scholarship includes the statement “Because investment earnings are so low, staff will
recommend that no scholarship be given until interest income reaches a level significant

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enough to provide a meaningful scholarship.” On behalf of the Scholarship Committee,
Long –Radloff(chair) is formally recommending no scholarship be awarded in 2012.
Bloedow moved to accept the Scholarship report and recommendation not to award a
scholarship in 2012; seconded by Bergen. The motion passed. ( 9 - 0)
V. Information Items
a) Director’s Report
i. Budget Transfer: The Budget Transfer was reviewed. Funds that are remaining from
2011 in Lost & Paid budget line and the Memorials budget line are being transferred to
Library Materials.
From To Amount
Lost & Paid 16032.5035 Library Materials 16010.6108 $ 5,600
Memorials 16032.5020 Library Materials 16032.5215 $ 580
ii.
iii.
Library Director’s 2012 Goals with Personnel Committee: The Personnel Committee
will be scheduling a meeting to establish the 2012 Goals for the Director (Rortvedt).
Any trustee who would like to contribute input to Rortvedt’s 2012 goals should contact
members of the Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee members are: Bergen
(chair), Long-Radloff and Witek.
Text messaging notifications through InfoSoup: OWLS is offering a new text
messaging service to patrons called Shoutbomb for holds and renewal notification. You
may sign up for the service through the InfoSoup link on the APL website.
iv. Library Legislative Day: WLA Library Legislative Day is on Tuesday, February 14,
2012 in Madison. This is a great opportunity to meet with State Legislators about
important Library Issues. On Wednesday, February 15, 2012 staff is planning to tour
some of the Madison area libraries. The town of Fitchburg, which previously didn’t have
any community library, has built a new public library. Trustees who would like to attend
the Legislative Day and/or the tour of libraries should let Ward or Rortvedt know.
v. Community Conversations update: Rortvedt and Quinlan met with Laura Warner the
UWGB Center for Public Affairs Director and she is interested in collaborating with the
APL for the Community Conversations about the library project. The UWGB Center for
Public Affairs is well known for the Life Study.
Rortvedt and Quinlan are planning to hold facilitated sessions in each aldermanic district
to get input from residents regarding what is important to the citizens who live here.
vi.
vii.
Joint Library Board of Trustees and Friends Board Retreat: Rortvedt will notify the
Board when a date has been selected. Planned topics for the retreat are Community
Conversations and a presentation by Mike Gelhausen the Director of the Hartford Public
Library about what it is like to go through a complete building process.
Conversations with Alderpersons: Detjen said she hoped the Conversations with
Alderpersons were moving along for trustees. She had met with Alderperson Spears and

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Alderperson Plank and said it was a very positive experience. She would like trustees to
complete their conversations by the joint retreat in February. Rortvedt said she met last
week with Alderperson Jirschele and gave him a tour of the new AMH system. Martin
said Jirschele was very impressed with the system and spoke very highly of the work at
the Library.
b) Friends Report
i. Year end fundraising letter: Quinlan reported the Year End Fundraising Letter was
mailed in December. The Friends has received almost double the donations compared to
last year. To date, over $9,000 has been received. The goal is $10,000.
ii.
I Love My Library: Quinlan invited Trustees to attend the I Love My Library
Fundraising Dinner on Sunday, February 12, 2011 at North Shore Country Club. The
program will highlight a new tradition of Library Story(s) of the Year. This year the
stories will focus on community partnerships with presentations on two specific
partnerships: Prime Time Family Reading and Walk A Mile.
c) Assistant Director’s Report
i. Statistics – December 2011: The December 2011 statistics were reviewed. Saecker
noted Adult programs are up 85% from last year at this time. She attributes some of the
increase to the one-on-one instruction for E-books and E-readers. Witek noted the
circulation on the self-check machines was up in December. Saecker commented it was
down a little in use from the previous month and that we are working on a rearrangement
of the checkout area to encourage use of self checks and make it easier for staff to assist
those using them.
Saecker shared statistics she received from Fond du Lac Public Library on circulation
changes from 2010 to 2011. Fond du Lac chose to survey eight libraries: Appleton,
Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Menasha, Neenah, Oshkosh and West Bend. All
libraries with the exception for Fond du Lac and Neenah had decreases in circulation for
2010-2011. The increased numbers in circulation for Fond du Lac may be due to the
opening of a new branch; however, it is unclear why Neenah’s numbers are up.
VI.
VII.
Other Business
None.
Adjourn
Long-Radloff moved to adjourn; Bloedow seconded. The meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.