Library Advisory Board Regular Meeting Tuesday, February 25, 2025 12:00 PM Ruth Sandvik Conference Room

Meeting held in person in the Ruth Sandvik Conference Room and via Zoom
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89778106129

1.Call to Order / Roll Call

2.Approval of Minutes

  1. A.The minutes from the October 29, 2024 Library Board Regular Meeting are presented for review and approval. 

3.Amendment and Approval of Meeting Agenda

4.Persons to be Heard Related / Unrelated to Agenda: John McCabe will attend the meeting via Zoom to answer questions regarding the Art Education Endowment Guidelines Revision.

5.Staff Reports

  1. A.Director's Report

  2. B.Program Coordinator's Report

6.Unfinished Business

7.New Business

  1. A.Art Education Endowment Guidelines Revision: John McCabe has added more specific guidance on resolving violations to the fund integrity in the updated guidelines. The revised section is highlighted in yellow for review.

  2. B.Annual Report on Library Endowments: An annual summary of the total balance of the library's Alaska Community Foundation Endowments is provided to the Board for review and discussion.

  3. C.FY26 General Fund Budget Request: The proposed FY26 Library budget request is attached for review and discussion. Increases over last year are largely due to increased personnel costs, both salaries and benefits. A Marine Passenger Fee Request for $15,400 is also planned to offset the cost of janitorial service May-Sept. 

  4. D.Request to display photo of Ruth Sandvik in the Sandvik Room: Joe Sebastian has requested that the library hang a photo of Ruth Sandvik in the Sandvik Room. An email from J. Sebastian and a copy of this photo of Ruth that Joe took are included for Board review and consideration. When the Sandvik Room was named the donor, Mark Sandvik, was consulted on recognition for Ruth. The Library Director recommends that if J. Sebastian's request is approved that it be contingent on Mark Sandvik's approval. 

8.Discussion Items

  1. A.Report from member O'Gara on attending 2024 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries and Museums

  2. B.Friends of the Library Updates: The Friends held their annual meeting Saturday Dec 28, 2024. They voted to sponsor the purchase of board games, game programs, the Year of Reading program and the Summer Reading Challenge.

    National Library Week is April 6-12, 2025. The Friends will host two events:

    1/Book Sale -  Saturday April 5, 11am-1pm. Beth Flor will donate 2 paintings for a silent auction to raise funds for the Art Education Endowment

    2/Free For All: Inside the Public Library film showing - Tuesday April 6 at 6pm - "Free for All: Inside the Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the “Free Library Movement” to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all." PBS, Independent Lens

  3. C.Future of Library Collections Budget: There are two potential funding cuts on the horizon for the library's collections budget (books,DVDs) that Board members should be aware of:
    1/The library receives an annual $10,000 grant in cooperation with the Petersburg Indian Association. This grant, known as the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Basic Grant, is federally funded and may be impacted by federal government cuts 
    2/The library receives an annual $7,000 grant from the State of Alaska. This grant, known as the Public Library Assistance Grant, was threatened last year and may be the target of cuts again in the coming year.

  4. D.Gratitudes & Recognitions: So many community members play a part in improving the library. This month special recognition is extended to

    Kris Norosz for her longstanding support for youth programs at the library and for her recent donation in memory of her mother, Jo Norosz.

    Matt Bryner for making the library bright and beautiful for another holiday season. 

    Sally Riemer for her many years of service on the Library Board and Friends of the Library.

    Keith Anderson for overseeing our mechanical system issues and keeping the library warm.

  5. E.Next Meeting: Tentatively scheduled for Tuesday April 8

9.Adjourn