Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board meeting highlights [1-24-11]

JANUARY 24, 2011

All board members were present

• Noble Neighborhood Library manager Jo Ann Vicarel retires
• Donations to the library
• Personnel changes
• Organizational study and compensation review
• Friends of the Library
• E-book readers to circulate
• Drop in state funding
• Public service plans for 2011

Noble Neighborhood Library manager Jo Ann Vicarel retires

Jo Ann Vicarel retired as of Dec. 31, 2010. At the December meeting the board issued a resolution in her honor, which included reference to her work with Library Journal as both a reviewer and the author of a monthly column, her book The Reader’s Guide to the Police Procedural, her blog on mysteries that is followed worldwide, and her establishment of the Noble Knitter’s Circle, which makes items for local charities.

Donations to the library

The board accepted gifts given to the library in the last quarter of 2010. A total of $3,000 was given anonymously to the Teen Writing Program with an additional $500 contributed by Reaching Heights. Chester Gordon donated $500 for books and materials for the Coventry Library.

Personnel changes

Steve Haynie, young adult services coordinator, has accepted the position of South Euclid branch manager in the Cuyahoga County Public Library System.

Dean Schnurr, marketing and public relations manager, resigned to take a position with Bowling Green State University.

Organizational study and compensation review

This review will be held in 2011 as part of the library’s strategic plan. A continuing problem has been that certain employees are “locked in” to specific steps of the salary schedule. Another issue is that supervisors for different areas can be in different salary grades.

This study will cause a number of interim appointments, including the appointment of Constance Dickerson, Coordinator of Children’s Services, as the Interim Noble Branch Manager and the appointment of Sam Lapides, full time Young Adult librarian, as the Interim Young Adult Coordinator. These interim appointments will last not more than one year.

Friends of the Library

Friends president Adaora Schmiedl spoke about the group’s annual meeting presentation with Jo Ann Vicarel and Richard Montanari. The ongoing book sale will move to the café area near the second floor walkway with the projection of monthly sales rising from $1,700 to $2,500. Donated furniture could enhance browsing.

E-book readers to circulate

Nooks and Kindles are now available for use outside the building, and an iPad is available in the computer gallery for two-hour periods. The library will offer a class, The Library@Home, to help readers use the new technology. The first class is scheduled for Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.

Drop in state funding

The Ohio Library Council has identified a number of areas in which Ohio’s biennium budget may affect libraries and believes that libraries should prepare for a 15 percent reduction in state funding in 2011.

Public service plans for 2011 include:

• “Art to Go” children’s programs in every branch
• Continuation of the Local Authors series
• ACT/SAT test preparation classes
• The grand reopening of the Noble Neighborhood Library
• Writing and reading clubs in the schools
• An anime festival
• A new, weekend story hour for working parents

LWV observer: Anne S. McFarland.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse and Maryann Barnes. To receive e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.