Cleveland Heights – University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees meeting highlights 7-19-2021

JULY 19, 2021

• Board resolutions
• Personnel report
• Director’s report
• Public service report

Present were President Dana Fluellen, Vice President Gabe Crenshaw, Patti Carlyle, Max Gerboc, Annette Iwamoto, and Tyler McTeague. Vikas Turakhia was absent.

Board resolutions

The following items were among those adopted at this meeting:

• Approving of Juneteenth as a paid holiday for Heights library staff
• Approval of contract for Coventry Branch Library HVAC upgrade and interior renovations
• Approval of amended service and administrative policies of the board, including a new appendix for a naming and recognition policy. The policy can be found on the library’s website.

Personnel report

The following items were among those shared:

• Four vacancies were filled this month
• Annual staff training in safety and security will focus on workplace violence
• All new hires are to complete a proctored test assessment of basic computer/tech skills

Director’s report

The following items were among those shared:

• FRIENDS of the Heights Libraries will have a mega book sale August 26-29
• Heights Libraries are distributing “Learning Lunchboxes” filled with hands-on science activities for children in grades K-8. The kits were prepared by The Ohio Library Council and the Center of Science and Industry.
• Library design open houses will be held on the Coventry Peace Park, July 24, 2-4pm, at Coventry branch library; and on the Noble Neighborhood Branch Library expansion, Sept. 9, 7-9 pm, at Noble branch.
• Ohio’s two-year state budget maintains the Public Library Fund at 1.7 percent of the General Revenue Fund for the next two years.

Public service report

The following items were among those shared: 

• Trials and Triumphs, the adult summer reading program, is off to a fast start. There were 174 adult participants with 625 badges earned, compared to 116 participants and 255 badges earned all of last summer. Each completed activity earns one raffle ticket entry into a drawing for adult reader baskets, courtesy of FRIENDS of the Heights Libraries. Participants can also use raffle tickets towards the grand prize drawing for one Kindle Fire HD. All prize winners will be notified the week of Sept. 1.
• Youth Librarian Hannah Van Jura planned a summer reading kick-off program, Wizbang! Circus in the Park. Over 200 people came to Walter Stinson Community Park to delight in a variety of performances from clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and more.
• Youth summer reading participation got off to a strong start with 1,105 registrations in June. Two factors have helped increase numbers compared to 2020: the ability of families and teens to visit in person and the school district’s inclusion of program information in their communications.

LWV Observer: Elizabeth M. Tracy. 

Information about the board, board meeting minutes and audio recordings of board meetings can be found at https://heightslibrary.org/locations/heights-libraries-board/