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Library Board looks at 2020 budget, initiatives
The Putnam County Public Library’s board of trustees addressed and heard feedback on several issues during its monthly session Wednesday evening. These included the 2020 budget and continuing projects aimed toward enhancing patrons’ experience.
Taking the lead through the session, the library’s interim director Lisa Barker publicly presented the budget to the board as the last item on the agenda. All-in-all, it was routine business with little in the way of significant changes to the library’s funds.
According to the taxpayer notice, the budget will total $1,121,575. When broken down, $65,000 will be committed to the rainy day fund, while the general fund will hold the rest.
The current tax levy will remain the same at $604,045, which figures as a 3.62 percent difference between the levy and the maximum funds estimated to be raised.
The 2020 budget will hold more money than the 2019 budget by just under $38,000 with a slightly higher levy. However, Barker said at the end of the meeting that the library had to figure a 15-percent increase in health care costs.
The budget has already been submitted to the Department of Local Government and Finance (DLGF) and approved by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. As such, taxpayers can access these budget figures.
The board plans to officially adopt the budget during its regular meeting next month.
Board President Alan Zerkel also spoke on the continuing effort to find a new director for the library, stating that the process and how the search would be conducted was being determined. He added the library was looking at various resources from the Indiana State Library and the Indiana Library Federation.
Zerkel also said that a consultant was being considered to help promote the library to prospective candidates. The consultant would write up a proposal for how the hiring would take place using a marketing approach.
Zerkel said that a second consultant would be looked at if the board determines the first doesn’t connect well. However, he added that he thought the consultant was “legitimate” and would be able to work well with the library.
Barker also provided the library was moving ahead with creating a “teen zone” where teenagers could gather to play video games and hang out. According to her, this is an initiative that the library has considered before, but that steps were finally being taken.
Barker said that four gaming chairs had been secured through a gift to the library, and that a smart TV was also planned to be moved to the space. With grants pursued by Marketing and Communications Director Kaitlin Tipsword, tablets and a charging station will also be located there.
Barker emphasized that these first steps were meant to establish if there was a need or a want in the community for a space dedicated to teenagers, but felt it would be a good investment.
The board also heard an update from Barker regarding the transfer from the current Polaris cataloging system to the recently approved Evergreen system. She related that 141,795 files had been recently moved, and that only four had cropped up with minor errors.
The board commended the transfer by library staff as a testament to how the files were being maintained. Barker believed the library could be fully moved to and trained with Evergreen by the beginning of next year. This will include syncing policies for cataloging and other requirements with those of the new system.
This comes off the heels of a recent issue with the database used by local history which seems to have been resolved. Barker said the library and Distinct Web Design had made an agreement to address the issue, but that it came at a cost of $1,700 with no other option.
Barker said the State Library “couldn’t touch it” in the condition it was in until the problems were resolved. However, even though PCPL will pay a $199 fee, Barker added that Distinct Design would allow for revamping the design of the library’s website.
Barker also shared that the library will soon be able to make board games available for patrons to check out. Including her outreach efforts, Barker recognized Tipsword for taking the project on and securing 25 board game donations from the community.
In the monthly financial report, Barker said that little had changed, although funds for office supplies, mostly paper, would likely be “in the red” at the end of 2019. However, she added that travel reimbursement for community outreach will see an increase in 2020.
In other business, the board approved a resolution for an updated authorized signatures list for various expenses. This was mainly to account for Lisa McCoy resigning from the board in May.
Barker also said that a condensation issue in the adult reference section had been recently fixed. It was originally thought to be a roof leak, but was actually caused by the HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning) system clogging up.
The board also hired part-time hire Nola Zimmerman as a local history and archives assistant.
The next regular meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. inside the Kiwanis Room at the library.