Library board tentatively approves 2010 pay raises

GREENCASTLE -- Members of the Putnam County Public Library board agreed during its Wednesday meeting to give library employees a two percent raise in 2010, pending the availability of funds.

However, there will be a delay in implementing the raises from January to February at the earliest. The bigger discussion was whether to make the raise retroactive. Board members agreed to make the pay raise retroactive should they be given.

In other business:

* PCPL still has a little more than 16 percent of its operating budget left for the year. CPA Mark Hammer told board members it was in "very good shape."

* Registered borrowers have increased slightly with circulation down "just a little," said PCPL director Alice Greenburg.

After looking at the numbers, there is no specific place circulation has fallen, such as fiction or audio/visual.

"It is all over the place," Greenburg said. "And no reason for it."

Computer use is still up, too.

* PCPL will unveil the NASA photos at 6 p.m. Friday downstairs in the library.

"They are phenomenal pictures," said Greenburg.

"NASA Unveiling: The Center of the Galaxy" with Dr. Mary Kertzman will be for children of all ages. Experience the StarLab Planetarium, a three-dimensional experiential dome of the universe at 6 p.m.

At 7 p.m., Kertzman will present never seen photographs of the center of the galaxy taken by the Hubble, Spitzer and Chandra telescopes. The human eye has never seen such brilliant images. If weather permits at 8 p.m., there will be a view of the night sky from the McKim Observatory.

Registration is not required and there is no charge. The public is invited to attend

For questions about the event, contact Rajean at 653-2755 ext. 113 or by e-mail at rajeang@putnam.lib.in.us