NORTH PLAINS LIBRARY BOARD
REGULAR SESSION MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014 – 7:30 P.M.
NORTH PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY, 31334 NW COMMERCIAL STREET
NORTH PLAINS, OR 97133
1.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Mark Perkins called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m.
2.
FLAG SALUTE
3.
ROLL CALL
Library Board Members Present:
Mark Perkins, German Marquez Montoya, Stephanie Farris, Laura Templin.
Library Board Members Absent:
Mark Susbauer (excused)
Library Staff Present:
Debra Brodie, Library Director
Council Representative Present:
Sandi King
Visitors Present:
None
4.
CONSENT AGENDA
A.
Agenda Approval
B.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Regular Session Meeting Minutes Approval
S. Farris presented the following motion that was seconded by L. Templin.
MOTION: Approve the Consent Agenda and Minutes as submitted.
ACTION: Unanimously approved.
5.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
6.
REPORTS
A.
Library Director Report
Storytimes. Children ages 0-6 are invited to participate every Wednesday at 11:30
a.m. in the children's section of the Library.
 January 21
Special Guest: Pedrita, the Amazing Bearded Dragon
 January 28
Storytime with Teacher Barbara: Wolves
 February 4
Storytime with Miss Marion: Teddy Bears
 February 11
Storytime with Teacher Barbara: Transportation
 February 18
Special Guests: Washington County Fire District 2 Firefighters
Art Exhibits. The art exhibit in January and February will feature abstract paintings
by Hillsboro artist Jeff Jurrens. Jurrens’ abstract expressionist paintings are large,
geometric, textured, and colorful. He has been painting since retiring from the Hillsboro
Fire Department in 2005, inspired by a lifelong appreciation of art and influenced by
New York’s abstract expressionism movement of the 1950s.
Quilt Display. The quilt on display above the checkout desk throughout the month of
January has been donated by the Westside Quilters Guild for the Library to raffle as a
fundraiser. Each block in this six-foot-square quilt features a different, brightly colored
pinwheel on a white patterned background, and the entire piece is machine-quilted.
Tickets will be sold throughout the coming year until the winning ticket is drawn at the
annual Elephant Garlic Festival in August. Each ticket is $1, or 6 tickets will be issued
for $5.
The quilt to be displayed in February is titled Little Pretties. It features multi-colored
small-print squares on a white background. Jo Ann Tannock of North Plains handquilted this gorgeous creation.
An Evening with an Author. The Friends of the North Plains Public Library will host
the first event of its “An Evening with an Author" series on Saturday, January 24
beginning at 7 p.m. at the Library. Oregon author Robin Cody has been invited to
launch this new program. His published works include both fiction and non-fiction
books.
Cody was born in St. Helens. His family moved to Estacada when he was five and
remained there for nearly 50 years. Cody graduated from Yale University, taught in the
American School of Paris, France, and was the Dean of Admissions for Reed College.
In 1984, he became a writer with The Oregonian. One of his stories won the Western
Writers of America Silver Spur Award for short non-fiction in 1986. Cody later joined the
Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) as a freelance writer. It was during an
assignment for BPA that he was inspired to canoe the length of the Columbia River from
its source to its mouth. The 82-day trip gave birth to his book, Voyage of a Summer
Sun, which won the Oregon Book Award in 1995.
Ricochet River, Cody's second book, was first published in 1992. It deals with the lives
of three high school students in the fictional small town of Calamus, Oregon in the
1960s. Ricochet River was one of one hundred works chosen by the Oregon Cultural
Heritage Commission “as exemplifying Oregon’s rich literary heritage from the years
1800 to 2000." The book was made into a 1998 film starring Kate Hudson.
Cody now conducts seminars and workshops in the Portland area, mostly about nature
writing. He will be speaking about his works, particularly Ricochet River, followed by a
"question and answer" period and book signing. This free program is open to the
public. Refreshments will be served.
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Library Book Club. Come enjoy our annual Book Club Potluck Dinner at the Library
on Thursday, January 29 beginning at 6:00 p.m. This is when the book choices for
2015 are announced. Everyone is welcome to attend the Potluck. Dishes are not
assigned, so bring anything you want. Beverages will be provided along with
dinnerware.
Writers’ Group. Share your writing projects and receive feedback from peers on
Thursday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m. New members are welcome to join. (This is not a
teacher/trainer-led class.)
First Friday Flick. Join us on the first Friday of each month at the Jessie Mays
Community Hall at 6 p.m. for a FREE movie showing. On Friday, February 6, come
see The BoxTrolls, the PG-rated, animated adventure produced by Laika Entertainment,
which also produced Coraline and ParaNorman. Based on the novel Here Be
Monsters!, by Alan Snow, the film features the orphaned human boy named Eggs, who
has been raised by trash-collecting trolls, and his valiant efforts to save the trolls from
villain pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher.
Friends of the Library. There will be a general meeting of the Friends on Monday,
February 9 at the Library from 7:30-9 p.m. New members are welcome to attend.
Super Saturday - TrashMan and the Noise Band. Come see this Portland-based
puppet rock band perform on Saturday, February 14 beginning at 1 p.m. at the Jessie
Mays Community Hall. This band is comprised of trash puppets (puppets literally made
of trash) and TrashMan, who plays hand-made instruments made of re-used items.
Audience members are encouraged to join in and rock out! KC (Kelly Campbell) of
KCPuppetree is a trained and experienced teacher, performer, puppeteer, and artist.
For more information, visit http://www.kcpuppetree.com/.
2015 Teen Summer Reading Art Contest. Are you an artist aged 12-18? Submit a
design to our Teen Summer Reading Artwork Contest! The winning design will be used
on 2015 Teen Summer Reading program materials across Washington County,
including posters, bookmarks, flyers, and more. The winner also will receive a $150 gift
certificate from Powell’s Books. The second place winner will receive a $50 gift
certificate for Blick Art Materials, and the winner of honorable mention will get a $25
Blick gift certificate. The last day to submit your entry is Saturday, February 14. Find
contest details and entry form here: http://www.wccls.org/_pdf/2015-Teen-Art-ContestRules-and-Entry.pdf. Good luck!
Holiday Closure. The Library will be closed all day on Monday, February 16 for
Presidents’ Day.
Knights of Pythias E-books Donation. Many thanks to the members of the North
Plains Knights of Pythias Glencoe Lodge No. 22 for their generous donation to the
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Library in support of our e-reader program. The Knights previously purchased a Nook
and a Kindle for public checkout. Each was loaded with approximately 25 titles in fiction
and non-fiction for adults, teens, and children. The Knights recently funded the
purchase of ten more unique bestseller titles for each device. The Library’s e-readers
check out for three weeks, and staff are available to introduce the devices to those who
have yet to enjoy reading books through this new technology.
New Staff Member – Cindy Hibray. Please welcome our newest employee, Cindy
Hibray. After a year of volunteering for the Library, she has joined the staff as a parttime Library Clerk. Cindy enjoys working behind the scenes processing new books and
DVDs as well as working at the Checkout Desk welcoming patrons. She enjoys being a
part of the North Plains community.
Cindy was born and raised in New Mexico. She received a BA in Accounting from the
University of New Mexico and earned her CPA professional certification. She and her
husband, Kevin, spent a decade living in various places throughout the country before
deciding to move to Oregon in 1999 to live in the trees and rain, which they both love.
Since having her third child, Cindy’s time has been dedicated to homeschooling her
children. (All are now teenagers.) Both Cindy and her husband are actively involved in
supporting their two youngest in a musical theater group.
Cindy loves being outside with her kids, playing with her dog, and watching her
chickens. She enjoys reading, playing games, watching her kids perform, and hanging
out with friends.
Save the Date – Friday, April 17 – 11th Annual Art of the Story Festival. National
storyteller Sam Payne of Utah will perform at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club beginning at
7 p.m. His storytelling skills, jazz-inflected folk music, and soaring tenor voice have
established him as an engaging performer. This free program, sponsored by the
Washington County Cooperative Library Services, is designed for an adult audience but
is suitable in content for ages 6 and up.
D. Brodie reported that the January 19 LEGO Palooza, held on the Martin Luther King
Jr. Day holiday, was a great success with 107 people in attendance. It was held at the
Jessie Mays Community Hall between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The next LEGO Palooza will
be held on February 16, the Presidents’ Day holiday, at the same location and at the
same times.
D. Brodie reported that the Holiday Craft Faire fundraiser held on site between
December 1 and 24 made $647 for the Library.
D. Brodie reported that she and Volunteer Coordinator Carol Aldrich and two Library
Volunteers, Jo Ann Tannock and Nancy Vaughan, have been looking into
Storycorps@Your Library, a project of the Library of Congress and the Institute of
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Museum and Library Services. A travel trailer has been outfitted as a recording studio
and is being driven from state to state, stopping at libraries to record personal stories.
These are edited and archived and many have been heard on National Public Radio.
Although North Plains will not be applying for a grant to do this through these entities at
this time, the idea of taping stories of local residents is intriguing and perhaps do-able
on a smaller scale by our Library and/or by the local historical society. The group is
looking for a lead person to spearhead the project and will only proceed if someone with
the time and interest can be secured. It was suggested that Stephanie Farris would be
a great leader for such a project. There is an upcoming meeting about recording
projects already in place in the county which will be held at the Beaverton Historical
Society, and it is anticipated to be enlightening and helpful in determining if it is
something to pursue in North Plains.
D. Brodie reported that the Electronic Reader Board that projected rotating slides of
upcoming Library activities to Commercial Street passers-by was damaged beyond
repair during the recent power outage. Friends President Carolyn Leavitt, who donated
and installed it, has determined that it is not replaceable. Library staff were asked about
substituting an inside electronic display which could be located at the entrance to the
computer room. Many were not comfortable with having a moving sign in their line of
sight. Other ideas have been suggested, including a small television at the checkout
counter, facing toward patrons and away from staff, that would project displays of
events. This might help eliminate some of the flyers and clutter on the counter. There
will be more discussion at the next Staff Meeting.
D. Brodie reported that the SelfCheck machine has now received new software from 3M
that will allow credit cards to safely be accepted for payment of fines and fees. Service
personnel will soon install the card-swipe machine. The screen is different in
appearance and can be programmed to advertise upcoming events. This might prove
acceptable as an inside electronic display.
L. Templin asked about photos of the monthly quilts on exhibit. She would like to see
an art exhibit featuring pictures of the 12 quilts that have been hung throughout the
previous year. Councilor Sandi King volunteered that she knows of a photographer who
might be interested in taking the photos. Library Board members thought they could
then do the framing required for hanging the photos. The topic will be further discussed
at subsequent meetings, pending word from the potential photographer.
D. Brodie reported that the new employee, Cindy Hibray, has been trained and is now
taking regular shifts on her own. She is a welcome addition to the staff and has taken
over many hours formerly worked by Sam Ramirez, who accepted full-time employment
with the City of Hillsboro. Sam continues to work every other Saturday and to show the
First Friday Flicks. The overall hours allotted to staff per week remains at 144.5.
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B.
Library Statistics. Circulation is up slightly and building use (door count)
is up even more in comparison. Staff are busier this year helping people with online
databases, computer use questions, readers' advisory, reference questions, and
electronic gadget usage.
C.
Financial Report. Library expenditures are as expected, just under half
of what has been budgeted. A $1,500 charge for the SelfCheck upgrade will be
forthcoming after the card-swipe feature has been installed.
D.
Friends of the North Plains Public Library Report. M. Susbauer was
not present to report. D. Brodie reminded everyone that the Friends lecture series, “An
Evening with an Author,” will commence on January 24 with Robin Cody. He will focus
on his book, Voyage of a Summer Sun, which is about his canoe trip from the
headwaters of the Columbia River to Astoria. Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served.
7.
OLD BUSINESS
Continue Annual Library Board Policies Review. D. Brodie presented
five policies which were previously reviewed by library staff and were made available for
Library Board review and comment:
D.
Public Relations Policy
E.
Patron Suggestions
I.
Interlibrary and Interagency Cooperation
U.
Adoption of American Library Association (ALA) Policies
V.
Adherence to City Rules and Regulations
L. Templin presented the following motion that was seconded by S. Farris.
MOTION: Approve Policies D., E., I., U., and V. as submitted.
ACTION: Unanimously approved.
8.
NEW BUSINESS
2015 Patron Survey. D. Brodie distributed a draft list of possible questions to
ask the public in an email survey to be conducted in February. Library Staff had
reviewed them and made suggestions which were incorporated in the draft for the
Library Board. The prior year’s questions and answers had been provided via email.
General discussion ensued. Some of the same questions would be repeated, mostly as
a way to educate the recipients that certain services are available. Many other
questions would be open-ended with provision for patrons to supply their own answers
rather than be given multiple choice options. A new question would be to ask where
they receive their information – newspapers, newsletters, flyers, etc. Library Board
members made suggestions for changing the order of questions but overall, by
consensus, approved of the draft that was presented.
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9.
COMMITTEE REPORTS.
None
10.
AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING.
11.
TOPICS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION.
Strategic Plan
Photos of quilts for a future art exhibit
Continue Policies Review
12.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INFORMATION. The next Library Board meeting will
take place on Wednesday, February 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Library
13.
ADJOURNMENT. M. Perkins adjourned the meeting at 8:58 p.m.
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