Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, December 16, 2014

Attention: This post is over 2 years old and the information may be out of date.Attention: This post is over 2 years old and the information may be out of date.

 

Amended

AGENDA

Tuesday, December 16, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street

 

  1. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting on November 18, 2014 (action required)
  2. Approval of the 2015 Board of Directors Meeting Schedule (action required)
  3. Hot Spot Lending Policy (action required)
  4. CPL Capital Projects and Facilities Report (info only)
  5. Commissioner’s Report (info only)
  6. Other Business
  7. Public Comment

 

Next Board Meeting:

Tuesday, January 13, 2015, 9:00a.m.
Harold Washington Library Center
400 S. State Street

 

Open Session Minutes

Physically Present:

Linda Johnson Rice

Christopher Valenti

Josephine Gomez

Denise Gardner

Jodi Block

Present by Means of Video or Audio Conference:

None

Absent:

Chaka Patterson

Barbara Bowman

Lynn Lockwood

 

Approval of the minutes

The Board voted (5-0) to approve the open session minutes of the November 18, 2014 meeting.

Approval of the 2015 Board of Directors Meeting Schedule

Commissioner Bannon reviewed the 2015 Board of Directors meeting schedule, all Directors received the proposed schedule prior to the meeting and were in agreement with the dates and locations chosen listed below:

January 13, 2015, 9am – Harold Washington Library Center

March 17, 2015, 9am – Harold Washington Library Center

April 14, 2015, 9am – Albany Park Branch, 3401 W. Foster Ave.

May 19, 2015, 9am – Harold Washington Library Center

June 16, 2015, 9am – Harold Washington Library Center

September 8, 2015, 9am – Greater Grand Crossing Branch, 1000 E. 73rd Street

October 13, 2015, 9am – Chinatown Branch, 2100 W. Wentworth Ave.

November 17, 2015, 9am – Harold Washington Library Center

December 15, 2015, 9am - Harold Washington Library Center

The Board voted (5-0) to approve the 2015 Board of Directors meeting schedule.

Hot Spot Lending Policy

Michelle Frisque, Chief of Technology, Content and Innovation, presented a new policy for Hot Spot Lending. With the launch of the Internet to Go program, it was proposed that CPL begin offering Wi-Fi hot spots, tablets and laptops for circulation. Patrons would be allowed to check out a Wi-Fi hot spot or Wi-Fi hot spot Kit (which would include a Wi-Fi hot spot and an internet enabled device such as a tablet or laptop). Patrons will be allowed to check out the Wi-Fi hot spots and Wi-Fi hot spot kits for 3 weeks, this policy would launch 1st Quarter, 2015.

The Board voted (5-0) to approve the Hot Spot Lending policy.

CPL Capital Projects and Facilities Report

Andrea Telli, Assistant Commissioner for Neighborhood Services presented the Capital Projects report and supplied new information on projects in planning and under construction.

Projects In planning

  • Legler – MIA/EXP to produce survey of exiting grades and elevations and develop scheme for improved accessibility to main entrance.
  • Austin – no changes (needs approval on procurement recommendations)
  • Douglass – Investigating funding for a public toilet room on the 1st floor.
  • Fire alarm systems – no changes
  • Sulzer Regional – Project being developed in two phases with Phase 1 being the envelope and mechanical repairs and Phase 2 being the architectural upgrades. Phase 1: Detailed drawings for the envelope repair are nearly complete; Phase 2: EXP is preparing a menu of potential interior upgrades with concept-level estimates
  • Woodson Regional- Project has been developed into three phases with Phase 1 being YOUmedia expansion, Phase 2 Envelope replacement and interior work, Phase 3 Auditorium and first floor meeting rooms. Working drawings are in progress with proposed façade design scheme and will be presented in Q1 2015; design development is underway for lobby, children’s and 2nd floor public areas; The PBC’s JOC has begun work on the new ceilings and lighting; 2FM to complete project estimate for Auditorium upgrades by 12/31.

Projects Under Construction

  • Harold Washington Library Center – roof replacement and skylight repair is complete; all alarm panels are installed and operational; inspection and punch list scheduled for 12/22 for fire alarm systems upgrade; cooling tower upgrade and area reroofing punch lists scheduled for 12/18 and 12/24. Installation of 3M security gates in progress and self-check units have been delivered for the center circle redesign and materials handling system.
  • YOUmedia Expansion – Spaces have been cleared with existing shelving and other furniture dismantled as necessary for expansion sites at Sulzer, Legler and Woodson libraries.
  • Chinatown – 40% complete, curtain wall installation in progress; level 2 deck concrete has been placed; mechanical underground installation is in progress at level 1; projected opening Summer 2015.

Commissioner’s Report

Baronica Roberson, Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance, gave an overview of the 2015 CPL Business Plan which will capture the projects and programs that will be implemented throughout the year. This business plan coincides with CPL’s three-year strategic plan, the focus areas are: access for all; serving patrons effectively; nurture learning; support economic advancement; and strengthening communities. Select projects will be chosen each quarter in 2015 and progress in those areas will be reported throughout the year.

Andrea Saenz, First Deputy Commissioner and Mark Andersen, Director of Learning and Economic Advancement also provided a special report on Workforce Investments and Reorganization at CPL. CPL recently partnered with a Social Innovations group from Kellogg to review the small business services offered at CPL and help us more deeply determine who is using the Library for these services, suggestions on how to better promote and enhance the services we offer to fit into Chicago’s small business landscape. Making in libraries has become a huge success with over 7,500 people served through making classes and activities. This initiative began as an experiment and has become a well-established model that has sparked the interest of other museums and libraries to study and follow. CPL has also identified three ways that libraries can play a greater role in connecting patrons to career services by: continuing to connect the public to digital design and advanced manufacturing makes an explicit connection between the Maker Lab and manufacturing career programs; keeping our Cybernavigators trained and informed about workforce services available in Chicago to serve as an access point for job seekers; and to continue our efforts on addressing the digital skills gap, CPL will launch an initiative to design and deliver a digital skills curriculum at smaller branch locations and expand citywide after testing has been complete.

Commissioner Bannon highlighted the following in the Commissioner’s report:

  • Hour of Code – CPL participated in the Hour of Code Dec 8-13, 2014. This global initiative aimed to provide “a one-hour introduction to computer science and show that anyone can learn the basics”. Children services, teen services and the maker lab hosted various programs across the city and Microsoft partnered with YOUmedia to bring demonstrations to the YOUmedia space at HWLC.
  • International Game Day – CPL held their first International Game day at the Harold Washington Library Center on Sat, November 15th, 2014. 75 patrons attended and played games that included MarioKart, Cranium and D&D.
  • Bookamania – CPL hosted their 20th Bookamania on November 22, 2014. Over 4,000 patrons were in attendance and enjoyed the STEM room which housed over 50 reptiles for children to touch and learn about, and also featured a cardboard building area and a one-story high tetrahedral tower made out of newspapers and masking tape created by children to name a few. The Museum of Science and Industry contributed to the day long events and Bernie’s Book Bank provided each child with 12 books to take home. Funding for this program was provided by Target through the Chicago Public Library Foundation.
  • Branding and Visibility Strategy – CPL will begin discussions to create a branding strategy. Board member Denise Gardner will be a lead on this program.

Other Business

None

Public Comment

The Board received comments regarding the King branch library that included: newspapers not being received on Sundays; inadequate exterior lighting outside the branch; and work areas not being upheld.

Next Board Meeting

The next board meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street.

 

Commissioner’s Report

Guests: Baronica Roberson, Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance, Andrea Saenz, First Deputy Commissioner and Mark Andersen, Director of Learning and Economic Advancement

Hour of Code

In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, December 8-13, Chicago Public Library participated in the Hour of Code, a global initiative that aimed to provide “a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics.”

Children Services, Teen Services and the Maker Lab hosted a variety of Hour of Code programs across the city. Children Services offered 2 programs, HWLC hosted 5 HoC workshops, Teen Services and the YOUmedia staff hosted 18 programs at 11 branches and the Maker Lab offered seven programs/sessions teaching Scratch and Python, workshops coding arduinos to make music, opportunities to play with the Finch robots, drop-in sessions to learn coding, and a visit from a computer programmer informing patrons about job opportunities.

Microsoft partnered with YOUmedia to bring demonstrations and programs to HWLC YOUmedia. Teens that completed two Hour of Code activities during Computer Science Week had a chance to visit the Microsoft Office for an exclusive workshop with Microsoft employees in the Microsoft Computer Lab.

International Game Day

HWLC held its first International Game Day programming on Saturday, November 15th. We had 75 people attend and at one point all the tables were filled with people playing games. Vendors who assisted in teaching different games included Dice Dojo, Cat and Mouse, and Marbles. Games included Hanabi, D&D, MarioKart and Cranium. Allen Turner, a professor at DePaul, conversed with the public about the creation of his game, Ehdrigohr.

Bookamania

The 20th Bookamania was held on November 22, 2014.  A festival of playing, making and learning all connected to books and children's authors boasted attendance of over 4,000.  Children's theater presented by Lifeline Theater, a STEM room included over 50 reptiles for children to touch and learn about, engineering challenges and a cardboard building area were featured and a one-story high tetrahedral tower created by children out of newspapers and masking tape and led by our partners from the Museum of Science and Industry were all part of the day.  Esteemed children's author, Ashley Bryant addressed children along with 20 other live performances throughout the building. Bernie's Book Bank provided children with 12 books to take home, and over 20,000 books were distributed to children attending.  Over volunteers participated and approximately 250 of them were teens gaining valuable workforce development skills. From this day will stem new initiatives including Take 20, Read Plenty: our read-aloud campaign with reading nooks and a new Global Day of Play-Cardboard Challenge. Thanks to Target for their generous funding through the Chicago Public Library Foundation.