AGENDA

Tuesday, November 18, 2014, 9:00 a.m.

1. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting on October 14, 2014 (action required)
2. Report on Board Approved Policy Changes (info only)
3. CPL Capital Projects and Facilities Report (info only)
4. Commissioner’s Report (info only)
5. Chicago Public Library Foundation Report (info only
6. Questions and comments from the audience

Next Board meeting:

December 16, 2014, 9:00 a.m.

Open Session Minutes

Board Members in Attendance

Physically Present:

Christopher P. Valenti

Jodi Block

Chaka Patterson

Lynn Lockwood

Denise Gardner

Present by Means of Video or Audio Conference:

None

Absent:

Josephine Gomez

Linda Johnson Rice

Barbara Bowman

Approval of the minutes

The Board voted (5-0) to approve the open session minutes of the October 14, 2014 meeting.

Report on Board Approved Policy Changes

Michelle Frisque, Chief of Technology, Content and Innovation, supplied a report on the policy changes that have occurred between April 2012 –March 2014 which reflected changes in the public commuting, circulation and space policies at the Library. With the public commuting policy change patrons were now allowed access to computers and databases even if they had fines. There have been a number of circulation policy changes which include: extending the renewal period from 3 to 15; an increase in the materials check out limit from 30 to 50, an increase in the fine threshold from $1 to $10, and removing the restriction of children having to physically be able to write their name in order to receive a library card. With these changes implemented, the Library has seen a 6% increase in circulation over the last year. The Library also implemented a covered beverage policy which allows patrons to bring drinks into the Library as long as they are covered. The Library has also seen an increase in the number of patrons renewing and applying for library cards and 2.8 million computer sessions since last year.

CPL Capital Projects and Facilities Report

Andrea Telli, Assistant Commissioner of Neighborhood Services, presented the Capital Projects report and gave an update on projects in planning and under construction.

Projects In planning

• Branch Libraries: There were no new changes presented regarding the Austin, Douglass and Legler branch libraries.
• Fire alarm systems are still on track to be upgraded at the Blackstone, Hall, Chicago Bee, Hegewisch, and South Shore branches
• Detailed drawings for the envelope repair are being developed at Sulzer.
• Woodson: Upgrade/renovation of Auditorium and first floor meeting rooms, construction drawings in progress, $832,000 funded through the a DCEO grant supported by Representative Monique Davis, 27^th District

Projects Under Construction

• Harold Washington Library Center: Roofing membrane is installed on all four barrel vaults; alarm panels are installed and operational and new devices have been installed on six floors; rehab of winter cells completed by 11/7 for turnover to USE; generator installed on 10/31; during construction the Winter Garden will be closed
• YOUmedia Expansion Sites: Spaces have been cleared with existing shelving and other furniture dismantled as necessary; digital media packages are already on site, programs will continue during construction
• Chinatown: curtain wall installation in progress; 33% complete; level 2 deck concrete has been placed; mechanical underground installation is in progress at level 1.
• Center Circle Redesign: Coring for wiring needed for movement of the 3M security gates to 1^st floor completed; awaiting estimate of 3D rendering of Circulation desk from contractors; self-check unit have been ordered; staff in the Patron Account Services department are being cross-trained

Commissioner’s Report

Baronica Roberson, Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance, gave an overview of the 2015 CPL budget which is estimated at $126,533,318. Funding sources vary and an estimated 6% increase is anticipated due to salary increases. Personnel costs are 82% ($60, 149,719) and non-personnel costs are 18% ($13,170,883) which is consistent with the City overall.

CPLF budget request is increased $830,600 from $5,580,000 in 2014 to $6,410,600 for specific activities and was created in conjunction with the strategic plan with 49% of the budget focused to nurture learning, 24% to support economic advancement and 10% to strengthen communities. Both budgets are pending approval, CPL budget will be voted on at City Counsel tomorrow and the CPLF budget voting is in December.

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

• CPL launches a leadership program to strengthen managers’ capacity for leading their teams and shape the future of libraries worldwide. Supported through the CPLF, the program will allow managers 2-3 weeks to create a custom program using the human centered design technique and return to present and possible implementation.
• The Gates Foundation partnered with CPL to host International Tech meeting, a 2-day meeting Nov 4^th and 5^th at HWLC. This invitation only meeting brought together leaders from 15 countries to discuss libraries and technology. CPL was chosen due to the recent innovative initiatives implemented such as the Maker/3D Printing Lab, YOUmedia and Finch robots. CPL staff provided tours, participated in meeting and led sessions at the HWLC and Little Village branch library.
• On Fri, Nov 14^th, Mayor Emanuel honored the late Mayor Harold Washington with a plaque dedication ceremony in the Winter Garden at HWLC. Approximately 75 Chicago residents gathered to remember Mayor Washington’s legacy.
• The Chicago Public Library will close at 3pm on December 24^th and December 31^st; all locations will be closed on December 25^th and January 1^st, 2015.
• Joselyn Bell, Director of Finance, will be retiring after 30 years of service with the City of Chicago.

Chicago Public Library Foundation Report

Rhona Frazin, CEO of the Chicago Public Library Foundation, present the Foundation report and highlighted the following:

• The Carl Sandburg dinner, hosted on October 22^nd, raised more than $1.5mil for the third straight year. Many thanks to the Library Board, staff and sponsors for their support.
• Thank you to the Sun-Times Foundation for their matching grant for the Teacher in the Library program (TIL), which provides after school homework help. Between now and December 31^st they will provide a dollar for dollar match up to a total of $50,000. Also, $55,000 was received from the Chicago Bears and Northern Trust for TIL
• Major gift contributions were received from Boeing, JP Morgan Chase and Joyce Foundation for workforce development
• $50,000 for the Dr Scholl Foundation for the 2015 Summer Learning Challenge
• $250,000 for Citizen Initiative Partnerships at the Library from Citi

Other Business

None

Public Comment

The Board received comments regarding an upgrade to the Independence Library; inquired about the South Shore branch having sound proofing added to lesson noise when events at the branch take place; children being allowed to come to the adults’ side of the Library and vice versa; upgrades to the Bezazian branch and raising the awareness of mental health in libraries.

Next Board Meeting:

The next board meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. at the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State Street.

Commissioner’s Report

Guest: Baronica Roberson, Deputy Commissioner of Administration and Finance

CPL Launches a Leadership Program for all Managers

With significant recent changes, including a new strategic plan Building the Library of the Future, CPL is at an important moment in our history to strengthen our communities and help shape the future of libraries around the globe. To strengthen managers’ capacity for leading their teams and projects in this evolving context, we have designed and launched a leadership development program to connect each manager more deeply with our strategy and invite them to breathe life into it. The first two cohorts have already engaged in this training, where they explored practical leadership tools and frameworks that will enable them to embody CPL’s core leadership competencies: leading with vision, building strong teams, initiating improvements and managing for results. Feedback from these first 50 managers has been extremely positive.  We plan to train our additional 100 managers in 2015.

Gates Foundation Partners with CPL to Host International Tech Meeting

November 4^th and 5^th, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation brought together Library Technology leaders from 15 countries for special invitation-only meetings on libraries and technology. Chicago Public Library was selected for this year’s meeting because of the innovative technology services we offer such as the Maker/3D Printing Lab, YOUmedia, robot lending and Wi-Fi lending. Chicago Public Library leadership participated in the meetings, led sessions, and provided tours of the Harold Washington Library and Little Village Branch Library

Harold Washington Plaque Dedication

On Friday, November 14th we honored the late Mayor Harold Washington with a plaque dedication in the Winter Garden of Harold Washington Library Center. Approximately 75 Chicagoans gathered to remember the late Mayor's legacy, and the plaque will hang outside of Harold Washington Library at the State Street entrance.

Announcements:

• Holiday Closures/ Early Closings
• All Library locations will close at 3PM on December 24^th and December 31^st.
• All Chicago Public Library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (November 27^th, 2014), Christmas Day (December 25^th, 2014) and New Year’s Day (January 1^st, 2015).
• Joselyn Bell is Retiring after 30+ years working with the City of Chicago and 11 years with CPL.

Chicago Public Library Foundation

The Chicago Public Library is pleased to share with you the Fundraising progress that has been made since our last report.

Many of you were able to join us for the Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner on October 22. For the third year running, we have raised a total of more than $1.5 million in support.  Our honorees this year-- Doris Kearns Goodwin, Larry McMurtry, Mavis Staples and Veronica Roth were all truly delighted to receive these very prestigious awards.  Sixty nine authors with ties to Chicago, with expertise ranging from politics to cooking, business to poetry, sports and religion, joined 700 guests at the dinner.

The Foundation would like to express its gratitude to the Library Board and staff members for their support, along with our Dinner Co-Chairs Mark Furlong and Carlette McMullan, event producer Donna La Pietra, emcee Bill Kurtis, conversation host Scott Simon and especially our Board of Directors-- 100% of whom provided table sponsorship for the Dinner.

Accolades and press coverage continue to come in from media outlets including ABC-TV, WGN Radio, Crain's Chicago Business, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times.

Teachers in the Library, the Foundation-funded component of the Library's comprehensive after school homework help initiative continues to get a big boost in public awareness thanks to a matching grant from the Sun-Times Foundation, Michael and Jackie Ferro and the Chicago Community Trust. Between now and December 31 they will provide a dollar for dollar match up to a total of $50,000.  In addition to direct mail and social media, this campaign is getting major notice with a very clever and creative PSA, produced pro bono by RPM Advertising and our Director Steve Platcow.  A considerable number of time slots have been donated by the Comcast-NBC-Universal family of stations.

Finally, we are pleased to recognize the following major grants made to the Foundation for Library programs:

• $200,000 from Boeing, JPMorgan Chase and the Joyce Foundation for workforce development initiatives at the Library
• $50,000 from the Dr Scholl Foundation for 2015 Summer Learning Challenge
• $250,000 for Citizen Initiative Partnerships at the Library from Citi
• $55,00 for Teachers in the Library from The Chicago Bears and Northern Trust
• $50,000 from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation for archiving of the Vivian Harsh Collection at the Woodson Regional Library.