Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, November 20, 2012

Agenda

Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 8:30 a.m.

1. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting on October 16, 2012 (action required)
2. Commissioner’s report
3. Report of the Committee on Administration and Finance
4. Report of the Committee on Facilities
5. Chicago Public Library Foundation, Rhona S. Frazin, CEO
6. Other Business
   • Retirements: Angela I Holtzman, Librarian, Humanities (44 years), Mary E. Johnson, Computer Tech, (27 years), Alicia Carmargo, Clerk, Lozano Branch (11 years)
7. Questions and comments from the audience

Next Board Meeting

Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 8:30 a.m.

The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Public Library convened at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 in the Harold Washington Library Center’s Multi-Purpose Room.

Board Members in Attendance

• Linda Johnson Rice, President
• Christopher P. Valenti, Secretary
• Cristina Benitez
• Josephine Gómez

Absent

• Susan S. Hassan
• Israel Idonije
• Lynn Lockwood
• Cherryl T. Thomas
• Julia Zhu

Also in attendance were Commissioner Brian Bannon, Assistant Commissioners Greta Bever and Andrea Telli and other members of the Library staff.

Others

• Rhona S. Frazin, President & CEO, The Chicago Public Library Foundation

Members of the Public

• Reverend Doyle Landry
• Jackson Blue, patron
• Kathryn Pensack, Albany Park community resident

Approval of the Minutes

Due to the lack of a quorum, the minutes of the Library Board’s regular meeting on October 16, 2012 were not approved.

Commissioner's Report

Commissioner Brian Bannon reported the following:

• The City Council approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2013 Budget on Thursday, November 15, 2012. The Library’s budget recommendation included increases to restore Monday service hours in 2013 and fully fund the completion of two library construction projects (the Back of the Yards and Edgewater) that are currently in progress.
• The Chicago Public Library has been working with the Chicago Public Library Foundation on its 2013 budget process and the Library’s budget request for 2013 and expects the process to be completed early December. The Library is seeking approximately $5.4 million in support from the Foundation for 2013.
• The Library continues to work with the City’s Public Building Commission on new design ideas for future construction projects and furniture and fixtures for the new Back of the Yards branch.
• Bookamania was a huge success. Approximately 3,700 patrons, mostly children, attended this yearly celebration of children’s books with children’s book authors and illustrators, costumed characters, and engaging learning activities for children ages 3-10 on Saturday, November 17. Mayor Rahm Emanuel visited the event.
• Diane Marshbank Murphy, Director of Acquisitions, continues to work on the Library’s behalf with the Chicago Public Library Foundation and Mission Measurement to develop an assessment of the impact that the Library’s services has on its users and how the Library may realign key programs and services against key impact areas. The Library anticipates the assessment to be completed within the next two weeks with a deeper analysis of some of the Library’s signature programs to begin in 2013. The Chicago Public Library Foundation is funding this initiative.
• The Chicago Public Library is preparing how it will communicate its priorities for 2013 for presentation to the Board at its December 2012 meeting.

Administration and Finance

Commissioner Bannon gave the report of the Administration and Finance Committee. The Committee met on November 13, 2012. Due to the lack of a quorum, the regular minutes of the Administration and Finance Committee’s October 8, 2012 were not approved.

Commissioner Bannon reported that there was no Schedule of Contracts and Requisitions for the month of November 2012.

Commissioner Bannon reported that Library reminded the Administration and Finance Committee of the Library’s longstanding resolution authorizing the closing of all locations at 3:00 p.m. on December 24 and 31. Since the Library began staggering the hours of public service earlier this year to ensure coverage at all locations (some open at 10:00, others at noon), it was decided that the public service hours at all locations for these two dates will be 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Commissioner Bannon reported that Andrea Telli, Assistant Commissioner for Neighborhood Services, reported on the Library’s ongoing discussions with the City’s Public Building Commission about paint, furnishings and designs centered around the concept of “light and bright” for future branches; the Chinatown project; the co-location of the new Back of the Yards Branch in a new High School, and the Albany Park project.

Commissioner Bannon reported that there were two members in the audience: Mr. Jackson Blue, commented on the Library’s Bookamania event and Ms. Kathryn Pensack, a resident of the Albany Park community who had several questions about the Albany Park project.

Facilities Committee

Director Christopher Valenti gave the report of the Facilities Committee. The Committee met at the Harold Washington Library Center on November 14. The Committee approved the minutes of the Facilities Committee’s September 12, 2012 and October 10, 2012 meetings.

Director Valenti reported that Morton Coburn, Director of Library Building Programs, presented the Library’s Capital Improvement Projects report (Attachment A) and highlighted the following:

Projects in the construction phase:

• Humboldt Park Branch: Construction continues on this 5,000 square foot expansion of the existing branch. This project will be financed with TIF funds. There will be no LEED certification for this project, which is anticipated to be completed by the end of November 2012.
• Edgewater Branch: Construction continues on this new 16,533 square foot, two-story branch library, which will replace a former 11,000 square foot building that was constructed in 1973. The Library anticipates a gold LEED certificate for this project, which is expected to be completed by the spring of 2013.

Projects in the planning phase:

• Back of the Yards. This new 8,000 square foot branch will be co-located with a Back of the Yards High School at 2111 W. 47th Street. This is the first project involving the collaboration between the Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Public Schools. The Chicago Public School Board anticipates substantial completion of this project by July 2013.
• Albany Park: Construction continues on this 16,295 square foot, one-story branch library. A pre-demolition meeting was held at the PBC on October 23. An adopted plan calls for the salvage of materials from the library building and the adjacent apartment block by the “Reuse Group,” followed by the abatement of hazardous materials (asbestos and lead paint), and then the removal of the two buildings. Demolition is now scheduled to begin in the 3rd week of November and be completed by the end of December.
• Whitney Young: This new 16,295 square foot, single level structure will replace a current facility. The Public Building Commission is working with Terracan Consultants, Inc., a private environmental firm, to clean the contaminated soil that was left by a former dry cleaning establishment. Remediation activities are expected to begin in January 2013 and be completed by July 1, 2013. The library will remain open during the remediation activities.
• Chinatown Branch Library: This project will not follow any of the Library’s current design plans. A new plan will be developed to situate the proposed library on this triangular shaped lot.
• Woodson Regional Library facade: 9525 South Halsted Street: No change to report on this project. The Library is still working on the process to acquire funding through an Illinois State Library Construction Act Grant to fund repairs to the building’s west façade. The façade has been stabilized by caulking where needed and installation of a metal net to retain any loose materials.
• Independence Branch Library: No change. No funding is in place for construction. CPL is evaluating funding options and land in consultation with Alderman Mell, the PBC and the community.

Director Valenti reported that Greta Bever, Assistant Commissioner for Central Library Services, gave the report for US Equities, the building management company for the Harold Washington Library Center. There were no security issues to report and all routine maintenance is ongoing and on schedule. Upgrade of the Building Automation System continues and is expected to continue through the end of the year and potentially early 2013. In addition, US Equities has started the elevator modernization for car #11 (Contractors Freight). This is the final elevator to be upgraded. This work will be completed in November 2012.

Director Valenti stated that Ms. Telli gave a brief report about the ongoing discussions between the Chicago Public Library and the Public Building Commission’s regarding new trends and potential design innovations for future construction projects including the Albany Park and Chinatown projects.

Director Valenti reported that that the following members of the community attended the meeting: Theresa Mah, Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, Michael Ulrich, Chinatown community, Kathryn Pensack, Albany Park community resident; and Roberta Bole, President of the Friends of the Independence Branch.

Foundation Report

Rhona Frazin, President and CEO gave the report for The Chicago Public Library Foundation (Attachment B).

Other Business

Commissioner Bannon reported that the following staff have elected to retire: Angela I Holtzman, Librarian, Humanities (44 years); Mary E. Johnson, Computer Services, (27 years); and Alicia Carmargo, Clerk, Lozano Branch (11 years).

Questions and Comments from the Audience

Mr. Jackson Blue, a member of the audience, asked what happens to the staff assigned to the branches that are currently undergoing construction and what the Mayor’s authority is with regards to the Library. Commissioner Bannon responded that staff from branches that are currently undergoing construction are detailed out to neighboring branches. With regard to the Mayor, Mayor Emanuel works with the City Council on the City’s yearly budget request, which includes the Chicago Public Library and appoints members to the Library Board, which in turn appoints the Commissioner.

Reverend Doyle Landry, another member of the audience, shared a copy of an article that appeared in Chicago Magazine’s December 2012 edition. The article entitled Guide to Charitable Giving listed the criteria that a person should consider when looking to donate to a nonprofit. Reverend Landry congratulated The Chicago Public Library Foundation and its President Rhona Frazin for making the Magazine’s top 15.

Reverend Landry cited Chicago Sun Times columnist Mary Mitchell’s article about a couple of Chicago High School students who were recently named Rhodes Scholars about the impact her childhood visits to the library with her single Mom made on her. Reverend Landry expressed his belief of the need for the continuation of these experiences for children so that they may be better prepared to enter the college selection process.

As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:57 a.m.

Submitted by Christopher P. Valenti, Secretary

Attachment A: Report on CPL Capital Projects for November 2012

Prepared for the Facilities Committee

November 20, 2012
Chicago Public Library Board of Directors Meeting

Summary

Number of buildings at a construction stage: 2

• Humboldt Park Branch Expansion
• Edgewater Branch Replacement

Projects in their Construction Phase:

Humboldt Park Branch Library Remodeling and Expansion: 1605 North Troy Street

The expansion of the existing branch is financed through TIF funds. The AOR is the firm of Steven Rankin Associates, the same AOR for the Toman Branch Library. The addition includes a YOUmedia space for middle and high school students.

General Contractor: Tyler Lane Construction Ltd.

Construction cost: $ 2,283,650.00

Construction start: December 28, 2011

Substantial completion: November 14, 2012

The building’s furniture is due during the week of November 19th.

The Department of Building has completed their inspection.

Work in progress or completed:

• Painting – 100%
• Electrical rough-in – 100%
• Testing & balancing of systems – 30%
• Rebuild air handling system – 80%
• Control piping – 95%
• Rubber flooring – 95%
• Landscaping – 90%
• Fire alarm system – 95%
• Irrigation system – 20 %
• Electrical trim – 40%
• Millwork trim - 30%

There will be no green roof on this building. There will be no LEED certification for this project. The anticipated date for substantial completion is November 14, 2012.

Edgewater Branch Library: 6000 N. Broadway

Architect of Record: Lohan Anderson

General Contractor: Burling Builders Construction

Construction cost: $7,614,000

Funding sources:

• $850,000 IL State Grant (for design & construction)
• $1.125M TIF funding
• $11.904M General Obligation Bonds
• Total: $13,380.000

The new, 16,533 sq. ft. two-story branch library is replacing an 11,000 sq. ft. building constructed in 1973.

The building’s construction is now 58% completed. Its brick façade and stone base are completed on its north and east elevations. The completion of the brick facades is critical to the installation of window openings and window walls. There will be an impact on the construction as winter temperatures approach. Interior work will be related to the contractor’s heating of that space when temperatures drop. Site work will continue throughout the cold months – if possible.

Work scheduled for November 2012:

• Stone base and brick walls (south & east elevations)
• Roofing
• Mechanical, electrical & plumbing rough-in (1st & 2nd floors)
• Install equipment in mechanical room
• Electrical service installation
• Demolition & replacement of north half of adjacent alley
• Geothermal wells - installation
• Window & glass wall installations
• Roof parapet & “eyebrow” structure

Substantial completion of the branch building is anticipated by April 10, 2013.

It is anticipated that a LEED Gold certificate will be achieved.

Projects in their Planning Phase:

Back of the Yards: 2111 W. 47th Street (no change)

Architect of Record: STL Architects, Inc.

General Contractor: F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, LLC

This 8,000 sq. ft. library will be the first in a pilot project to leverage the joint resources of CPS and CPL in order to offer teen-focused collections and digital learning amenities, while also operating as a public library for all residents in the community. It replaces a leased facility located at 4650 S. Damen Avenue, which was closed in August 2011 due to repeated flooding.

CPL, CPS and the PBC have met a number of times since the project was announced to discuss designs, floor and technology plans.

Completed thus far: A floor layout of furniture, furnishings and equipment (tables, chairs, shelving, lounge seating, computer sites in a central reading room), and related electrical and data layout.

On October 29, a meeting was held at the PBC with 2FM, CPL and CPS personnel to review the content of a lease agreement between CPL and CPS. A second meeting is to be held to finalize the items to be included in the lease. CPS intends to have the new facility ready by July 2013.

Albany Park: 5150 North Kimball Avenue

Architect of Record: Jackson Harlan Architects

Funding: $15,000,000 of TIF financing

General Contractor: yet to be selected

The new, 16,300 sq. ft. one-story branch library is replacing a 10,500 sq. ft. building constructed in 1963 – an increase of 5,800 sq. ft.

• The building’s Design Development Submittal was reviewed by CPL, 2FM, PBC, and selected peer review professionals. Their collective comments will be incorporated into the final design.
• The AOR worked on several exterior designs for the building. From these, one accepted for the Design Development Submittal.
• On October 30 the AOR reviewed their DDS with Commissioner Bannon and another meeting will be scheduled in November to discuss interior color palate, furniture, etc.
• A pre-demolition meeting was held at the PBC on October 23. An adopted plan calls for the salvage of materials from the library building and the adjacent apartment block by the “Reuse Group,” followed by the abatement of hazardous materials (asbestos and lead paint), and then the removal of the two buildings. Demolition is scheduled to begin in the 3rd week of November and be completed by the end of December.
• The noted plans have been reviewed by the Mayor’s Office for Persons with Disabilities, the Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Chicago Department of Transportation.
• 60% Construction Document Submittal is due from the AOR on November 30th
• The PBC/AOR team is to schedule meetings with the CPL and 2FM within the next 60 days to discuss:
  • BAS (Building Automation System)
  • IT Design - meeting with CPL, 2FM and DoIT
  • FF&E Review meeting

Whitney Young Branch Library: 7901 South King Drive

The current 11,000 sq. ft. building was constructed in 1972. Three adjacent lots were acquired for a future facility. There are scattered pockets of contamination from a cleaning establishment that occupied one of the lots.

As noted in previous Facilities Reports, the PBC is responsible for cleaning the contaminated soil condition. Our PBC liaison, Richard Schleyer, is working with Terracan Consultants, Inc., a private environmental firm. The strategy that the latter firm is pursuing was reviewed at our May 2012 meeting.

As noted in the May report, the clay level of soil (3 lots) will be chemically treated to neutralize the contaminant. A seven foot layer of clean clay soil will be laid down over the entire three lots and sealed with a covering sheet. The latter is intended to keep resulting fumes from escaping from the clay levels. Stone and gravel will be placed over the clean clay to a depth of 3 – 4 feet to grade. This solution has been submitted to the IEPA for a final review. A response from that source is anticipated in early November. Remediation activities are expected to begin in January 2013 and be completed by July 1, 2013. The library will remain open during the remediation activities.

Chinatown Branch Library: 2353 S. Wentworth Avenue (no change)

On September 28th, Mayor Emanuel announced new infrastructure projects and developments to help revitalize communities in the near south side. This announcement included a new branch library that will provide modern technology resources and expanded space for children and community programs. Construction is expected in late 2013. Twelve million dollars in TIF funds have been identified.

Woodson Regional Library Façade: 9525 South Halsted Street (no change)

The content of the Rubinois & Mesia report has been discussed by the Facilities Committee in past months. As a result of the latter and representations made by senior staff from 2FM the following is the status of the Woodson façade problem:

• The building’s west façade has been stabilized by caulking where needed and the attachment of a metal net to retain any loose material.
• A sidewalk canopy is now in place for the entire length of the building’s front façade.
• A permanent repair must be funded and accomplished within one year.
• A possible source of funding for the needed repairs is through the Illinois State Library Public Library Construction Act Grant Program.

Independence Branch Library: 3548 W. Irving Park Road (no change)

No funding is in place for construction. CPL is evaluating funding options and land in consultation with Alderman Mell, the PBC and the community.

Report compiled by Morton Coburn, Library Building Programs, November 1, 2012

Attachment B: Chicago Public Library Foundation Report

November 20, 2012
Chicago Public Library Board of Directors Meeting

The Chicago Public Library Foundation is pleased to report on collaborative projects with the Library and funds secured since this Board’s last meeting on October 16.

As you will recall, that meeting was the day before our Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner, honoring Don DeLillo, Walter Isaacson and Nami Mun. I am pleased to report under the leadership of Trisha Rooney Alden and Michael Sacks and with $100,000 Lead Sponsorship from BMO Harris Bank, and the support of all of you, The Sandburg Dinner posted an all time high total revenue of $1,536,000—an 18% increase over our 2011 previous record of $1.262 million.

We also raised $20,000 in 53 gifts ranging from $10 to $3000 which were received as part of the Sun-Times Foundation “Double Your Dollars” Campaign—not to mention 3 leadership gifts totaling $60,000 which triggered the Sun-Times Foundation/Chicago Community Trust $50,000 match. More than 300 new prospect names were added to our email data base as part of our signed book “door prize” that evening; we garnered an impressive amount of media attention and to date, Bob Wislow’s impromptu pitch for support of the Foundation as part of his remarks that evening has resulted to date in twelve new gifts ranging from $100 to $1000 totaling $3600.

As year-end approaches we are deeply engaged in a variety of fundraising, budget and program planning activities. We would like to commend Commissioner Bannon on the hard work and planning that he and his senior team have put in to the Library’s 2013 request for private funding support from the Foundation. That request has been presented to the Foundation’s Program Committee and Board of Director and will be voted on following further discussion by the Foundation’s Executive Committee in Mid December.

The Foundation also continues to work on its due diligence on BiblioCommons, a vendor which has proposed to design a privately funded, highly interactive digital platform for Chicago Public Library users.

This week we have submitted a proposal to the MacArthur Foundation for a grant of $3 million over three years to sustain and develop an enhanced program delivery model for YOUmedia at both the Harold Washington Library Center and in the branches.

We are also putting the finishing touches on a proposal to the $250,000 from Institute for Museum and Library Services for a prototype Makerspace at the Harold Washington Library.

We have also submitted a proposal to the Allstate Foundation for partial funding of the new interactive Digital Platform for the Library.

All of this new activity has required a high degree of coordination and collaboration between the Library and Foundation staff teams.

Last week we received our first grant commitment for the 2013 Summer Reading and Learning Program which will focus on Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math—a $65,000 from the Dr. Scholl Foundation.

It’s my pleasure to wish all of you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving.