LIBMIN 04-25-2023Meeting of the Elk River Public Library Board
Elk River Community Room
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Members Present: Chair Isaac Blaske, Commissioners Carole Boelter, Michelle Hegarty,
Kelly Voss, Sara Soukup
Members Absent: none
Guests Present: none
Council Liaison: Mayor John Dietz
Staff Present: Lori Lundstrom, Library Services Coordinator - GRRL
Dawn Larson, Recording Secretary, City of Elk River
Jeannette Burkhardt, Patron Services Supervisor-GRRL
Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
1. Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Public Library
Board was called to order at 5:28 pm by Chair Boelter.
2. Consider January 24, 2023, Agenda
Moved by Commissioner Blaske and seconded by Commissioner Hegarty to
approve the January 24, 2023, Agenda with the addition of the introduction of
Sara Soukup. Motion carried 5-0.
a. Sara Soukup Introduction
Commissioner Soukup introduced herself as the newest board member recently
appointed by Mayor Dietz. She was sworn in before the meeting. The rest of the
board and staff introduced themselves to her.
Mayor Dietz also introduced himself as the new Elk River City Council liaison to
the Elk River Library Board.
3. Consent Agenda
3.1 Secretary’s Report
October 25, 2022, Meeting Minutes
3.2 Treasurer’s Report
October, November, December 2022 Revenue and Expense Reports
3.1
Elk River Public Library Board Page 2
January 24th, 2023
-----------------------------
Mayor Dietz asked Mr. Hecker if he knew if the $10,000 the City of Elk
River paid the library for the additional three hours of staffing per week was
included in the reports. He did not see them in the reports that were
provided. Mr. Hecker said he would check into the answer and get the
information back to the mayor and board.
4. Open Forum
5. General Business
5.1 New Business
a. Election of board positions.
Commissioners immediately took over new responsibilities once
elections were concluded.
Commissioner Boelter nominated Commissioner Blaske for the position of Chair.
He accepted. No other nominations were made.
Commissioner Boelter nominated Commissioner Hegarty as Vice-Chair. She
accepted. No other nominations were made.
Commissioner Boelter nominated Commissioner Voss as Secretary. She accepts.
No other nominations were made.
b. Director Michael Hecker available for questions
Mr. Hecker stated that his role at the meetings is to attend and
answer any questions or concerns the board has about how the city is
involved with the library. If he can’t answer the questions directly, he
will take them back to the appropriate staff at the city and return with
an update at the next meeting or have Secretary Larson send out an
email with the information before the next meeting.
c. Review by-laws if necessary
The board determined that the by-laws were still current and
consistent their goals.
d. Brainstorm session for 2023 ideas of events the library board could
possibly create or attend with library staff or city staff.
Mayor Dietz asked Ms. Burkhardt if there is still a state library
conference that occurs and if library board members are able to go.
Ms. Lundstrom said there is a MN Library Association Annual
Elk River Public Library Board Page 3
January 24th, 2023
-----------------------------
conference in the fall, but she wasn’t sure if library board members
could go.
Ms. Lundstrom mentioned Elk Riverfest happening on July 29, 2023.
The board agreed that Elk Riverfest is and event they would like to
consider being involved in and would like to discuss more at the
April meeting.
Ms. Lundstrom also mentioned the Story Stroll event taking place
this summer at Orono park. Children are able to submit poetry which
will be placed on signs in Orono park leading park patrons towards
the path of the library. The library will be having a kick off event in
the Summer that board members could attend.. The story stroll
follows the summer reading program which runs mid-June through
mid- August.
The Sherburne County parade occurs in mid-July and was discussed
as an option to participate in or for the library to have an event
outside at their location after the parade that library board members
could attend. The parade has about 60-65 floats. Mayor Dietz
mentioned that last year library patrons had a hard time leaving the
library due to the parade route blocking the library entrance/exit. It
would be good to notify patrons ahead of time next year. The board
would like to discuss this more at the April meeting.
Commissioner Hegarty asked if the board was still considering
joining the library at the Community Connect event put on by
Sherburne County United Way in October. Ms. Lundstrom said it
would be nice to have extra staff there so they could do a story time.
Commissioner Boelter asked if they could also bring some Stem kits
and other kits from the library to show the public that the library has
more to offer other than just books. Miss Lundstrom confirmed that
they can bring the kits as long as they order them ahead of time.
5.2 Old Business
a. Library hours
The board reviewed the change in hours starting this month. The
weekly staffed hours were reduced by 3 hours. The Mayor explained
that five years ago the City agreed to spend $10,000 per year for three
extra hours of staffing that the library didn’t provide at the time.
Recently the City Council decided that the city would no longer pay
for the extra hours and the Great Regional River Library completed a
study of patron usage which showed a reduction of usage at the Elk
River location. The library did not see it necessary to continue the
extra three hours coming out of their budget. Once a patron input
study was completed at the Elk River location the hours were decided
upon and posted.
5.3 Patron Services Supervisors Report
Elk River Public Library Board Page 4
January 24th, 2023
-----------------------------
Ms. Burkhardt presented her report. She reiterated that the money
from the locally growin’ program stays local to Elk River and that the
big books that will be ordered are nice for story times and home
school groups. She also talked about some new kits referred to as
EPIC career kits that are great for career education for kids and
families.
5.4 Library Services Coordinator Report
Ms. Lundstrom presented her report. Miss Lundstrom was excited
that the library has found a new story teller that will work with them
throughout the year.
5.5 City Council Report
a. Mayor John Dietz
The mayor explained that he is the new City Council liaison to the
Library Board. The council is generally interested in the library
budget, the annual report from the library and library board, and any
severe building issues that may arise.
The Mayor asked Ms. Lundstrom how the library community room
rentals were going. The parks and recreation department used to
process the rental requests for the library but the library has taken
that over on their own. Ms. Lundstrom said that it is going well. It
was confirmed that rentals are only allowed two months in advance
and it has been that way for several years.
6. Announcements
7. Adjournment
Moved by Commissioner Boelter and seconded by Commissioner Hegarty to
adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:21pm.
Minutes submitted by Dawn Larson.
________________________
Tina Allard, City Clerk
________________________
Isaac Blaske, Chair