Study Session

The Board's Study Sessions are a time for the Trustees to gather and discuss information. They cannot vote on any proposals at this time. Last night the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library Board of Trustees held a Study Sessions to listen to a presentation on Continuous Improvement.

Travis Gosselin, Board VP,  gave the presentation on how they can be more efficient and transparent. 

Highlights were:

• The idea that they should have a Sharepoint site for managing all their communication, like links to articles about the library.  It seems that this would be used as a bulletin board.  The Board members believe they should speak with one voice. To comply with the Open Meetings Act, any such application can not be used for discussion.
• They'll have more training on Open Meetings.
• They may review the Director twice a year, but don't know if there's time to do this before April. JP supports the status quo. They're not sure what metrics to use or to just measure strategically. (This is not the first library or the first time this library has had to review a Director.) In the past it seems they just had general criteria (none?). 
• They are seeking a way to better show patrons the value of the library.
• They may video tape their meetings as Wilmette does. I wonder if they'd have agreed to that if we weren't there and I hadn't already done so. 
• They may have a meeting for JP to meet with other Board Presidents to discuss best practices. They'd begin with other North Shore communities. Rebecca mentioned that the Illinois Library Assoc. has a Trustees Day and JP asked why they'd never heard about this. Rebecca said the meeting is too far away (Peoria or Tinley Park). 
• Perhaps they should streamline the packet. Some pushed back on this as they like seeing the checks written each month and other details. They may change the format so there are highlights and details. Raheela proposed having a Managers' Discussion and Analysis of the financials. There was a question of who'd compose this. Deb said she didn't have the needed financial background to put that together. Raheela and JP have the most financial background. The Trustees put this idea on the back burner.
• They discussed doing away with fines. 

During Public Comments, I shared how our software has the capability to print library value on receipts and that Skokie PL has begun doing away with fines by starting with youth. 

I explained what a Collection Development Policy is found on library websites, but not ours. Rebecca said ours was just updated, but I still don't see it.