MINUTES
September 18, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
East Lansing Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Large Meeting Room
950 Abbot Road
The East Lansing Public Library occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg Three Fires confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.
1. Call to Order 5:34 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Trustees present: Pamela Smith, Shawn Nicholson, Polly Synk and Amy Zaagman. Trustee Ameenah Asante was excused. Also present were Friends Representative Toba Kaplowitz, Library Director Kevin King, and Executive Assistant to Library Director Shori Teeple. Seven guests present.
3. Opening
3.1 Approval of Current Meeting Agenda as amended
Discussion Items 7A Budget & Finance and Personnel Committees, 7B Bylaws Updates and Consent Agenda added to Committee Reports; Discussion Item 8A Staff Evaluation for Director added to Old Business; Item 10B Personnel Update from Director's Report moved to 3C Opening.
Zaagman moved
Synk seconded
All in favor
3.2 Approval of August 21, 2024 Meeting Minutes
Synk moved
Zaagman seconded
All in favor
3.3 Director's Report - Personnel Update
New staff introduced: Storm Hawthorn (Teen Services and Schools Liaison Librarian) and Liz Kish (Experience Team Leader).
4. Communications
4.1 Three communications shared including letter received with $25,000 gift designated for continuation of Library on the Go.
5. Audience
5.1 Public Comment - limited to five minutes per person
- None
6. Reports
6.1 City Council Liaison Report
- No report
6.2 Friends of the East Lansing Public Library Report
Kaplowitz reported:
- $2,500 in donations received in August.
- New shelves installed for Friends work room.
- Holiday sale begins November 1.
- 53,000 books sold over last 3 years.
7. Committee Reports
7.1 Budget & Finance and Personnel Committees -- Discussion
- Smith named Trustees Asante and Nicholson to Budget & Finance Committee and Trustees Synk and Zaagman to Personnel Committee.
7.2 Bylaws Updates and Consent Agenda -- Discussion
- Both documents to be updated and added to October agenda for discussion.
8. Old Business
8.1 Staff Evaluation for Director -- Discussion
- Process and next steps discussed.
9. New Business
9.1 Naming Rights Policy -- Discussion
Motion to review policy at October 9 meeting with proposed changes.
Zaagman moved
Nicholson seconded
All in favor
9.2 Recognition of Gift Levels Policy -- Action
Zaagman moved
Nicholson seconded
All in favor
10. Library Reports
10.1 Financial Report
- Printed financial report shared.
10.2 Director's Report
- Strategic Plan Update
- MSU/ELPL Update
King reported:
- Written report shared
10.3. President's Report
Smith reported:
- No report
11. Adjournment
Smith adjourned the meeting at 5:21 p.m.
Board of Trustees
Pamela Smith, President
Ameenah Asante, Vice President
Shawn Nicholson, Secretary
Polly Synk
Amy Zaagman
City Council Liaison
Mayor Pro Tem Kerry Ebersole Singh
Staff Liaison
Kevin King, Library Director
