Item 4DLibrary Board Report
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
The Southlake Library Board respectfully submits this written report in an effort to maintain
communication flow between the Board and City Council.
The Southlake Library Board held their July meeting on October 27, 2004. Below is a summary
of the issues addressed at the meeting.
Librarians Report: Library Administrator Kerry McGeath reviewed with the Board the
activity of the past Month and indicated the following:
September was the end of the Fiscal Year as all are aware. The Library totals were
significantly up for the period over last year. We had a 44% rise in checkouts, 35% in traffic,
and an 89% increase in volunteer hours utilized. We also saw an increase of 133% in the
number of computer users, 25% increase in programming attendance, and a 25% increase in
the number of cards issued. Our check -out or circulation total was 126,508 (vs. 87,550) LY.
We had set our goal for eclipsing the 100,000 benchmark in checkouts and ended up well
above that. The Library provided two storytellers, Jesse Ephraim and Elizabeth Beamon, for
the HarvestFest Spook Walk in which the told scary tales to the little ones on the walk.
Apparently the number of visitors on the Spook Walk exceeded expectations. Mr. McGeath
will begin interviews next week for the 2 part time staff members picked up with this years
budget. We have also added a framed print of the City Council in the Library, just behind the
checkout desk
Issues before the Board:
There was not much in front of the Board this month. We conducted our yearly orientation of
Board Members at the end of the meeting. The only issue discussed was the issue of creating
a change in the policy to allow food and drink (with some limitations) so we can begin to
provide coffee service — we have a tentative agreement to provide Starbucks blended coffee
in the library. The Board recommended unanimously to bring the proposed change to the
City Council in the coming month.
In other news — FOSL has just purchased a 42" Flat Screen Plasma monitor for the Library.
We will be mounting the monitor in the next week or so and will run a loop of
advertisements, and promotional ads for the Library, in much the same manner as they are
available on the cable channel.
If you should have any questions please contact Kerry McGeath, Library Administrator at
817.481.8378.