April 18, 2024 Minutes
The regular meeting of the Park Forest Public Library Board of Trustees opened at 7:30 pm.
Roll Call
Those present were:
Park Forest Public Library Board Members: Sevena Merchant, Alan Shnay, Katherine Coleman, Lance L. Jefferson, and Alice McBride
Absent: Felicia Rangel and Jessica Rodrigues
Park Forest Public Library Staff: Barbara Osuch, Jennifer Oosterbaan, Mary VanSwol, Allison McCray, and Millie Robles
Also present: Village Trustee John Moore and Beth Brecher
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the budget meeting of March 18, 2024, and the regular meeting of March 21, 2024, were approved as submitted.
Communications
Library Director Osuch shared a grant award letter from RAILS to staff members Mary VanSwol and Katherine Goosby. The library will receive $1,950 for My Library Is…Becoming Dementia Inclusive to support the memory kits and memory café.
Richton Square School sent a thank you for the books donated for their reading promotion.
Audience to Visitors
No one addressed the board.
Financial Report
Library Director Osuch stated that the financial report was in the packet and that the budget approval would be on the agenda later in the meeting.
Report of the Board President
President Merchant reminded the trustees to file their statements of economic interest by May 1, 2024.
Report of the Librarian
Library Director Osuch stated that four trustees are registered to attend the ATLAS training for trustee/director relations: Alice McBride, Felicia Rangel, Jessica Rodrigues, and Katherine Coleman. President Merchant will also be attending.
On April 5, Library Director Osuch gave a tour of the library to the Civic Leadership Academy. Staff member Millie Robles showed them the library’s digital databases.
On April 6, the library kicked off the Piece of Park Forest program to celebrate local writers and artists. There were poetry readers in each age group including Mayor Woods.
Library Director Osuch announced her retirement effective July 1, 2024. She announced the succession plan for the staff. Mary VanSwol will be serving as Interim Library Director. Library Director Osuch expressed her gratitude for her time with the Park Forest Public Library over the last 20 years and shared a poem that she wrote for the occasion.
President Merchant extended her gratitude to Library Director Osuch for her outstanding service to the library.
Report of the Olympia Fields Public Library Trustee
Library Director Osuch had nothing to report from the Olympia Fields Public Library Board.
Report of Committees
President Merchant stated that all of the trustees are on the finance committee, which met March 18, 2024.
President Merchant asked Trustee McBride to serve on the Bylaws committee.
The Friends committee had no report.
Budget hearing: Library Budget FY 2024-2025
Trustee Jefferson moved that the Board approve the Library Budget for FY 2024-2025 as submitted.
Trustee McBride seconded.
The motion passed by roll call vote: 5 in favor, 0 against, 2 absent, 0 abstentions
Disaster Recovery Plan – 1st reading
The board reviewed the Disaster Recovery Plan.
Bylaws – 1st reading
President Merchant said that it was brought to her attention that there was a change regarding trustee vacancies in the Illinois Compiled Statutes. She asked for a motion to approve the bylaws.
Trustee Jefferson moved to approve the Park Forest Public Library Bylaws as submitted.
Trustee Shnay seconded.
The motion passed.
After-Hours Teen Programs
Trustee Coleman proposed holding an after-hours middle school dance for homeschoolers at the library from 7:00-9:30 pm.
President Merchant asked about security during the event. Organizers would need to plan on someone to provide security. The Board discussed where the dance could take place in the library. President Merchant asked about the timing. Trustee Coleman stated that she was planning on a date in June. If that does not work, then the dance would move to the fall. President Merchant stated that she would like to hear the thoughts of the Board members who could not make it this evening.
Library Director Osuch passed around a letter of support from staff member Nikki Coleman.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:52 pm.