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TO: PARMLY BILLINGS LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM: BILL COCHRAN, DIRECTOR RE: REPORT MEETING DATE: APRIL 9, 2009 ACTIVITIES REPORT I participated in a series of meetings with Keith Rupert and Keith DeCock of CTA Architects, and Assistant Director Jim Peters and Systems Administrator Dee Ann Redman, on the Gainan’s Feasibility Project, 3-10 and 3-24. I joined Trustees Lloyd Mickelson and Shari Nault, Redman and others at High Plains Book Awards Committee meetings 3-11, 3-25, and 4-1. I participated in the 3-12 meeting of the Mayor’s Committee on Homelessness. Librarians Cindy Patterson and Kathy Robins, Library Assistant Delilah Brown and Library Clerk Jennifer Wilke, along with Systems Administrator Dee Ann Redman and I joined Trustee Lloyd Mickelson, Community Library Committee member Suzanne Reymer, and many representatives of MSU-Billings in design and sustainability charrettes at the College of Technology on 3-16/17 for the proposed Community Library. Children’s staff members Cindy Patterson and Liz Fellerer judged story telling for the FCCLA on 3-16/17 Systems Services staff members Dee Ann Redman and Lynne Puckett attended the city-wide Website Committee meeting on 3-18. I served as Acting City Administrator 3-19. I was interviewed 3-19 by a reporter for the Rapid City Journal for a series of articles planned to cover issues of homelessness, alcohol and substance abuse, and their impacts on communities and their institutions, including libraries, in Western cities. I joined Foundation Board member Bruce Whittenberg, Foundation Development Director Leslie Modrow and others at the second Can We Talk? event the evening of 3-19. Children’s Services staff members Cindy Patterson, Liz Fellerer and Ellis attended the meeting of the Midland Empire Reading Council on 3-24. The City’s annual service awards ceremony was held 3-25. The Library had seven staff members receiving awards this year including Librarian Gene Robson – 35 years, Assistant Director Jim Peters – 30 years, Librarian Jim Curry – 20 years, Librarian Dave Shearer – 20 years, Building Maintenance Worker Jerry Kettenacker – 20 years, Librarian Cindy Patterson – 15 years and Librarian Lynne Puckett – 10 years. I participated in a 3-25 conference call meeting of the Montana Center for the Book Advisory Committee regarding the One Book Montana program. I joined Modrow, and Foundation Board members Norma Buchanan and Evelyn Noennig in conducting a3-26 Lunch @ the Library tour and presentation. Redman attended the Montana State Library’s Networking Advisory Council meeting in Helena on 4-1. ---PAGE BREAK--- UPCOMING EVENTS 4-9 Library Board meeting, Noon 4-9 Tourism and It’s Effects on the Economy, 7:00 p.m. 4-13 Readings by Billings author Craig Lancaster, 7:00 p.m. 4-14 Learning at the Library, Beginning Microsoft Word 2003, 11:30 a.m 4-14 Getting Published Without Getting Scammed 7:00 p.m. 4-16 Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Independent Film, 7:00 p.m. 4-21 Learning at the Library, Beginning Microsoft Excel, 2003 11:30 a.m. 4-21 Foundation Board Meeting, Noon 4-22 Parent Strategies For Surviving Homework Hassles, 7:00 p.m. 4-30 Using Computer Programs to Identify Objects in the Night Sky, 7:00 p.m. 5-1/2 Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale, 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 5-6 Recital by classical guitarist Peter Fletcher, 7:00 p.m. STRATEGIC PLAN STATUS REPORT Completed • Objective 5.1 Public classes on Internet and electronic resources; new schedule of public software classes being offered starting in October • Objective 5.2 Workstation modified for persons with disabilities; installed and available to public 2-18 • Objective 7.1 Lifelong learning programs; new lifelong learning book club kits being introduced with facilitated book discussion groups, including Will of the People 9-24; Judging the Lawyers 10-30; Freakonomics 11-25; American Visions: the Epic History of American Art 1-21 at Library and 1-22 at Yellowstone Art Museum • Objective 8.3 Program for newborns and parents; Children’s Services, the Friends of the Library, and the Junior Woman’s Club have collaboratively designed and produced materials to be delivered to all newborns at both hospitals beginning in November and Children’s Services worked with the Foundation and Friends to offer a Friday morning newborn and parent program beginning 1-16 In Progress • Objective 1.1 Joint Community Library; Architect Selection Committee met 12-2 and recommended top candidates to State of Montana Department of Administration; High Plains Architects, with LMN Architects and Drew Harrington Associates, was the team selected and are under contract; Memorandum of Agreement between City and MSU-Billings approved at City Council meeting 9-22; Community Library Committee met 7-17, 9-25, 10-16, 11-20,12-9, and 2-19; Steering Committee, Library and MSU-B staff met with architect/consultant team 1- 20/21, 2-24/25, and 3-16/17 • Objective 1.2 Facility Committee recommendations; Facilities Committee met with Funding Committee 8-22 and 12-8 • Objective 1.6 Systematic roving assistance program; draft checklist developed at 9-12 Staff meeting • Objective 2.1 Community issue oriented programming; hosted Humanities Montana program Characteristics of the Modern U.S. Presidency 9-26; Library, Foundation, MSU-Billings and Humanities Montana sponsored Can We Talk: A Community Conversation 1-30, attended by 115; a second Can We Talk 3-19 • Objective 4.2/8.2 Marketing program for the online program suggestion function; draft plan developed 8-19 • Objective 5.3 Internet and online classes at retirement facilities; Outreach staff began identifying possible sites at 3-31 unit meeting • Objective 6.1 Staff information literacy training; all staff started training, beginning 9-5, using Learning to Learn: A Guide to Becoming Information Literate in the 21st Century ---PAGE BREAK--- • Objective 6.3 Links from Library website to recommended Internet resources; Election 2008 pages went active 10-2 To Be Completed By September 1, 2008 • Objective 1.4 Infomobile public access to Internet and catalog • Objective 4.1/8.1 Focus groups for program ideas • Objective 6.2 Public information literacy classes By January 1, 2009 • Objective 2.2 Community-based process for Library webpage as virtual commons • Objective 3.1 Expand display furniture for books and other formats • Objective 7.4 Staff training program on lifelong learning and adult education By June 30, 2009 • Objective 1.3 Improve seating and work space • Objective 1.5 Safety, functionality and appearance improvements • Objective 4.1/8.1 Focus groups for program ideas • Objective 7.2 Cooperative lifelong learning programs • Objective 7.3 Enhance resources available for self-directed learning • Objective 7.5 Partnership with MSU-B, WHC and others on preservation of and access to historical records