Looking down and to the north from the fourth floor of the Ann Arbor District Library downtown building, overlooking the city-owned underground parking structure being built by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. The black area in the foreground will be the small road called Library Lane, running between Fifth Avenue and Division. (Photos by the writer.)

In three separate, unanimous votes, the board approved the $12.183 million budget, set a millage rate at 1.55 mills – unchanged from the current rate – and designated the budget as a line-item budget with a policy for disbursements. There were no amendments, and minimal discussion. No one attended a public hearing on the budget.

Several trustees noted that the millage rate is below the 1.92 mills that the district is authorized to levy. If set at that higher rate, the library would see an additional $1.6 million in property tax revenues. The lower rate has been in place since fiscal 2009-10.

Monday’s meeting also included a report on the performance evaluation of AADL director Josie Parker, which was overwhelmingly positive. Parker’s salary will remain unchanged at $143,114.

Board president Margaret Leary read aloud a letter to Parker that praised her accomplishments, and highlighted an upcoming challenge: “The Ann Arbor District Library has increasingly been central to our community and its growth and prosperity. Now AADL has to decide whether its downtown facility is up to providing what the community deserves.”

The reference to a downtown facility reflects a decision by the board and top staff to resume exploring the possibility of a new building, in place of the current four-story structure at 343 S. Fifth Ave. A recent survey commissioned by AADL – and presented to the board at its April 16, 2012 meeting – indicates voter support for a tax increase to pay for major renovations or reconstruction of that building.

In another action item at Monday’s meeting, the board approved a one-year extension to the space-use agreement with Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library (FAADL). The nonprofit operates a used bookstore in the lower level of AADL’s downtown building. Proceeds of the store – about $90,000 annually – are given to the library.

Most of the board’s questions and discussion at the meeting related to a non-action item brought up during Parker’s report on the recent Vision 2012 conference, which drew 400 people from across Michigan and nearby states. The event featured three dozen exhibitors of products and services for the blind and visually impaired. It was hosted by AADL, which administers the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled. Ed Surovell speculated that there might be an opportunity to grow the event even more.

AADL 2012-13 Budget

The board considered three resolutions related to the $12.183 million budget for fiscal year 2012-13, which runs from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013.

Near the start of Monday’s meeting, the board held a public hearing on the budget to seek input, but no one showed up to comment.

A draft budget had been presented at the board’s April 16, 2012 meeting. At that time, the budget had been developed based on a 1% increase in projected tax revenues. That projected increase was subsequently lowered to 0.4% following the April 18 release of Washtenaw County’s equalization report, which is the basis for determining taxable value of property in the county, and in turn indicates how much tax revenue will be collected by local taxing entities.

The final budget projects an estimated $11.132 million in tax revenues – or about $71,000 less than the draft budget had projected. In addition to property taxes, other revenues come from library fines and fees, state aid and fines, interest, non-resident fees and grants.

From left: Administrative assistant Karen Wilson gives documents to AADL board president Margaret Leary to sign after the May 21 meeting.

On the expenditure side, the highest category is salaries and wages, at $5.8 million – an increase from $5.67 million this year. Employee benefits are budgeted to increase 6% from $1.476 million this year to $1.565 million in the next fiscal year. In part, that reflects an increase in the amount that AADL must contribute to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) – from 24.46% this year to 27.37%. The budget also includes a 3% merit raise pool for employees. In recent years, there has been no allocation for merit pay increases. [.pdf of 2012-13 budget summary]

AADL director Josie Parker commented that this is the first time in three years that the library has been able to offer merit raises, and she was pleased that staff who deserve raises would be able to receive them. The library hasn’t faltered in its accomplishments in recent years, she said, and the staff have stepped up and worked hard. Parker said she was grateful, and wanted to thank them publicly.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the 2012-13 budget.

AADL 2012-13 Budget: Millage Rate

In a separate vote, the board was asked to set a millage rate of 1.55 mills, unchanged from this year. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.

Rebecca Head noted that the millage rate is below the 1.92 mills that the district is authorized to levy. That reflects the board’s conservative nature, she said, adding that she appreciated the work of AADL director Josie Parker and Ken Nieman, AADL associate director of finance, HR and operations.

Prue Rosenthal asked how much additional revenues the 1.92 mills would raise. Nieman replied that if the full millage were levied, it would bring in about $1.6 million more in revenues.

Ed Surovell noted that the 1.55 mills is lower than what the library has levied in the past. As recently as 2008-09, the library had levied the full amount. The rate was lowered to 1.55 mills in 2009-10 and has stayed at that rate. From The Chronicle’s report of the May 18, 2009 AADL board meeting:

In the past they’ve levied 1.92 mills but have been operating on 1.55 mills – the difference was set aside and used to pay for building projects, such as the Traverwood branch. Barbara Murphy noted that when she first joined the board, AADL had been operating at 1.65 mills. She said that when Parker and her staff came on board seven years ago, they managed to lower the operating costs while improving service, and that they should be commended for that.

Surovell called it great progress that AADL was levying a lower amount. Jan Barney Newman said it was especially impressive, in light of everything the library has been able to accomplish.

Outcome: Board members unanimously set the millage rate at 1.55 mills.

AADL 2012-13 Budget: Line Item

A third resolution related to the 2012-13 budget designated it as a line-item budget and set a policy for disbursements. [.pdf of line-item/disbursements resolution]

There was no discussion on this item.

Outcome: The board voted unanimously to set a line-item budget and policy for disbursements.

Financial Report

Ken Nieman, AADL associate director of finance, HR and operations, gave a brief financial report for the month of April. At the end of the month, the library had an unrestricted cash balance of $9.7 million, and has received nearly 98% of its budgeted tax receipts for the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2012.

Two items that are currently over budget – materials and circulation supplies – are expected to come back in line by the end of the fiscal year, Nieman said. [The report indicates that to date, materials are $4,741 over budget, while circulation supplies are over budget by $2,614.][.pdf of financial report]

Neiman said the fund balance of $8.17 million is “pretty healthy” heading into the next fiscal year.

For the current fiscal year, the library finance staff is projecting a surplus of $292,025.

The board had no questions or comments on the financial report.

Director’s Evaluation

At the May 21 meeting, board members gave their annual evaluation to AADL director Josie Parker, which they had discussed with her during an executive session at the start of the meeting. It was overwhelmingly positive.

Board president Margaret Leary read aloud a two-page letter to Parker that had been vetted by all board members. [.pdf of evaluation letter] The letter states that Parker’s salary will remain unchanged at $143,114 and that the board believes her salary to be equitable with comparable positions.

The letter describes Parker’s performance as excellent, and lists several areas of accomplishment, including the attraction and retention of top talent, consistency in presenting a balanced budget, and creativity in providing new services. The letter also points to challenges ahead.

From the letter:

We are aware that AADL’s community relations efforts have succeeded in creating demand beyond what our existing facilities can support. The big challenge to all of us in the coming year – and the biggest challenge for you – is to lead the effort to determine the best path for ensuring that AADL lives up to what our community expects, in all regards. The coming year will present new demands that are not completely foreseeable. Ann Arbor is a special community, founded and built on learning and information. The Ann Arbor District Library has increasingly been central to our community and its growth and prosperity. Now AADL has to decide whether its downtown facility is up to providing what the community deserves.

The reference to a downtown facility reflects a decision by the board and top staff to explore the possibility of a new building, in place of the current four-story structure at 343 S. Fifth Ave.

AADL director Josie Parker.

A recent survey commissioned by AADL – and presented to the board at its April 16, 2012 meeting – indicates voter support for a tax increase to pay for major renovations or reconstruction of that building.

When Leary finished reading the letter, the board gave Parker a round of applause.

Parker responded by saying that 18-year-olds who are graduating from high school this time of year are typically told to choose a career that they love. ”And I do – I love what I do,” she said. “I could do a lot of things, and I chose to do this.”

Parker noted that she’s held this position for 10 years, and plans to continue. ”There isn’t right now a better place to do it.”

Parker also said she enjoys the people she works with, and that makes a huge difference. She concluded by thanking the board for their support.

Outcome: This was not an action item – no vote was taken.

Friends of the AADL Space-Use Agreement

The board was asked to approve a one-year extension to the space-use agreement with Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library.

Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library (FAADL) is a nonprofit that operates a used bookstore in the lower level of AADL’s downtown branch at 343 S. Fifth Ave. Proceeds of the store – about $90,000 annually – are given to the library. At its May 2011 meeting, the AADL board had also approved a one-year extension to the space use agreement. [.pdf file of FAADL space-use agreement] On Monday, essentially the same agreement was proposed for another year.

There was minimal discussion on this item. Board president Margaret Leary said it was wonderful that Friends are using the space and generating revenues for the library.

Outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve the one-year extension of the space-use agreement with FAADL.

Director’s Report

Most of Josie Parker’s report focused on the May 9 VISIONS 2012 Vendor Fair, held at Washtenaw Community College in partnership with WCC and the Michigan Commission for the Blind. The event featured three dozen exhibitors of products and services for the blind and visually impaired. It was hosted by AADL, which administers the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled.

AADL board members Ed Surovell and Prue Rosenthal after the May 21 AADL board meeting adjourned.

About 400 people attended from across Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, Parker said. Many came for the opportunity to try out technology and devices in person – exhibitors showcased magnifiers, electronic readers, Braille devices, therapy and service dogs, and other support products and services for the blind and physically disabled.

In addition to vendors, there were four speakers, including Neil Bernstein of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, and the “AT Guys,” who specialize in assistive technology.

Prue Rosenthal asked if there is anything else like this in southeast Michigan. Parker replied that Wayne County Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped will host a vendor fair in October, but it will be much smaller.

Ed Surovell wondered if there would be a benefit for the AADL event to be even bigger. Does anyone gain if it’s marketed more broadly? Parker said there’s no downside to AADL – she wants as many people to come as possible. She noted that most people came with a companion – a person or a dog – to help guide them. There were also volunteers to provide that service at the event, so it gets pretty crowded. If more people attend, a larger venue would be needed, she said.

Parker mentioned one other item in her director’s report – the May 12 It’s All Write! Teen Short Story Writing Contest hosted at the AADL downtown building. The guest speaker was Caitlin Horrocks, who published her first short story collection in 2011 – “This Is Not Your City.” Parker noted that Horrocks had won AADL’s teen short story contest in 1997. This year, 350 submissions were received from teens in grades 6-12. A list of 2012 winners in several categories is posted on the AADL website.

Present: Rebecca Head, Margaret Leary, Jan Barney Newman, Prue Rosenthal, Ed Surovell. Also AADL director Josie Parker.

Absent: Nancy Kaplan, Barbara Murphy.

Next meeting: Monday, June 18, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

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Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library (FAADL) is a nonprofit that operates a used bookstore in the lower level of AADL’s downtown branch at 343 S. Fifth Ave. Proceeds of the store – about $90,000 annually – are given to the library. At its May 2011 meeting, the AADL board approved a one-year extension to the space use agreement. [.pdf file of FAADL space-use agreement] Essentially the same agreement was approved on Monday, for another year.

This brief was filed from the fourth-floor boardroom of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library at 343 S. Fifth Ave. A more detailed report will follow.

A sign directing patrons to the Ann Arbor District Library Friends Book Shop, operated by the nonprofit Friends of the AADL in the lower level of the downtown library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. (Photos by the writer.)

Also on Monday, trustees voted down a proposal to videotape monthly board meetings for broadcast. Nancy Kaplan raised the issue at last month’s meeting, and brought forward a formal resolution this month. It was defeated on a 2-4 vote, with support only from Kaplan and Barbara Murphy. No trustees spoke about their reasons for voting against it.

Last month, library staff cited limited resources and quality control as reasons for not videotaping the public meetings, which typically last less than an hour. The governing bodies of most public entities that receive tax dollars from Ann Arbor residents videotape their meetings. Besides the library, the few governing bodies that do not videotape their meetings are the University of Michigan board of regents and Washtenaw Community College board of trustees.

In other action, board chair Margaret Leary reported on the board’s annual evaluation of AADL director Josie Parker. Leary read aloud a letter to Parker that effusively praised her leadership and the library’s success, but noted that because of economic conditions, she would not be receiving a raise in the coming year.

Trustees also had praise for the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, and unanimously authorized a one-year extension on the space use agreement that allows FAADL to operate its bookstore in the downtown library’s lower level. Proceeds from the store support the library.

2011-12 Budget and Financial Update

The board passed three resolutions related to the budget at Monday’s meeting, in a series of unanimous votes with little discussion. No one spoke during a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2011-12 budget, beginning July 1, 2011. [pdf file of FY2011-12 budget]

Though the board is allowed to levy up to 1.92 mills, the $12.034 million budget is based on tax revenues from a 1.55 mill levy, which the board authorized in a separate vote. [In 2009, the board had lowered its millage rate from 1.92 mills to the current rate of 1.55 mills. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s state equalized value, or SEV.] A third resolution adopted the budget as a line item budget and set a policy on disbursements, which the board passes annually. All single disbursements over $28,000 must receive board approval.

Major expenditures include $5.684 million for salaries and wages, $1.51 million for employee benefits and $1.85 million for materials. The $12.034 million budget represents a 2% drop from the current fiscal year’s budget of $12.299 million.

At the board’s April 25, 2011 meeting, AADL staff were still working out details of resolving a roughly $40,000 deficit for the year. On Monday, Ken Nieman, associate director of finance, human resources and operations, told the board staff had decided to take that amount out of employment-related expenditures, which he said typically come in under budget. No layoffs or cuts to salaries or benefits were involved.

Outcome: The AADL board unanimously passed three resolutions to adopt the 2011-12 budget and set the millage rate at 1.55 mills.

Earlier in the meeting, Nieman made a brief report on the year-to-date finances for fiscal 2010-11. He noted that four line items were still over budget – programming, maintenance, legal and employee benefits. While programming and maintenance were expected to fall back in line by June 30, the end of the fiscal year, Nieman said it now seemed likely that both legal expenses and employee benefits would be over budget.

Extra expenses for employee benefits are related to increased health care costs – year to date, that line item is $49,901 over budget.

Legal expenses relate to four issues: Research on tax increment financing (TIF) for both the Washtenaw Avenue corridor project and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, labor negotiations, and preparation of an amicus brief in a Herrick District Library lawsuit against the Library of Michigan. Year to date, legal expenses are $12,386 over budget.

Nieman also reported that AADL received an additional $15,000 in state aid – AADL had received $30,000 in March, and expects to get additional state funds by fiscal year’s end. [.pdf of April 2011 financial report]

Janitorial Contracts

The board was asked to approve new contracts for janitorial services at the district’s five library buildings. Current contracts – with Pioneer Janitorial and ServiceMaster – expire on June 30.

Ken Nieman, associate director of finance, human resources and operations, described how staff had handled the contracting process. They had sent out a request for proposals to cover services for the next three years, and had asked that bids be given separately for each of the five buildings. They received responses from five companies.

After checking references and evaluating the bids, Nieman said staff were recommending one-year contracts – with options to renew for two additional years – with Pioneer Janitorial and R.N.A. Janitorial. Pioneer would handle the downtown building ($90,483 for year 1, $92,303 for year 2 and $94,149 for year 3); West branch ($10,501 for year 1, $11,026 for year 2 and $11,467 for year 3); and the Pittsfield branch ($21,021 for year 1, $21,452 for year 2 and $21,774 for year 3). R.N.A. would service Traverwood ($16,392 for all three years) and Mallets ($16,908 for all three years).

Outcome: The board unanimously approved contracts for janitorial services with Pioneer Janitorial and R.N.A. Janitorial.

Broadcasting AADL Meetings

At Monday’s meeting the board was asked to consider a resolution to begin videotaping its meetings for broadcast. Nancy Kaplan, the board’s newest member, had proposed the idea at the board’s April 25, 2011 meeting. At that same meeting, AADL staff told the board that limited resources and quality control issues were the reasons why they hadn’t chosen to videotape the meetings to date.

From left: AADL board members Barbara Murphy, Nancy Kaplan and Prue Rosenthal. Kaplan presented a resolution to broadcast board meetings, which garnered votes only from her and Murphy.

Before the vote, Kaplan reminded the board of her reasons for requesting that meetings be broadcast. She said she understood why the library staff had chosen not to do it in the past, but she saw it as a service to the community. With all the changes that will be coming at the library – including new services like electronic books and digital music – it’s a nice way for the community to hear about these things, she said. And as far as she knew, all boards that are getting tax revenue from the community are recorded for broadcast. [Last year, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority began broadcasting its meetings from the same room where the AADL board holds its monthly meetings. The year before that, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority began video taping its meetings. Videotaped meetings are available online through Community Television Network's Video on Demand service. ]

“For those reasons, I see it as a public service and hope you’ll support it,” Kaplan said.

No other board members commented on the issue.

Outcome: The resolution was defeated by a 2-4 vote, with support only from Nancy Kaplan and Barbara Murphy. Trustees Rebecca Head, Jan Barney Newman, Margaret Leary and Prue Rosenthal voted against it. Ed Surovell was absent.

Friends of the AADL Space Use Agreement

Another item on the board’s agenda was a resolution for a one-year extension on the space use agreement with the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, which operates a used bookstore in the lower level of AADL’s downtown branch. Proceeds from the store – $100,000 this year alone – benefit the library. The previous agreement, originally signed in 2009, was set to expire on May 18. [.pdf file of FAADL space use agreement]

Several board members praised the FAADL. Board president Margaret Leary said she attended the nonprofit’s luncheon last week honoring volunteers, and that it was great to see so many loyal long-time and new volunteers.

Jan Barney Newman mentioned that FAADL will have a booth at the “nonprofit alley” during this year’s Ann Arbor art fairs, which run from July 20-23. The cost of the booth is being paid for by an anonymous donor, she said, and FAADL volunteers will be promoting the library’s summer reading program. She said the nonprofit is determined to increase its fundraising and membership. “It is a joy to see what they’ve accomplished and what they continue to have ambitions for,” Newman said.

AADL director Josie Parker reminded the board that the Friends would be holding their annual meeting on June 5 at the building where The Ann Arbor News archives are stored, as an incentive for members to attend. [In January of 2010, the library took possession of the archives of The News, which closed in July 2009. See Chronicle coverage: "Library Nears Deal on Newspaper Archives." AADL staff is processing the more than one million items in that collection, now stored in an office park on Green Road.]

Parker also noted that FAADL would be holding a membership drive, coordinating with the library’s summer reading program. She said it’s the first time in her memory that the nonprofit has held such a drive.

In response to a query from Nancy Kaplan, Parker said the library would be adding a link on its “Who We Are” page directly to the FAADL website. The link that already exists on the library’s “Support AADL” page will remain, she said.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved a one-year extension on the space use agreement with the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library.

Director’s Report

During Monday’s meeting, AADL director Josie Parker made some additions to her written director’s report. [.pdf file of May 2011 director's report] She thanked board members Nancy Kaplan and Ed Surovell for attending the May 5 opening reception of the Ben Franklin exhibit that’s currently on display at AADL’s downtown location. She also noted that the library has received a lot of good press – even internationally – regarding its deal with the digital music publisher Magnatune. The board had been briefed on that deal at its April 25, 2011 meeting.

Parker also reported that materials for AADL’s 2010 “Make It Happen” summer reading program had won best of show from the American Library Association. The work was designed by Heidi Woodward Sheffield of The Exclamation Point. In addition, AADL won three honorable mentions in its budget category, including an award for a Reading to Me CD that’s distributed to families with infants, featuring stories and music performed by AADL staff. Parker gave credit to Sheffield as well as Tim Grimes, the district’s community relations and marketing manager, and Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, and their staffs.

Director’s Evaluation

The board had met in executive session earlier in the evening to discuss Josie Parker’s annual evaluation. During the public portion of the meeting, board president Margaret Leary said it was a real pleasure and honor to read the letter that she had delivered to Parker, on behalf of the board. [.pdf of evaluation letter]

From left: AADL trustee Jan Barney Newman, board president Margaret Leary, and AADL director Josie Parker.

Leary read the two-page letter aloud, praising Parker’s financial management skills, administrative capabilities, and leadership within the AADL, the community and the library profession at the state, national and international levels. The letter refers to Parker as “the perfect director for AADL,” but notes that despite her superb work, there will be no change in her compensation. “Your work has earned a raise,” the letter states, “but the economic situation does not allow one.”

Parker earns $143,115 – her salary has been unchanged since 2008. Every year since then she has recommended that the board keep her salary at that level, rather than award a raise.

In responding to her evaluation, Parker said it was important to remember that one person does not run an organization like AADL – there were many who contribute to its success. All staff are being evaluated at this time of year, she said, and it’s one of her pleasures to get to read the documentation for those evaluations, including employees’ self-evaluations. Staff members are proud of their work, she said. They help keep the library safe and clean, she said, doing things like clearing the sidewalk and keeping the library open during one of the worst winters.

Parker said that some of the most demanding jobs, other than janitorial, are handled by people at the information desks and circulation desks – you never know who’ll walk up or what they’ll request, she noted, but you have to respond up to AADL’s standards. Many of these employees are people that aren’t well-known, she said, but their work is essential to the library.

Parker also said that after nine years in this job, she never takes the work of elected officials for granted – she admires and respects it, she said, and is grateful to the board for all they do.

Present: Rebecca Head, Nancy Kaplan, Margaret Leary, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman, Prue Rosenthal. Also AADL director Josie Parker.

Absent: Ed Surovell

Next meeting: Monday, June 20, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

This brief was filed from the AADL board meeting at the downtown library on South Fifth Avenue. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Nancy Kaplan, the newest Ann Arbor District Library board member, is introducing a proposal to videotape library board meetings for public broadcast. The board is expected to consider a resolution on that issue at its May 16 meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

The deal – which is getting national attention from library professionals – gives patrons unlimited access to a downloadable catalog of about 12,000 tracks in a wide range of genres. Though it doesn’t include songs by popular artists on major record labels, AADL director Josie Parker told the board that the selection should appeal to a community like Ann Arbor, which values alternative music.

The library is looking for other ways to increase its digital offerings of audiobooks, films, music, and free or open eBooks. Possibilities include tapping collections like Project Gutenberg, which has about 50,000 titles, and working with local authors, musicians and filmmakers who might be interested in making their work accessible to library patrons.

Also at Monday’s meeting, board member Nancy Kaplan advocated for televising the board’s monthly meetings, and said she’d like to bring a formal proposal to the board for a vote on May 16. Other groups like the Ann Arbor Public Schools board and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority currently hold their meetings in the same location as the AADL board – the fourth floor conference room of the AADL’s downtown building on South Fifth Avenue. AAPS and AATA meetings are televised by Community Television Network. Parker agreed that there are benefits to televising the meetings, but cited issues of quality and control as reasons why they haven’t decided to do that yet.

In other business, board members got a preview of the 2011-12 budget, for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2011. They plan to keep the millage level unchanged – AADL levies 1.55 mills, not its maximum allowable 1.92 mills. There will be no layoffs, but no pay increases. The board will take a formal vote to approve the final budget at their May 16 meeting, which will also include a public hearing on the issue.

And in a discussion about the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, Parker asked the board to consider putting a direct link to that organization’s website on the front page of the AADL website. The move would be “a pretty public vote of confidence for them, and recognition for everything they’ve done,” she said. The AADL had distanced itself from the Friends several years ago in the wake of financial oversight issues that have since been resolved. The group operates a used bookstore in the lower level of AADL’s downtown branch, with proceeds – $100,000 this year alone – benefiting the library.

Videotaping AADL Board Meetings

As an item for discussion, Nancy Kaplan – the board’s newest member, who was first elected in November 2010 – brought forward a proposal to videotape the monthly AADL library board meetings. She cited a list of benefits, such as enhancing the library’s outreach efforts and providing another way for the public to get information about AADL, its staff and programs. As an example, she mentioned the report by director Josie Parker at last month’s board meeting regarding Parker’s work with the Digital Public Library of America, and the presentation on eBooks that was made at the April board meeting.

Viewers would also learn, along with the board, about the challenges and changes happening at the library, Kaplan said, especially as it shifts to providing more digital services. Those changes might include delivery of services, the physical structure of the library, and the changing financial environment, she said. Kaplan asked the board to consider televising their meetings, saying that she believed it would cost only $50 per month, if even that much.

[By way of background, Community Television Network (CTN) – a unit of the city of Ann Arbor – records and televises a wide variety of public meetings, including several that are held in the same boardroom as the library board meetings – on the fourth floor of the downtown AADL building. Meetings that are currently recorded by CTN in that room include the Ann Arbor Public Schools board, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board, and the Ann Arbor Public Market Commission.]

Parker told the board that she couldn’t argue about the benefits. But she asked Tim Grimes, the district’s community relations and marketing manager, to describe how the library allocates its resources, and why they’ve made the decision in the past not to videotape board meetings.

Grimes said his staff includes two part-time employees who videotape and provide technical support for AADL events. He said they did have an initial conversation with CTN, but were told that because the library board meetings fall on the same night as Ann Arbor city council meetings, the library board meetings could not be aired live – they’d have to be taped for broadcast at a later date.

He also said if the board did decide to videotape meetings, his staff would do it – because all of the video on the AADL’s website is done in-house.

In giving an overview of the work his department does, Grimes said they film about 6-8 library events each month to post on the AADL’s website. Talks by authors like journalist Cokie Roberts in 2008 and TV producer Chuck Barris in 2007 had been especially popular, he said. Grimes also highlighted talks held at AADL in partnership with groups like the University of Michigan Depression Center and University Musical Society, and which are available in the AADL’s video-on-demand collection. In addition to videotaping events, his staff also does podcasts and provides technical assistance for AADL events, Grimes said.

Grimes noted that they produce an annual report video, which he said includes much of the information that Kaplan described, and features interviews with staff and patrons.

Another thing to consider is that on some board meeting nights, the library has to schedule author events at the same time, Grimes said. He cited as an example the board’s next meeting on May 16, when Sebastian Junger – author of “A Perfect Storm” – will be speaking at the same time in the library’s multi-purpose room at an event they’ll be videotaping. It’s the only night that Junger was available, Grimes said, so they didn’t have any choice about scheduling.

Grimes concluded by noting that he’s worked at the library for 22 years, and has been in his current job for 18 years. Not once, he said, has a member of the public asked to have library board meetings filmed. “I have lots of requests for other things, including Chuck Barris, but never for this.”

Margaret Leary, the board’s chair, posed a hypothetical question: If the library were to produce a video about a topic that might be touched on at a board meeting – like Parker’s presentation last month on the Digital Public Library of America – would it be more in-depth than a 5-10 minute talk? Certainly, Grimes replied, saying that their films are very polished in terms of quality of picture, sound and content.

Leary then asked Parker if she had any additional comments regarding their strategic thinking on this issue. Parker said they hadn’t really considered making films about their own initiatives. They certainly could, she said, but it’s more likely they’d look for partnerships – for example, the University of Michigan’s Google books project might be a way to discuss issues related to digitization and libraries.

More generally, Parker said it wasn’t an issue of cost. Rather, with CTN, the library would have no control over quality or scheduling, she said – and the video wouldn’t be the AADL’s. It would belong to CTN.

Kaplan said it seemed to be the culture of this community to televise public meetings. She noted that more entities – like the Downtown Development Authority and AATA – are moving in that direction. She said she isn’t looking for something perfect, but that with so many changes coming for AADL, it’s important to bring the community along with them. Even though Parker’s presentation last month had been brief, she said, it was also enlightening and informative. Kaplan also thought it would be possible to request that CTN broadcast the meetings at certain times.

At any rate, Kaplan added, these are logistics that can be worked out. What they really need to decide is the concept – do they want to record their meetings for broadcast? If there are concerns, she said, perhaps they could do it on a trial basis.

Kaplan plans to bring a formal resolution on the issue to the board’s May 16 meeting.

Digital Media at the AADL

A discussion at the board’s March 21 meeting – which focused on how digital books are transforming the publishing industry and, in turn, public libraries – prompted AADL director Josie Parker to offer to give the board an overview of the library’s digital offerings at their April meeting. On Monday, Celeste Choate – associate director of services, collections and access – gave a detailed presentation on the range of digital services that AADL provides its patrons.

Digital Media: Overdrive

Choate began by describing some of the services that the library offers for eBooks and audio books – including one that’s been a frustration for both library officials as well as patrons.

Overdrive is a business that provides electronic books to public libraries – AADL accesses this service through its membership in the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services. Because Overdrive is an outside vendor, AADL doesn’t have control over its offerings, Choate told the board. The service also only allows for one user download at a time per item, so there are long waiting lists to check out the most popular material. A common complaint is that people want to get the books more quickly, she said. And once the period of use has expired, the material is automatically erased from your computer.

There are technical constraints as well, Choate said. Overdrive is only compatible with certain equipment, and requires users to first install software on their computer. Later in the meeting she walked the board through the steps required to use Overdrive – a fairly complicated process.

Celeste Choate, AADL's associate director of services, collections and access.

Recently, 700 animated Disney storybooks were added to the Overdrive collection – those allow for simultaneous use, but can only be downloaded to computers, not electronic readers. Overdrive offers about 5,000 eBooks and 4,000 audiobooks, which are compatible with Nook and Sony electronic readers. Users of Kindle will be able to access the service at some point soon, Choate said, although she added that when more patrons start to use the service because they can read the material on their Kindles, wait lists will likely grow even more.

Over the past 12 months, there have been about 16,000 checkouts of Overdrive material.

Parker later noted that AADL hasn’t publicized Overdrive because it’s not a great service. Even when it’s available via Kindle, that won’t change the problems that patrons face when using it, she said.

Digital Media: eBooks for the Blind, Physically Disabled

Working with the National Library Service, AADL offers over 21,000 books and 48 magazine titles via the Braille and Audio Reading Download service, or BARD. This service allows for unlimited, simultaneous downloads, Choate said, and unlike Overdrive material, users can keep permanently whatever they download.

To provide faster access for patrons, AADL has downloaded all 21,000 books and can distribute them quickly on flashdrives, whenever there’s a request. This is a service that’s just been launched, Choate said, and is being coordinated by Terry Soave, AADL’s outreach and neighborhood services manager.

AADL also offers access to a program called BookShare, which provides more than 90,000 books, textbooks, periodicals and other material.

All of these services require that the users be a patron of the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, which is managed by AADL.

Digital Media: Tumblebooks

Tumblebooks is designed for visually impaired children, and allows users to download animated storybooks, audio games and other games to their computers. The service offers unlimited access, and last year there were 75,000 book views by library patrons, Choate said. Based on what AADL pays for the service, it costs the library less than a penny per book view, she said.

Digital Media: Magnatune

One of the most promising new digital offerings is available through Magnatune, a digital music publisher. AADL recently negotiated a deal with the firm for about 12,000 songs – or the equivalent of about 1,200 albums, Choate said. The service offers unlimited, simultaneous downloads with no waiting. The Magnatune page on AADL’s website describes it this way, in what appears to be an oblique reference to Overdrive: “You shouldn’t have to jump through 17 flaming hoops in order to access digital content, so we’ve tried to make the process as simple as possible.”

Since launching about three weeks ago, over 11,000 tracks have been downloaded, Choate said.

Parker noted that these are independent artists – you won’t find music by the current hot performers – but there’s a wide variety of genres, from world music and blues to hip hop, classical and alt rock. She said the music is appealing in a community like Ann Arbor, where alternative music is valued.

The AADL doesn’t pay per download – rather, the library paid a $10,000 flat fee in a licensing agreement that runs through June 30, 2012. So the more times the service is used, the lower the cost is per use. It’s a very cost-effective service for the library to provide, Choate said.

Digital Media: Future Plans

The library is looking for ways to increase its digital offerings, Choate said – audiobooks, films, music, and free or open eBooks. One example, she said, is to look at what’s available from Project Gutenberg, which has been compiling a collection of free eBooks and has about 50,000 titles. [The books are free because their copyright has expired.] AADL also hopes to talk with local authors, musicians and filmmakers who might be interested in making their work accessible to library patrons.

AADL has the infrastructure in place to provide these digital services, Choate said. They’re pursuing deals like the one with Magnatune, with fixed costs, unlimited downloads and annual licenses. The library is interested in getting the most use out of its collections, she said, while containing costs – they don’t want to pay per download.

Responding to a board member’s query, Parker said there’s never enough exposure for what the library offers, but that when they launch something like the deal with Magnatune, there’s no shortage of information about it. Social media networks are playing a huge role in spreading the word about AADL’s deal with Magnatune, and earlier in the day, Parker said, they got a call from Library Journal, which is interested in doing an article about the agreement.

People who are only interested in mainstream music – like the kind licensed by Sony – might not be interested in what’s available via Magnatune, Parker said. But it’s not worth it for the library to strike a deal with Sony – it would cost them almost as much as retail.

Margaret Leary, chair of the board, expressed frustration at the relatively limited material available to the general public. Leary is director of the University of Michigan Law Library, and described how easy it is for her – as an academic librarian – to quickly access any of thousands of electronic books in their system, all at no cost to her as a user. She described how she was researching earthworms as an invasive species, and with only a simple search found two books on the subject – the full texts were available to her online, she said. Leary indicated that resources should be equally available for the general public.

Financial Reports: March Update, 2011-12 Budget

The board heard two financial reports on Monday from Ken Nieman, associate director of finance, human resources and operations. He first gave an update on March 2011 financials. The district’s unrestricted cash balance at the end of March was $10.124 million, down from $11 million in February. Its fund balance stood at $7.924 million as of March 31. The district has received 96% of this fiscal year’s tax receipts, or $10.923 million.

Three line items – employee benefits, legal expenses and library programming costs – are over budget, Nieman reported. As he’s noted at previous meetings, the extra expenses for employee benefits – related to increased health care costs – are not likely to come back in line with the budget by year’s end. Year to date, that line item is $50,543 over budget.

The district spent $21,126 in legal expenses during March, compared to a budgeted amount of $6,250. Those costs related to four issues: Research on tax increment financing (TIF) for both the Washtenaw Avenue corridor project and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, labor negotiations, and preparation of an amicus brief in a Herrick District Library lawsuit against the Library of Michigan. Year to date, legal expenses are $11,609 over budget.

Library programs, which was $6,107 over budget for March, is expected to come back in line with its budgeted amount by year’s end.

Nieman also pointed out that AADL received $30,264 in state aid during March. Because of uncertainties related to the state’s economy, the district had not included any state aid in its current fiscal year budget – that’s been the district’s practice for several years. The payment is the first installment – typically, the state makes two payments of 50% each, he said. Board member Prue Rosenthal asked whether receiving this first payment means they’ll likely get another $30,000 from the state. Nieman said he thinks so: “We’re as certain as we can be about that.” [.pdf file of March 2011 finance report]

Financial Reports: 2011-12 Budget

Later in the meeting, Nieman returned to the podium to give a briefing on the proposed 2011-12 budget, which the board will vote on at its May 16 meeting. Barbara Murphy, chair of the board’s finance committee, said the committee discussed the budget with staff earlier this month. “It’s another tight budget,” she said. [.pdf file of 2011-12 AADL draft budget]

Nieman began by noting that the budget had been built on the assumption that tax revenues would drop by 3%. However, on April 21, the county’s equalization department released its report on taxable values for jurisdictions in Washtenaw County. [See Chronicle coverage: "Washtenaw County's Taxable Value Falls"] At that point, they learned that AADL’s tax revenues would drop by only 1.7%. “That’s good news,” Nieman said. “We’d always like it to go up, but it’s better than we were predicting.”

In a follow-up phone conversation with The Chronicle, Nieman said the budget presented on May 16 will be revised to reflect those higher-than-expected revenues. Revenues for FY2011-12 are now expected to total $12.034 million, rather than the $11.887 million indicated in the draft budget. The bulk of revenues in the budget – $11.092 million – are from tax receipts.

On Monday, Nieman told the board there will be no layoffs, no pay cuts, and the library’s hours and service levels will remain unaffected – patrons won’t notice any changes. The draft budget shows a $186,000 deficit, he said, but given the change in anticipated tax revenues, that deficit is now closer to $40,o00.

Nieman later told The Chronicle that AADL hopes to shift its union employees over to a similar health insurance plan that non-union workers were shifted to last October, to cut costs. About 50 of the roughly 250 AADL workers are represented by unions. Several line item expenses are lower in the FY2011-12 budget, including custodial, purchased services, utilities, and grants and memorial expenses. The budget includes an $18,000 increase in the line item for repair and maintenance, to $283,000.

For some employees, the AADL will see an increase in the amount it must contribute to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) – from 20.66% this year to 24.47%. Nieman noted that only 18 AADL employees are part of this state-mandated retirement program – they are people who were hired when the library was part of the Ann Arbor Public Schools system, before AADL was spun off as an independent entity in 1996. [For a primer on MPSERS funding, see Chronicle coverage of a February 2010 Ann Arbor Public Schools study session.]

On Monday, Nieman told the board that the administration will be working to present a balanced budget to the finance committee at its next meeting, and to the full board in May. He also pointed out that they’ll achieve the budget at the 1.55 mills that the district currently levies – they won’t be raising taxes.

Margaret Leary, the board chair, noted that they weren’t voting on the budget that evening, and that it would be modified before being brought to the board at their May meeting for approval. She clarified that although it’s possible for the AADL to levy up to 1.92 mills, they’ve chosen not to do that. “We have a track record of sticking to our budget and not overextending,” she said. “In this economy, there are not very many public organizations that are able to do that.”

Leary said that Nieman and AADL director Josie Parker deserve accolades – they set a great example for financial management and the provision of services.

Parker reminded the board that their May meeting will also include a public hearing on the budget.

Director’s Report

In addition to her written report, AADL director Josie Parker briefed the board on two other items. [.pdf file of AADL April director's report]

Josie Parker, Ann Arbor District Library director, at the board's April 25, 2011 meeting.

Parker reported that she had attended the oral arguments at the state court of appeals last week in the lawsuit brought by Herrick District Library lawsuit against the Library of Michigan.

[By way of background, new standards imposed by the Library of Michigan have changed how public libraries qualify for state aid. Those standards – originally proposed as rules – are the subject of a lawsuit against the state library, filed by the Herrick District Library in Holland. The AADL has filed an amicus curiae – or “friend of the court” – brief in support of the Herrick library’s position, which charges that the state library has no authority to set these rules, and is taking away local control from district libraries. Parker has discussed this lawsuit on previous occasions, including the board's March 21 meeting.]

Parker told the board that the three-judge panel had impressed her with their knowledge of the legal issues at stake, and that they were thorough in their questioning. It’s likely to take several months before they hand down a ruling, however. “For now, it’s a waiting game,” she said. In the meantime, she added, hopefully state aid will be dispersed.

Parker also reported that earlier that day, she’d been in Lansing for a meeting of the Michigan Library Association‘s legislative committee, on which she serves, to meet with the MLA’s lobbyist. In terms of state support for libraries, “it’s amazingly good news,” she said, relative to what they had anticipated. The state House proposed budget calls for cutting library funding from $7.25 million to $3.6 million, which she said is barely enough to fund the Library of Michigan and the Michigan eLibrary, known as MeL, for the year. There is no line item for MeL in the House version.

The Senate version holds library funding harmless – at the same levels as the current fiscal year – and includes a separate line item for MeL.

Parker said the House version at least doesn’t eliminate library funding entirely, and that the final budget will likely include funding somewhere between the House and Senate proposals. That’s “far more than we expected,” Parker said. She noted that legislators from the Ann Arbor area have been very responsive to these issues.

Director’s Evaluation

Margaret Leary, the board’s chair, is also chair of the director’s evaluation committee. She reported that all board members had participated in giving feedback about Josie Parker’s performance, and that they had discussed it in executive session earlier that evening. They’ll finish the formal evaluation document in the next month, and she’ll present a public letter regarding the evaluation at the May 16 board meeting. “It’s all good,” Leary said.

Friends of the AADL

Prue Rosenthal gave an update on the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library (FAADL), a nonprofit that operates a used book shop in the lower level of the downtown AADL building to raise money for the library. They recently gave AADL a check for $20,000 – bringing this year’s total contributions to $100,000.

FAADL is planning a membership drive to coincide with the AADL’s summer reading program, Rosenthal said – she noted that the library is kicking off the summer reading program this year at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.

Another thing that FAADL is discussing is whether to have a booth at the nonprofit part of the Ann Arbor Art Fairs. Parker had encouraged it, Rosenthal said, because this year it will be difficult to get access to the library from the art fairs. Fifth Avenue is closed between the library and East Liberty, where part of the art fairs are held, so it would be a good year to raise awareness about the bookstore, she said. They’ll need volunteers and $60 for the booth, Rosenthal reported, but it looks like they’ll go ahead with it.

March was down in sales – but overall for the year, the FAADL store is ahead of last year, Rosenthal said. They’ve raised $3,600 selling books online, via Ann Arbor-based Books by Chance and AbeBooks. “They are cooking on all burners,” she said.

Parker told the board that the space agreement between AADL and FAADL is up for renewal in May. At Leary’s request, Parker said she contacted FAADL president Pat McDonald to ask if there are any issues they need to address. McDonald indicated the agreement is fine as it stands, so Parker said she’ll likely ask the board to approve an extension to the agreement at their May 16 meeting.

As another item for the board to consider, Parker noted that several years ago, the library removed the FAADL from the library’s website when the nonprofit was struggling with some financial oversight issues. Now, the FAADL conducts annual audits and they’re clean, Parker said. She attends their meetings and is comfortable suggesting that the library place a link on their homepage to the FAADL website. Right now, the FAADL is only included on the library’s webpage that lists a variety of ways to contribute to AADL. Putting a link on the AADL front page would be “a pretty public vote of confidence for them, and recognition for everything they’ve done,” Parker said.

Rosenthal also noted that the FAADL is looking for board members, particularly people who have graphic design, marketing and public relations experience.

Auditors Approved

Added to the agenda at the beginning of Monday’s meeting was a resolution to approve the accounting firm Rehmann to conduct the AADL’s audit for fiscal years ending June 30, 2011 through June 30, 2014. [Rehmann – formerly Rehmann Robson – conducts audits for several local municipalities, including Washtenaw County. A representative from the accounting firm presented results of the county's audit at the April 20, 2011 county board of commissioners meeting.]

Barbara Murphy, chair of the finance committee, reported that Ken Nieman – associate director of finance, human resources and operations – had issued a request for proposals (RFP) and received four responses. Of those, two were chosen to interview: Rehmann, and Abraham & Gaffney. Murphy said that based on those interviews, it was clear that Rehmann best suited AADL’s needs.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the selection of Rehmann to conduct the AADL’s audits through 2014.

Present: Rebecca Head, Nancy Kaplan, Margaret Leary, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman, Prue Rosenthal, Ed Surovell. Also AADL director Josie Parker.

Next meeting: Monday, May 16, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

Traverwood Branch Recognition

During her director’s report, Parker noted that the Traverwood branch had been honored with a design award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Michigan, an award that was presented on May 15 at a ceremony at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. (The branch was designed by InFORM Studio of Northville; O’Neal Construction of Ann Arbor was the contractor on the project.) Parker showed the board a brochure the printer had just returned, which featured the building’s sustainable design elements, including the use of ash trees harvested from the site.

She said the project’s use of ash trees was something that had attracted documentary filmmaker Bill Kubota, who filmed construction of the building. But as he filmed, he became interested in the human element as well, she said, and recorded the different perspectives of the project, from the points of view of the designer, the owner and the builder. “It shows the tensions, it shows the comradrie – it is real,” Parker said. “Up from the Ashes” will air June 11 on WTVS Channel 56 at 8 p.m. The AADL will host a showing of the documentary sometime later in June, Parker said.

Friends of the AADL

The board approved a space use agreement between the AADL and the Friends of the AADL, a nonprofit that operates a used bookstore in the library to raise money for AADL. The board for the FAADL is expected to approve the one-year agreement at its meeting this Wednesday. It replaces a month-to-month agreement under which the Friends have been operating for more than two years. Margaret Leary, the board member who chairs a liaison committee to the Friends, said it’s a step in the right direction for solidifying relations between the two groups.

The document outlines obligations on both the part of the AADL and the Friends. Among other things, it lists the operational issues for which FAADL is responsible, such as getting audited financial statements each fiscal year and remitting applicable sales taxes. The AADL will provide maintenance, repair and janitorial services as well as utilities such as electricity, heat and water – but not phone lines or internet access. The agreement also gives AADL the right to suspend book sales on its premises if FAADL violates terms of the agreement.

Budget & Finance

The board held a public hearing on the 2009-10 budget, but no one came to speak about it. The board discussion was brief. Ken Neiman, AADL’s associate director, was asked what funds would be used if unforeseen major building repairs were needed. Such repairs would be paid from the fund balance, he said. Earlier in the meeting, he had said that the fund balance was expected to be as much as $6.8 million by the end of the year.

The issue of repairs was top of mind because Parker had mentioned in her director’s report that the downtown building’s freight elevator had broken on Friday. They don’t yet know the extent of the problem, she said, or whether it can be repaired. If it needs to be replaced, it would cost a significant amount of money, she said, and would need board approval. When Parker said the elevator was leaking hydraulic fluid, trustee Prue Rosenthal said, “It sounds like my car.” “Only your car can’t plummet four floors,” Parker quipped, quickly adding that they weren’t using the elevator and that she’d been assured it would not fall. Rosenthal noted that the building’s condition had been one reason why they’d decided to tear it down and construct a new facility – a decision they tabled late last year because of economic conditions. Rosenthal said she was still convinced that they’d made the right decision to postpone new construction. Parker noted, “The things we were concerned about happening to this building are happening, and we’ll just have to deal with it.”

Regarding the 2009-10 budget, Parker said it was very tight because they’d decided to levy just 1.55 mills in taxes. (One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s state equalized value, or SEV.) In the past they’ve levied 1.92 mills but have been operating on 1.55 mills – the difference was set aside and used to pay for building projects, such as the Traverwood branch. Barbara Murphy noted that when she first joined the board, AADL had been operating at 1.65 mills. She said that when Parker and her staff came on board seven years ago, they managed to lower the operating costs while improving service, and that they should be commended for that.

The board passed the $12.7 million 2009-10 budget unanimously. AADL’s fiscal year begins July 1. In a separate vote, they unanimously authorized the millage rate at 1.55 mills.

Director’s Evaluation

As part of Parker’s annual performance review, board chair Rebecca Head read a letter from the board summarizing their evaluation. The letter cited Parker’s vision, effective management and exemplary performance. Noting that Parker had recommended that her salary remain unchanged because of the need for fiscal prudence, the board agreed to keep her compensation at $143,115 for fiscal 2009-10. “The AADL financial management goals have been met and exceeded,” the letter states. “Josie, you continue to lead the AADL in the right course, carefully & creatively applying taxpayers’ dollars. Your conservative practice includes applying adequate resources to provide excellent services and materials while maintaining ample fund reserves.”

Among other things, the letter also congratulated Parker and her staff for taking on the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, calling it a new model for providing a specialized library within a public library.

When Head finished reading the two-page document, Parker received a round of applause from the board and staff members in the audience. Parker thanked the board for recognizing the efforts of her staff as well, saying, ”If this is what we can do in seven years, think about what we can do in 14.”

Present: Rebecca Head, Margaret Leary, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman, Josie Parker, Prue Rosenthal, Ed Surovell.

Absent: Carola Stearns.

Next meeting: Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

Customers browse books at the Friends of the Library store, in the basement of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library.

As the Ann Arbor District Library moves forward on its ambitious project to raze the downtown building and put up a new library on the Fifth & William site, a nonprofit that supports the AADL ponders its own future.

Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, or FAADL, is best known for the shop it runs on weekends in the basement of the downtown library, raising money to support the AADL. The group has built a real sense of community there, with long-time volunteers and regular shoppers greeting each other by name as they staff the cashier table or browse the shelves, boxes and tables full of books, DVDs and other materials.

There’s a great deal of affection for the space – it feels more like something you’d find in a school or church basement – but it’s also cramped and subject to the kind of infrastructure problems you’d find in any aging building.

A bookstore/café will be part of the new library, and unlike the current Friends store, which has very limited weekend hours, the new store will likely be open during the same hours as the regular library, says Janis Detlefs, FAADL director.

Before then, the group’s board of directors will be making some big decisions, including what to do during the period – possibly as long as two years – between when the old building is demolished and the new one is completed.

Board members have been fact-finding, and will meet on Oct. 22 to look at their options, says board president Pat McDonald. They need to make contingency plans, even though it’s unclear when they’ll need to act, she says: “We’re in that exploration stage.”

One option is to find temporary space and remain open. Another option is to operate by selling books only online – the group already sells some of its rare books on eBay. Or the Friends might hold periodic sales, similar to the approach of the Ann Arbor University Women book sale.

“We’re looking at a lot of different possibilities,” says Detlefs. “We might just lay low for two years.”

Also in limbo is the timing of its popular spring bag sale, typically held in April. The date hasn’t been set yet because it’s unclear what the library’s construction schedule will be. Library officials are expected to ask voters to approve a new millage for the project, which could be on the ballot as early as February 2009.

The Friends will be actively supporting the millage and helping fund the campaign to get it passed, McDonald says.

When the new library building is completed, there’ll be some storage space for the Friends as well as the bookstore. But the space for both will be considerably smaller than what they have now. That will mean some changes for the Friends, which typically takes in and sells 200,000 books annually.

“I was down there sorting this morning,” says McDonald. “It’s a phenomenal number of books that come in there.”

The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library store is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1-4 p.m.

Don Callard and Irene Dermberger volunteer as cashiers at the Friends of the Library shop.