Rendering of proposed new entry at downtown Ann Arbor library, located at 343 S. Fifth Ave. (Image by InForm Studio.)

A vote to continue with the project followed a presentation by Cory Lavigne of InForm Studio, the architecture firm that previously designed AADL’s Traverwood branch. A final design will likely be brought forward for approval at the board’s April 21 meeting, after a public forum in mid-March. Update: The forum is scheduled for Thursday, March 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the downtown building.

The entrance would continue to be oriented to South Fifth Avenue, with new doors into the building. The plan described by Lavigne includes replacing the existing teal strip that wraps around the front of the building – above the doors and windows – with a “concrete skin” panel. Wood paneling would be used in the ceiling of the outside walkway adjacent to the building. Sloping entry walkways would be located on the north side from the Library Lane parking structure and on the south side from William Street, with steps in front leading to South Fifth Avenue. Additional elements include landscaping, a bench, handrails and other features that visually link the library to the adjacent city-owned Library Lane.

The north side of the front facade, closest to Library Lane, would also include a large, translucent sign – made of glass or cast resin – that would be placed between existing brick columns, creating a screen along part of the walkway on that side of the building. The sign would be lit from the inside, with additional lighting along the walkway, to create a glowing effect.

It was that sign element that drew some criticism and concern at the board’s Feb. 17 meeting, primarily from Ed Surovell. He cautioned against creating any kind of shelter, saying it would simply be “an inviting nuisance.” AADL director Josie Parker acknowledged the concern, saying that she had discussed the issue with the library’s security staff as well. She told the board that no matter how the area is designed, security issues will always be a factor and would be handled as they are now, by security staff.

In other action at the board meeting, trustees approved revisions to more than a dozen sections of the AADL policy manual, and voted to create a new committee to help develop the next strategic plan, for 2015-2020. That planning effort had been the focus of a Feb. 3, 2014 board retreat.

Board members also got a brief update on the agreement for a new bike share program called ArborBike, which trustees will likely be asked to approve at their March 17 meeting. It relates to a bike station that will be located on the northern end of the downtown library’s property.

During her director’s report, Josie Parker told the board that the downtown library will be a site for the Living Lab Initiative, a project funded by the National Science Foundation. AADL will be the first public library to be involved in this project, and researchers will be working in the youth department through the end of September.

The board also heard from two people during public commentary: Changming Fan of TiniLite World Inc., who expressed interest in working with the library; and Jamie Vander Broek, a University of Michigan librarian and homeowner who described several reasons why she appreciated AADL. She concluded her remarks by saying: “I love paying my taxes for this library.”

Downtown Library Entrance

The issue of renovating the front entrance of the downtown building arose in the summer of 2013 during a board committee report. At the board’s Aug. 19, 2013 meeting, Margaret Leary, chair of the facilities committee, reported that the committee had received a request from AADL director Josie Parker to pursue options for the front entrance. Parker had told the committee that the building’s front doors had been breaking frequently and are unreliable. The plan was for Parker to get cost estimates from an architect to be vetted by the committee before bringing a proposal to the full board.

In addition to Leary, facilities committee members are Jan Barney Newman and Ed Surovell.

Although other infrastructure projects have been undertaken at the downtown building, located at 343 S. Fifth Ave., this would be the first highly visible renovation since a November 2012 bond proposal was defeated by voters. That proposal would have provided funding for the demolition of the downtown library and construction of a new library on that same site.

Downtown Library Entrance: Facilities Committee Report

During her report from the facilities committee on Feb. 17, Leary told trustees that Parker had brought forward the issue of the downtown library entrance, and the committee had discussed it. The front doors have corroded over the years, and need to be replaced. The initial question was whether to just buy new doors, she said, or to try to improve the entire entry.

The committee decided that it wanted to pursue improving the entry, and had agreed that Parker should consult with InForm Studio, a firm that the library has used in the past. InForm designed the Traverwood branch, and Leary described their work as innovative and creative. For that project, InForm had looked at all of the library’s internal processes in order to develop its design for the branch, she said, and even suggested changes in the way the library had traditionally operated.

Margaret Leary, chair of the AADL board’s facilities committee.

The first thing that InForm was asked to do, Leary said, was to look at whether the entry should remain at its current orientation, facing South Fifth Avenue on the west, or be moved to the north of the building, facing the Library Lane underground parking structure. Leary noted that a north entrance would have been used if the library had built a new building.

But when the committee considered the consequences of moving the entrance now, in terms of the amount of usable space on the first floor, they decided against it. It would have taken all the space used by the existing teen room, she said, and the entire first floor would have been reorganized, as well as possibly some things in the basement and other floors.

Leary reported that she, Parker and board chair Prue Rosenthal also had met with three representatives of the city’s commission on disability issues. It was a follow-up to a letter that the commission had sent to the library with concerns about the existing entrance, and ideas to enhance it. [.pdf of November 2013 letter from Linda Evans, chair of the commission on disability issues] Some of those ideas will be acted upon, Leary said.

InForm was asked to come up with a redesign for the entire entrance – including the steps in front of the library, and the sloped walkways.

Leary said the committee wants to hold a public forum on the project sometime in mid-March, at a date to be determined. Architects from InForm will make a presentation, and members of the facilities committee and library staff will be on hand to get feedback. Other board members will be welcome to attend too, she said. It will likely be held in the evening.

Downtown Library Entrance: Presentation

Cory Lavigne of InForm Studio began his presentation by noting that nine years ago, the firm was interviewing with AADL to be the architect for the Traverwood branch. He called that “the project that just keeps giving,” because of the publicity it receives. People love hearing about the wood, he said. [Background on the building is featured in a video called "Up From Ashes: The Making of the Traverwood Branch."]

Cory Lavigne of InForm Studio (standing) talks with AADL board members Ed Surovell and Margaret Leary.

He described how the proposed design was developed, saying he had started by sitting outside the library trying to get a feel for how people are using the space. Some of the challenges include a lack of identity in the current building, and the need to create something “that tells you where you are,” he said. There’s a sign at the top of the building, but otherwise it’s hard to tell that it’s a library, he said. At night the building’s use is more visual, because you can see inside through the front windows. But generally, unless you know that it’s a library, “it’s really kind of a hard building to identify,” Lavigne said.

He noted that there were some “dark pockets” around the main entrance, as well as concerns about security and accessibility. Those were two high-priority items that InForm wanted to address in its design.

They decided to start at AADL’s property line, and not address the front step that the city of Ann Arbor put in, he said, or the existing slope of the city sidewalk, which Lavigne said does not meet code. He added that everything currently on AADL property does conform to code.

The proposal calls for sloped walkways coming from the north and south sides of the property, sloping at 3% – rising one foot for every 30 feet of length. It’s a very subtle slope that doesn’t require handrails, he said. However, the design includes placing handrails on both sides for support.

Lavigne described the current entrance as giving a sense of a vast expanse of concrete. There’s not a lot of green space or softer materials like wood. So the proposed design includes a planting bed on the north end, next to a new proposed sign. The grasses and wildflowers in that space would be watered in part by diverting rainwater from the overhead canopy.

Rendering by InForm Studio, showing a proposed design for the front entrance of the Ann Arbor downtown library at 343 S. Fifth Ave. On the left is a proposed wooden bench facing the street.

A large, lit sign on that north end clearly would mark the building as the Ann Arbor District Library, he said. Another sign would be added toward the center of the entrance, in front of the building, and the flagpole would be shifted slightly closer to the doors.

The design includes five main materials, Lavigne said, though there’s still a lot of flexibility in that. The existing teal metal panel that wraps around the front of the building – above the doors and windows – would be replaced with a rain screen made of cement fiber called fibreC. He described it as a cast concrete plank that’s durable, lightweight and fire resistant, with “high eco-value.” The existing framing would be used to mount it.

The large lit sign on the northern end could be made of tempered, laminated glass or a translucent 1-inch-thick cast resin called 3form, which was used at the Traverwood branch at the main circulation desk. There are pros and cons for each material, he said. It would be lit from within, and there would also be lighting on the ceiling behind it – over the walkway – so you could see shapes of people walking through the passageway. “There wouldn’t be a complete visual cutoff,” he said.

Other materials used in the overall design would include some concrete and stainless steel, tying into the materials used on the Library Lane parking structure. The ceiling of the entry overhang would be made of tongue-and-groove wood, to add some warmth to the entry. A wood bench would also be added in the front, facing South Fifth Avenue.

The doorways would be reconfigured, using four double-doors. Lavigne said they’re considering different options for those doors, including a “balanced” door that would be easier to open. However, that type of door is roughly 6-10 times more expensive than a normal door. So maybe only one set of doors would be balanced doors, he said.

Downtown Library Entrance: Board Discussion

Nancy Kaplan asked if an amount for the project’s cost has been established. Josie Parker replied that she’d like to keep it to about $250,000. But that figure was floated initially without knowing what the project entails, she noted. The final amount will depend on decisions that the board makes. “It’s always a process,” Parker said, adding that after being involved in building three branches, she’s learned that “it’s never the first figure.”

Jan Barney Newman, a member of the AADL board’s facilities committee.

Jan Barney Newman noted that it will be much less expensive than moving the entrance to the building’s north side. Margaret Leary added that cost wasn’t the only factor in the decision of how to orient the entrance, though it was an important element.

Rebecca Head asked if it would be possible to use pervious concrete. Cory Lavigne replied that not a lot of concrete will be used and most of the areas that include concrete aren’t exposed, but they could look into it. He noted that another option is to include heated sidewalks in the sloped sections leading up to the entrance.

Kaplan asked about the large lit sign, wondering if it would be possible to see the shadow of someone walking behind it. She was concerned that the passageway behind it might feel “tunnel-y” to walk through. Lavigne told the board that his firm would need to do a full-scale mockup to get a better idea of how it would look. They plan to use existing brick columns as the frame, and would need to decide on a level of translucency. With the light pouring out of the sign, plus two picture windows on the building looking into the library, plus new lighting in the soffit, the walkway between the sign and the building would be very bright, he said.

Prue Rosenthal asked about the price for that sign. Lavigne explained that glass would be cheaper. The 3form product costs about $350 per square foot, compared to about $40 for glass. But glass would include other hardware, he noted, bringing the total cost for glass to about $120 per square foot. There would be other advantages and disadvantages to weigh in using the materials, too.

Leary said she always has wanted signs that are visible from a relatively far distance. “We are sitting here in the midst of nothing,” she said. There’s currently no building directly to the north, where the Library Lane underground parking structure is located, and there’s nothing across the street at the former Y lot. Why not take advantage of that and have a sign somewhere high on the building? “What I would like to achieve is a library building that is visible and labeled as a library from as far away as possible,” she said.

Parker noted that the kind of sign Leary was describing hadn’t been part of the scope of work that InForm was asked to address. They could talk about whether it’s something they want to add, Parker said.

Rendering by InForm Studio.

Rosenthal wanted to know more about the sign that is intended to be placed more toward the center front of the building. Lavigne described it as a folded stainless steel plate that sits off a concrete wall by about 2 inches, with a cutout of the address in front. It would have an LED light so that at night, the letters and numbers would be backlit. There’s no ledge for people to stuff garbage into, he said. Ed Surovell noted that it’s not garbage they’re worried about. [The downtown library has had problems in the past with the front area being used for drug drops.]

Regarding the panel/rain screen being proposed to replace the existing teal panel, Leary told Lavigne that it looks like the skin of the Justice Center in Ann Arbor, next to city hall. “That building has not been uniformly….” she then stopped, and added: “I’ve said enough.” Lavigne indicated that there are other options for color.

Leary also was concerned about the proposed stairs at the front of the library, which are deeper than typical stairs, and curved. Even though the existing stairs and ramps conform to code, they are perceived by some people as being difficult to navigate, she said. “I would hate to deliberately put something there that would be perceived the same way,” Leary added. Noting that you can never control how something will be perceived, she wondered if a more straightforward design for the stairs would be a better option.

Lavigne replied that the idea was to create a kind of “monumental” stairs with the larger tread, so that it might become more of a gathering space rather than having it just be a pathway. But he could see the concern, and said it’s an easy change to make.

Rendering by InForm Studio, showing some curved “monumental” stairs at the downtown library entrance.

Kaplan asked if there was any thought given to moving the doors forward. Lavigne indicated that they started the design at the existing envelope of the building, so that they wouldn’t need to deal with any interior mechanical or electrical infrastructure.

In response to another query, Lavigne said that there will be more lighting in the ceilings and walls, and the materials used for the entryway will be steel and stainless steel, so that will add to the brightness as well.

Returning to the issue of the large translucent sign at the north end of the building, Newman wondered if there would be space for “nighttime campers” to fit. Lavigne explained that each end of the two faces would be closed off with a stainless steel plate, so no one could get in between the two faces – that is, they couldn’t get inside the sign.

Newman clarified that she was asking about the space in the walkway, between the sign and the building. Lavigne said one way to deal with security is to provide as much light as possible, and to ensure that there would be enough translucency to see the shapes of people behind the sign. No one could really lurk there, he said.

Surovell said he didn’t think the level of translucency solved the problem. “It’s a shelter. I don’t care if the glass is clear and it’s lit to beat the band. A shelter in the city, in the winter or in the rain, is a shelter. It is an inviting nuisance, and it only seems to me to emphasize the problem that we have already. We have a covered space that serves as a point of harassment to some of our friends, to some of our patrons, and I don’t understand why I would create a wind shelter, which is the real issue in the winter.”

If he were to do something like that, Surovell continued, he’d want to be able to close it off when the library wasn’t open. “And to be frank, we have problems during ordinary business hours – hot, cold, dry, rain.” He noted that the original architect for the building, Alden B. Dow, had a fascination for indents. But such indents are an “attractive shelter, and I don’t know why we’d build another one,” Surovell said.

Rebecca Head.

Rosenthal expressed concern with people hanging out there during the day, causing some patrons to be afraid. Lavigne said these were valid concerns, and that the design tries to address the issue by making it brighter in that area than it is now. “We’re trying to change the environment in its entirety,” he said, trying to activate the space to be used by more people – adding a bench, for example, where people can sit and read a book or wait for their ride. The intent is to work with the bones of the building, trying to make it as attractive, vibrant and light as possible within the budget they’ve been given.

Leary said she loved the “light box” sign, but understands the concerns about security. If it does end up being a problem, what would the library do about it – what’s the fix? she asked.

The fix, Parker replied, would be the same as what the library does currently. Even though there’s no wind shelter, people still hang out under the overhang. The library’s security staff circulates out there on a regular basis, she said, and ask people to move along. “I don’t know that anything we do will change that,” Parker said. She added that these plans have been shown to the library’s security and facilities staff.

Kaplan clarified with Lavigne that the sign wouldn’t provide structural support. In that case, Kaplan said, it wouldn’t need to go from top to bottom.

Rosenthal said that in light of Parker’s feedback, she’d be inclined to defer to the administration and the front-line security and facilities staff. If they are comfortable with it, she said, that’s a factor.

Ed Surovell, a member of the AADL board’s facilities committee.

Parker said she wanted to the board to understand that by putting in a bench, handrails and steps, the library is creating a “front porch, which is the only way in and only way out of a very busy building. There isn’t any condition that we can create that will eliminate the need for security.”

There isn’t a bench in front now, so adding one might create new issues, Parker noted. But it will also allow people to sit there and wait for a ride. “We’re trying to make the best possible situation with what we have, and make it as attractive and inviting as we can for far more people than it is attractive and inviting for now.”

Head cautioned that they shouldn’t make perfect be the enemy of the good. She supported bringing in some comforts for patrons, while recognizing that it might bring in some problems, too.

Kaplan suggested putting dividers on the bench, to prevent people from lying down.

As the discussion wrapped up, Rosenthal outlined the next steps for this project. Based on feedback from the board, InForm would work with the facilities committee to tweak its design. A public forum will be scheduled to get additional feedback in mid-March. A new design will likely be brought to the board for its April 21 meeting.

The board then voted on a resolution that authorized the project to move forward.

Outcome: On a voice vote, the board approved moving ahead on this project.

Committee Appointments

The Feb. 17 agenda included a resolution to create a committee to lead the process for developing the 2015-2020 strategic plan, and to appoint members to the director’s evaluation committee.

AADL board committees consist of no more than three trustees. Because that does not constitute a quorum of the seven-member board, the committee meetings are generally not subject to the state’s Open Meetings Act and are not open to the public.

Committee Appointments: Strategic Plan

The need for more strategic planning at the committee level emerged during the board’s Feb. 3, 2014 retreat. On Feb. 17, the resolution establishing a special committee described its charge as leading the process to develop a strategic plan for 2015-2020.

Nancy Kaplan was named chair of the special committee for strategic planning.

Noting that the term of the committee runs through 2014, Margaret Leary asked whether that reflects the hope that this work will be finished by the end of December.

AADL director Josie Parker replied that the committee term reflects the tenure of the board president. At their first meeting of each year, trustees elect board officers, including a president, to serve for that calendar year. Prue Rosenthal serves as the current president, through 2014.

Leary rephrased her question, asking whether the intent is to finish the strategic committee’s work before 2015. Yes, Rosenthal said.

Parker told the board that it’s never taken more than six months to develop a strategic plan.

Outcome: On a voice vote, the board created a special strategic planning committee.

Rosenthal then nominated the following members to serve on the strategic planning committee through 2014: Nancy Kaplan (chair), Barbara Murphy and Rebecca Head.

There was no additional discussion.

Outcome: On a voice vote, members were appointed to the strategic planning committee.

Committee Appointments: Director’s Evaluation

Rosenthal nominated the following trustees to the director’s evaluation committee for the annual review of AADL director Josie Parker: Barbara Murphy (chair), Jan Barney Newman and Rebecca Head.

Ed Surovell asked if this is a standing committee. Parker clarified that it’s a standing committee, as described in the board’s bylaws.

Surovell complained that the board wasn’t given advance notice about this. “I have some objections that I do not wish to discuss in public,” he said, adding that he didn’t want to be the sole vote against it, so he’d support the resolution. He indicated that he would discuss it with Rosenthal at a later time.

Outcome: On a voice vote, the board approved appointments to the director’s evaluation committee.

Policy Revisions

A resolution to approve revisions to a set of Ann Arbor District Library policies was on the board’s Feb. 17 agenda. The proposed revisions had been presented to the board at its meeting on Jan. 20, 2014.

The changes affect more than a dozen sections of the AADL policy manual, which covers a wide range of issues spanning overall library philosophy to circulation policies and rules of behavior for patrons. Among the changes include a new policy to offer free library cards to non-resident students and staff at state-sanctioned schools within AADL’s district.

The board’s policy committee had already reviewed all revisions that were proposed by AADL staff and vetted by legal counsel.

Revisions were made in the following sections of the policy handbook. [Each topic in this list includes a .pdf file with the old policy, a marked-up version showing changes, and the new policy.]:

• AADL philosophy
• “Freedom to Read” policy
• Privacy statement
• Internet use policy
• MichNet acceptable use policy
• Interlibrary loan services
• Photocopying/fax services & fees
• Circulation policy
• Confidentiality policy
• Requests for access to records from general public
• Display/distribution of materials by outside groups
• Rules of behavior in public sectors
• Unattended child policy
• Equal employment opportunity & affirmative action policy

The board was also asked to eliminate five policies, which have been incorporated into other policies or were outdated: (1) freedom to view; (2) providing access to computer-based resources; (3) release of minor child’s records; (4) fines for damaged or lost materials; and (5) business use of facilities.

Discussion was brief. Margaret Leary thanked staff and the policy committee for their work. Others noted that many of the policies had been out of date.

Outcome: In separate unanimous votes, the board approved the policy revisions and eliminated five policies.

Committee Reports

The board has six committees, not including the new committee created during the Feb. 17 meeting. The committees are: communications, budget and finance, facilities, policy, director’s evaluation, and executive. Only one committee report was made on Feb. 17.

Committee Reports: Facilities

In addition to her report regarding the downtown library entrance (see above), Margaret Leary – chair of the facilities committee – gave an update on the bike share program.

She reported that the committee has looked at the most recent draft of the bike share agreement. The board had previously discussed the arrangement – trustees were briefed on the program at their Aug. 19, 2013 meeting. AADL has been waiting for the University of Michigan to finalize its agreement with the Clean Energy Coalition, which is managing the program. When that happens, Leary said, AADL will move forward with an agreement that will come before the board.

Parker added that UM has signed a master agreement with CEC, and AADL is now reviewing its own agreement regarding a bike share station that would be located on the northern end of the downtown library property. AADL’s agreement will mimic the master agreement, she said. Parker reported that she and Ken Nieman, the library’s associate director of finance, HR and operations, are recommending to the facilities committee that the library participate in the bike share program. It’s likely that the facilities committee will bring forward a resolution at the board’s March 17 meeting to approve the agreement, Parker said.

Responding to a query from Ed Surovell, Parker said that the documents have already been reviewed by the library’s legal counsel. Surovell requested that the facilities committee receive a formal transmittal letter from counsel.

By way of additional background, the CEC and other supporters of the program issued a press release on Feb. 5, 2014 announcing its logo and name: ArborBike. [.pdf of press release]

ArborBike logo.

Financial Report

Ken Nieman – the library’s associate director of finance, HR and operations – gave a brief report on the January 2014 financial statements. [.pdf of financial report]

Through Jan. 31, the library has received 97.4% of its budgeted tax receipts. The library had $12.7 million in unrestricted cash at the end of January, with a fund balance of $8.26 million.

During the month, the library made a payment of about $74,000 to the state of Michigan pension system. This was a pass-through amount, Nieman reported, because the library also received a payment of the same amount – recorded in the “state aid” line item. “It’s the state’s way of helping out the pension system,” he said. The same kind of payments are being made to schools in the state as well. It’s likely that a budget adjustment will be required later in the year to reflect this transaction, he said.

Outcome: This is not a voting item.

Director’s Report

AADL director Josie Parker told that board that it was a pleasure “with a level of regret” that Celeste Choate has been named the new director of the Urbana Free Library in Urbana, Illinois. Choate has served as associate director of services, collections and access at AADL since 2007. She was part of getting the collection ready for the opening of the Traverwood branch that year, and was instrumental in bringing the Washtenaw Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled to AADL. Her “joie de vivre” is a wonderful positive attribute for this kind of work, Parker said. “That attitude, I think, will be greatly appreciated in Urbana and greatly missed by this library.”

Josie Parker, AADL director.

Choate’s last day with AADL is Feb. 28, and she’ll be starting at the Urbana library on April 1. She did not attend the Feb. 17 board meeting.

Parker told trustees that Choate is the fifth AADL manager in the past 12 years who has left to become director at another public library. “That’s something that I think we should all be proud of, in terms of one more contribution that AADL makes to the profession, and I think we should see it that way,” Parker said.

“We wouldn’t want it any other way,” Ed Surovell replied. “It’s a high honor to attract people like that, who can develop to the point where they can go run their own library.”

Parker also told the board that the library had been approached by Craig Smith, a social scientist at the University of Michigan’s Conceptual Development Lab, who is also a father who uses the library. He wanted to know if the library would be interested in being a site for the Living Lab Initiative, a project funded by the National Science Foundation. Typically, the sites are children’s museums, Parker said, including the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. AADL would be the first public library to be involved in this national project.

Researchers will be working in the youth department of the downtown library through the end of September, Parker said. It’s a voluntary process with children over four years old, and a parent must be present. Issues include how a child perceives the difference between “fair” and “just.” Parker said that some of the research will help AADL develop its programs and services for families and children. It’s an interesting opportunity for AADL, she said, “and because it’s local, we decided to try it.”

Parker also noted that the 10th anniversary of Malletts Creek opening will be celebrated on March 22 at that branch. It was the first new branch that had been opened in over 30 years, and she hoped that board members could attend the event to mark its anniversary.

She also observed that 12 years ago this month, she became AADL’s director. “It’s still just the best job in Ann Arbor and in my profession,” Parker said.

Library Stats

Eli Neiburger – AADL’s associate director of IT and product development – gave a presentation on library statistics, providing details in five categories for the month of January: Collections, users, visits, usage and participation. The data is compared to year-ago figures, when available.

AADL collections data: January 2014.

AADL users data: January 2014.

AADL visits data: January 2014.

AADL usage data: January 2014.

AADL participation data: January 2014.

Among the highlights, Neiburger noted that the weather in January affected door counts and event attendance. One Sunday, the library was closed due to bad weather. He pointed out that despite the weather, there was a huge turnout for the event featuring Ruta Sepetys, author of “Between Shades Of Gray,” this year’s Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads selection. Online usage was up during the month, because when the weather is bad “you can stay home and use the web,” Neiburger said.

Neiburger also reported that AADL experimented with paying to boost a post on Facebook. AADL has about 3,300 followers on Facebook, but an average post is presented to only 150-200 people. It’s very inexpensive to boost, he said – about $50 per post. “It worked, but it’s a little sketchy.” Neiburger said he’d provide more details about this effort at next month’s board meeting.

Neiburger also presented some of the “top Tweets” from the past two months that mentioned @AADL, including this one from Alex Goldman, a producer from NPR’s On the Media who grew up in Ann Arbor:

Alex Goldman Tweet.

Public Commentary

Two people spoke during public commentary at the start of the Feb. 17 meeting.

Changming Fan of TiniLite World.

Changming Fan told the board that his company, TiniLite World Inc., has been registered in Ann Arbor since 1996. The firm is the innovator, producer and supplier of new technology called TiniLite, he said. It’s a lighting display using LED lights, cell phones, and wireless Internet.

Fan congratulated AADL on achieving a five-star ranking, and said he’d like to do something to make it even better and help the library face its challenges. AADL is at the frontier, and that brings new trouble, he said.

He told the board that he’s talked with Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and production, and he hopes that the library will consider hosting workshops to make products and possibly even sell them. He called it transforming Read-It-Yourself to Do-It-Yourself, saying it’s the “American spirit.” Fan wants to contribute his company’s technology to this community.

Fan also noted that almost everything is made in China – and that’s a challenge for America, but AADL could be a leader in helping change that, he said. A lot of leaders in the state have supported manufacturing, he said, but nothing has happened. So he wants to work with AADL to be the leader of a social, mobile and local movement. He concluded by again thanking the board for AADL’s work.

Also addressing the board was Jamie Vander Broek, who introduced herself as a librarian working at the University of Michigan. She’s also a homeowner, and wanted to share some recent positive impressions she’s had of AADL.

Jamie Vander Broek.

She attended the FoolMoon event last spring in downtown Ann Arbor, and encountered an area where people were playing a game – and “of course it turned out to be something that AADL had organized.” It was part of a cool outdoor event, and when she sees things that are cool, interesting or on the bleeding edge, “AADL is always involved,” Vander Broek said.

Another example she gave is Nerd Nite, where people share things that they’re passionate about. One of her friends who works at General Electric developing mobile ultrasound devices gave a presentation at Nerd Nite and did an ultrasound of his stomach while he was talking, she said. The event had faced some organizational challenges, however, so she was glad to see that AADL has stepped in and will help “keep the wheels greased and in motion.”

She also noted that in her experience as a librarian, it’s difficult to negotiate licenses with companies that “have zero desire to give us anything for free.” So it was really exciting to her to see that AADL has successfully negotiated an agreement with Ghostly International, a local music firm. The deal will provide access to Ghostly’s music catalog.

Finally, Vander Broek told the board that part of her job is to do traditional library services. She staffs a reference desk and answers questions via online chat. Recently she got a query about an old murder case in Ann Arbor, and it gave her the opportunity to introduce the student asking the question to AADL’s Old News archives. She thought it was cool that AADL excels at traditional library services, like providing access to digitized archives of newspapers, as well as things that people wouldn’t expect a library to be involved in, like Nerd Nite and the Ghostly International licensing deal.

“I love paying my taxes for this library,” she concluded.

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

Absent: Barbara Murphy.

Next regular meeting: Monday, March 17, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown library, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. [Check Chronicle event listing to confirm date]

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The changes affect more than a dozen sections of the AADL policy manual, which covers a wide range of issues spanning overall library philosophy to circulation policies and rules of behavior for patrons. Among the changes include a new policy to offer free library cards to non-resident students and staff at state-sanctioned schools within AADL’s district.

The board’s policy committee had already reviewed all revisions that were proposed by AADL staff and vetted by legal counsel.

Revisions were made in the following sections of the policy handbook. [Each topic in this list includes a .pdf file with the old policy, a marked-up version showing changes, and the new policy.]:

• AADL philosophy
• “Freedom to Read” policy
• Privacy statement
• Internet use policy
• MichNet acceptable use policy
• Interlibrary loan services
• Photocopying/fax services & fees
• Circulation policy
• Confidentiality policy
• Requests for access to records from general public
• Display/distribution of materials by outside groups
• Rules of behavior in public sectors
• Unattended child policy
• Equal employment opportunity & affirmative action policy

In separate action, the board voted to eliminate five policies, which have been incorporated into other policies or were outdated: (1) freedom to view; (2) providing access to computer-based resources; (3) release of minor child’s records; (4) fines for damaged or lost materials; and (5) business use of facilities.

This brief was filed from the fourth-floor boardroom of the downtown library at 343 S. Fifth Ave. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

The board’s policy committee had already reviewed the changes that were proposed by AADL staff and vetted by legal counsel. For each section, board members were provided with a copy of the current policy, a marked-up version showing deletions and additions, and a “clean” draft version of the updated text.

Revisions are proposed for the following sections of the policy handbook:

• AADL philosophy
• “Freedom to Read” policy
• “Freedom to View” policy
• Privacy statement
• Internet use policy
• MichNet acceptable use policy
• Providing access to computer-based resources
• Interlibrary loan services
• Photocopying/fax services & fees
• Circulation policy
• Confidentiality policy
• Requests for access to records from general public
• Release of minor child’s library records
• Fines for damaged/lost materials
• Display/distribution of materials by outside groups
• Business use of facilities
• Rules of behavior in public sectors
• Unattended child policy
• Equal employment opportunity & affirmative action policy

Barbara Murphy, who chairs the board’s policy committee, pointed out that four sections of the current manual are proposed to be deleted. The issues addressed in the deleted sections are covered in other parts of the manual.

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

Eli Neiburger, AADL associate director of IT and product development.

Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, gave the closing plenary talk at an international conference earlier this month in Melbourne. It was hosted by VALA, an independent nonprofit that conducts tech education and support conferences. Neiburger is considered a leader in the field – he was named by Library Journal as one of its 2011 Movers & Shakers. His talk – “Access, schmaccess: libraries in the Age of Information Ubiquity” – looked at the role of libraries in an era when most digital content is free.

In that context, he said, the library’s role in the future involves offering unique content, experiences and events. He indicated that the AADL, with its robust programming, is well-positioned for these changes.

In its main action item of the evening, board members unanimously approved a website terms-of-use policy that had been discussed at their Jan. 18, 2012 meeting. The five-page document covers a range of topics, including guidelines for AADL and user-generated content, and how copyright complaints will be handled.

The board also approved its annual committee assignments, which are unchanged from last year. Board president Margaret Leary indicated that continuity would be important for the coming year. That was an allusion to major decisions that the board is expected to make regarding its downtown building on South Fifth Avenue. In November 2011, the board voted to provide $45,000 in funding for consultants to help resume the process of possibly redeveloping that downtown building, which is located south of the city’s new underground parking structure.

Website Terms-of-Use Policy

On the agenda was a resolution to approve a terms-of-use policy for the AADL website.

Jan Barney Newman, chair of the library board's policy committee.

Board president Margaret Leary noted that board members had received a presentation about the proposed policy at their Jan. 18, 2012 meeting. At that meeting, Eli Neiburger – AADL’s associate director of IT and product development – described the policy as a fairly standard attribute of corporate websites. It defines the legal relationship between the website’s users and its owner, and is put in place in case there is any problem with the website’s use or content. [.pdf of draft terms-of-use policy]

The five-page document includes guidelines for AADL and user-generated content; how copyright complaints will be handled; the policy for website registration, accounts and passwords; issues related to points awarded by the library for its summer reading game and other activities; spamming; external site links; termination of use; disclaimers; and indemnity.

The policy had been recommended for approval by the board’s policy committee, chaired by Jan Barney Newman. AADL director Josie Parker told the board that the library staff had received no questions in any form from the public regarding this policy recommendation.

Outcome: Without discussion, the board unanimously approved a terms-of-use policy for the AADL website.

Committee Assignments

In presenting the agenda item on committee assignments, board president Margaret Leary noted that the assignments are unchanged from the previous year. She said she had asked each board member individually to see if they wanted to change, but everyone wanted to keep their existing committee assignments. It was a good idea to keep continuity in the coming year, Leary said.

Leary has previously indicated that continuity is important in board leadership as the library assesses its options for the downtown building on South Fifth Avenue. By way of background, in November 2011, the board voted to provide $45,000 in funding for consultants to help resume the process of possibly redeveloping that downtown building, which is located south of the city’s new underground parking structure. In late 2008 the board had voted to suspend redevelopment, citing the shaky economy. [See Chronicle coverage: "Citing Economy, Board Halts Library Project." The issue has been addressed at subsequent AADL board meetings as well: "New Downtown Library? If, When and Where," and "Board Renews Library Building Discussion"]

The 2012 committees are:

• Budget & Finance: Barbara Murphy (chair), Nancy Kaplan, Ed Surovell
• Director’s Evaluation: Margaret Leary (chair), Jan Barney Newman, Prue Rosenthal
• Policy: Jan Barney Newman (chair), Rebecca Head, Nancy Kaplan
• Strategic Planning Steering: Margaret Leary (chair), Rebecca Head, Prue Rosenthal

In addition, the board’s executive committee consists of the president (Leary) and any two other board elected officers “chosen at a time it needs to meet,” according to the board resolution. Other elected officers of the board are Rosenthal (vice president), Murphy (treasurer) and Newman (secretary).

Outcome: The board voted unanimously to approve committee assignments.

Financial Report

In his monthly financial briefing to the board, Ken Nieman – AADL associate director of finance, HR and operations – described January 2012 as a typical month. [.pdf of January 2012 financials] He highlighted three items that are currently over budget, but said they are expected to come back in line with the budget by the close of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2012. Those line items are communications, software licenses and circulation supplies.

Nieman noted that the library has a $12.1 million unrestricted cash balance, and had received almost 97% of its tax receipts for the year, as of Jan. 31.

Board members had no questions about the report.

Director’s Report

In her director’s report, Josie Parker congratulated Tim Grimes, AADL’s community relations and marketing manager. Grimes has been asked to serve as an advisor for a research planning proposal being submitted by the American Library Association Public Programs Office to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). If awarded, the grant would fund a two-year process to assess effective programming at public libraries nationwide.

It’s another compliment to Grimes for his experience, Parker said, and for what AADL has accomplished in public programming over the years. Board president Margaret Leary added that the board is proud of him and of what this represents for the library.

Report from Down Under

Much of the Feb. 20 meeting centered on a presentation by Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, who briefed the board on his recent experiences at conferences in Australia.

Earlier in the month, Neiburger gave the closing speech at VALA, a group originally known as the Victorian Association for Library Automation, which is now an independent nonprofit that conducts tech education and support conferences. He summarized talks by some of the other speakers at plenary sessions, including Jason Griffey of the University of Tennessee, who talked about libraries in the post-PC era; Eibhlin Roche of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, who brought a corporate perspective to the issue of archiving and access; and Xiaolin Zhang of the National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who described challenges and strategies in providing access to information for Chinese researchers.

Neiburger’s own talk – “Access, schmaccess: libraries in the Age of Information Ubiquity” – was the closing plenary session. Increasingly, he said, people are giving content away, then monetizing their audience by selling other things, like T-shirts, mugs and other items, or access to events like conventions or concerts. Though digital content is still being sold, Neiburger noted that right now the market is witnessing an artificial scarcity, which is driving up prices far in excess of what the digital bits are worth. That’s resulting in a pricing bubble, he said, but that won’t last.

So what happens to the role of libraries if most commercial content is given away for free, and that becomes the dominant business model? What’s left for libraries are events and experiences, he said. Neiburger cited the AADL’s own offerings of lectures, exhibits, performances and contests – like last year’s appearance of the Top Chef’s fourth season winner, Stephanie Izard. The library’s role will be less about having a copy of a popular book to borrow, and more about having unique content and experiences – that will be a big part of a library’s future value, he said. [View a webcast of Neiburger's talk here.]

He gave the same talk at the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney, and also visited Hobart, the capital of Australia’s island state of Tasmania. Neiburger described Australia as similar to the Midwest: Everyone’s very nice, and for the most part there’s a lot of room.

Neiburger also reported on some recommendations made in the State Library of New South Wales’ newly updated publication “People Places.” One recommendation suggested that a new library should devote no more than 30% of its building for its collections, he noted. AADL director Josie Parker observed that such a configuration would result in the library becoming more of a community center.

The funding mechanisms for libraries are also different in Australia, Neiburger said – for example, most libraries are part of municipalities, not independent entities. And there are a lot of new libraries being built in areas that didn’t previously have them, he said.

Report from Down Under: Board Discussion

Ed Surovell wondered if the funding model and the fact that it was an immature market in some areas was resulting in a disparity of library service – are there “haves and have nots”? Neiburger said that aside from Tansmania, he’d mostly visited urban areas, but that it seemed to him Australia had a more even distribution of resources than the U.S. That might be because of support from the state – he noted that he paid $7.50 for a gallon of gas there, a higher amount because of taxes.

AADL board members Ed Surovell and Rebecca Head.

Margaret Leary recalled visiting Australia several years ago, where she had observed that the income disparity wasn’t nearly as great as it is here. Rebecca Head asked if the county has experienced the same kind of economic downturn that Americans have seen. It didn’t seem to be as hard-hit, Neiburger said. He also pointed out that he’d seen advertisements for banks that were offering 5-6% interest on deposit accounts, which is unheard of in the U.S.

Leary asked Neiburger to elaborate on his comments regarding businesses that are monetizing their audiences. Neiburger noted that newspapers and TV are an example of businesses that have done this historically – they monetize their readers or audiences by selling ads to companies that want to reach those particular groups. A more recent example of that approach is a web comic called Penny Arcade. New comics are posted three times each week online, and money is made by selling ads on the site and products to the fan base, or tickets to Penny Arcade conventions.

There’s a lot of change coming, Neiburger said, and AADL is fortunate in bringing a diversified value to this community.

Nancy Kaplan asked about the “People Places” report that had recommended only having one-third of a library’s square footage devoted to collections. Neiburger said it reflected a recognition that the value of a library’s stacks is decreasing.

Kaplan wondered what would happen to a library’s archives? Neiburger noted that the AADL houses its archives – primarily a collection from the former Ann Arbor News – in only about 3,000 square feet of space. [The AADL leases space for the archives at a Green Road office complex.] That material is being digitized and put online, but isn’t circulated.

As for circulated materials, 20 years ago the percentage devoted to space for collections might have been 70%, he said, but that’s been changing. He noted that a library also expects 30-40% of its collection to be in circulation at any given time – you don’t expect all material to be on the shelves.

Parker added that a library’s hope is to always have more materials loaned out than on the shelves. You shouldn’t build a library expecting that it would hold everything in its collection, she said.

Surovell recalled the opening of the Pittsfield branch in 2006, and how astonishing it was to see the entire library with its shelves filled and squared off with books. That lasted just one night, Parker observed.

Changes in technology are also contributing to a diminished need for shelf space, Neiburger said. Internet connectivity is becoming more ubiquitous, with smart phones and tablets like the iPad starting to dominate sales of laptops and desktop computers.

Several board members expressed interest in hearing Neiburger’s talk in its entirety. Parker said she hoped he would give it during the AADL’s staff training day, which is typically held in the fall.

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

Next meeting: Monday, March 19, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

The Chronicle relies in part on regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of public bodies like the Ann Arbor District Library board. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle. And if you’re already supporting us, please encourage your friends, neighbors and colleagues to help support The Chronicle, too!

The five-page document cover guidelines for AADL and user-generated content; how copyright complaints will be handled; the policy for website registration, accounts and passwords; issues related to points awarded by the library for its summer reading game and other activities; spamming; external site links; termination of use; disclaimers; and indemnity.

This report was filed from the fourth-floor boardroom of the AADL’s downtown building, 343 S. Fifth. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Celeste Choate, AADL associate director of services, collections and access, holds up a replica of a fossilized wooly mammoth tooth and a wooly mammoth model – items that are included in Science to Go kits available from the AADL. Choate was giving a presentation on the library's realia collections. (Photos by the writer.)

Among the most popular is AADL’s art print collection, which includes work by local artists, according to Celeste Choate, AADL associate director of services, collections and access. Meter readers to gauge the energy efficiency of home appliances and electronics are also popular.

Science to Go kits are the newest addition to AADL’s realia collection. Each kit focuses on a theme – prehistoric mammals, for example – and contains materials that include books, DVDs, Fandex educational cards, and objects like a replica of a fossilized wooly mammoth molar. The kits have only been available for about a month, but are all checked out, each with a long wait list. The realia collections are listed in “Unusual Stuff to Borrow” on AADL’s website.

Other agenda items for Monday’s meeting were less show and more tell. The board re-elected its current slate of officers for another year, with president Margaret Leary noting that the board faces several important decisions in the coming year – she indicated that continuity of leadership would help the board in that context. Though she did not mention it explicitly, Leary likely was alluding to plans discussed by the board in November to restart the process for determining the future of the AADL’s downtown location.

In a formal address at the start of Monday’s meeting, Leary reviewed the library’s accomplishments for 2011. Among other things, she mentioned the board’s decision to keep its millage rate down, while still balancing its budget. AADL’s millage rate for the current fiscal year is 1.55 mills – below the 1.92 mills that the district is authorized to levy. However, she cautioned that if the state eliminates the personal property tax and no replacement funding is found, the library would lose about $600,000 annually in revenues out of a $12 million budget.

Later in the meeting, the board was briefed by Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, on a draft terms-of-use policy for the library’s website. The decision to develop the policy was driven in large part because of issues related to the library’s digitization of the former Ann Arbor News archives – AADL will be putting a lot of material online for which it doesn’t hold the copyright. The board is expected to vote on the policy at its Feb. 20 meeting.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the board voted to approve a two-year lease renewal with Westgate Enterprises LLC for the location of AADL’s branch at the Westgate Shopping Center, at Jackson and South Maple roads. The annual lease rate is $82,260, beginning Feb. 1.

Election of Officers & President’s Remarks

In the meeting’s first action item, the board re-elected its slate of officers for 2012. The board’s president for a second one-year term is Margaret Leary. Other officers re-elected were Prue Rosenthal (vice president), Barbara Murphy (treasurer) and Jan Barney Newman (secretary). There were no competing nominations, and all the votes were unanimous. Board member Rebecca Head was absent.

Following the election, Leary commented that it’s a good thing to have the same officers in place because the board faces important decisions in the coming year, and it’s nice to have a smooth transition. She indicated her preference to keep the committee membership unchanged as well, but asked board members to contact her if they’re interested in changing committee assignments.

Outcome: The board unanimously re-elected its previous slate of officers. Later, in a separate vote, the board also unanimously approved its 2012 schedule of meeting dates, and will continue to meet on the third Monday of each month.

Before the election, Leary addressed the board, saying it was important to pay attention to what the board and the library accomplished in 2011. She noted that in November, AADL received the Library Journal’s five-star rating for the fourth year, and was the only Michigan library to achieve five stars – the highest possible rating.

In October, board member Ed Surovell had received the Michigan Library Association’s Trustee Citation of Merit, Leary continued. It was awarded for his contributions in promoting library cooperation, working toward state legislation and funding that benefits libraries, and for outstanding work in developing local library services. She read from a statement issued by the MLA: ”One of his contributions has been to push his fellow trustees to break new ground architecturally and programmatically, and to understand the political, financial, historical, and strategic factors when considering a decision, whether the decision is large or small.”

Directing her comment to Surovell, Leary said: “Ed, I hope you’ll continue to push us in that direction.”

AADL board president Margaret Leary was re-elected to another term in that board office at the Jan. 16 meeting. In this photo, she's signing attendance sheets for local high school students who attended Monday's meeting.

Among other awards, Leary cited the four ADDYs for marketing and promotional materials that AADL received in 2011, including a gold award for materials related to AADL’s summer reading program. The awards are given by the Ann Arbor Ad Club.

Leary also highlighted the recognition of associate director Eli Neiburger, named by Library Journal as one of its 2011 Movers & Shakers, in the category of tech leaders.

The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library have continued their generous support of AADL, Leary said, especially for the summer reading program. In May, the library and FAADL renewed the space use agreement that allows FAADL to operate a bookstore in the lower level of the downtown library building. In June, FAADL’s annual meeting was hosted at the site that the library leases for its digitization project of the former Ann Arbor News archives, she noted. And while the AADL and FAADL are separate organizations, they are building increasingly tight symbiotic relationships that benefit both groups, she said.

In July, Leary noted, AADL director Josie Parker addressed the Ann Arbor city council, a report that included data on the impact of the library’s Fifth Avenue location on the downtown. Parker will continue to participate in discussions at the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority regarding downtown development, Leary said. Parker’s involvement helps the AADL board understand those issues, she said, and Parker has a lot to contribute to the DDA discussions.

Leary listed several examples of AADL involvement in national and international projects during the year. Tim Grimes, AADL’s community relations and marketing manager, helped develop a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)-funded project titled “Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Worlds.” That effort resulted in AADL being selected as one of six libraries chosen to serve as focus groups for the project. Also, Grimes and Neiburger are advisors on another NEH-funded project: “From Bluegrass to Broadway: A Film History of America’s Popular Music.”

Parker was also involved in national and international projects. Leary cited Parker’s participation, by invitation, in a small working group that helped launch the Digital Public Library of America project. Parker was also invited to serve on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation‘s public access technology benchmarks program, and was asked to speak at the second UNESCO Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries, held in June 2011 in Milan, Italy with the theme “The Book Tomorrow: The Future of the Written Word.”

The board’s own education about library services continued during 2011, Leary said, with presentations from staff on eBooks in April, the Old News project in October, and the Play@AADL game in November.

Regarding the library’s finances, Leary said AADL continues to be a fiscal success – levying less of the millage than it’s authorized to use, running a balanced budget, and getting a clean audit. In May, the board adopted its $12 million budget for fiscal 2011-2012, which kept AADL’s millage rate unchanged at 1.55 mills – below the 1.92 mills that the district is authorized to levy.

Leary gave an example that she said showed how the library is remaining fiscally responsible and alert. In 2004, the library changed the vendor it uses to collect overdue fines. The library’s return on investment for that service is over $7 for every dollar it pays the collection company, she noted. Since 2004, about $600,000 in cash has been recovered, plus more than $100,000 in materials.

The year ended with the board approving labor agreements with two unions representing library staff, Leary reported.

Looking ahead, Leary pointed to the possibility that the state would eliminate the personal property tax, which she said would have a very negative effect on the library. If no replacement funding were found, eliminating the PPT would result in a loss of about $600,000 annually to AADL, she said – or about 5% of its budget.

Leary concluded her remarks by thanking Parker and her husband Robert Parker for their generous financial contribution to the library.[Responding to a follow-up query from The Chronicle, Parker indicated that the contribution – an undisclosed amount – was made in honor of the board and is designated for the Marcy Westerman Fund, which supports youth programs.]

Parker responded briefly, thanking the board on behalf of the administration and staff.

Westgate Lease Renewal

The board approved a two-year lease renewal with Westgate Enterprises LLC for the location of AADL’s branch at the Westgate Shopping Center, at Jackson and South Maple roads. The annual lease rate is $82,260, beginning Feb. 1. That’s unchanged from the current rate, according to AADL director Josie Parker. The new agreement also includes two one-year renewal options.

Known as the West Branch, the 5,900-square-foot library branch has been open there since 1977. It’s the only branch of AADL that operates in leased space.

Margaret Leary clarified with library staff that the lease renewal options mean that if both the owner and the library agree, the lease could remain in place at this rate for a total of four years. AADL director Josie Parker said this is the same agreement the library has had with Westgate for the previous two leasing periods.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the lease renewal at for the branch at Westgate.

Director’s Report

AADL director Josie Parker’s report focused on upcoming participation by library staff at professional events.

AADL director Josie Parker.

Erin Helmrich, a teen services librarian at AADL, is chair of the American Library Association committee that selects the Michael L. Printz award, given for excellence in young adult literature. It’s an award on par with the ALA’s Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal awards, Parker said, and the selection committee is a prestigious group. Helmrich is traveling to Dallas this week for the award’s final selection process.

In February, Eli Neiburger – AADL’s associate director of IT and product development – will represent AADL and the U.S. at an upcoming conference in Australia, Parker said. He’ll be giving a presentation on information technology and digital access in public libraries. [Neiburger later clarified for The Chronicle that he'll be giving the talk at VALA, a group originally known as the Victorian Association for Library Automation, which is now an independent nonprofit that conducts tech education and support conferences. He'll also be speaking at the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney. Neiburger noted that expenses for these professional trips are paid for by the conference organizers, not AADL.]

In March, Celeste Choate  – associate director of services, collections and access – and DeAnn Doll, manager of human resources, will be speaking at the Public Library Association conference in Philadelphia. They’ll be on a panel about the development of the next generation of librarians, and talking about a partnership between AADL and the University of Michigan’s School of Information. The library recruits UM students twice a year to fill public library associate (PLA) positions.

Parker said she wanted the board to know that library staff are out there in many ways and many places.

Financial Report

Ken Nieman – AADL associate director of finance, HR and operations – noted that because the board didn’t meet in December, the Jan. 16 meeting packet included financial reports from both November and December. [The board held a special meeting on Dec. 8 to approve labor agreements, but canceled its regular Dec. 15 meeting.]

Nieman focused his brief report on the December financial statement. [.pdf of December 2011 financials] The library’s unrestricted cash balance was about $13 million, and AADL has received about 96% of its budgeted tax receipts. Three items that are over budget are expected to come back in line with the budget by the end of the fiscal year, he said. [AADL's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. The over-budget items are in communications, software licenses and postage.]

Nieman noted that $44,168 in the line item for grants/memorials reflects a donation from the Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library.

Board members had no questions regarding the financial report.

Website Terms-of-Use Policy

Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, briefed board members about a proposed website terms-of-use policy that the board is expected to vote on at its Feb. 20 meeting. [.pdf of draft terms-of-use policy]

AADL director Josie Parker introduced the topic by saying that the need for such a policy reflects the success of the library’s online services. She noted that the policy has been reviewed by the board’s policy committee and the library’s legal counsel.

Eli Neiburger, AADL associate director of IT and product development.

Neiburger described the policy as a fairly standard attribute of corporate websites. It defines the legal relationship between the website’s users and its owner, and is put in place in case there is any problem regarding the website’s use or content.

Users won’t need to click on an “Accept” button to agree to the terms. Recent case law has indicated that if a link to the terms-of-use policy is included in a website’s footer, by simply using the site you are agreeing to be bound by those terms, Neiburger said. The library retains the right to revise the terms, he noted – the document is not set in stone.

Neiburger briefly described the different sections included in the five-page document. The website privacy policy defers to the library’s existing general privacy policy. The content on the site is licensed under the Creative Commons license for non-commercial use. This means that most content is available to use for free for non-commercial purposes – such as educational, personal or research uses. Credit must be given to the library if content is used.

However, the site does include material that is protected by copyright – such as digitized content from the former Ann Arbor News archives. The AADL policy states that the onus is on the user to obtain permission from the copyright holder to use this kind of material.

Other sections of the policy cover guidelines for user-generated content; how copyright complaints will be handled; the policy for website registration, accounts and passwords; issues related to points awarded by the library for its summer reading game and other activities; spamming; external site links; termination of use; disclaimers; and indemnity.

Website Terms-of-Use Policy: Board Questions

Margaret Leary asked whether any aspects of the policy might be considered controversial or unique. Neiburger replied that it’s fairly unique for a library to put its website content into the Creative Commons, and that the item related to library points was also unique because the point-system approach is relatively unique. Also the fact that the policy is brief and clear is somewhat unusual, he said.

Leary asked whether it’s typical for a library to have this kind of policy. It’s typical for corporate sites and large libraries to have a terms-of-use policy, Neiburger said. The decision to develop one for AADL was driven in large part because of issues related to the library’s digitization of the former Ann Arbor News archives, he said, since AADL will be putting a lot of material online for which it doesn’t hold the copyright. Neiburger said that the policy being reviewed by the board differed only slightly from the draft that was prepared by the library’s legal counsel.

Jan Barney Newman, who chairs the board’s policy committee, said the committee was fascinated by the policy’s scope and felt it was important to “get ahead of the game” in implementing this kind of policy. The board anticipates voting on the policy at its Feb. 20 meeting.

AADL Realia Collections

AADL director Josie Parker introduced this agenda item by saying it was prompted by conversations regarding a recent Michigan Radio report on bicycle rentals, which indicated that AADL might start a bike-sharing program. In that context, she felt that the staff should share with the board the types of realia items that the library does circulate, adding “and we don’t circulate bicycles!”

The presentation was given by Celeste Choate, AADL associate director of services, collections and access. Choate noted that the most popular realia collection is the art print collection, which the library has been circulating for over 20 years. Over 500 prints are circulating, and new prints are added every year. Typically 80-90% of that collection is checked out, she said. Each item can be checked out for an eight-week period.

In the past couple of years, the focus has been on acquiring work by local artists, Choate said. It’s possible to search the collection by artist name or the name of the print, or patrons can browse thumbnail images of the prints online.

Another realia collection – of energy meter readers – began with a partnership with the city of Ann Arbor. The city originally gave the library 10 meter readers to distribute, enabling residents to check the amount of energy used by different home appliances. The city later added to the collection to bring the total to 19 meter readers. Most recently, 10 outlet energy meter readers – which resemble a power strip – were added to the collection. [As of Jan. 17, all of the new outlet meter readers were checked out, with 56 holds placed on the items.]

Celeste Choate holds up a set of Fandex cards with information about famous painters.

Choate said that in the context of the library’s strategic plan, staff began thinking about how they could increase current realia collections – the art prints and energy meter readers – as well as adding different items that would address the library’s strategic goals of serving the needs of educators and students.

She highlighted some of the newest additions to the collection, including Brain Quest and Fandex educational cards. The 22 Fandex sets include information on dinosaurs, painters, birds, Washington D.C., Africa, the Civil War and a range of other topics. There are 20 Brain Quest sets available, on topics ranging from math and reading basics to general quizzes that “challenge the mind.”

The library also recently added new Science To Go kits to its realia collection. The kits are an outgrowth of Stories to Go kits that were started several years ago with funding from Pfizer, Choate said.

Each Science to Go kit has a theme – prehistoric mammals, for example – with supporting materials that include books, DVDs, Fandex cards, and objects like a replica of a fossilized wooly mammoth tooth and a small-scale model of a wooly mammoth.

Seven topics are available, with two identical kits per topic. They’ve proven to be popular – all kits are checked out, with multiple holds on each, Choate said.

AADL Realia Collections: Board Questions

Jan Barney Newman asked if the AADL staff puts together the science kits. Yes, Choate said. For example, AADL librarian Jody Harnish compiled the materials used in the life cycles kit, which includes examples – preserved in lucite blocks – of bean germination, dragonfly development and other life cycles. Those materials were purchased separately, but Harnish decided what should be included in the kit. AADL director Josie Parker noted that Harnish was also the librarian who designed the popular exhibit of Cecropia moth caterpillars this summer. Kids and families would return to the Traverwood branch multiple times to watch the caterpillars grow through their life cycle, she said.

In response to a question about how the items in the kits are tracked, Choate said that each kit contains a tag that lists all of the items in the kit.

Prue Rosenthal said she was curious about the art prints. What kind of people check out the prints – are they primarily students? Choate replied that a range of people are interested in the prints, including students but also families and businesses. Newman noted that the art print collection was started by the Ladies Library Association.

Barbara Murphy asked about the renewal policy. Choate explained that art prints can’t be renewed, but they circulate for a longer period – eight weeks. Generally, though, there’s no limit to renewals unless other patrons have reserved the item.

Margaret Leary asked Choate to comment on what kinds of realia collections work well for the library, and what might not work. One criteria would be what users want to borrow, for example. Leary ventured that another criteria might be whether the library’s existing infrastructure would support circulation of the collection. However, Leary speculated that some items – like lawnmowers, for instance – wouldn’t be something the library would want to circulate.

Cost is one factor, Choate replied, including how often someone might purchase the item themselves, or how often they might use it. Is it a high-cost item that someone might want to try first, before they buy it – or need to use only one time?

Another factor is how easily the library can move the item through its existing circulation system, including how many copies the library would need and how much space would be required for storage. It sounds mundane, Choate said, but the library isn’t equipped, for example, to provide lawnmower storage. Parker added other factors, including maintenance, parts replacement and how often items are broken.

As for circulation infrastructure, Choate said the goal is that it won’t take longer to check out realia than it does to check out a book or DVD. That’s why the library isn’t circulating chemistry sets, she joked.

Leary said that an item’s potential to do harm might be another consideration, in the context of liability to the library.

Nancy Kaplan asked whether the Science to Go kits are being requested by educators. Choate said the kits have been available starting only about a month ago, so she’s not sure that many teachers know about them yet. One kit per topic is located at the downtown branch, and the second copies of the kits are distributed throughout the branches. For the Brain Quest and Fandex cards, one set of each is available at each branch.

Several board members praised the staff’s efforts, and the board gave Choate a round of applause.

Closed Session Set

At the end of each monthly meeting, the AADL board typically votes to schedule a closed session at its next month’s meeting. On Monday, board members voted to hold a closed session at its Feb. 20 meeting for the purpose of getting the opinion of legal counsel.

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

Absent: Rebecca Head

Next meeting: Monday, Feb. 20, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

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