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Geauga County Public Library

LWV Geauga Observer Corps



Geauga County Public Library (GCPL) - October 17, 2023


Meeting
: The GCPL Board met on Tuesday, October 17th at 4:00 pm at the Middlefield Branch. This meeting was in-person with a virtual option. The meeting was not recorded. Minutes of this meeting will be posted on the GPL webite/ GPLBoard after they are approved at the November meeting.


Public Comment
: Permitted and included in the regular order of business per GCPL bylaws. Further clarified in Policy 215 - Public Participation at Board Meetings.


Board Attendance
: President Kate Pitrone, Vice President Paul A. Newman, Kristen Brickman, Karen Delano, Joshua Hutchinson, Crist Miller and Jake Yanchar.


Staff Attendance

  • Kris Carroll - Director

  • Katy Farrell - Assistant Director

  • Lisa Havlin - Fiscal Officer

  • Nicole Burnside - Human Resources

  • Marlene Pelyhes - Tech. Services Manager [virtual]

  • Michael Pope - IT Manager

  • Danielle Hollar - Bainbridge Branch 

  • Denise Javins- Marketing & Communications Manager

  • Judy Lasco - Chardon Branch manager

  • Rachael Hartman - Middlefield Branch

  • John Johnston- Facilities Manager

  • Samantha Kretschmer- Collections Development [virtual]

Public:  This Observer attended virtually.

Minutes: September Board Meeting minutes were approved without discussion and are available online. The minutes are posted as soon as they are approved at the following month’s Board meeting.                


Agenda:
All items were approved. 


Communications:

  • Begun in 2020, the Books By Mail program has been quite successful. CLEVNET has asked GPL Tech Services Manager Marlene Pelyhes to create a manual so other NEO libraries can replicate the program.

Fiscal Officers Report – Ms. Havlin

Observer’s note: Complete Library financial statements are included in the Board Packet sent out before each meeting.


Director’s Report
– Ms. Carroll

  • The library conducted a Home School Picture Day. 100 individuals participated.

  • The Geneology Center in the Allyn Room at the Chardon branch received a donation of the Silver Books from the Mayflower Society. This consists of a 7-8 generation lineage of each passenger on the Mayflower.

  • The Chardon High School MakerSpace opened Saturday, October 21st. It is available to students during school hours and to the community 4:00-8:00 on weekdays. It is located on the east side of the high school- Maple Avenue.

Assistant Manager’s Report – Ms. Farrell


Statistics:

  • 66,405 patrons served at the branches. 

  • 15,728 computer and wi-fi uses

  • 278 programs presented for 5,121 patrons

  • 9,971 reference interactions

  • Total circulation of items: 223,494

Every branch manager or technical manager had a report in the board packet.


Public Comment
: none


The Board went into Executive session at 4:22 to discuss the purchase/sale of property. They came out around 4:30 [virtual portion had ended] and adjourned the meeting. This Observer learned from Board Chair Kate Pitrone that no action had been taken.


The meeting adjourned at 4:41pm.


Next Meeting
: Tuesday, November 21 at the Thompson Branch at 4 PM. The Records Commission Meeting will take place before the regular meeting. Dates and locations for the 2024 GPLB meetings were included in the October packet.


Minutes
:  The latest minutes are posted as available.  Here is the link to the minutes.  Prior to March 2023,  videos of meetings were available to the public here.  The GCPL is no longer posting videos of their meetings.


Observer: Cris Takacs

Reviewer: Anne Ondrey


The League of Women Voters of Geauga is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. They do not support or oppose individual candidates or parties. Learn more about the LWVG at www.lwvgeauga.org


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