244 West Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 788-4087 BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING – THURSDAY, March 25, 2021 THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 6:00PM Virtually through Microsoft Teams I. Call to Order – Roll Call Attendance II. Consent Calendar: Action a. Approval of Minutes Annual Meeting January 28, 2021 b. Approval of Minutes Regular Meeting January 28, 2021 c. Approval of Minutes Special Meeting February 17, 2021 d. Approval of Minutes Study Session March 11, 2021 e. Approval of Minutes Governance Committee February & March 2021 f. Gifts and Donations January & February 2021 g. Personnel Actions January & February 2021 III. Public Comment* IV. Update by Staff: Community Services – Hannah Ball V. Current Bills a. Bill Summary, Unaudited, Action • January 2021 • February 2021 VI. Financial Reports a. Financial Reports, Unaudited, Action • January 2021 • February 2021 VII. Committee Reports a. Facilities Committee – Shane LaPorte • February 3, 2021 • March 3, 2021 b. Finance Committee – William Jors • March 22, 2021 c. Personnel Committee – Erik Lyman • March 2, 2021
Transcript
244 West Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Michigan 49201 (517) 788-4087
BOARD OF TRUSTEES REGULAR MEETING – THURSDAY,
March 25, 2021 THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 6:00PM
Virtually through Microsoft Teams
I. Call to Order – Roll Call Attendance
II. Consent Calendar: Actiona. Approval of Minutes Annual Meeting January 28, 2021b. Approval of Minutes Regular Meeting January 28, 2021c. Approval of Minutes Special Meeting February 17, 2021d. Approval of Minutes Study Session March 11, 2021e. Approval of Minutes Governance Committee February &
March 2021f. Gifts and Donations January & February 2021g. Personnel Actions January & February 2021
III. Public Comment*
IV. Update by Staff: Community Services – Hannah Ball
V. Current Bills a. Bill Summary, Unaudited, Action
• January 2021• February 2021
VI. Financial Reportsa. Financial Reports, Unaudited, Action
• January 2021• February 2021
VII. Committee Reportsa. Facilities Committee – Shane LaPorte
• February 3, 2021• March 3, 2021
b. Finance Committee – William Jors• March 22, 2021
c. Personnel Committee – Erik Lyman• March 2, 2021
Page 2 of 2
* From the JDL Board Bylaws, Article V, Section 6.b., Members of the public mayaddress the Board at any of its meetings, as provided for in the Open Meetings Act. Public comment shall be provided for in the agenda. Individuals may speak for not more than three (3) minutes. Modification of these times may be approved by vote of the Board.
VIII. Director’s Reporta. District Highlightsb. Statisticsc. JDL Community Involvementd. JDL Annual Reporte. Update – Sara Tackett
IX. Old Businessa. Woodlands Library Cooperative – Jacqueline Barberb. Committee Meeting discussion – Diane Andersonc. Brooklyn Branch Expansion and Renovation update – Sara
Tackettd. Other
X. New Business a. Jackson Leaders for Equity CEO Pledge – Actionb. Administrative Handbook - Actionc. Families First Coronavirus Response Act extension - Actiond. Carnegie Repair/Restoration Evaluation – Actione. Parma Sandstone LDFA – Actionf. Library Privacy Act Updateg. Other
XI. Communications
a. TimeSlips article
XII. Trustee Comments
XIII. Adjournment
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES January 28, 2021
Virtual Meeting, Microsoft Teams President Jacqueline Barber called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Board Members Present: Jacqueline L. Barber; Jackson, MI; Barbara Dame, Norvell Twp. William Jors; Jackson, MI, Erik Lyman; Jackson, MI, Beverley McGill; Jackson, MI, Stephen Rajzer; Jackson, MI, Shane LaPorte, Liberty Twp., MI Board Members Absent: Director: Sara Tackett Others Present: Staff: Vicki Baldwin, Lorraine Butchart, Will Forgrave, Jeff Huey, Andy Lane, Jason Shoup, Patty Snoblen, Danah Wayne, Commitment to Serve: All members of the Board of Trustee received their Commitment to Serve form in the mail and will sign and mail them back to administration. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: All members of the Board of Trustee received their Conflict of Interest form in the mail and will sign and mail them back to administration. Election of Officers for 2021: Jacqueline Barber asked the board for their nominations for the seat of President. Stephen Rajzer nominated Jacqueline Barber for President of the Board of Trustees, this nomination was supported by Barbara Dame. Stephen Rajzer made a motion that nominations be closed, supported by Erik Lyman. The vote for Jacqueline Barber for President for 2021 was carried unanimously.
Jacqueline Barber asked the board for their nominations for the seat of Vice President. Stephen Rajzer nominated Shane LaPorte for Vice President of the Board of Trustees, this nomination was supported by Jacqueline Barber. Beverley McGill made a motion that nominations be closed, supported by Stephen Rajzer. The vote for Shane LaPorte for Vice President for 2021 was carried unanimously.
Jacqueline Barber asked the board for their nominations for the seat of Secretary/Treasurer. Stephen Rajzer nominated William Jors for Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Trustees, this nomination was supported by Jacqueline Barber. Beverley McGill made a motion that nominations be closed, supported by Jacqueline Barber. The vote for William Jors for Secretary/Treasurer for 2021 was carried unanimously.
2020 Committee Appointments: The Board of Trustees were appointed to committees as follows: Facilities: Shane LaPorte (Chair), Erik Lyman, and Beverley McGill Finance: William Jors (Chair), Jacqueline Barber, and Stephen Rajzer, Personnel: Erik Lyman (Chair), Barbara Dame, and Shane LaPorte Governance: Stephen Rajzer (Chair), Barbara Dame, Beverley McGill Woodlands Library Cooperative Governing Board: Jacqueline Barber Friends of the JDL Liaison: Beverley McGill
Other: None
Public Comment: There was no public comment
Stephen Rajzer moved that the meeting be adjourned. Meeting was adjourned at 6:19pm.
Respectfully submitted, William Jors Secretary/Treasurer (Diane Anderson, Recorder)
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES January 28, 2021
Virtual Meeting, Microsoft Teams President Jacqueline Barber called the meeting to order at 6:20 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Board Members Present: Jacqueline L. Barber; Jackson, MI; Barbara Dame, Norvell Twp. William Jors; Jackson, MI, Erik Lyman; Jackson, MI, Beverley McGill; Jackson, MI, Stephen Rajzer; Jackson, MI, Shane LaPorte, Liberty Twp., MI Board Members Absent: Director: Sara Tackett Others Present: Staff: Vicki Baldwin, Lorraine Butchart, Will Forgrave, Jeff Huey, Andy Lane, Jason Shoup, Patty Snoblen, Danah Wayne, Consent Calendar: Moved by Beverley McGill, supported by Stephen Rajzer, that the consent calendar be approved as presented, inclusive of the minutes of the Budget Hearing of December 17, 2020, the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of December 17, 2020, the minutes of the Special Board Meeting held on January 7, 2021. Also approved were the Donations from December 2020 and the Personnel Actions from December 2020. Motion carried unanimously Public Comment: No public comment Current Bills: The current bills for December 2020 were presented. Moved by Shane LaPorte, supported by Stephen Rajzer, to approve the current bills for December 2020. Motion carried unanimously. Financial Reports: The financials for December 2020 were presented. Moved by, William Jors, supported by Stephen Rajzer, to approve the current financial reports December 2020 as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Committee Reports: Finance: William Jors shared the minutes from the Finance Committee meeting held on January 25, 2021. Director’s Report and Activities: Branch Highlights: Sara Tackett reviewed the District Highlights as submitted by branch managers for the month of December 2020. Our community has been very responsive to the changes within the library system. The literacy-to-go project is continuing to grow, and JDL Delivers has been very well received. The Lift Every Voice grant events have begun, and the information for Young Poets has been sent to schools. JDL is looking forward to hosting Kenn Nesbitt for Young Poets this year.
Statistics: Sara Tackett reviewed the Statistics for the month of December 2020. In Circulation Sara noted that JDL’s circulation reached one million even through the pandemic. Computer usage and hotspots continue to be popular. Social media numbers continue to rise. Door Counters will be looked at for more accurate counts. Allowing businesses to use our zoom account for meetings as a way to assist community partners. Napoleon numbers up because of BRO being closed.
JDL Community Involvement: Sara Tackett shared the community involvement activities by JDL staff for the month of December 2020. While most all of these events have been virtual meetings, staff is still attending and staying active in the community.
Update: JDL Staff are working with the City of Jackson on a WiFi project for Horace Blackman Park (former site of Consumer’s Energy) and on the city busses with JATA. A request has been submitted to the Health Department to see if we can get the Covid-19 vaccine for the library staff. IT staff and a team of staff members continue to work with RJM to get the web page updated. Time line for completion is March or April. Old Business: Woodlands Library Cooperative Update: Jacqueline Barber shared the update from the Cooperative which was held January 21, 2021. All member libraries are now able to access Tutor.com to help with virtual school and learning. Sara stated that JDL Staff will be trained on tutor.com and JDL will be promoting it in schools and the community. Brooklyn Branch Update: Sara Tackett stated that construction is moving along. Today cement was poured inside. Next week walls and duct work should begin and the clear story. Stone and other items are on order for the exterior. May is the anticipated completion time. Other: None New Business: 2020 Budget Adjustments: Moved by Stephen Rajzer, supported by Shane LaPorte to approve the 2020 Budget Adjustments. Sara shared the recommendation stating that most of the adjustments are covid-19 related. The motion was carried unanimously. Closed Session: Moved by William Jors, supported by Shane LaPorte to move into closed session to discuss the purchase or lease of real property. The motion was carried unanimously. Return from Closed Session: Moved by Stephen Rajzer, supported by Erik Lyman to return from closed session. The motion was carried unanimously. Other: None Communications: Sara Tackett shared the thank you from Toys for Tots and an article in the Exponent about the Grass Lake Branch.
Trustee Comments: Shane congratulated Jacqueline on her appointment at Board President. Stephen Rajzer moved that the meeting be adjourned. Meeting was adjourned at 7:19pm.
Respectfully submitted, William Jors Secretary/Treasurer (Diane Anderson, Recorder)
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES February 17, 2021
Virtual Meeting, Microsoft Teams
President Jacqueline Barber called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Board Members Present: Jacqueline Barber, Jackson, MI; Barbara Dame, Norvell Township, MI; William Jors, Jackson, MI; Shane LaPorte, Liberty Township, MI; Erik Lyman, Jackson, MI; Beverly McGill, Jackson MI; Stephen Rajzer, Jackson, MI Board Members Absent: Director: Sara Tackett Others Present: Jason Shoup, Will Forgrave, Andy Lane, Danah Wayne, Robert Bolton, Christine Klee Public Comment: None New Business: Closed Session: Shane LaPorte made a motion to go into closed session, supported by William Jors. Motion carried unanimously. Return from Closed Session: Shane LaPorte made a motion to return from closed session, supported by William Jors. Motion carried unanimously. Other: Stephen Rajzer made a motion that the Library Director proceed as discussed in closed session, supported by William Jors. Motion carried unanimously. Adjournment: William Jors moved that the meeting be adjourned, supported by Beverly McGill, the meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted, William Jors Secretary/Treasurer (Diane Anderson, Recorder)
JDL Board Study Session Minutes
March 11, 2021 6:00pm Virtually through Microsoft Teams
Present: Jacqueline Barber, Shane LaPorte, Barbara Dame, Stephen Rajzer, Erik Lyman Staff: Sara Tackett, Jason Shoup, Andy Lane Excused: William Jors, Beverley McGill
1. Board 101
Kate Pohjola Andrade – Woodlands Library Cooperative
See attached documents2. Other
None
Parking Lot Items:
Next meeting date: May 13, 2021 6:00pm
March 11, 2021
Board Study Session
Your Cooperative Director
• MLIS from Wayne State University and BA in Political Science (Public Administration) from Central Michigan University
• Since 1986, has served as a page, desk clerk, library technician, branch librarian, branch supervisor, library director and cooperative director.
• Is a Trustee at the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS), serving as Chair of the Michigan Cooperative Directors Association and is a trustee on the board of the Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML). Served on the Board of the Michigan Library Association (2012-2015).
Woodlands Library Cooperative
• Serves 50 public libraries throughout 13 counties in Southern Michigan: Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lenawee, Monroe, and St. Joseph.
• Governing Board has 9 members appointed by member libraries.
• Advisory Council is one librarian per each public library member. The Advisory Council recommends the annual budget and plan of service to the Governing Board for their approval.
• Member Committees drive our activities. Committees include eResources, Continuing Education, Children’s & Teen Services, Personnel, and Planning & Evaluation. Participation in member committees is open to all WLC member library staff members and is a great way to get professional experience.
Michigan’s Public Library Cooperatives
• Established under the State Aid to Public Libraries Act (PA 89, 1977, MCL 397.551)
• Must file a Plan of Service with the Library of Michigan. Plan is created by and for Cooperative members.
• Public library membership is based upon geography and voluntary membership to the local cooperative (There are 11 cooperatives in Michigan). Eligibility for membership includes a minimum of 3/10 of a mill of local support, participation in the development of the Plan of Service, sharing materials, and an open-door policy.
Woodlands Library Cooperative’s Services
• Economies of Scale – coordination of large group purchases with significant discounts, including RIDES delivery, OverDrive, Ancestry Library Edition
• Continuing Education – training, seminars, webinars & workshops for all levels of library staff and for member library trustees
• Collaboration – semi-monthly newsletters and meetings for networking and information sharing
• Technology – Discounts on hardware & software, consulting on new purchases, e-rate, mobile training lab
• Advocacy – Assisting members with legislative issues on the local, state & national levels
• Leadership – Opportunities to build leadership skills by participation in WLC committees
Board Orientation andContinuing Education
Encourages understanding through formal/informal orientation and continuing education
Clarifies Board and Director responsibilities and roles
Used to audit compliance with legal and ethical standards
Increases level of Board efficiency
Allows for regular dialog and interaction among Board members
Brings each Board member to the same level of preparedness
Role And Authority of the Public Library Board
• To ensure the provision of library service to the community
• Board can only do what is stated in the law
• Different authority for each of the various types of library boards
Governing DocumentsLibrary of Michigan - http://www.michigan.gov/librarytrustee
Michigan Public Library Trustees Manual• Library Formation Laws:
• Michigan District Library Law Public Act 24 of 1989;
• City, Village, and Township Libraries Act 164 of 1877;
• County Libraries Act 138 of 1917
• State Aid to Public Libraries Act 89 of 1977• Other Michigan Laws – Open Meetings Act, FOIA, Penal Fines
Jackson District Library’s•Mission Statement•Board Bylaws – periodic review & revision as necessary•Board Level Policies/Plans – Strategic Plan, Tech Plan, etc.•Library Policies – operational policies (separate of procedures)
Board Responsibilities• Legally mandated entity authorized to:
• Adopt Mission Statement and board governance rules• Maintain control over building and grounds• Approve annual budget and the expenditure of all
funds• Hire the Library Director; provide guidance through
policy• Adopt policies, rules and regulations
• Library Trustees = stewards of the public interest• Observe Open Meetings Act requirements• Delegate daily management of library to Director• Evaluate Director – Policy provides details for process
Individual Board Member Responsibilities
Maintain confidentiality of Board matters
Communicate effectively with the Director and each other
Support the decisions of the Board and the Director; speak with one voice
Become familiar with library services and programs
Advocate for the library within community
Conduct self appropriately at Board meetings and monitor the behavior of others
Recognize and Respect Board, Director, and Staff roles; avoid inappropriate communication/refer staff to Director
Avoid Conflicts of Interest
Further Board Member Responsibilities
• Be prepared – read your packet or documents ahead of the meeting
• Know when to refer meaty issues to committee for deeper deliberation
• Join the Michigan Library Association and attend local, state and national trustee meetings
• Attend conferences & training opportunities alongside library staff
Library Director Responsibilities
• Keep the Board apprised of library operations; acts as staff steward with the Board
• Assists the Board in strategic planning and making sound decisions
• Maintains a fiscally sound organization
• Manages and directs library personnel
• Creates a strong, dynamic staff environment
• Provides services and collections for the community
• Participates in continuing education opportunities
• Advocates for the library
Board & Director Responsibilities
Board Library DirectorHires Library Director Hires, disciplines, and terminates library staff
Delegates management of daily operations to Director
Manages daily operations; keeps Board informed
Approves budget and monthly expenditures Proposes and manages budget; conducts audit
Guides strategic planning Develops goals & objectives to achieve strategic plan
Approves Board and library policies Writes & administers policies for library operations
Evaluates Director Evaluates library employees
Common Board StructureOfficers: President; Vice-President; Treasurer; Secretary
• President – liaison to Library Director; guides Board• Vice-President– Chairs meeting in President’s absence;
Committee• Secretary – takes minutes; or reviews/presents minutes to
Board
Ex-Officio: Library Director; Recording Secretary (optional position: takes minutes; often a library administrator or staff member; helpful for full participation; access to technology)
Meetings• Agenda: Order of Business, Decision Making
• Room arrangement: Board and Public
• Addressing the Board: Public Comments• Public Comments Notice on Agenda – beginning, end or both• Policy for comments - time limit and other limitations; form used
• Board Chair Response • Polite thank you
• Reasons Not to Engage in Dialogue• Derail Board Agenda/not an item of business• Put Board in reactionary mode• Give credence to issues that may not be valid
• Staff Comments – Member of the public; not an opportunity for dialogue with Board; undermines Director’s authority
Board & Personal Liability
• Maintain acceptable, ethical behavior always• Open Meetings Act - Board Meeting policies• Freedom of Information (FOIA) Requests• Avoid: “acts in excess of authority; errors in acts;
nonfeasance; negligence; intentional violations of civil law”
• Conflict of Interest disclosure; written declaration• Legally and ethically obligated to disclose conflicts• Excuse self from discussion• Excuse self from votes
Words of Wisdom• Neither that neither the library board nor any individual
library board member “run” the library. That is the job of the library director and the staff.
• Consider that everything they say or do in a public meeting can or will be seen by the general public
• Be cautious when conducting library board business in personal email or on personal computers as you could be responsible for turning over emails in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request
• Be aware of the Library Privacy Act http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-Act-455-of-1982
Working Together: Roles and Responsibilities Guidelines
Responsibilities of Library Director Library Board Friends General
Administrative
Administer daily operation of the library including personnel, collection development, fiscal, physical plant and programmatic functions. Act as advisor to the board and provide support to the Friends and community groups.
Recruit and employ a qualified library director; maintain an ongoing performance appraisal process for the director in accordance with town charter.
Support quality library service in the community through fund raising, volunteerism and serving as advocates for the library.
Policy Apprise library board of need for new policies, as well as policy revisions. Implement the policies of the library as adopted by the library board.
Identify and adopt written policies to govern the operation and program of the library.
Support the policies of the library as adopted by the library board.
Planning Coordinate and implement a strategic plan with library board, Friends, staff and community.
Ensure that the library has a strategic plan with implementation and evaluation components.
Provide input into the library’s strategic plan and support its implementation.
Fiscal Prepare an annual budget for the library in accordance with town charter.
Seek adequate funds to carry out library operations. Assist in the preparation and presentation of the annual budget in accordance with town charter.
Conduct fund raising to support the library’s mission and plans.
Advocacy Promote the mission of the library within the community. Educate the library board, Friends and community regarding local, state and federal issues that impact the library.
Promote the mission of the library within the community. Advocate for the library to legislators.
Promote the mission of the library within the community. Advocate for the library to legislators.
Meetings Participate in library board and Friends meetings. Ensure that there is a liaison from the board to the Friends and vice versa. .
Participate in all board meetings. Appoint a liaison to the Friends Board and become a member of the Friends.
Maintain a liaison to the library board.
Networking Encourage City Board and Friends to join state and national professional organizations and make them aware of educational opportunities.
Join the Association of Connecticut Library Boards as a resource for policies, operations and advocacy for libraries.
Join the Friends of Connecticut Libraries as a resource to better support the library.
Association of Connecticut Library Boards
By Library Strategies Posted July 1, 2016 In Boards, Foundations, Friends
8 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES FOR YOUR BOARD
Most public libraries today are connected to multiple boards, including library, foundation, and
Friends boards, as well as city councils, county commissions or something comparable. In
general, these boards are good at following legal requirements, but more often run into
dif culties around ethics or practices that are critical to an effective board. Here are eight
fundamental principles by which all boards should operate:
1. Honesty, integrity, and truthfulness in all board member actions. Board service for a public library, including
private support organizations, is a public trust.
2. Avoid con ict of interest, particularly in nancial matters. Where con ict, or even appearance of con ict,
exists it should be clearly stated to the Board in advance of any decision making. Have a con ict of interest
policy to help ensure any potential con icts are transparent and well-managed by all concerned.
3. Board positions are for the public good – not driven solely by personal philosophies. Board members should
bring their personal view and experience to board decisions, but temper that with a broader perspective in
that they represent a larger community.
4. Respect other Board members and their diverse opinions. Work toward compromise.
JDL Governance Committee, Meeting Minutes Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Microsoft Teams Meeting 5:30pm
Present: Stephen Rajzer, Barbara Dame, Beverley McGill Staff: Sara Tackett, Diane Anderson Excused: Started at 5:35
1. Distribution of JDL Board Bylaws
Bylaws – distributed via email. Diane will mail hard copies to Barb and Beverley 2. Committee Scope
To review JDL board bylaws and policies. The board does not need to vote to approve this. Just a statement that the committee will review these. Are their board policies that specifically effect the board? Sara will review these to see if there are policies for the board. When reviewing the bylaws, the committee will focus on each section one at a time. The committee will use the MI Trustee Manual Bylaws and Board Organization chapter as a checklist. For the next meeting Article I and II
3. Other:
Meeting dates: Monthly for the next 4 months.
Parking Lot Items: Next meeting date:
MINUTES
Governance Committee Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Microsoft Teams Meeting Click here to join the meeting
5:30 p.m. Present: Stephen Rajzer, Beverley McGill, Barbara Dame Staff: Sara Tackett, Diane Anderson
1. Article I of JDL Board Bylaws
The committee discussed the language used in the article and the
content.
2. Article II of JDL Board Bylaws
The committee discussed the language used in the article and the
content.
Both articles will be researched with other libraries verbiage and the
committee will look to make the document easier to read.
3. Other
Parking Lot Items: Next meeting date: April 22, 2021 5:30pm
TURYAN, REBECCA 08/10/1998 01/29/2021 RETIRE CS LAI
JACKSON DISTRICT LIBRARY
PERSONNEL ACTIONS
February 2021
EMPLOYEE HIRE EFFECTIVE NATURE OF BRANCH JOB
DATE DATE ACTION TITLE
ISABELL, SHAUN 02/18/2021 02/18/2021 NEW HIRE CAR-YS LAI
WARNER, JEHREN 02/19/2021 02/19/2021 NEW HIRE CAR-CIR LAI
YEARLING, SABRINA 02/25/2021 02/25/2021 NEW HIRE CAR-CIR LAI
PAGE, AMANDA 02/26/2021 02/25/2021 NEW HIRE CAR-CIR LAI
ISABELL, SHAUN 02/22/2021 02/22/2021 RESIGN CAR-YS LAI
Community Services Highlights
Since beginning her position in the midst of the pandemic, Hannah Ball, JDL’s
Community Services Coordinator, has been hard at work learning the ropes of the
position and providing quality services to the community.
One of those services is Project Bridge. Project Bridge is a collection of JDL programs
designed to meet the needs of senior citizens and those facing memory loss, in the
Jackson community. It consists of 5 programs: Music and Memory, Journeys,
Connections, JDL On the Road, and TimeSlips. Even during the pandemic (where
seniors are most at risk) Hannah has been able to provide Project Bridge programming
to the community.
JDL On the Road programs are where quality JDL programming is taken out to the care
homes. Programming offered during the pandemic has included a three-part chair-
based yoga program. Each month, for three months, a yoga session customized for
senior citizens was sent to participating locations. The residents could use the recordings
as many times as they like. Another JDL On the Road program was a live performance
from a Dixieland Band. The band was able to play outside on participating care home’s
lawns. So as not leave out any residents who were unable to leave their rooms, the
band also walked and played around their windows! They also performed at a Holiday
Hoopla Meals to Go program with the Jackson County Department on Aging.
The TimeSlips program is getting back into the swing as well, with the help of the energy
and enthusiasm of a few of our facilitators. TimeSlips is an interactive program that
focuses on creativity rather than memory. It helps folks experiencing memory loss to
participant in conversation, socialize, and create! In light of the pandemic’s effect on
social distancing, one of our facilitators at the Concord branch, Teresa Hunt, has
started virtual sessions with the Countryside care home. She has also been training two
other facilitators on how to lead sessions virtually: Diane Martin at the Spring Arbor
branch, who will take on the newly interested Arbor Manor in Spring Arbor, and Sue
Nawrot at the Eastern branch, who will be looking for new locations to offer this
excellent program.
Music and memory, a wonderful program that provides access to music for those
experiencing memory loss or dementia, has been preparing iPods for new participants,
with more requests on the way! Hannah has been hard at work updating the
procedures for this service, to make it as efficient and smooth as possible.
Lastly for Project Bridge, Hannah has helped to get the word out about JDL’s Journey
and Connections kits. These are kits that are available for individuals and care homes
that support programming and interaction with senior citizens. The Journey kits create a
program where participants can “visit” different places and events. The Connection kits
support connections between care providers (whether family or care professionals) and
those facing memory loss. Conversation can be difficult for both care providers and
those facing memory loss and these kits provide materials that make connecting easier.
The author of On the Go with Senior Services, Phyllis Goodman, recently shared
regarding JDL, “I am impressed with the amount of programming you have to offer to
this population and continue to offer in this pandemic time.”
In addition to Project Bridge, Hannah has been working diligently to connect services to
the community. She has coordinated a group of JDL staff to begin a Resource
Directory. In addition to finding resources for specific timely needs in the community,
they also raise awareness about gaps between needed and existing resources.
Two notable resources found through the group so far are the discovery of the City of
Jackson’s plans for Warming Centers and the LifeWays Crisis Response Team. After
contacting dozens of local organizations, no one knew of any warming centers for
those facing shelter insecurities this winter. Through searching however, the team was
able to find that the City plans to open two centers on a by-need basis. The team then
shared this information with various community partners including the Jackson Interfaith
Shelter and the local 211, which were excited to receive the information.
When it became apparently that patrons were experiencing greater mental health
needs and barriers to services during the pandemic, the team found the LifeWays Crisis
Response Team. This is a group of trained staff who can come out to the library to help
deescalate and offer services to patrons who are experiencing psychosis, may harm
themselves, or are experiencing some form of mental health crisis. They can also do
debriefs with library staff after a stressful interaction. Hannah is currently scheduling
Q&As between the LifeWays and JDL staff, with the help of Matt Jackson the Customer
Service Coordinator, so staff can be informed about this amazing resource.
Hannah has also been instrumental in connecting various local professionals from
organizations like Southeastern Dispute Resolution Services, Legal Services of South
Central Michigan, Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, Michigan Alliance for Families,
American 1 Credit Union, and more, with Adult Services and Community Engagement
staff. The JDL staff are producing a series of informative videos for community members
called Ask the Pros, for the community to get answers to their questions on a variety of
topics. These topics include the Covid-19 vaccine, housing, family law, special
education, and many more. The experts from these agencies will be able to share their
wealth of knowledge through the library’s programming.
It has certainly been a unique experience to start this position in the middle of a
pandemic, but this has been a great learning experience. Hannah is looking forward to
continuing to network with local organizations, and above all, to help our community at
a time of great need and beyond.
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
101-705 Salaries & Wages
101-014 General Payroll 105,535.45$ 101-202 Federal Tax W/H 20,940.21$ 101-203 State Tax W/H 10,183.58$ 101-204 City Tax W/H 827.97$ 101-206 FICA Tax W/H 17,173.74$ 101-210 Medicare Employee W/H 4,016.51$ 101-212 MERS Tax Deferred W/H 1,851.32$ 101-214 MERS Non Deferred W/H 116.66$ 101-215 Flex Benefit W/H 1,070.16$ 101-216 Tax Deferred Annuity W/H 1,271.52$ 101-217 MERS DC Plan W/H 2,995.27$ 101-218 MERS 457 Plan W/H 5,240.29$ 101-219 HSA Health Savings Acct 800.00$ 101-220 Friend of the Court W/H 1,116.78$ 101-224 United Way W/H 577.00$ 101-225 Union Dues W/H 1,774.00$ 101-226 AFLAC Ins. W/H 573.40$ 101-716 Health Insurance 9,310.54$
Total Postings: 185,374.40$
101-712 Board Per Diem
Total Postings: $0
101-715 Employer's FICA/Medicare Tax
Total Postings: $21,190
101-716 Health Insurance
Total Postings: ($5,111)
101-717 Life Insurance
Total Postings: $0
101-718 Retirement
Total Postings: $16,930
101-719 Retiree Health Care
Total Postings: ($562)
101-720 Unemployment
Total Postings: $0
BILL SUMMARYJANUARY 2021
Page 1 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYJANUARY 2021
101-723 Director's Conferences
Total Postings: $150
101-728 Postage
Total Postings: $507
101-735 Office Supplies
Total Postings: $421
101-737 Printing/Promotions/Publicity
Total Postings: $4,390
101-738 Technical Processing Supplies
Total Postings: $2,711
101-760 Contracted Services-Others
Total Postings: $4,044
101-771 Building & Maintenance Supply
Total Postings: $102
101-772 Maintenance Equipment
Total Postings: $0
101-775 Donation Materials & Programs
Total Postings: $0
101-793 Staff Development
Total Postings: $0
101-796 Rosebud Upgrade Agreement
Total Postings: $0
101-797 Rosebud Maintenance Agreement
Total Postings: $0
101-800 Contracted Services-Professional
Total Postings: $790
Page 2 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYJANUARY 2021
101-801 Contracted Services-Office Equipment
Total Postings: $2,118
101-802 Contracted Services-Building/Grounds
Total Postings: $19,717
101-803 Contracted Services-OCLC
Total Postings: $0
101-804 Contracted Services-Software
Total Postings: $14,558
101-827 Indirect State Aid
Total Postings: $0
101-828 Prof. Memberships & Dues
Total Postings: $625
101-830 Interloan
Total Postings: $311
101-852 Telephone
Total Postings: $8,141
101-853 Internet Access Lines
Total Postings: $0
101-860 Transportation-Vehicle Fuel
Total Postings: $98
101-861 Transportation-Mileage Reimb.
Total Postings: $0
101-878 Programs-Adults & Families
Total Postings: $1,139
101-879 Programs-Community Engagement
Total Postings: $5,791
Page 3 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYJANUARY 2021
101-880 Programs-Youth Services
Total Postings: $6,948
101-881 Programs-Summer Reading
Total Postings: $0
101-902 Bindery
Total Postings: $0
101-911 Insurance & Bonds
Total Postings: $10,437
101-920 Utilities
Total Postings: $11,685
101-923 Vehicle Repair & Maintenance
Total Postings: $331
101-955 Miscellaneous
Total Postings: ($261)
101-955-061 Art Renovation Expenses
Total Postings: $0
101-955-070 Staff Recognition
Total Postings: $1,347
101-956 Property Tax Refunds
Total Postings: $0
101-967 Grant Projects
Total Postings: $0
101-975 Building Additions/Improvements
Total Postings: $3,933
101-976 Facilities Contingency
Total Postings: $0
Page 4 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYJANUARY 2021
101-979 Office Equipment
Total Postings: $1,776
101-980 Hardbound/Trade
Total Postings: $24,421
101-981 Paperbacks
Total Postings: $36
101-982 Reference Books
Total Postings: $0
101-983 Audio Visual
Total Postings: $7,621
101-984 Periodicals
Total Postings: $0
101-985 Online Resources
Total Postings: $98,522
101-986 Standing Orders
Total Postings: $203
101-987 Materials-Prior Year
Total Postings: $25,204
101-988 Gaming
Total Postings: $0
101-989 Computer Equipment
Total Postings: $115
101-990 Furniture & Equipment
Total Postings: $0
101-991 Capital Projects
Total Postings: $189,039
GRAND TOTAL POSTINGS $664,790
Page 5 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
101-705 Salaries & Wages
101-014 General Payroll 209,764.66$ 101-202 Federal Tax W/H 21,530.01$ 101-203 State Tax W/H 10,271.56$ 101-204 City Tax W/H 828.68$ 101-206 FICA Tax W/H 17,358.38$ 101-210 Medicare Employee W/H 4,059.66$ 101-212 MERS Tax Deferred W/H 1,899.14$ 101-214 MERS Non Deferred W/H 116.81$ 101-215 Flex Benefit W/H 1,070.16$ 101-216 Tax Deferred Annuity W/H 1,262.43$ 101-217 MERS DC Plan W/H 2,881.01$ 101-218 MERS 457 Plan W/H 5,442.80$ 101-219 HSA Health Savings Acct 800.00$ 101-220 Friend of the Court W/H 1,116.78$ 101-224 United Way W/H 442.00$ 101-225 Union Dues W/H 1,722.00$ 101-226 AFLAC Ins. W/H 625.96$ 101-716 Health Insurance 9,024.55$
Total Postings: 290,216.59$
101-712 Board Per Diem
Total Postings: $0
101-715 Employer's FICA/Medicare Tax
Total Postings: $21,418
101-716 Health Insurance
Total Postings: $93,897
101-717 Life Insurance
Total Postings: $1,064
101-718 Retirement
Total Postings: $18,910
101-719 Retiree Health Care
Total Postings: $3,821
101-720 Unemployment
Total Postings: $0
BILL SUMMARYFEBRUARY 2021
Page 1 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYFEBRUARY 2021
101-723 Director's Conferences
Total Postings: $0
101-728 Postage
Total Postings: $5,328
101-735 Office Supplies
Total Postings: $1,729
101-737 Printing/Promotions/Publicity
Total Postings: $18,187
101-738 Technical Processing Supplies
Total Postings: $3,853
101-760 Contracted Services-Others
Total Postings: $6,448
101-771 Building & Maintenance Supply
Total Postings: $7,706
101-772 Maintenance Equipment
Total Postings: $599
101-775 Donation Materials & Programs
Total Postings: $0
101-793 Staff Development
Total Postings: $30
101-796 Rosebud Upgrade Agreement
Total Postings: $0
101-797 Rosebud Maintenance Agreement
Total Postings: $0
101-800 Contracted Services-Professional
Total Postings: $2,000
Page 2 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYFEBRUARY 2021
101-801 Contracted Services-Office Equipment
Total Postings: $1,533
101-802 Contracted Services-Building/Grounds
Total Postings: $10,496
101-803 Contracted Services-OCLC
Total Postings: $0
101-804 Contracted Services-Software
Total Postings: $5,196
101-827 Indirect State Aid
Total Postings: $0
101-828 Prof. Memberships & Dues
Total Postings: $966
101-830 Interloan
Total Postings: $81
101-852 Telephone
Total Postings: $4,303
101-853 Internet Access Lines
Total Postings: $0
101-860 Transportation-Vehicle Fuel
Total Postings: $375
101-861 Transportation-Mileage Reimb.
Total Postings: $116
101-878 Programs-Adults & Families
Total Postings: $507
101-879 Programs-Community Engagement
Total Postings: $255
Page 3 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYFEBRUARY 2021
101-880 Programs-Youth Services
Total Postings: $313
101-881 Programs-Summer Reading
Total Postings: $860
101-902 Bindery
Total Postings: $0
101-911 Insurance & Bonds
Total Postings: $5,708
101-920 Utilities
Total Postings: $11,273
101-923 Vehicle Repair & Maintenance
Total Postings: $90
101-955 Miscellaneous
Total Postings: ($43)
101-955-061 Art Renovation Expenses
Total Postings: $0
101-955-070 Staff Recognition
Total Postings: $28
101-956 Property Tax Refunds
Total Postings: $1,384
101-967 Grant Projects
Total Postings: $0
101-975 Building Additions/Improvements
Total Postings: $8,939
101-976 Facilities Contingency
Total Postings: $0
Page 4 of 5
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES
BILL SUMMARYFEBRUARY 2021
101-979 Office Equipment
Total Postings: $450
101-980 Hardbound/Trade
Total Postings: $3,903
101-981 Paperbacks
Total Postings: $0
101-982 Reference Books
Total Postings: $0
101-983 Audio Visual
Total Postings: $5,223
101-984 Periodicals
Total Postings: $0
101-985 Online Resources
Total Postings: $23,429
101-986 Standing Orders
Total Postings: $696
101-987 Materials-Prior Year
Total Postings: $6,498
101-988 Gaming
Total Postings: $0
101-989 Computer Equipment
Total Postings: $3,702
101-990 Furniture & Equipment
Total Postings: $0
101-991 Capital Projects
Total Postings: $126,970
GRAND TOTAL POSTINGS $698,459
Page 5 of 5
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION JANUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
SHORTFALL / EXCESS BEFORE TRANSFERS ($610,327) ($610,327) ($2,103,420)
TRANSFERS FROM FUND ACCOUNTS (Shown for Budget Purposes-See Detail Below)Transfers from Designated Funds $0 $0 $0 -----Transfers from Prior Fund Balance $0 $0 $2,103,420 -----
SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $0 $0 $2,103,420 0%
TOTAL REVENUE & FUNDS $54,463 $54,463 $11,286,436 0%
SHORTFALL / EXCESS AFTER TRANSFERS ($610,327) ($610,327) $0
INCOME STATEMENTJANUARY 2021
Page 1 of 4
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION JANUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
TOTAL EXPENSES FOR OPERATIONS $475,751 $475,751 $8,626,435 6%
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS FOR OPERATIONS ($421,288) ($421,288) $556,581
101-991 Capital Projects $189,039 $189,039 $2,660,000TOTAL EXPENSES FOR CAPITAL & FUNDS $189,039 $189,039 $2,660,000
TOTAL COMBINED EXPENSES $664,790 $664,790 $11,286,435
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS WITH CAPITAL ($610,327) ($610,327) $0
FUND BALANCE, BEGINNING OF YEAR (unaudited) $7,098,970 $7,098,970 $7,098,970
FUND BALANCE, END OF YEAR $6,488,643 $6,488,643 $7,098,970
All dollar and percent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Page 3 of 4
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION JANUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
INCOME STATEMENTJANUARY 2021
Detail of Budgeted Income Fund Transfers101-178 Storyfest Fund $0101-179 Nancy Cross Memorial Fund $0101-180 Word Wise Fund $0101-181 Replacement Reserves Fund $0101-183 Art Restoration Fund $0101-184 Rosebud Maintenance Fund $0101-185 Building Fund $0101-186 Rosebud Upgrade Fund $0101-187 Technology Fund $0101-188 Concord Property Renovation Fund $0101-189 Rosebud Opportunity Fund $0
Fund Balance/Special Funds Transfer $2,103,420SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $2,103,420
Detail of Budgeted Expense Fund Transfers101-178 Storyfest Fund $0101-179 Nancy Cross Memorial Fund $0101-180 Word Wise Fund $0101-181 Replacement Reserves Fund $0101-183 Art Restoration Fund $0101-184 Rosebud Maintenance Fund $46,505101-185 Building Fund $0101-186 Rosebud Upgrade Fund $0101-187 Technology Fund $0101-188 Concord Property Renovation Fund $0101-189 Rosebud Opportunity Fund $0
Fund Balance/Special Funds Transfer $0SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $46,505
Page 4 of 4
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION FEBRUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
TOTAL EXPENSES $698,459 $1,363,249 $11,286,436 12%
SHORTFALL / EXCESS BEFORE TRANSFERS ($296,203) ($906,530) ($2,103,420)
TRANSFERS FROM FUND ACCOUNTS (Shown for Budget Purposes-See Detail Below)Transfers from Designated Funds $0 $0 $0 -----Transfers from Prior Fund Balance $0 $0 $2,103,420 -----
SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $0 $0 $2,103,420 0%
TOTAL REVENUE & FUNDS $402,257 $456,720 $11,286,436 4%
SHORTFALL / EXCESS AFTER TRANSFERS ($296,203) ($906,530) $0
INCOME STATEMENTFEBRUARY 2021
Page 1 of 4
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION FEBRUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
TOTAL EXPENSES FOR OPERATIONS $571,489 $1,047,240 $8,626,435 12%
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS FOR OPERATIONS ($169,232) ($590,521) $556,581
101-991 Capital Projects $126,970 $316,009 $2,660,000TOTAL EXPENSES FOR CAPITAL & FUNDS $126,970 $316,009 $2,660,000
TOTAL COMBINED EXPENSES $698,459 $1,363,249 $11,286,435
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS WITH CAPITAL ($296,203) ($906,530) $0
FUND BALANCE, BEGINNING OF YEAR (unaudited) $7,098,970 $7,098,970 $7,098,970
FUND BALANCE, END OF YEAR $6,802,767 $6,192,440 $7,098,970
All dollar and percent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Page 3 of 4
BEGINNING PERCENT OFACCOUNT DESCRIPTION FEBRUARY YEAR TO DATE 2021 BUDGET BUDGET USED
INCOME STATEMENTFEBRUARY 2021
Detail of Budgeted Income Fund Transfers101-178 Storyfest Fund $0101-179 Nancy Cross Memorial Fund $0101-180 Word Wise Fund $0101-181 Replacement Reserves Fund $0101-183 Art Restoration Fund $0101-184 Rosebud Maintenance Fund $0101-185 Building Fund $0101-186 Rosebud Upgrade Fund $0101-187 Technology Fund $0101-188 Concord Property Renovation Fund $0101-189 Rosebud Opportunity Fund $0
Fund Balance/Special Funds Transfer $2,103,420SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $2,103,420
Detail of Budgeted Expense Fund Transfers101-178 Storyfest Fund $0101-179 Nancy Cross Memorial Fund $0101-180 Word Wise Fund $0101-181 Replacement Reserves Fund $0101-183 Art Restoration Fund $0101-184 Rosebud Maintenance Fund $0101-185 Building Fund $0101-186 Rosebud Upgrade Fund $0101-187 Technology Fund $0101-188 Concord Property Renovation Fund $0101-189 Rosebud Opportunity Fund $0
Fund Balance/Special Funds Transfer $0SUB-TOTAL TRANSFERS $0
Nancy Cross Memorial Fund 133,680Replacement Reserve Fund 297,250Restricted Investments 7,184Rosebud Maintenance 51,634Rosebud Upgrade 112,192Accounts Receivable-Penal Fines 24,676
Nancy Cross Memorial Fund 133,767Replacement Reserve Fund 297,444Restricted Investments 7,188Rosebud Maintenance 51,668Rosebud Upgrade 112,265Accounts Receivable-Penal Fines 29,539
TOTAL OTHER ASSETS 631,871
TOTAL ASSETS 6,238,057
BALANCE SHEETFEBRUARY 2021
ASSETS
Page 1 of 2
BALANCE SHEETFEBRUARY 2021
CURRENT LIABILITIES
State Tax W/H 10,272City Tax W/H 1,657FICA Tax W/H 298Medicare W/H 0MERS Tax Deferred W/H 2,121MERS Non Deferred W/H 64Flex Benefit W/H 17,350MERS DC Plan W/H 0Health Savings Account W/H 650Friend of Court W/H 0United Way W/H 0AFLAC Insurance W/H 433Accounts Payable 0MERS Employer Liability 12,773Def. Rev. JCC Rosebud-Upgrade 0Def. Rev. JCC Rosebud-Maintenance 0
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 45,617
FUNDSChange in Fund Balance-Current Year (906,530)
FUND BALANCEUnreserved 4,918,065Designated for Technology 500,000Designated for Replacement Reserves 1,680,905
TOTAL FUNDS 6,192,440
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 6,238,057
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Page 2 of 2
JDL Finance Committee, Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 22, 2021 Microsoft Teams Meeting 5:30pm
Present: William Jors, Jacqueline Barber, Stephen Rajzer Staff: Sara Tackett, Jason Shoup, Vicki Baldwin, Diane Anderson Excused: Started at 5:30pm 1. Grass Lake DDA
Sara Tackett shared the Tax Capture chart. Grass Lake would have captured just over $7,000 the last couple of years, but have not since we opted out when legislation changed. Sara worked with JDL’s lawyer for options. We could opt back in fully, opt in for a specific time, or opt back in to help with the project that they are looking at in Grass Lake. The JDL Auditor and Lawyer both agree that JDL should not opt back in. The committee feels that remaining opted out would be in JDL’s best interest. Parma Sandstone LDFA Sara Tackett shared that the Parma Sandstone LDFA will be retiring their debt and we would suggest that JDL opt out of the LDFA. Vicki stated that Parma Sandstone did send refunds to JDL and accounting will research these payments to be sure we received them. The committee recommended moving this to the board.
2. Carnegie Repair JDL is working with Woodard and Associates and Jeanette Woodard about the building and the brick repairs, windows and skylights. The scope of the work include evaluations, recommendations for repair/replacement, bidding documents and project oversite. As this amount is at the Directors limit for items not budgeted the committee recommended moving this to the board. Spring Arbor Update Spring Arbor Township is in the process of getting their own appraisal. Bill had suggested another site that might be an alternative.
3. January and February Financials Vicki Baldwin shared the financials with the committee for January and February. Sara and Vicki with check with Collection Services to ask about the Materials-Prior Year line.
4. Other Brooklyn activity is high this week. Stone work on the outside, windows to be sealed, interior work is moving along, all furniture is ordered. Paint colors have been
confirmed. Working on a MOU with the church with the parking lot. Bookmobile is also on track for mid-May.
Next meeting date: May 24, 2021
JACKSON DISTRICT LIBRARY
TAXING ENTITY
Are they paying on any
outstanding bonds or
obligations?
2015
Dollars
Captured
2016 Dollars
Captured TYPE OF CAPTURE 2019 2020
Blackman Charter
Township
Yes - DDA still paying on 2
Million $42,382.02 $28,111.17
Downtown Development Authority
40,829.00$
Blackman Charter
Township No Local Development Finance Authority
is combined with the DDA -$
Village of Brooklyn CIA -$
City of Jackson Yes - Should be done in
2030 or 2031 $39,647.08 $50,377.09 Downtown Development Authority 67,634.00$ 76,347.00$
Village of Grass Lake -$
Leoni TownshipYes - Date to be
researched $19,012.99 $22,393.78 Downtown Development Authority 33,272.00$
Parma Village/Sandstone
Charter Township*Yes
$30,131.22 $13,594.54 Local Develpoment Finance Authority 27,510.00$ 22,809.00$
Village of Springport Local Develpoment Finance Authority -$ -$
Combined with above
TAX CAPTURE BY TOWNSHIP - 2021
Blackman Charter Township, City of Jackson, Columbia Township, Leoni Township and Summit Township are all Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and we
are not able to opt out.
3/18/2021
JDL Facilities Committee, Meeting Minutes Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Microsoft Teams Meeting 5:30 p.m.
Present: Erik Lyman, Beverley McGill Staff: Sara Tackett, Jeff Huey, Jason Shoup, Diane Anderson Excused: Shane LaPorte Meeting called to order 5:36pm
1. Brooklyn Renovation & Expansion Update
Everything is still moving along at BRO, Mid-May is the expected date for completion. Many interior and exterior decisions have been looked at. The nicer weather in December has contributed to the advancement of the project.
2. JDL Energy Plan Update Communications have gone out to staff about ways to help save money by managing the heating and cooling. Jeff shared that there are 36 new thermostats in the system. He showed the Ecobee SmartBuildings web site and how JDL can use it to monitor systems. This system could save JDL could save about $28,000 a year.
3. Meijer Branch/Blackman Township Water Update Sara shared that at the end of December JDL received notification that there were some wells with high lead content in Blackman Township. The Meijer Branch was notified, and they know to let water run for a few minutes before using it. Staff is using bottled water since reopening from the pandemic, but they are running water if they need to use it from the faucets.
4. Facilities Update
Facilities 2-3-21 1. Meijer Branch
a. Domestic hot water recirculation lines plumbed wrong The lines were not plumbed correctly when the building was built. The problem has been remedied.
2. Carnegie-Silo a. Extra heating mechanical equipment needed
It’s been difficult to get heating and cooling in this area. There is a lack of registers in the area.
3. Eastern-Renovation a. Most walls are plywood covered with wall paper
After evaluation of the building, it was discovered that there is not dry wall behind the wallpaper on the walls. This will need to be looked at, more information is being collected.
4. Parma a. Upper level furnace return air isn’t ducted
Working on getting this fixed for better heat and air for the building 5. Facilities equipment
a. Updating due to use and safety Staff is getting some new equipment that will provide a better work environment.
Updates 1. Concord
a. Elevator is operating 2. Parma-Roof
a. Still waiting on Parma Village – it is in their hands as we lease the building. 3. Carnegie
a. Building Restoration proposal i. Tuck pointing on the exterior ii. Historical society iii. Two quotes
1. Building Restoration $131,172 2. Bornor Restoration $39,290
iv. Looking at historical building conservator architect b. Building has more stable heat throughout
5. Other Spring Arbor visit next week Internet – Merit provides internet and we share lines with the ISD. Napoleon lost internet and it was because of construction in the area. MEI internet comes off of Baker College and Merit is working to create a backup for that in case we lose internet there. Bookmobile meeting with the company tomorrow. They are projecting May for completion. Meeting adjourned at 6:13pm
Parking Lot Items: Next meeting date: October 7, 2020
JDL Facilities Committee, Meeting Minutes Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Microsoft Teams Meeting
5:30 p.m.
Present: Erik Lyman, Beverley McGill Staff: Sara Tackett, Jeff Huey, Jason Shoup, Diane Anderson Excused: Shane LaPorte Started at 5:38pm
1. Springport Branch update
Sara shared that the Superintendent at Springport Schools left the district and Sara and Jason met with the interim Superintendent. As it didn’t appear other district staff were aware of the previous conversations we have taken a step back to reevaluate our options. The branch is not in good shape and there is a need to look at other possibilities. There is the possibility to work with the township building next door, and the bookmobile is coming soon and maybe this is the way we serve the community.
2. Brooklyn Branch update
Electricians are working on the building. All of the studs were up last week, some of the siding was up. This week the siding and windows may be in. Everyone has been very responsive and helpful. All of the big pieces that JDL is responsible for have been ordered – furniture, lighting and shelving. IT has been out to look at computer and camera options.
3. Bookmobile update Looking at a mid-May to late May delivery. Have worked with the company to look at shelving and other items that are going into the unit. Safety concerns have been looked at and addressed, the undercarriage looks to be protected for the weather. Positions will be posted by mid-March to get people on board and get their training. Target date for out in the public is early summer.
4. Updates Jeff went through the updates that were provided to the committee. Village of Parma put in a new furnace and fixed the air return. Parma has not talked to us about their roof. Jeff looked into the natural gas contract that JDL had and found that Consumers Energy provides better pricing for natural gas. MCF savings is about $1.70. Hanover’s over hang is going to be re-done by the Village of Hanover. We will add lighting to the front of the building and raising up the sign. At Carnegie the masonry work has been looked at and we have received quotes.
JDL has contacted Woodard and Associates and they have come out and looked at this work as well as the skylights, and the windows in the building. They are going to prepare a proposal for an evaluation of those projects, and they will work with us on getting the bids and working with contractors on all of this. Hot water piping was not installed properly and was fixed at Meijer.
5. Other
Spring Arbor’s township Supervisor has let Sara know that they are reviewing the proposal from the library.
Meeting ended 6:20pm
Parking Lot Items:
Next meeting date: April 7, 2021
JDL Personnel Committee, Meeting Minutes
March 2, 2021 Teams Meeting
Present: Erik Lyman Barbara Dame Staff: Sara Tackett, Danah Wayne Absent: Shane LaPorte
1. Non-Union Administrative Handbook
We presented the needed updates to the handbook, including standard of service language, Doctor Time, Vacation for part time employees, Opt out incentive, and Training and education/Tuition reimbursement. The committee recommended moving this to the full board.
2. Gallup Employee Engagement Survey and Action Plan Danah presented the results of the 2020 survey along with the action plan set in place. The committee thought it was a good idea to place ownership of the results in the hands of the front line staff and work on improving scores to those taking the survey.
3. Updated Reopen Timeline
Sara and Danah presented the newest version of the reopen timeline that include moving through steps. This plan allows reopening of services while being thoughtful of staff anxieties and needs.
4. Emergency Paid Sick Leave Plan-Families First Coronovirus Response Act Danah explained how this was used, why we asked and the board approved for it to be extended through March 31st, and how we might be able to use to support staff seeking to be vaccinated and allow them to use that time should they need it for an appointment or in the event they have an adverse reaction. We would like to see it extended through June for the original purpose (quarantine) as well as vaccination situations. The committee recommended moving this to the full board.
5. Jackson Leaders for Equity CEO Pledge
Sara presented the committee with the pledge that other organizations and businesses in the Jackson area signed on to and suggest that JDL also show our support and commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The committee recommended moving this to the full board
6. Staff Updates
Danah and Sara shared that we are on track to filling in open postions as well as getting jobs posted for the Bookmobile. We also shared that Jason, JDL Assistant Director, had tendered his resignation.
Parking Lot Items:
Next meeting date: 5/2/2021
Each Manager create a team (3-6 staff)
Schedule Meetings
No less than four meetings to take place over the next 6 months
Share schedule to Assistant Director and HR Manager
Meeting #1
Select a secretary to keep good notes
Share Survey results and discuss as it pertains to your individual team/branch
What Surprises you?
What areas of engagement is our team is strong
What are we doing that makes us strong in this area
What areas of engagement are opportunities for our team
What are we doing that makes this an opportunity
Meeting #2
Identify your teams most important performance goal
Identify the 3 or 4 most important performance goals you face today
Prioritize the goals
Decide on the first performance goal your team will focus on
Meeting #3
Select most relevant engagement item to focus on
Which engagement item can you focus on to reach that performance goal
brainstorm the actions and owners necessary for improvement
What actions do we need to take to have an effect on this engagement item
What 3 or 4 immediate actions should we focus on first?
Who can take ownership of these actions?
Meeting #4
Evaluate progress on the teams goal and recalibrate as necessary
Regularly lead a 5-10 minute discussion about 2 things:
Did we complete the actions said we would
Did completing them make a difference
Recalibrate if necessary
Last meeting
You will have an opportunity to report your results/progress to the larger team
We will learn from every teams experience and be stronger for it
Gallop 2020 Action Plan
*We are here to support you in this undertaking. Let Jason or Danah know what you need
while your on this journey. We WANT to help
*Feel free to make it fun, meet outside of your branch (covid permitting), get props, do
research, order lunch, Etc.
*The manager doesn’t have to be the lead, if a team member is ready to take this on, let
them!
*If you have early success, go back to #2 and work on another goal. You could even create
a new team
JDL Pandemic
Re-Opening Timeline
1
This timeline is intended to provide a roadmap to expand Phase 2 services over a 3-month
period from March through June via small, incremental steps. JDL will continue to center
public and staff health and safety while bringing JDL in line with other services offered
throughout the Jackson County community.
All dates and steps are subject to change without notice in response to current needs.
Unless noted, all current Phase 2 restrictions are to remain in place, including occupancy
limits, masking, social distancing, time allowed in building, space between public PCs,
prohibitions on programming and outreach, etc.
Phase Timeline Services Added Tentative Date
2.1 Beginning of March 48 Hour Quarantine 3-1-21
2.2 Early March Extend Computer use to 55
Minutes
3-8-21
2.3 Beginning of April Limited Hours Expansion – Sundays
at CAR/ EAS/ MEI, return to pre-
COVID hours for BRO/NAP, CON,
GRA, HAN, HEN, PAR, SAR, SPT
3-29-21
2.4 Mid-April Limited Browsing during certain
hours (i.e. 3 pm to closing time) –
Change Building Capacity limits
4-19-21
2.5 Beginning of May Return to full hours at all locations
– Staff permitted to organize and
attend Outreach events with
Admin permission
5-3-21
2.6 Mid-May Full Browsing during open hours -
Volunteers able to serve in the
library
5-17-21
2.7 Beginning of June No limit on patron time in building
– return to pre-COVID limits on
computer use
5-31-21
3 Beginning of August Phase 3 Services 8-2-21
3.1 Beginning of
October Return to in-person programs and
events
10-4-21
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DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS – JANUARY 2021 Brooklyn & Napoleon Happy new year to everyone, here is to a great 2021! As a new year started at Napoleon, staff decided to get back into an old groove and restarted making Take-n-Make crafts to put out in our pick up area. These kits are mostly geared towards children and are usually a simple craft, usually from paper or other kid-friendly materials, which can be completed without much instruction and only require things like school glue, crayons or markers and scissors to complete. Patrons seem to enjoy them as they get picked up pretty quickly after being put out. For winter we’ve had a polar bear and a walrus paper craft as well as a snowman. Next month, staff are planning to incorporate Black History Month into our kits with one which features an art style used by an African American artist.
Also in preparation for February, staff were busy preparing the district wide program featuring Hans Christian Andersen hearts. Templates were printed, an instructional video was shot and a booklet with a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and instructions was perfected by our marketing department. The prep work continued with assembling 195 kits to be distributed to the branches. After putting together several programs over the course of the summer and fall, staff have become masters of mass program assembly. One of the great things about Napoleon being in reopening phase 1 is how we have the entire branch to use all the available surfaces for sorting and stacking of program kits and materials.
At Brooklyn, the branch manager, Erica, attended a construction meeting in the middle of the month to make selections of shingles, stone for the exterior and metal colors for various parts of the project. She and the rest of the JDL/krM team also started to think about the color of the siding which will be painted. Fortunately the weather cooperated that day with sunshine to help everyone to see what each sample would look like on the building. Those who wanted to from JDL and krM donned hard hats and got the grand tour inside the addition and we were able to see the renovation process being executed in the existing building. It was very exciting to see progress being made and to think about how much had been done since the beginning of December!
Carnegie New Families Love Literacy-To-Go Many new families signed up and shared their appreciation of the creative ways to keep kids engaged in literacy activities at home. Here are some comments Youth Services staff received in January:
This is great and gives me so many more ideas for ways to teach my 4 year old since we opted not to send her to preschool this year. She is already writing letters on her special surprise and can’t wait to get started on the worksheet packet. Thank you JDL!!
The invisible ink pens with the light were a hit! My kiddos were writing, "Secret notes," all afternoon. They really enjoy the packet too and immediately page through to see what activities they've received. I love that it keeps them occupied while I prep dinner - at least for one evening. Yay! Excellent book selection this time around too. Thank you!!
My son loved getting mail! The book was about school so it was a bit old for him (he's 15 months) but it was rhyming and he loved that part. The little finger puppet was a fast favorite! The packet was too old for him but I liked the included calendar for me with ideas and rhymes. Thank you so much for this wonderful program! My little guy has never been to the library like my older two got to do. We can't wait to be able to do so with him, but this helps!
For the older kids who received Book Boxes:
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"The Queen of Katwe" was a great choice for my daughter. It is similar to many books she has already read, but different enough that it has "expanded her world" and truly piqued her interest. Great choice!
We are looking forward to learning D&D as a family! (We sent teens a basic “how to guide” for Dungeons and Dragons)
He was so excited to receive the Who Was book about Paul Revere! Thank you so much! So many families have enjoyed this program and staff are thrilled to infuse some excitement into learning at home.
School Stories from Parkside Parkside students are using Chromebooks daily for their coursework, the use of digital resources has taken precedence over paper—and includes independent reading for Language Arts classes. Fortunately, the new JDL Y (Youth) card delivers the perfect solution to eBook access, and the first month of school was spent creating JDL Y cards for students who did not already have an active J (Juvenile) card. Distribution was interrupted, however, by the 10 week school closure over the holiday season, and many of the new cards were mailed directly to students with instructions on how to check out books from Overdrive. Some students caught on right away and began borrowing eBooks with their new Y cards. Some thanked JDL Parkside staff member Susan Solo for their new cards, some asked a few questions, and some wanted to know how to upgrade to a J card. But the favorite response came from a vigilant 6th grader who was suspicious about receiving an unsolicited email from someone she hadn’t yet met. Hi Mrs. Solo. I have a question, Are you the real Susan Solo of JPS?
She let Susan know she had reported the fake Mrs. Solo to school administrators and hoped her computer was safe. A few emails later all the uncertainty was resolved, but now sometimes Susan wonders… is she the real or fake Mrs. Solo today?
Another student emailed this grateful reply:
Thank you so much [email protected]!! I appreciate you making a Jackson District Library Card for me! I'm really upset I'm not actually going to school to find books at the library..BUT.. now that I have this card I can go and find books, video games, movies, magazines, and more things I can get with this card!
Help With Unemployment A woman came into the Adult Services room needing help with certifying for unemployment. She had attempted to do it herself but was unable to get it done. Through virtual reference support using zoom and a cell phone, adult services staff where able to assist her in certifying several weeks of unemployment. The patron was talking the whole time about how much she loved the library. She mentioned staff had helped her previously with scanning and sending documents and recounted one time in particular how a gentleman staff member from adult services came in to the room to help her even though he was working elsewhere in the building when she arrived. She was impressed with the attention and assistance. Another patron left a voice message for the Adult Services staff, thanking them for the help he received filing successfully for unemployment.
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“A couple of weeks ago you helped me with some unemployment issues and the money came through. I wanted to pass along thanks to you [Calvin], Tim, Becca and Kent and the crew for getting this old guy going and getting the money flowing. Alright? Thanks again! Bye now.”
Adult Services staff were so grateful to hear all their hard work as a team paid off for the patron, and that his unemployment benefits came through.
Virtual Tech Help A man was in the Adult Services room and wanted to sign up for a Google account to take advantage of their password management but he didn't know much about it. Adult services set him up with a virtual reference appointment with a librarian. The patron said he was desperate for a way to manage his passwords - he has a big box at home filled with passwords written on scraps of paper and he wanted a more practical way to manage himself online. The librarian walked him through getting set up with a Gmail account and then demonstrated the saved password settings on the chrome browser. The patron left ready to go home and start transitioning his accounts to a digital management system. He was so relieved he wouldn't have to try to remember them all anymore! Historical Property Research A patron reached out to the Adult Services department to request information about the history and sale of a local building which was scheduled for demolition. After a thorough search of Jackson city directories, the Jackson Register of Deeds, and the Jackson Citizen Patriot for relevant historical mentions during in the time period the building was actively being used, a series of resources were shared with the patron requesting the information. The patron was grateful additional context could be provided around the use and sale of the building, and satisfied that the library staff was able to provide 34 scanned pages and articles remotely via email. Reading Recommendation Many patrons visit the library to pick up tax forms in January, and it was a great opportunity for staff to describe how they can make use of the collection during this phase of library service. While picking up her Federal 1040 forms, an older woman was gazing wistfully at the book stacks, so a staff member asked if they could find her anything to read while she was in the library. At first she said no, she wouldn’t want to bother anyone. Staff insisted it would be their pleasure. After a moment, the patron asked, “Do you have any new westerns?” The staff member grabbed two new paperbacks and encouraged her to try one or both if she was interested. The patron smiled, chose one and left happily with her book saying it was the first time since the pandemic shut down she had been to the library, but she would be back. Renewed Cards A couple came in, the man wanting to renew his library card and his wife wanted to register for a new card. While filling out the paperwork and processing the card, staff pulled requests, chatted about the changes to library privileges since they didn’t know about automatic renewals, and showed the pair how to browse the catalog for digital selections from home. Staff also described after placing a hold,
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how they could use the new JDL Takeout option to pick up their selections. Each reader left with several selections, shiny new cards, and a smile. Happy Memories Carnegie staff received an email from a grateful patron, “I really appreciate your help and the quick service! My mother brought me to the Carnegie Branch when I was a little girl. I am now eighty-six years old and I still love to read!” Concord & Hanover As the new year ramped up, both Concord and Hanover staff were excited to welcome new patrons who had made resolutions to read more and (and become library users) in 2021. Newcomers were welcomed with JDL swag, a totebag to carry their materials in, and enthusiastically welcomed back
upon return.
The Hanover branch received a “drop by” visit one Saturday by the elementary school librarian. She spoke highly of the welcoming décor at Hanover, and said she wanted to make parts of the school library resemble some of her favorite things about the local Hanover public library. Staff were excited to offer suggestions, and asked her to forward pictures of the progress she made.
This visit turned out to be fruitful in other ways as the branch was asked to remotely participate in March is Reading month planning at the school, and to sponsor prizes for students. In addition a new student card drive was planned for the same time, with expectations of expanding to the secondary schools during February planning.
Much focus was put on planning for the upcoming spring Storywalk as branch manager, Rachel Fenningsdorf, worked with community organizations and visited potential outdoor sites to determine the best locations to partner with. The publisher of the book was also very eager to participate and volunteered to help by providing professional files to print.
The month of January may have come to a close, but the Concord and Hanover branch teams were very enthusiastic to see what February will bring in terms of new patrons and partnerships for Jackson District Library.
Eastern The Eastern Branch had a great start to the New Year thanks to all of the positive patron interactions the branch had. A patron came into the Branch wanting to fax several documents. While waiting for the fax machine to become available the two children waiting with the patron asked about signing up for library cards. Branch staff were able to locate the children in the system and confirmed both children had signed up for library cards through the partnership between the Jackson District Library and Jackson County schools. Both children had already lost their library cards, but branch staff were able to replace the cards. While the fax was sending through, staff took that time to highlight some of the digital content the children would be interested in. By the time everything was wrapped up, staff had helped both children download content from our digital resources. The children were very excited
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to learn that they had access to a wide range of material. The adult they were with was very appreciative to our staff. A branch staff member spoke to a patron over the phone who requested their hold items be sent from one branch to the Eastern Branch. Staff went above and beyond, pulling the items from Eastern rather than having them move from branch to branch. This way the patron did not have to wait for the items to be delivered. The patron was extremely happy and commented, “How nice it is to see someone who clearly enjoys what they do.”
A letter came to the branch asking for staff to print and mail some advanced care planning forms since the patron was unable to come into
the library. After a quick phone call with the patron, staff were able to verify the forms the patron needed and send them off in the mail. The patron was very happy to hear about what services the library was currently able to offer.
A patron came in to pick up her holds and a book on display caught her eye. She then explained how pleased she was that we were open and for our intensive efforts to create a safe space for patrons. Reading the books she has checked out from the library has been her way to feel like she’s on a vacation – something she has been unable to do this past year.
Services and programing were very successful at the Eastern Branch. We had dozens of patrons comment on how appreciative they are of the hotspots and how valuable our patrons find them. Two staff members were able to connect with our younger patrons through a live and recorded Storytime – one focused on the letter T and the other on funny animal stories. The virtual meeting of the Page Turners book club had a huge response from members this month. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama created a great group discussion and was an absolute hit. The staff got to try socially distanced staff training this month. At your right is a photo of an Eastern Branch staff member. She is training a new Carnegie Youth Services’ staff member. It was great to see staff getting creative on the best ways to train in this new environment!
Grass Lake & Henrietta The first week or so of the New Year is always one of the slowest circulation periods in any library. However, Grass Lake and Henrietta worked to take advantage of the slower time to still provide some great programming for our patrons. Staff at Grass Lake recorded a virtual Storytime on Snow, prepared Take-n-Make crafts, and worked on reorganizing materials to create displays to entice our patrons once they began venturing back out in to the cold. DIY Puzzles The Do-it-Yourself Puzzle Program proved even more successful than was originally anticipated when Grass Lake Staff initially suggested the program. The puzzle kits flew off of the shelves and patrons of
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all ages participated. Many of the branches ran out of their initial 12 kits within the first day or so of receiving them. A couple of branches reached out to Grass Lake for more kits and, with the help of JDL’s excellent delivery service, the puzzles reached those branches in a couple of days. Gardening We had a new patron start visiting Grass Lake in January. She had just moved to the area and was most excited about being able to have her own garden for the first time in her life. She came to the Grass Lake Branch looking for books on gardening to help her plan for the spring. The patron shared her story with staff and had a great conversation about gardening in general. In addition, the patron expressed that she was extremely pleased with the selection of gardening books available at Grass Lake and JDL as a whole. Winter Reading Challenge The start of the New Year meant the start of a new reading challenge. Grass Lake has the 5th most signups out of 13 branches and a completion rate of 50% so far. Henrietta comes in with the 8th most signups and their completion rate is already at 64%. This program goes through March and staff will continue to encourage patrons to sign up, track, and win! Meijer This January the Meijer Branch hosted a virtual Storytime about shapes. Our Take-n-Make craft programs for kids has been popular; this month we had a robot mask craft available. The robot masks were so popular we ran out in under a week!
Our major project this month has been to take inventory of all of the items we have on our shelves. Since the stacks are closed, this has been a great opportunity to check all of the records for accuracy, clean all of our items, clean all of the shelves and dust the windows, and to do general maintenance.
Parma & Springport Both Springport and Parma staff spent the month welcoming patrons at each location and reached out to patrons who might not have returned and needed an update about our hours and services. New displays and children’s book bundles at entrances were created. At Springport we spent an afternoon assisting a patron with creating a 2021 calendar for members of St. Seraphim of Saov Russian Orthodox Church. It turned out beautifully. At Parma we had a visit from Cindy Stanczak, Albion District Library Director, who just stopped in to say hello and share experiences during Covid restrictions. (Albion just reopened for appointment only after having a 3 1/2 month-long problem with mold.) We are looking forward to our LA1s’ JDL Cooks Program and our branch manager’s Storytime, both which are filmed and will be on Facebook in February. The Storytime will have a quilting theme – with diverse stories of the importance of quilting in the American Experience and a simple quilt pattern craft. We will also show the quilt made by Springport Friends of the Library in the 1980s as a fund raiser that
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was later donated to the Village History Room. Our local weekly newspapers, the Springport Signal and Parma’s County Press, continue to publish our branch news and other important events at JDL. Our branch manager was asked to write an additional column for the Signal on “The Good Old Days,” with material from archival issues and a column spot-lighting nonfiction titles at the library.
Spring Arbor Spring Arbor branch started off the New Year with a fun Polar bear Take-n-Make craft for the kids in our community. Along with coloring pages, they were a big hit.
We are the chosen branch to help Community Action Agency provide VITA services for the western side of the county. We have moved the collection around in order to accommodate for these services to be started the second week in February. We are confident it can be done safely and efficiently to help those in need this tax season.
Spring Arbor branch manager has been communicating with the Just Desserts book group in order to set them up with Zoom meetings to continue meeting together as book group now that it is cold and they can no longer meet outside. The first meeting will be in February. They are excited to be able to continue meeting and reading with a fun way to connect while discussing their monthly books.
Patrons are continuing to accept the new way of browsing by looking through all the displays with the help of staff when they want to read or see something. It is definitely a learning curve for everyone but they are doing great following the rules until we are able to move on to another phase. They are all hoping the vaccine will help us open the library. We continue to be upbeat and enthusiastic as we are hopeful this will happen. Until then we continue to provide excellent customer service with a smile and help in any way possible so they discover what it is they want and need when visiting the branch.
Summit January brought a new challenge for the Summit Branch and JDL. The branch closed for two weeks when one of our staff tested positive for COVID. Our administration had the forethought to put into place procedures regarding COVID for the safety of staff and patrons. This made it easier for all of JDL to know how to proceed. The response of the administration, the Summit staff and those who helped manage extra tasks was greatly appreciated. JDL has wonderful staff throughout the system and they always rise to a challenge. Fortunately, there were only a few hiccups in the process of closing Summit leaving only a small number of confused patrons.
Before the branch opened again, the branch manager and two of the staff came in to check in the previously quarantined items and material that had been held back at other branches. This helped the staff to catch up all of the backed up tasks and have the patrons holds ready for opening. When we re-opened, we were able to focus on patrons and not on catching up. This made it a smooth
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process with many patrons commenting how they were glad we were back and that we were all well. One patron in particular stated, “I am so happy you are open again! I can’t live without my library!”
We have been busy since our return making more displays including bundling books with movies. The staff also worked on preparing the February displays and Take-n-Make activities. Our focus on patrons, collaboration, willingness to pick up any task, and complement each other for accomplishments, among many others, make the Summit branch staff some of JDL’s best and the Summit branch a treasure.
Community Engagement This month, the Community Engagement Department reached out to several of our partnering organizations to support our efforts with two grant proposals submitted to the American Library Association. The Peggy Barber Tribute Grant, would allow us to make this year’s Young Poets Award Celebration more engaging by including virtual presentations and readings from nationally recognized poets. The Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant - Jackson’s Own Voices focuses on spreading understanding and acceptance towards individuals who have been formerly incarcerated but are seeking to transition back into society. This grant includes three initiatives: the sharing of stories, a panel discussion and a returning citizen toolkit. In addition to district-wide branch programming and preparing for Young Poets, JDL is continuing to partner with Jackson College for the Concatenation Convention (Con Con), which runs from January through April. A variety of themed activities such as a cosplay workshop, and virtual film chats will be integrated into the spring programming cycle. This month, the Community Services Coordinator Hannah Ball worked to update and streamline services for Project Bridge. She is currently expanding the reach of virtual TimeSlips sessions to a new care home. Additionally, she helped to train two staff members so they can begin to offer the program in a virtual format. She continues to receive requests for the Music and Memory program and is looking forward to working with residents and activities directors in order to load music on the devices and deliver them to residents. In addition to Project Bridge work, Hannah has organized a group of local service professionals who, along with JDL Community Engagement and Adult Services staff, will produce information programming for the community. This group includes members of the Southeastern Dispute Resolution Services, Legal Aid, Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, a local law office, Community Action Agency, LifeWays, and more. A central focus for this group, as the Executive Director of Southeastern Dispute Resolution Services puts it, is “to bring their skillset to the community so they can lead better lives”.
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DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS – FEBRUARY 2021 Brooklyn & Napoleon February at Napoleon was about patron interactions. To start the month, when the Brooklyn Branch book club met via Zoom, one of the members was sharing how she had started to learn French using JDL’s Mango language database. Marketing had featured Mango Languages on social media and through email blasts, which is where she had learned about it. Her remarks piqued the interest of other members so maybe Mango will see a spike in usage soon! Also in the vein of exploring other cultures and having new experiences, staff focused our February Take-n-Take crafts for Black History Month. Various African American artists were featured and a DIY art project using their style was included in the kit along with a quick biography of the artist. In the middle of the month, the Napoleon Township board decided to reopen the main lobby so library patrons were able to come inside. Library staff moved our book pick up cart to the front of the library door, added a plexi-glass shield on top making us ready to greet patrons. For our Brooklyn patrons, this was the first time they had been inside the township building since December but they quickly learned where to find their library materials. Being able to interact with patrons in a closer proximity has been beneficial especially since its tax season and some people need additional forms printed. It’s also been nice to get to say a quick hello to our patrons when they stop by. Staff were also able to reunite a reader and his cherished reading list. One of our patrons faithfully keeps a list of books he has read and one day he called us because he had lost his list and was wondering if it had turned up at the library. Staff assured him we would keep an eye out for it but knew paper tucked inside a book can be hard to locate. Fortunately, a few weeks later when checking in materials, staff came across a book list, casually poking out of the pages of a book. As it was his personal list, it didn’t have a name on it but after seeing the titles and looking at the previous borrower (this man’s brother in law!), staff were sure they had located the missing book list. We called him right away and he was delighted the lost list had been found. February also saw progress being made on the Brooklyn project, at the end of the month the branch manager had the opportunity to attend an onsite construction meeting and take a tour of the branch. Since the walls are framed and sheeted, progress has been harder to see from outside but the inside
View from the back to front of meeting room.
View from the hallway into adult area.
Staff area (large window) Manager’s Office (small)
Clerestory addition view to existing building.
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is taking shape! When the JDL team visited, inside walls had gone up so the layout of the branch was becoming more evident, such as the staff office and work area, restrooms and closets. Even though the real windows hadn’t been installed and there was plastic on the openings, the branch still had a very light and airy feel throughout. Patrons who have been keeping track of the progress have commented about how quickly the project has gone and are getting excited to see the project wrap up in the next several months. Carnegie
February Families Love for Book Boxes and Literacy-To-Go Even families with older kids love this program, here’s what they said in February:
Thank you— this is such a fun thing to look forward to. Jack is a junior in high school struggling to stay positive while doing virtual school... things like this help.
My child loves the book box program - the books are exciting and keep him reading... and the extra treat is fun too. Thank you for starting this program.
Families with younger kids also said: Wonderful program! Thank you! The Goosebumps book has been a favorite, and the fidget spinners are great too (especially the glow-in-the-dark model). The Minecraft book was a "miss" for my daughters, but I'm sure we can find another young reader who will appreciate it! Thank you All so much all 3 my kids are so excited man you would have thought it was Christmas!! Thru all the stress of Covid receiving books to read means so much to my kids and omg [my son] loves to read about Alexander Hamilton really made his day!! Shout out to all of you!! My daughter was thrilled with her book selection. She loves the series, lucked out and hadn't yet read the title she received. The fidget spinner was also a nice addition. She jumped up and down and squealed with delight. Way to go, JDL!! This is a fantastic program! My son loves getting mail addressed to him, and we both love reading new books!
Help with Court Documents A young woman was referred to the Carnegie library from Jackson County Court to get the papers she needed to file her case. She was attempting to access the resources she needed online but found them blocked by a pay wall online. She was able to connect with a librarian from adult services through virtual reference who prevented her from handing her information over to a pay-for-access suspicious looking forms site and instead got her onto the Michigan Legal Help website – the actual site. The patron was walked through creating an account for this site and shown the process for completing the interview and getting her forms. When she found out she could do it all from her computer at home she was absolutely delighted. When she found out we could provide virtual reference support while
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she was working on it at home, she could not believe it. She said, “I came here for answers and that is exactly what I got. Thank you so much!”
Books and Brews – Back Online! This month, the Books and Brews book club was able to resume meeting virtually. They read "Defending Jacob" by William Landay, which book club staff facilitator (and most of the book club members) would recommend if you like a good legal mystery/thriller. This was Adult Services Librarian Casey's first time leading the book club, and she was delighted to learn how most of the members had met through the book club years ago and are now good friends. A few of them chose to meet up at the brewery and join JDL’s Zoom meeting from there while enjoying the outdoor seating! Accessibility to Large Print Through Technology An Adult Services librarian helped a Spring Arbor Patron via Virtual Reference services on Zoom learn how to enlarge her text through the Hoopla app. This made the patron very happy. She normally had to rely on coming into the library to get Large Print, but now she has access to so many more books through Hoopla! Adult Literacy Support with Wonderbooks A Carnegie staff member was working at the front desk on a Friday when one of the Adult Literacy learners came into the building to photocopy her homework to send to her tutor. While she was waiting for help to make copies, staff inquired if she would be interested in taking a look at the new Wonderbooks read-along collection the library just added? After her copies were made, and the copy for her tutor sent to Adult Literacy staff, she came back into the lobby and picked out a read along book. Staff showed her how she can play back the audio for different pages by touching the buttons which are a part of the book and practice her reading skills. She was so excited to have another way to practice and loves children’s stories!
Connecting Over Tickets On March 4th an older couple stopped in to print some plane tickets. The staff member who was helping them remembered printing tickets for them before the pandemic. He asked how their previous trip was, and they were so excited he remembered them! The couple said their trip was wonderful, and they were there to print off tickets to go back. After helping them get their tickets printed, the woman wanted to give the staff member a hug because she was so appreciative of being remembered and the help that was provided. Unfortunately, due to social distancing guidelines no hug was given, but he wished them well on their trip.
Research Help for Historic Buildings An Adult Services staff member was able to provide extensive information about the history of a building located on Page Avenue. This was very helpful to the patron who had purchased it to use as an art studio. The patron was so pleased by the information she shared it on a Jackson history group’s Facebook page, which generated many positive responses regarding the value and helpfulness of JDL’s staff and resources. Including comments like:
The Library is sure a great resource!
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I really love the story this building is telling! It makes me want to pour more of my love into my home and neighborhood!
Definitely have that information printed like a poster and either laminated or framed and hang it for all to see.
We are so lucky to have such a robust library system!
Concord & Hanover In order to keep the winter doldrums away from community patrons, the Concord and Hanover libraries made sure to create lots of opportunities for activities they could do from home during the month of February. Adults and children alike enjoyed Take-n-Make kits including birdfeeders and colorful 3D travel tick-tac-toe games. Children loved finding coloring sheets to go along with the characters inside their favorite picture books, and even an opportunity to make finger puppets featuring old favorite picture book friends. Hanover also hosted its monthly Spinebenders book club, and our regular readers all showed up in our Zoom room excited to see their old friends and be able to safely interact with them. In the spirit of Spinebenders, Hanover staff worked with the local teen center to create a virtual book club for teens. The idea was to help them to read and have discussion that was fun, but would also help them pass their AR tests at school. As such, a read-aloud format was crafted, and students met weekly to read the book together, and even had different guest readers (including library staff). The first few weeks were a success, and the teens had a great time, even adding a member to the group. Both branches also showed off new materials with contact-free displays. Hanover staff displayed items through their window, and Concord used existing shelving and signage to feature all new movies in
2020 and 2021. Community patrons were excited at the opportunity to find things they might have missed. The month closed with Hanover staff receiving a homemade trivet as a thank you gift for their contributions to the community, and with Concord staff playing a big part in preparations for the Spring Storywalk event to take place in March. Staff and patrons are excited for spring, and the activities it holds for each community.
Eastern Eastern Branch staff were able to assist patrons throughout the month of February. One patron visited the Eastern Branch a few times during the month to get assistance with their first smart phone. The Staff helped the patron set up the phone and become familiar with the layout and basic usage. Staff explained the difference between cellular data and Wi-Fi, and also discussed phone security. By the
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end of the month the patron was able to navigate the home screen, download apps, and had created and used their email. The patron was appreciative and mentioned they would be completely lost without the help of the library.
Eastern staff were excited to restart their Jackson County Youth Center outreach program after months of the center being in quarantine. The members of the youth center requested a large range of materials this month. Biographies of people who have overcome struggles, and books highlighting black history month were just some of their requests. Attached to the report is a photo of just some of the items that were sent to the Jackson County Youth Center patrons. Another exciting program development at the branch, was their virtual book club gained a new member. Members of the book club have been having great discussions on last month’s book, Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens. Members can stop into the branch to pick up a copy, however, many members have been using the Jackson District Libraries downloadable content to access the books.
Eastern staff registered several patrons for new cards throughout the month. A patron brought their two children to the library for the very first time to sign up for library cards. In addition to the library cards, staff picked out a selection of books for the children. Along with their own books, the children chose a story they were both interested in so they could read together. They loved their first trip to the library, and are looking forward to returning. Another new patron stopped into the library for the very first time looking for textbooks. Staff were able to find the textbooks the patron was looking for and took the opportunity to show the patron how to request material through MeL, so they can request other textbooks in the future.
Patrons have given great feedback to the Eastern staff this month. One patron commented how they love coming to the library as we always have something new going on. Our variety of take home programs, book recommendations, and home delivery options make using the library super convenient. Many parents and those in our adult literacy program were excited by the addition of Wonderbooks into the Eastern Branch collection. These picture books read stories out loud to users and even have a built in learning mode to help build literacy skills and improve comprehension. Several patrons have stopped into the library to sign up for vaccination appointments. One patron let us know a pharmacy had referred them to the library to get help signing up for an appointment. Another couple signing up for an appointment were impressed with the efforts to keep the library clean. They shared how they felt safe while they were using the library.
Grass Lake & Henrietta Grass Lake Patrons appreciate the run delivery The Grass Lake Community has always been friendly and welcoming. They routinely thank Grass Lake Staff just for being there and being open. They are also grateful for all of the resources they have access to by being a part of the larger JDL system. While Jake, the run delivery driver, was bringing materials to Grass Lake, a patron stopped to thank Jake effusively for all he does. Jake seemed very pleased to
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be recognized as he provides an important service but it often happens in the background where patrons may not see it. Smiling Eyes On a Saturday in February, a patron walked into the Grass Lake Branch to pick up an item on hold and walked in a little downcast. The patron was greeted warmly and was told to have a great weekend and to enjoy the sunshine which was out during that time. The patron was gone not even a minute before she came back into the branch to tell the employees when she walked into the branch, she was a little glum after hearing a sad news story on the radio. However, when she walked into the branch, she was greeted with “smiling eyes” and happy staff members who told her to have a wonderful day it completely turned her mood around. That patron felt so much happier when she left she just had to come back and share her elated feelings with the staff. Henrietta’s Littlest Patrons Henrietta staff love (and miss) serving our youngest patrons. They put great care each week into creating Take-n-Make crafts for their parents to bring home to them. When the library first reopened after closing, Henrietta continued to see many children’s books placed on hold but no longer saw as many kids come to the library. Now staff are beginning to see their youngest patrons again and are marveling at quickly they have grown. Henrietta staff treasure being a part of young children’s formative relationship to the library. Some of these relationships last beyond distance and time. A year ago, a family that regularly patronized Henrietta moved due to work. That family had two young children who grew up coming to Henrietta’s Storytimes. This family has still been keeping in touch with Henrietta staff and the boy, Grady, wrote a letter to Diana, one of the Henrietta Library Assistants. In the letter, Grady shared how he still loves going to the library but misses Diana and the Henrietta library. He even included a picture he drew of him and Diana holding Hands.
Staff were delighted when a dad and his two young boys came to spend some time in the library one Saturday. The dad shared that the young boys, around 4 and 6 years old, were begging to be able to come to the library. The boys eagerly told staff what type of books they wanted and when the library assistant offered them crafts they literally jumped up and down and said they love crafts.
Meijer We have had wonderful feedback from our patrons about the new winter reading program and how they love the mugs and it has kept their children engaged during this tough time. We have received several comments about how much people like the Literacy-to-go boxes for kids. One of our patrons commented on how her children are so excited to receive something in the mail and they love the materials received. She also said she has been using our branch since her daughter was 2 and now she is 13!
Page 7 of 9
We have received the Wonderbooks for our branch. We have been promoting them to patrons looking for recommendations. Everyone seems to love them and they have been coming back for more! Parma and Springport People have been dropping in to pick up Income Tax Forms, ask questions about forms, and make copies of completed forms! It has given us the opportunity to promote JDL services and current online programs to those who might not be aware of them. One thing about working in a smaller branch is how you usually know the people who stop in, even if they are not regular patrons. And, with regular patrons, we share authors, favorite series, and new acquisitions.
A young patron at Springport introduced us to her new favorite graphic series, Hero Academia (a Japanese manga series) and now we, in turn, can recommend it to others (mostly teens) who love this genre. Our young patron and her friends actually write and illustrate, their own stories using these characters. Our manager says she remembers doing this in middle school with the TV show “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” – she is dating herself!
Parma Friends of the Library are hoping to be able to meet this summer. They have elected new officers while under DHHS gathering guidelines, switched banks, and shared a survey about how they’d like the group to continue. Parma got a new furnace installed - thank JDL and Facilities so much. Springport finally had to take down their outdoor holiday gnome (made by a patron) as the greenery was browning. Maybe a spring gnome? A few days ago in Parma we helped a gentlemen from South Africa use a patron computer and fax/scanner to deal with business in that country.
Spring Arbor Community Action Agency started the VITA tax services February 8th with a big bang! The Spring Arbor branch has seen many patrons from all over Jackson County to get help with their taxes for free. It has been a learning curve for these patrons who are not regular library visitors. They have been keeping to our CDC rules and policies of Jackson District Library. It is a wonderful service CAA offers and we are happy to be able to help them provide it. Staff created bold and colorful message boards for this service so patrons visiting for tax preparation could see all services and programs Jackson District Library is still providing with our restrictions. The message boards support local businesses as well as all of Jackson District Library’s offerings. Spring Arbor branch is in the process of hiring a 20 hour Library Assistant 1 this month. This will be extremely helpful to the staff and manager as we slowly start with our re-opening plan.
The manager of Spring Arbor has been working on the National Teen Lock-In that went virtual last July. Some other libraries in the country will be able to have an in person lock-in so the chairpersons are incorporating a hybrid lock-in program this year. They have inquired with other teen librarians around the country to help with this transition in hopes of more participation.
Page 8 of 9
Patrons have been venturing into the branch more this month and using curbside less. They are excited our maximum number of patrons has increased and have started bringing their children in more to request the materials they need to checkout. The staff have had fun rounding up all the different requests the children want. We have also been providing a lot of Reader’s Advisory for patrons. It has been a fun challenge for staff to find just the right read for each
patron. One patron stated,” You have saved me by being here, thank you”.
We have provided elephant pop-up valentine’s for the kids, a Valentine’s Day craft and coloring pages as well. They were well received, and we had a hard time keeping up with the demand.
Spring Arbor’s Just Desserts book group had their first Zoom meeting. The ladies enjoyed seeing each other and talking books. They are looking forward to continuing book club in Zoom until they are able to meet again this spring when it is warmer out.
Summit This February patrons came looking for more than library materials. Some of the usual request are tax forms, computer use, printing and faxing. This month we added Henry Ford Allegiance Mychart help and vaccine information and scheduling. In a time where people are looking for where to go and how to register to receive the COVID vaccine, they have heard from others to go to the library. Staff have been asked to help set up mychart accounts for patrons and to help them find where to go for their vaccines. Each week one patron in particular comes in to find out if there are any open appointments for vaccines. Staff helped him navigate the vaccine finder website. They also gave him the information that he would need to request to set up his mychart account. No vaccine appointments were available on his first visit to the vaccine finder site. He has a standing date with our staff each week now to see when something might open up. He is very appreciative of the help he has received.
Along with several Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year crafts, the staff decorated the branch and created more February themed book bundles. One of the most creative decorations was the library themed hearts on each bookshelf end. We all enjoyed the literary fun!
Staff worked together to plan and create a Black History Month display, craft/activity packet and a Take-n-Make craft highlighting black inventors. It was amazing to see the amount of collaboration, thought and teamwork that went into this project.
Each day we are open patrons come in and tell us how they are happy we are here. We have a patron who comes in several days a week to use the computer even though she has a computer at home. We all feel it is more of need to have contact with the staff since her husband passed away quite some time ago. It is her time to check in with someone who will ask “Hi! How are you today?” Having had surgery in the last month, she is appreciative of our concern and just the personal communication.
We are seeing more children coming in with their parents. They are asking for things to do and favorite books. It is wonderful to see their smiles as we hand them a book bundle and a Take-n-Make activity or craft.
Community Engagement February was a short month, but it was jam-packed with activities! On the district-wide programming front, the Community Engagement team was pleased to facilitate a wonderful craft program for
Page 9 of 9
Valentine’s Day – Hans Christian Andersen Hearts. Napoleon Library Assistant Mary took the lead and created a virtual program where patrons could listen to a Hans Christian Andersen story and learn how to make a heart craft for children. Materials were distributed at all of the branches, and patrons were able to pick them up throughout the first week of the month. COVID-19 certainly doesn’t make things easy, but we are grateful JDL’s staff have the creativity and technical know-how in order to create interactive and fun programming for our community. This month featured another popular program, JDL Cooks, which is a regularly occurring program led by Parma Library Assistants Shelley and Annette. Parma’s branch staff create videos where they show patrons how to cook all kinds of cool things, including cakes, breads, casseroles, and more. Library patrons miss the library staff, and this program is a great way for them to see their favorite librarians and learn how to make delicious goodies. These programs have gotten a lot of attention, with hundreds of views every month. Rhonda Farrell-Butler, Community Engagement Coordinator, led the charge to present Voice It: Black Poetry Panel Discussion, which was inspired by the “Lift Every Voice” grant JDL received this past spring. The intergenerational panel expressed their interpretation of each poem and used this time to passionately talk about African American Poetry, and the lived experiences expressed in the words of selected poets. Dr. Pamela Ross McClain, the moderator for the evening, provided an extensive overview about each poem, and encouraged the rich dialogue between generations. Rhonda will close out the grant initiative by leading discussions with students from the Jackson Youth Home in March. Individuals who did not have an opportunity to view Voice It, can still access it on JDL’s social media sites.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total
Jackson District LibraryCirculation - February 2021
2021
2020
% Over
2020
Branch JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Totals
Brooklyn 1,012 1,012
Carnegie 14,498 14,498
Concord 1,626 1,626
Eastern 7,634 7,634
Grass Lake 4,912 4,912
Hanover 2,059 2,059
Henrietta 1,940 1,940
Meijer 12,494 12,494
Napoleon 2,604 2,604
Parma 755 755
Spring Arbor 4,577 4,577
Springport 1,141 1,141
Summit 4,472 4,472
Digital Content 21,104 21,104
Interloan 2,033 2,033
Totals 82,861 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 82,861
Circ Stats Month by Month - 2021
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
100
,06
4
93,1
28
104
,15
5
87,3
94
86,1
27
94,8
97
96,8
45
96,2
88
90,1
82
95,7
82
92,9
77
86,1
41
128,3
31
127,6
35 154,6
31
145,0
66
139,1
38
146,5
79
158,2
17
159,4
03
153,3
81
163,0
73
148,2
51
144,0
45
146,0
11
137,6
09
155,4
24
148
,02
4
147,6
89
154,6
24
161,5
79
154,1
36
152
,55
9
156
,28
8
147,4
74
138,1
87
146
,19
0
140
,24
6
81,2
43
25,3
95
28,2
88
55,0
45
86,1
32
93,1
99
86,1
67
91,5
64
89,7
09
86,0
75
82,8
61
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Circulation 2017-2021 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Branch JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Totals
Brooklyn 1,012 690 1,702
Carnegie 14,498 14,241 28,739
Concord 1,626 1,644 3,270
Eastern 7,634 7,154 14,788
Grass Lake 4,912 4,798 9,710
Hanover 2,059 2,141 4,200
Henrietta 1,940 1,735 3,675
Meijer 12,494 9,210 21,704
Napoleon 2,604 2,456 5,060
Parma 755 820 1,575
Spring Arbor 4,577 4,250 8,827
Springport 1,141 759 1,900
Summit 4,472 4,638 9,110
Digital Content 21,104 19,837 40,941
Interloan 2,033 1,715 3,748
Totals 82,861 76,088 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 158,949
Circ Stats Month by Month - 2021
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
100,0
64
93,1
28
104,1
55
87,3
94
86,1
27
94,8
97
96,8
45
96,2
88
90,1
82
95,7
82
92,9
77
86,1
41
128,3
31
127,6
35 154,6
31
145,0
66
139,1
38
146,5
79
158,2
17
159,4
03
153,3
81
163,0
73
148,2
51
144,0
45
146,0
11
137,6
09 155,4
24
148,0
24
147,6
89
154,6
24
161,5
79
154,1
36
152,5
59
156,2
88
147,4
74
138,1
87
146,1
90
140,2
46
81,2
43
25,3
95
28,2
88
55,0
45
86,1
32
93,1
99
86,1
67
91,5
64
89,7
09
86,0
75
82,8
61
76,0
88
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Circulation 2017-2021 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
DevicesJAN
2FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Totals
Brooklyn 6 0 0 0
Carnegie 29 706 583 1,289
Concord 8 8 26 34
Eastern 16 322 321 643
Grass Lake 3 79 67 146
Hanover 4 0 0 0
Henrietta 4 13 18 31
Meijer 23 433 209 642
Napoleon 3 0 0 0
Parma 3 13 7 20
Spring Arbor 3 31 35 66
Springport 4 30 23 53
Summit 6 69 136 205
Wireless 1,698 1,628 3,326
Hotspots3
250 68 54
Digital Lab 4 0
Totals 366 3,402 3,053 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,4551Sessions are defined as 30 minutes of usage.
2Patron daily usage limits were removed January 2018
3Based on the average Gb of data used per device.
2021 PUBLIC COMPUTER USE STATISTICS
TOTAL SESSIONS
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
16,2
59
16,8
45
18,6
63
17,1
53
16,5
75
17,5
30
17,4
86
17,0
52
16,6
69
15,9
04
15,1
23
13,1
61
15,0
80
14,2
63
16,3
68
14,7
55
14,5
30
16,1
31
17,1
26
17,9
41
15,8
79
17,3
61
15,6
07
15,0
61
15,1
11
15,9
67 1
8,2
34
18,3
02
18,3
53
18,7
04
20,1
81
20,0
62
19,1
64
19,8
75
17,9
75
16,3
88
17,6
41
17,1
85
9,2
35
1,3
60
1,4
83
1,9
64 3,4
31
3,9
31
4,4
19
4,2
86
3,8
27
3,3
99
3,4
02
3,0
53
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Computer Usage 2016-2020 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Newsbank Jackson Citizen Patriot
Ancestry Online
Heritage Quest
Consumer Reports
Novelist & Novelist Plus
Morningstar
Scholastic
Value Line
Books in Print
Reference USA
Total Database Usage for 2019 = 92,979
Ancestry Online
Newsbank Jackson Citizen Patriot
Consumer Reports
Heritage Quest
Mango Languages
Novelist & Novelist Plus
Morningstar
Value Line
Reference USA
Historic Maps
Total Database Usage 2020 = 116,195
Community Involvement Jan. and Feb. 2021
Active Jackson Anna
Authentic Engagement - Great Start (2) Rhonda
Big Brothers/Big Sisters (2) Erin
Booklist Advisory Board Meeting Sarah H
Community Action Agency Board Meeting (2) Sara
Community Programming Meeting Calvin
da Vinci/Highfields Advisory Committee Sarah H
Decriminalization of Poverty Workgroup (3) Calvin
Friends of Michigan Library Meeting Sara
Great Start Executive Committee Lucy
Headstart Policy Council Lucy
Henry Ford Allegiance Health Town Hall (2) Sara
Human Service Coordinating Alliance (2) Sara
Jackson Business Profession Women (2) Sara/Sarah
Jackson Chamber of Commerce Rhonda
Jackson Collaborative Network Learning Convening Calvin
Jackosn County Emergency Needs Coalition Hannah
Jackson Geneology Society Board Meeting (2) Patty
Jackson Museum Group Ann
Jackson NAACP (2) Rhonda
Library of Michigan Directors (2) Sara
Literacy Collaborative Meeting with JCISD Sara
Michigan Library Association Directors Sara
Microfilm Newspaper Meeting with Geneological Society and Ella Sharp Calvin
Network Council Meeting Sara
New Historical Society Patty
Professional Development and Networking Committee for Michigan Library Association Ann
Reference & User Services Association of the American Library Association Sarah H
Rotary Board (2) Sara
Susan B Anthony, Jackson Women's History Council (2) Ann
True Community Partnership meeting Lucy, Sarah
Young People of Purpose Rhonda
JDL BY THE NUMBERSANNUAL REPORT 2020
“ Like so many other non-profits in JacksonCounty, the Jackson District Library revised almost everything about how we operated in 2020. The challenges last year brought with it, however, also provided opportunities to connect virtually with our users, and there are a number of highlights to report from the last calendar year. ”
Sara TackettJDL Director
34 people, on average, attended one of our
programs in 2020. Up from 26 people
the year before.
(And up from 24 people in 2018)
>
12 We saw a 12% jumpin the number of
people who follow uson social media over the course of 2020.
411kWe felt the love in 2020, when $411,000 was donated to JDL for projects like renovating our branchesand building abookmobile.
2018 2019 2020
178tbIn 2020, our patrons downloaded more than 178 terabytes of wireless data with hotspots we provided.
In 2021, we’re looking toprovide WIFI on all JATAbuses, continuing ourmission to connect.
13 We circulated 258,000digital materials in
2020, representing a13% increase.
JACKSON DISTRICT LIBRARY
WOODLANDS LIBRARY COOPERATIVE
GOVERNING BOARD
Thursday, January 21, 2021 Virtual Meeting
MINUTES
Order The regular meeting of the Woodlands Library Cooperative Governing Board was called to order at 5:00 pm by President Allen Henson. Roll Call Governing Board members present:
Allen Henson – Albion District Library Martha Watson – Branch District Library Wayne Summers – DeWitt District Library Joni Jeffery – Grand Ledge Area District Library Jacqueline Barber – Jackson District Library Beth LaPensee – Monroe County Library System Patsy Hart – Litchfield District Library Christy Trigg – Putnam District Library Greg Brown – Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library
Others present: Kate Pohjola Andrade – Woodlands Library Cooperative Laura Claucherty - Woodlands Library Cooperative Agenda It was moved to accept the agenda as presented. (Moved: Watson, Second: Barber. Roll call vote: 9 Ayes, 0 nays. Motion: Carried) Minutes It was moved that the November 19, 2020 minutes be approved as posted. (Moved: Watson, Second: LaPensee. Roll call vote: 9 Ayes, 0 nays. Motion: Carried) Financial Report Approve November & December Bills Woodlands income will increase as soon as we start to receive state aid funds for this year. The November Financial Statement shows income as $200,600, and expenses as $145,750.21, for a balance of $54,849.79. Pass through income is $8,841 and expenses are $10,638.13, for a total balance of $3,052.66. The bills for November are $53,052.66. The December Financial Statement shows income as $200,600 and expenses of $223,849.26, for a balance of -$23,249.26. Pass through income is $54410.77, and expenses are $12,560.56, for a total balance of $18,600.95. The bills for December are $80,021.48. It was moved that the November and December financial reports be received and placed on file. (Moved: Watson, Second: Jeffrey. Roll call vote: 9 Ayes, 0 nays. Motion: Carried.) Communications Kate received a thank you note from the Tecumseh District Library for her presentation to the Tecumseh board. Director’s Report
The Woodlands office submitted a Notice of Change or Discontinuance for Albion City Taxes form in January 2020, and the change was finally confirmed this month. The City
Governing Board Minutes January 21, 2021
Woodlands Library Cooperative 2
of Albion requires businesses operating in Albion to pay withholding tax, and because the office went virtual in October of 2016, staff is no longer obligated to pay the tax.
Kate has been trying to improve the Woodlands website, but the calendar plug-in would not work properly. She is now using LocalHop and is happy with its functionality, and gave a visual presentation to the board.
Kate has arranged for all of Woodlands members to have access to tutor.com for their patrons.
Kate has created a covid tab on our website featuring a spreadsheet that provides information on members opening status.
Kate provided a virtual board orientation for new board members Greg, Joni, and Beth. We discussed the board binder information and making it accessible online.
Advisory Council Report There was no Advisory Council report for this meeting. Committee Reports Children & Teen Services and Continuing Education Neither of these two committees have met. Libraries are very busy right now trying to manage issues dealing with covid.
Planning & Evaluation The Planning & Evaluation committee will meet in the summer to review the 2021-22 draft budget and discuss services.
Personnel Committee Kate has been taking steps to create her goals document.
eResources The eResources committee continues to select content for OverDrive. When new committee members start ordering materials, there is a steep learning curve to understand the process. Unfinished Business There was no Unfinished Business for this meeting. New Business There was no New Business for this meeting. Break The Board did not take a break. Next meeting The next governing board meeting will be on March 18, 2021 at 5:00 pm. Public Participation There was no public participation for this Governing Board meeting. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:32 pm. (Moved: Jeffrey, Second: Hart: Motion: Carried.) _________________________________ Wayne Summers, Woodlands Library Cooperative Governing Board Secretary/Treasurer
Brooklyn · Carnegie · Concord · Eastern · Grass Lake · Hanover · Henrietta · Meijer · Napoleon · Parma · Spring Arbor · Springport · Summit
Memo to: Jackson District Library Board of Trustees From: Sara Tackett Date: March 22, 2021 Subject: Jackson Leaders for Equity CEO Pledge Recommendation:
The JDL Board approve signing the Jackson Leaders for Equity CEO Pledge which supports the JDL Strategic Plan’s work on equity, diversity and inclusion. This statement supports our goal of making JDL a welcoming environments for the community as an inclusive employer.
1 January 7, 2021
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Belonging We are embracing the undeniable, critical and essential need for organizations to ensure that the workplace is not only a safe and welcoming environment for all persons, but are also proactive in bringing to light instances of unconscious bias in employment practices, and providing opportunities for employees to engage in professional development and celebratory practices involving diversity.
To that end, we, the undersigned have committed to implementing the following within our workplaces:
1. Building Trust: We commit to Increasing workplace trust so all employees can have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations. We will create and maintain safe and belonging environments, platforms, and forums where our people are encouraged to have open dialogue, gaining greater awareness of each other's lived experiences and perspectives, encouraging compassion and open-mindedness, and reinforcing our commitment to a culture of belonging.
2. Provide Education & Development: We commit to implement and/or expand multiple ways to increase our knowledge of diversity and keep learning within our organizations in the manner that best fits our specific culture and business. In so doing, we seek to help our employees recognize their own unconscious bias, as well as grow their understanding of, and appreciation for, the unique gifts of all people.
3. Collaborate: We commit to helping each other, and other organizations, on our collective journey to improve, learn, and evolve in their current diversity, belonging and equity practices, encouraging them, in turn, to share their successes and challenges with others.
4. Focus on Equity: We commit to keeping equity at the center of our daily work. Because each of our employees might need different supports to bring their full selves to our workplaces, we will keep equity in our policies and practices to achieve the long-lasting, positive change we hope to see for our community.
5. Remain Accountable: We will track our equity progress, individually and collectively, sharing our experience, progress, and data with each other and the broader community.
We believe these commitments to be but a first step toward building more diverse, and equitable workplaces and a community where we all belong. We encourage you to join us in this work.
1 January 15, 2021
Jackson Leaders for Equity Sign CEO Pledge
Jackson, Mich., January 15, 2021 - As a united front, Jackson County organizations are taking
a stand against discrimination and advocating against the inherent harm and counter productivity
of institutionalized racism while fighting for its elimination. Soon after the protests in 2020, a
group of leaders came together to form the Jackson Leaders for Equity group to discuss internal
and external strategies for advancing equity within our organizations and our community. Since
then, the group created a CEO pledge that states:
We are embracing the undeniable, critical and essential need for organizations to ensure
that the workplace is not only a safe and welcoming environment for all persons, but are
also proactive in bringing to light instances of unconscious bias in employment practices,
and providing opportunities for employees to engage in professional development and
celebratory practices involving diversity.
The following have already signed onto this pledge: American 1 Credit Union, Commonwealth
Associates, Consumers Energy, Henry Ford Allegiance Health, Jackson College, Jackson
Community Foundation, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Intermediate School
District, Spring Arbor University, and TRUE Community Credit union. This group has agreed,
among other things, to build workplace trust, increase knowledge of diversity within the
workplace, collaborate with each other to learn and evolve, keep equity at the center of our daily
work, and track and share progress.
The well-being of our diverse communities is at stake and the time for action is now. We
encourage our fellow leaders in Jackson, Michigan to also take action by signing the CEO
pledge, which can be found at www.JacksonCF.org.
####
244 W. Michigan Ave.
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: 517-788-4099
Fax: 517-788-6024
www.myjdl.com
Brooklyn · Carnegie · Concord · Eastern · Grass Lake · Hanover · Henrietta · Meijer · Napoleon · Parma · Spring Arbor · Springport · Summit
Memo to: Jackson District Library Board of Trustees
From: Sara Tackett
Date: 3/22/2021
Subject: Administration Handbook
Recommendation: That the Board Approv the updates to the Administration Handbook
We would like to update the Non-Union and Administrative Employee Handbook to
reflect current practices as well as current language. In addition to shortening the title,
listed below are the other changes requested:
Page 5 Expected conduct
More inclusive language:
age, sex, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, national
origin, political affiliation, religion, height, weight, or disability
Page 10 Personal Business Time/Doctor Time Floating Holiday
Update to reflect current practice
Page 15 Opt-Out Incentive
Update to refelct current practice
Page 17 Training and Education
Remove all of Training and Education as well as Tuition Reimbursement sections and
replace with language “Professional Development Program”
Professional Development Program
It is the policy of the JDL Board and Administration to encourage and support employee
continuing education and professional growth. JDL’s training and development program
has goals of both supporting individual employee needs to develop in their current
positions and assist in preparation for future career growth within the Library. The desired
outcome of the program is to increase effectiveness of library services through staff
development and encourage employee retention. The funding for this program is subject
to the annual budget appropriation process.
JDL encourages professional growth by supporting participation in conferences,
workshops, seminars, and tuition reimbursement that relate to the staffs responsibilities at
JDL. Requests will be evaluated on a case by case basis within budget constraints.
To the extent possible, JDL will cover registration, hotel and meal per-diem, miscellaneous
expense, and travel for conferences
The Library will make every attempt to cover schedules in order that staff may attend
training and development even if it cannot support attendance financially.
Page 12 PT Vacation time off
Update to match current practice
1
9/19/2018
Administrative Employee Handbook
APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE JACKSON DISTRICT LIBRARY
September 27, 2018
PURPOSE GENERAL POLICY INFORMATION
MISSION STATEMENT
EMPLOYEE PRIVACY
PERSONNEL RECORDS POLICY
ATTENDANCE
CODE OF CONDUCT
EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION
INTRODUCTORY PERIOD/EMPLOYEE FULL-TIME, PART-TIME AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES
WORK SCHEDULE AND COMPENSATION INFORMATION
WORK SCHEDULE
WORK SCHEDULES - PROCEDURES
WORKWEEK
PAYDAYS
TIMEKEEPING
OVERTIME
BREAKS
INTRIM COMPENSATION
PAY DEDUCTIONS
EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
HIRING
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
REFERENCES
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
OPEN DOOR POLICY
LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND TIME OFF
REQUESTS FOR LEAVE
PERSONAL BUSINESS TIME
SICK LEAVE
VACATION
DOCTOR TIME
HOLIDAYS
FMLA – FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
JURY DUTY LEAVE
MILITARY DUTY LEAVE
TIME OFF WITHOUT PAY INSURANCE AND BENEFIT INFORMATION
GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS
COBRA (CONSOLIDATE OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT)
TRAINING AND EDUCATION
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
RETIREMENT PLANS
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
CHANGE OF PERSONAL STATUS
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK FOR NON-UNION & ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES
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PURPOSE OF HANDBOOK This handbook is designed to acquaint employees with the Jackson District Library (the “Library”) and provide information about working conditions, each employee’s responsibilities as an employee, employee benefits, and some of the policies affecting employment. It is each employee’s responsibility to read, understand, and comply with provisions in this handbook. Employment with the Library is voluntarily entered into, and the employee is free to resign at-will, with or without cause, with or without reason, and with or without notice at any time. Similarly, the Library may terminate the employment relationship at-will, with or without cause, with or without reason, and with or without notice at any time, so long as there is no violation of applicable federal or state law. Policies set forth in this handbook are not intended to create a contract, nor are they to be construed to constitute contractual obligations of any kind or a contract of employment between the Library and any of its employees. The provisions of this handbook have been developed at the discretion of management and, except for its policy of employment-at-will, may be amended or cancelled at any time, at the Library’s sole and absolute discretion. No oral or written representation made to the contrary is either authorized or enforceable. These provisions supersede all existing policies and practices and the Jackson District Library Board of Trustees (Board) may revise, supplement, or rescind any policies or portion of the handbook or benefits described therein as it deems appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion. Employees will be notified of such changes as soon as practical after they occur. Nothing in the Library’s Employee Handbook prohibits activity permitted by applicable law, including, without limitation, reporting discriminatory, violent, or other illegal conduct, or for engaging in protected or concerted activity under wage, hour, or labor laws.
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GENERAL POLICY INFORMATION MISSION STATEMENT The Mission Statement of the Jackson District Library is as follows: Inspiring our community to discover, learn and succeed. EMPLOYEE PRIVACY The Library strongly believes in respect for the rights and dignity of each employee. The Library pledges to conduct its business in such a way that the employee rights and privacy are protected. The Library will request, use and retain only your personal information that is required for business or legal reasons, and pledges to protect and preserve the confidentiality of your personal information in its records and files. PERSONNEL RECORDS POLICY A confidential personnel file shall be established for each employee. The file shall contain all current and subsequent references to materials such as application for employment, letters of reference, disciplinary proceedings, letters of recommendation and commendation. You have a right to examine your personnel file or to obtain a copy of your file upon a written request to the Human Resources Department. If you wish to examine your file, you may do so at a mutually agreeable time. Files are not to be removed from the Human Resources offices for such examination. ATTENDANCE
Punctual and regular attendance is an essential responsibility of each employee at JDL.
Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time and prepared to start working.
Employees also are expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule.
This policy does not apply to absences covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or
leave provided as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
These exceptions are described in separate policies.
"Absence" is defined as the failure of an employee to report for work when he or she is scheduled
to work. The two types of absences are defined below:
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Excused absence occurs when all the following conditions are met:
o The employee provides to his or her supervisor sufficient notice in advance of the absence (24 hours in advance of vacation, at least 30 minutes prior to beginningof shift in the case of sick and personal time)
Exceptions may be made in the case of emergencyo The absence request is approved in advance by the employee's supervisor.o The employee has sufficient accrued vacation, sick, and/or personal time to cover
the absence.
Supervisors, should circumstances warrant, may allow the
employee to make up hours within the same work week.
Unexcused absence occurs when any of the above conditions are not met. If it is necessary for an employee to be absent or late for work because of an illness or an emergency, the employee must notify his or her supervisor no later than the employee's scheduled starting time on that same day. If the employee is unable to call, he or she must have someone make the call.
An unexcused absence counts as one occurrence for the purposes of discipline under this policy.
Employees with three or more consecutive days of excused absences because of illness or
injury may be asked to provide JDL proof of physician's care and a fitness for duty release prior
to returning to work.
Employees must take earned Vacation, sick, or personal time for every absence unless otherwise
allowed by company policy (e.g., leave of absence, bereavement, jury duty).
Tardiness and Early Departures
Employees are expected to report to work and return from scheduled breaks on time. If
employees cannot report to work as scheduled, they must notify their supervisor no later than
their regular starting time. This notification does not excuse the tardiness but simply notifies the
supervisor that a schedule change may be necessary.
Employees who must leave work before the end of their scheduled shift must notify a supervisor
immediately.
Tardiness and early departures are each an occurrence for the purpose of discipline under this
policy.
Excessive absenteeism is defined as two or more occurrences of unexcused absence in a 30-day
period and will result in disciplinary action. Eight occurrences of unexcused absence in a 12-
month period are considered grounds for termination.
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Job Abandonment
Any employee who fails to report to work for a period of three days or more without notifying
his or her supervisor will be considered to have abandoned the job and voluntarily terminated
the employment relationship.
EXPECTED CONDUCT Your personal appearance is important to the Library’s image. All employees are expected to abide by the image guidelines located on the intranet. Employees are expected to act in a professional manner and use good judgment when addressing the public and the media regarding the Library and to promote the Library in a positive manner. All staff members should be considerate, courteous and helpful to each other, especially when it may be necessary to work at a task which is not specifically a part of your particular job description. Your primary duty is to serve the public by giving the same standard of service to all patrons regardless of age, sex, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, national origin, political affiliation, religion, height, weight, or disabilityrace, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, the presence of a medical condition or handicap. Handle all contact with the public in a friendly and courteous manner. Avoid personal discussions while on duty. Personal telephone calls should be made only when absolutely necessary. All phone calls regarding Library matters will be returned as soon as possible. Use of personal cell phones should be kept to a minimum while you are on duty and only in non-public areas of the Library. You may not use another employee’s office or equipment without permission from the employee, the employee’s supervisor, or the Library Director. All employees must check out any Library materials for their own use.
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EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION FULL-TIME, PART-TIME AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES Regular, Full-Time An employee hired to work on a regular, rather than a temporary, basis and who works forty hours each week is considered to be full-time and is eligible to receive fringe benefits as described in these policies. Regular, Part-Time An employee who averages fewer than forty hours per week is considered to be part-time and is eligible to receive fringe benefits as described in these policies Temporary Employees Temporary employees are persons hired for a defined period of time. Temporary employees will be in an at-will employment relationship with the Library, which means that both you and the library will have the right to end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice and with or without cause. Temporary positions may not be posted. Temporary employees do not receive employee benefits. JDL Substitute Employees
LAI Substitutes are persons hired to cover shifts on an on-call basis. JDL Substitute employees do not receive fringe benefits.
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WORK SCHEDULE AND COMPENSATION INFORMATION WORK SCHEDULE Scheduling is done based on the Library’s needs. The supervisor or appropriate manager is responsible for scheduling staff. Branches and departments must maintain schedules for the work areas assigned. Schedules should be updated regularly and made available to employees and administration. Daily scheduled hours may vary from day to day and may change as scheduling priorities dictate. WORK SCHEDULES - PROCEDURES The Library does not guarantee to any employee, either by policy statement or implication, any certain minimum or maximum number of hours of work. Each employee is scheduled for a usual number of hours. Changing conditions may require the Library to increase or decrease the number of hours worked by any employee. WORK WEEK The work week runs from 12:01am Monday morning through Sunday 12:00 pm midnight PAYDAYS Pay periods are at two-week intervals. All employees are required to participate in direct deposit for payroll purposes. If a payday falls on a holiday, employee will be paid the day before. TIMEKEEPING JDL keeps track of hours worked by use of an automated timekeeping system. Employees are required and responsible for maintaining their timesheet within the timekeeping system, requesting necessary changes, and ensuring the accuracy of hours worked before submitting timesheet for approval at the end of the pay period. OVERTIME
All overtime hours must be approved by the Director, or designee, before they are worked. In emergency situations, the person in charge may authorize overtime; e.g., Saturday snowstorm cleanup. In such cases, the person in charge reports authorized overtime to the Human Resources Department as soon as possible after it occurs. Employees will not be paid overtime in a pay week in addition to sick time being used within the same week.
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BREAKS Staff members who work four hours or more at a time are granted a 15-minute rest period. If the employee works 8 hours or more they are granted two fifteen minute breaks. Breaks cannot be used to shorten the workday or expand the lunch hour. Employees should inform the supervisor when they leave the work area for break time. Meal periods are in addition to the eight-hour workday. Employees will receive a 30 or 60 minute unpaid lunch period. Meal periods cannot be used to shorten the workday. Library Assistant Substitute staff receive a meal period for a shift over 5 hours. Supervisors schedule meal periods in order to maintain best staff coverage of library services.
INTERIM COMPENSATION In the event of a temporary vacancy in a critical position (critical as determined by the Director and approved by the Board), every practical attempt will be made to distribute the duties laterally within classification level. No compensation adjustments will be made if lateral distribution is available. If lateral distribution of duties is impractical, duties will be assigned on an interim basis to staff in a lower classification. The Director will determine an appropriate salary adjustment for designated staff during the interim period.
PAY DEDUCTIONS The Library is required by law to make certain deductions from your paycheck each pay period. Such deductions typically include federal and state taxes and Social Security Tax (FICA). All deductions and the amount of the deductions are listed on your pay stub. These deductions are totaled each year for you on your W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.
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EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES HIRING It shall be the responsibility of the board to interview applicants and hire for the position of Library Director. Administration and Substitute positions at the library may be posted in branches and on various job boards. All internal applicants must complete the online application process. Selection of staff members is based on merit, with due attention given to educational qualifications, personality, temperament and aptitude for the particular position. JOB DESCRIPTIONS There will be a job description for every position which will be revised periodically. You should be thoroughly familiar with your own job description and with those of your co-workers. For any job that is vacant the Human Resources Department will have an up-to-date job description available for interested applicants. Job descriptions will include the title of position, level, qualifications of the job, and duties and responsibilities of the job listed in detail. From time to time you may be asked to provide assistance in connection with duties and responsibilities not listed in the job description. Job descriptions will be kept in the Human Resources office and copies will be available upon request. REFERENCES Any request for a reference from the Jackson District Library must be made to the Human Resources Department. It is our policy to provide only your dates of service and the title of your last position in response to requests for references. If you want other information disclosed, you must give a written permission to the Human Resources Department that specifically identifies the information to be disclosed and specifically authorizes its release. PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS Each staff member will receive performance evaluations annually. Performance evaluations will include an analysis of the quality and quantity of your work, your job knowledge, initiative, attitude, and your ability to work with others. Performance evaluations may be considered in matters of compensation and promotion together with other appropriate factors. Evaluations are to be done by the immediate supervisor with the employee also submitting a self-evaluation; they are reviewed by the next line-supervisor before being given to the employee. The evaluation itself consists of the immediate supervisor and the employee meeting to discuss the elements of the evaluation and any comments either party wishes to add. Evaluation forms are signed and returned to the Human Resources Department. Evaluations become part of the employee’s personnel file.
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The employee may also submit a response to the evaluation if they wish; this documentation will also be placed in the employee’s personnel file. In cases of discipline problems or substandard performance, the supervisor may evaluate the employee at other times in addition to the annual review. Such evaluations become part of a file of documentation showing recognition of the problem, steps taken to address the problem, and a timetable for performance improvement. It should be mentioned that the effective supervisor is evaluating performance on a daily basis and coaching, guiding and mentoring staff so performance challenges should not come as a surprise to the associate. Evaluations are part of the employee’s work assignment and are thus paid time. OPEN DOOR POLICY It is the Library’s desire to provide good working conditions and maintain harmonious working relationships among employees, as well as between employees and management. In order to correct any work-related problems, the Library must be fully informed about them. Therefore, the Library has an “open door” problem solving policy. Employees are encouraged to discuss concerns or suggestions with their supervisor. Employees who believe that the supervisor has not or cannot adequately address the situation are encouraged to discuss the problem with any of the managers, the Human Resources Department or the Library Director. BENEFITS, LEAVE OF ABSENCE, AND TIME OFF REQUESTS FOR LEAVE Requests for leave time, must be made as far in advance as possible. The supervisor’s approval of requests for leave will be based on the Library’s ability to adjust and maintain normal service. Leave time may be authorized by the supervisor, in emergencies, without prior notice, provided the circumstances warrant an exception. PERSONAL BUSINESS TIME /DOCTOR TIME/ FLOATING HOLIDAY Each regular full time employee will receive 32 hours of Personal Business Time annually. Part time employees will receive 16 hours of Personal Business Time annually.Each regular full-time employee is entitled to eight (8) hours of personal business time for each three (3) months worked. Each regular admin part-time employee who work 20 hours or more per week is entitled to four (4) hours of personal business time for each three (3) months worked. EFull time employees receive doctor time upon hire and then at the beginning of each calendar year. This time is added to personal business time. Employees receive floating holiday time upon hire and at the beginning of each calendar year. This time is added to personal business time
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SICK LEAVE Sick leave benefits are provided by the employer to assist employees during periods of illness. Full-time employees may accumulate sick leave at a rate of eight (8) hours per month. Part-time employees, except pages, may accumulate sick leave at a rate of one (1) hour for every 21 hours worked. Part-time employees will be paid sick leave for only those hours that they have been previously scheduled to work The Library may at its option request medical certification satisfactory to the Library for any sick leave used. The Library may also request a medical examination for any employee. Sick leave allowance may be used by an employee only when unable to perform her/his duties due to sickness or injury, when quarantined, or in the event of serious illness in the employee’s immediate family. All foreseeable leave for such purposes shall require specific prior approval of the supervisor. The immediate family for these purposes shall be regarded as parents, spouse, children, or persons living in the same household. Any sick leave used shall be subtracted from the employee’s sick leave balance. VACATION Vacation – Administration Vacation for Administration Management employees is earned based upon the following schedule:
Fifteen days upon hire with a waiting period of 90 days from hire before vacation may be taken
1-3 years employment 15 days
4-6 years employment 17 days
7-10 years employment 20 days
11-14 years employment 25 days
15+ years employment 30 days Vacation for Administration non-management employees is earned based upon the following schedule:
Ten days upon hire with a waiting period of 90 days from hire before vacation may be taken
1-3 years employment 10 days
4-6 years employment 12 days
7-10 years employed 15 days
11-14 years employment 20 days
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15 + years employment 25 days Vacation for Part time employees receive proportionate vacation with pay 90 days from hire, based on the number of hours worked in her/his anniversary year, in the following amounts:
1 - 3 years employment 1 hour for each 26 hours worked60hrs
4 - 6 years employment 1 hour for each 22 hours worked70hrs
7 - 10 years employment 1 hour for each 17 hours worked 90hrs
11 - 14 years employment 1 hour for each 13 hours worked120hrs
15 + years employment 1 hour for each 9 hours worked 150hrs Requests for vacation and other time off should be scheduled in advance. Every effort is made to grant time off requests; however, the supervisor and/or the Administration may deny requests based on the need to cover the work schedule procedures adequately.
Upon leave of employment, employee is paid out in accordance with applicable laws. A maximum of 80 hours of vacation may be carried over from one year to the next.
HOLIDAYS All employees of the Library will receive the following holidays:
New Year’s Eve Day Labor Day New Year’s Day Thanksgiving Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Christmas Eve Day Memorial Day Christmas Day Independence Day One (1) Floating Holiday (Received as personal
business time) Employees working forty (40) hours per week will receive eight (8) hours vacation time when a holiday falls on their normally scheduled day off. Employees working less than forty (40) hours per week, but more than twenty (20) hours per week, will receive four (4) hours vacation time when a holiday falls on their normally-scheduled day off, Employees working less than forty (40) hours per week will receive holiday pay for the number of hours normally scheduled to work. In order for an employee to receive holiday pay, she/he must have been regularly working immediately prior to and following the holiday, or be on paid leave.
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FMLA – FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT Employees who have worked at least twelve months and have accumulated at least 1,250 hours during the preceding twelve months may take up 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons:
The birth of a child or placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
To care for a spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of her job; or
For any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a spouse, child, or parent is a military member on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status.
Military Caregiver Leave Employees eligible for FMLA leave may also take up to a total of twenty-six workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a “single 12-month period” to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness. The employee must be the spouse, child, parent, or next of kin of the covered service member. A “covered service member” is defined as either (a) a current member of the Armed Forces (including a member of the National Guard or Reserves) who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is in outpatient status, or is on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness; or (b) a veteran of the Armed Forces (including the National Guard or Reserves) discharge in the last five-year period before the family member first takes military caregiver leave to care for the veteran and who is still undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a qualifying serious injury or illness. A veteran who is dishonorably discharged does not meet the FMLA definition of a “covered service member.” FMLA Documentation The request for FMLA leave must be in writing and should be presented to the Library Director at least thirty days in advance of the requested departure date when practicable. Employees who are requesting the leave for health reasons must provide medical certification of the need for the leave and the probable duration of the leave. Benefit Accrual and Insurance Coverage while on FMLA Leave
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Employees on an FMLA leave of absence may use accumulated sick or vacation time as compensation for the leave, but employees will not be paid for holidays that occur while the employee is on FMLA leave. The Library will continue group health, dental, vision and life insurance coverage for those employees who are covered under the Library’s insurances at the time of the FMLA leave; however the employee will be required to pay their portion of their premium upon return from leave. In the event the employee does not return from their leave they will be required to reimburse the Library for the insurance premiums paid by the Library on behalf of the employee during the FMLA leave. Employees on FMLA leave will not continue to accumulate service time or benefits while on FMLA leave; however service will be counted toward retirement plan vesting and eligibility. PERSONAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE JDL recognizes that there may be compelling personal reasons for an employee to request a leave of absence. An employee who has worked for JDL for at least 12 months may request a personal leave of absence for up to sixty days. A request for a personal leave of absence will be granted at the Library’s discretion, depending upon workload. A request for a leave must be in writing and must be presented to the Director at least thirty days in advance of the requested departure date. If granted the leave will be unpaid, and service time and benefits will not continue to accumulate during the absence. Employees who have insurance coverage through the library may continue that coverage during the leave if the employee pays the required premiums on a timely basis. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE Employees are allowed up to four consecutive days off from regularly scheduled duty with regular pay in the event of the death of the employee's spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, grandparent, grandchild or spouse's grandparent. Or an adult who stood in loco parentis to the employee during childhood. Employees are allowed up to four hours of bereavement leave to attend the funeral of a fellow regular employee or retiree of the company, provided such absence from duty will not interfere with normal operations of the company.
If necessary, an employee may use up to an additional five days of sick leave for funeral leave. Additional time requested will be deducted from personal business time or vacation. JURY DUTY LEAVE Each employee will be paid his or her normal salary provided that the amount paid by the court for jury duty is signed over to the Library.
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MILITARY DUTY LEAVE An employee who enters the armed forces of the United States shall be entitled to a leave of absence without pay for the period of service required. Upon honorable discharge an employee shall be reinstated to his/her former position or a similar one in terms of status, seniority, and pay provided he/she makes application for reinstatement within ninety days after discharge. For purposes of seniority, pay, and benefit eligibility the returning employee will be treated as though she/he had not taken a Leave. As such, any wage increase or benefit enhancement that the employee would have received absent the Leave will be provided. An employee who is a member of any federally recognized reserve component of the armed forces shall be granted time off not to exceed 15 working days in any one fiscal year, when called for training. The Library shall pay the difference between the employee’s daily military pay and the employee’s daily regular pay for the leave period, provided military pay does not exceed the current wage and a military pay stub is presented for verification. Such leave shall not affect seniority or benefits. Should the Reservist be called to active duty, paragraph one of this section will apply. INSURANCE AND BENEFIT INFORMATION GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS Medical
Full-time employees are eligible for full medical health insurance for the employee and her/his eligible dependents. If an employee elects to join the health plan she/he must also join the dental/vision plan. Employees will be responsible for a portion of the premium if they elect to participate
An employee may also elect to participate in dental/vision only. Employees will be responsible for a portion of the premium if they elect to participate
All applicable premiums will be paid by the employee through payroll deduction.
Opt-out Incentive Full-time employees may opt out of health coverage and still participate in the dental and optical coverage. If an employee opts out of health, dental and optical coverage, he/she will receive $75.00 per month. If 8 or more eligible Jackson District Library employees opt out of health coverage for a Plan Year, an employee who opts out of health coverage only shall receive $150.00
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per month and an employee who opts out of health, dental and optical coverage will receive $175.00 per month for that Plan Year. An election to opt out must be for at least one year. However, an employee who experiences a qualifying event, in accordance with the insurance company’s policies, during the opt-out year may resume coverage. The count of eligible Jackson District Library employees opting out of health coverage will be verified once each year during the open enrollment period. Retiree Healthcare Full-time employees hired before July 1, 2007, retiring at age sixty (60) or older with twelve (12) or more continuous years of service with JDL, will be eligible for retiree health care. Prior to the retired employee attaining the age at which the retired employee is eligible to enroll in Medicare (currently age sixty-five), the retired employee shall be eligible to maintain coverage under JDL’s then existing medical benefit plan for employees. The Employer shall contribute toward the cost of the retired employee’s health care coverage an equal amount to that which it makes on behalf of active employees. In no event will benefits available to a retiree be greater than those available to active employees. Retiree health care for retired employees who have not yet attained the age at which the retired employee is eligible to enroll in Medicare (currently age sixty-five), will cover the retired employee only unless the covered employee provides signed verification that his/her spouse has no other medical coverage as an option. For purposes of this provision, Medicare shall be considered a medical coverage option for a retired employee’s spouse. Retirees who are eligible for retiree health care, who have attained the age of which the retired employee is eligible to enroll in Medicare (currently age sixty-five), will not be eligible to maintain coverage under JDL’s then existing medical benefit plan for employees and must enroll in Medicare. JDL will provide retired employees, who have attained the age at which the retired employee is eligible to enroll in Medicare (currently age sixty-five), who qualify for retiree health care, with a bi-annual stipend of $1,800.00 for a single retiree and $2,700.00 for any retiree who has an eligible spouse. The bi-annual stipend shall be deposited into an account established for the retiree through the MERS Health Care Savings Program, on or about July 15th and January 15th of each year. Life, Accidental Death, and Long Term Disability After six months of employment, all employees scheduled to work 28 hours a week or more will be covered by a $10,000 life and accidental death and long term disability insurance policy. Upon separation, the employee may elect to convert her/his policy to individual policy coverage. Flexible Spending Accounts
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All employees who are scheduled to work 25 hours or more per week are eligible to participate in Flexible Spending Accounts.
Voluntary Insurance Offerings Employees scheduled to work 25 hours or more per week are eligible to participate in any voluntary insurance JDL makes available during open enrollment/upon hire. These premiums are the responsibility of the participating employee and are made through payroll deduction. Workers’ Disability Compensation The Library provides workers’ disability compensation insurance at no cost to you. In the event of a work-related injury or condition, workers’ disability compensation insurance may provide wage loss benefits. Following an accident at work or upon learning of a medical condition arising out of your employment with the Library, you must notify your supervisor so that a report may be filed with the Library’s insurance provider. The Library may require that the employee submit to necessary medical evaluation by a doctor selected by the Library’s insurance carrier. COBRA (CONSOLIDATE OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT) Continued coverage under the Library’s group medical plan following termination of employment may be available to you or your qualified beneficiaries under applicable law. The cost of coverage is paid solely by the former employee and may be subject to an administrative fee. TRAINING AND EDUCATION It is the policy of Jackson District Library Board and Administration to encourage and support employee continuing education and professional growth. The Library’s tuition reimbursement program has goals of both supporting individual employee needs to develop in their current positions and assist in preparation for future career growth within the Library. The desired outcome of the program is to increase effectiveness of library services through staff development and encourage employee retention. The funding for this program is subject to the annual budget appropriation process. Conferences, Workshops, and Seminars The Library encourages professional growth by supporting participation in conferences, workshops, and seminars that relate to the staffs responsibilities at the Jackson District Library.
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The Library budgets amounts for support and attempts to rotate attendance to include as many staff as possible. The Library will make every attempt to cover schedules in order that staff may attend conferences, even if it cannot support attendance financially.
The Library will support to the extent possible:
1. Registration fees 2. Hotel per diem-Government accepted rate 3. Meal per diem- Government accepted rate 4. Miscellaneous expenses 5. Travel costs-submit on the travel expense voucher, including air/train/bus fare, car
mileage, parking expenses, etc. Receipts must be submitted for travel expenses.
Travel time to and from meetings outside working hours will not be considered working time.
The Library may request reports of conferences for which the employee has received financial or time off support. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT Academic courses which are eligible for reimbursement under this program must be broadly related to an employee’s preparation for career growth within the library field or provide knowledge which will enhance an employee’s performance in his or her current position. Determination of eligibility of specific employee applications shall be made solely by the three members of the Tuition Reimbursement Committee appointed by the Director. Names of the current members may be obtained from the Human Resources Department. All employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours/week who have been employed for at least 1 year shall be eligible to participate in this program. Reimbursement under this program shall be at a rate of 50% for part time employees and 75% for full time employees. Employees shall be responsible for all books and additional items required for each class. All courses must be taken from an appropriate accredited educational institution. No reimbursement will be provided for tuition costs covered in full by other federal, state, or private financial sources (This does not includes loans that the student must repay). The course must be passed with a grade of at least B. Employees must attend courses outside of their scheduled work hours and the library will not treat the time spent taking courses or associated with study/research time as compensable work time.
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Any employee who receives financial assistance through this program who fails to work for the Library for at least 1 year following completion of any course shall reimburse the library for the full amount of assistance received during the 1 year prior to voluntary separation. All timely applications will be given equal consideration within budget constraints. Course approval is contingent on request volume, for up to 6 credits per semester. No applicant will be approved for more than 4 courses per year. All timely applications will be given equal consideration. Professional Development Program
It is the policy of the JDL Board and Administration to encourage and support employee continuing education and professional growth. JDL’s training and development program has goals of both supporting individual employee needs to develop in their current positions and assist in preparation for future career growth within the Library. The desired outcome of the program is to increase effectiveness of library services through staff development and encourage employee retention. The funding for this program is subject to the annual budget appropriation process. JDL encourages professional growth by supporting participation in conferences, workshops, seminars, and tuition reimbursement that relate to the staffs responsibilities at JDL. Requests will be evaluated on a case by case basis within budget constraints. To the extent possible, JDL will cover registration, hotel and meal per-diem, miscellaneous expense, and travel for conferences. The Library will make every attempt to cover schedules in order that staff may attend training and development even if it cannot support attendance financially. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP Membership for full-time staff members in the associations of the profession is allowed. The library will pay basic dues as the budget allows and upon the Library Director’s approval. RETIREMENT PLANS Municipal Employees Retirement System Every full-time employee will become a member of MERS on the first day of employment. Member contributions will be paid by the employee through payroll deduction. The Library will pay the employer’s share. Mutual of America
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All staff members may participate in a series of 403(b) tax-deferred savings plans offered through Mutual of America. Participation is by payroll deduction. Contact the Human Resources Department for further information and application forms. MERS 457 All staff members may participate in the MERS 457 tax deferred savings plan. Participation is by payroll deduction. Contact the Human Resources Department for further information and application forms.
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9/19/2018
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
The employee handbook describes important information about employment with the Library. I have received the handbook, and I understand that it is my responsibility to read and comply with the policies contained in this handbook and any revisions made to it. I understand that I should consult with my supervisor, HR, or the Library Director with any questions I might have.
I acknowledge that revisions to the handbook may occur, and I understand that revised information may supersede, modify, or eliminate existing policies. Only the Board of Trustees of the Jackson District Library has the authority to adopt any revisions to the policies in this handbook.
I have entered into my employment relationship with the Library voluntarily and acknowledge that there is no specified length of employment. Accordingly, either I or the Library can terminate the relationship at-will, with or without cause, with or without reason and with or without notice at any time, so long as there is no violation of applicable federal or state law. No oral or written representations to the contrary are either authorized or enforceable.
Furthermore, I acknowledge that this handbook does not create rights in the nature of an employment contract.
EMPLOYEE’S NAME (Printed):___________________________________________________
Brooklyn · Carnegie · Concord · Eastern · Grass Lake · Hanover · Henrietta · Meijer · Napoleon · Parma · Spring Arbor · Springport ·
Summit
244 W. Michigan Ave.
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: 517-788-4099
Fax: 517-788-6024 www.myjdl.com
Memo to: Jackson District Library Board of Trustees
From: Sara Tackett
Date: March 15, 2021
Subject: Carnegie Repair/Restoration Evaluation
Recommendation:
The Board of Trustees approve the repair evaluations of the Carnegie Library by
Woodard and Associates Inc., for a total of $15,000
There are repairs that are of condition concern in the Carnegie Library in three areas;
tuck point repair to the outside of the building on all four sides, window repairs or
replacement, and the repair/renovation of the skylights. Woodard and Associates Inc.,
specializes in historical building preservation and restoration. Their scope of work will
include a review of the existing conditions in these three areas. They will prepare a
written report detailing the condition and work that needs to be done; work with JDL to
establish a scope of work and develop bidding documents.
244 W. Michigan Ave.
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: 517-788-4099
Fax: 517-788-6024
www.myjdl.com
Brooklyn · Carnegie · Concord · Eastern · Grass Lake · Hanover · Henrietta · Meijer · Napoleon · Parma · Spring Arbor · Springport · Summit
Memo to: Jackson District Library Board of Trustees
From: Sara Tackett
Date: March 22, 2021
Subject: Parma Sandstone LDFA
Recommendation:
The JDL Board approve opting out of Parma/Sandstone Township LDFA as allowed
by PA 505-510 of 2016 to exempt certain library millage from capture:
• Downtown Development Authority Act
• Local Development Financing Authority Act
• Tax Increment Financing Authority Act
• Water Resource Improvement Tax Increment Finance Authority Act
• Corridor Improvement Authority Act
•
Library Privacy Act Amendments: Effective March 2021
Michigan has amended the Library Privacy Act (the “Act”) to clarify and fill gaps in the existing law with the intention of making it easier for libraries to work with law enforcement when a crime has been committed against the library, or on library property. This document outlines the changes staff need be aware of to adhere to the law.
What is the same?
The Act still protects library records from disclosure without written permission from the patron or a valid search warrant from law enforcement. Library records include documents, records, or other methods of storing information retained by the library that contains information that personally identify a library patron, including the patron’s name, address, telephone number, or that identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific materials from a libraryFor example, a picture or video that shows a patron with a library book or magazine where the title is legible would constitute a library record and be protected from disclosure.
What is new?
Much of the new law clarifies ambiguous areas that were previously left to interpretation.
• Disclosing personal knowledge: The new act clarifies that library staff may choose to disclose information based solely on their own personal knowledge to law enforcement about a crime they witnessed in (or near) the library. For example, if staff witnesses a patron stealing DVDs, they can provide a physical description of the patron to law enforcement. If the patron is relatively well-known to library staff (i.e. everybody knows that Johnny hangs out here every day after school), they can share the patron’s name with law enforcement. The statement to law enforcement is limited exclusively to personal knowledge. No information from a library record can be shared without the patron’s permission or a valid search warrant.
• Video Camera footage: Video surveillance images made solely for security purposes that do not include images of any activity or any other document or record that identifies a person as having requested or lawfully obtained specific services, materials, or information resources from a library, may be released to law enforcement The library can redact (blur out) images to ensure compliance with this measure. For example, the library could release video footage of a person taking a bike from a bike rack outside the library, provided the image does not identify the patron as having requested or lawfully obtained specific services, materials, or information resources from the library.
• Liability: Regardless of intent, if a library or its employee violates the Act, a patron can file a lawsuit against the library seeking recovery for the actual damages suffered by the patron or $250, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees and the costs of bringing the action. If it is found that an employee knowingly/intentionally violated that Act, the patron can bring a civil suit against the employee personally, seeking recovery for the actual damages suffered by the patron or $250, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees and the costs of bringing the action.
• Statute of Limitations: A person has 180 days to bring a civil action suit after finding out about a library record disclosure violating the Act..
How does this affect me?
JDL has always protected the library records of our patrons and will continue to do so. As always, the only person we can give library record information to is the owner of the record, or the parent/guardian on file for a minor patron. This recent amendment to the Act gives clarification on gray areas that weren’t explicitly addressed in previous versions of the law. Always talk to a supervisor before any conversation with law enforcement and report any incidents by filling out an incident report.
Local law enforcement is often unaware of the Library Privacy Act, and a responding officer may need an explanation of how libraries are bound by a special set of guidelines.
When law enforcement comes to the library asking questions, front-line staff should excuse themselves from giving out any information right away, saying; “I’m sorry, but I know that we’re bound by a special set of Library Privacy Laws, and I want to make sure that we do everything correctly. Please wait for just a moment while I get a supervisor.” If you don’t have a manager on-site, please call either the Director or the Assistant Director on their cell phone.
For additional questions contact JDL Administration.
BLOG
Certified Facilitator Spotlight:
Teresa Hunt
Mar 12, 2021
Virtual Engagement During Covid
In January 2018, the TimeSlips program started at Jackson District
library through a grant specifically for outreach programming with people with
dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. By April, the program was already growing
as word spread throughout the care home community. Many activity directors
wanted TimeSlips in their facility. Fortunately, in June, my schedule allowed
me to be trained as a facilitator and I was able to start a new group in August.
Again, as interest grew, there was a need to expand services. Jackson District
Library, seeing the positive impact the program was having and the need in the
community, increased my hours specifically dedicated to the TimeSlips
program. Within a few months, I was leading three groups in two care facilities.
And, just before the shut-down in March 2020, I was to start a new group in a
third care home.
The Jackson District Library reopened in mid-July 2020 with very limited
services being offered to the public, including no outreach. Programming that
could be done virtually was started up again in November. The care facility I
had been at since August 2018 was interested in trying virtual TimeSlips and we
started meeting through Zoom. The residents who participate adapted to the new
technology and way of doing things easily. Once a week, the residents and I get
to be together to visit and engage in conversation through pictures. They look at
the finer details, many times surprising me with what they come up with for
their stories. When residents aren’t quarantined in their rooms, they get together
in the activity room (wearing masks and social distancing) which allows them to
share their ideas and participate as a group. Some days, for various reasons,
residents have to stay in their rooms. When that’s the case, a staff person will go
from room to room with the iPad so that the residents still get a chance to
interact with me and create a story. It’s not as fun for them, but it does give
them individual attention and it still gives them a chance to engage with
someone not in the facility.
The residents and I have found that communication is more difficult in virtual
sessions than it was in-person. Sometimes we struggle to hear each other, but
the activities staff person is usually a great translator and we always manage to
somehow understand one another in the end. The residents also get frustrated
sometimes about not being able to see me very well and reading my facial
expression. However, we can still joke with each other and hear the cheerfulness
in our voices even if we can’t see each other’s faces.
