HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-21-2025 Library Board of Trustees Meeting MinutesFairhope Public Library Board of Trustees
Regularly scheduled Meeting on Monday, April 21, 2025
Giddens Conference Room
Called to Order at 4:03 by Board Chair Anne Johnson
ATTENDANCE: Anne Johnson, Debra Langham, Dan Stankoski, Randal Wright, Andy
Parvin, Rob Gourlay, Director of the Fairhope Public Library, and Jimmy Conyers,
City Council Liaison. Also present for the meeting were approximately 60 observers.
MINUTES: Minutes from the regularly scheduled February 17, 2025 meeting were
unanimously approved.
REPORTS: Monthly Statisticals, Employee Report, and the Financial Statement
were reviewed and briefly discussed. It was noted that except for staff for the Maker
Space, we are at full staff employment. A motion was made to accept the three
reports, seconded and passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS: 1) The Chair reviewed the process for reconsideration and clarified
misinformation from what has been in the media. The Board then voted on two books,
Sold and Grown that were on appeal after the Library Director recommended that
the books remain in the Teen Section. Two Trustees read each book and shared a
shorten version of the story line, and their thoughts and analysis of the books. The
recommendation was to keep the books in the Teen section. A motion was made,
seconded and the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to keep the books in the Teen
section.
2) Interlibrary Loans (ILL) were discussed at the February meeting with some concern
about the cost of borrowing books from libraries outside of Baldwin County. The fees
are easily determined based on what a patron is requesting. Patrons will be made
aware of all fees associated with obtaining the materials prior to finalizing their
request. No changes in the fees are needed at this time.
NEW BUSINESS: 1) Director Gourlay and Trustee Wright reported on the events that
followed the discovery that the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) had “paused”
funding the Fairhope Public Library at their March Executive Board meeting. The
meeting was on a Thursday, and that day Director Gourlay , Trustee Wright and
Susan Diemert, (acting Director due to Director Gourlay’s parental leave) were told
by a person in attendance at the meeting. The Trustees were not “officially” notified
until Trustee Wright received a text message from John Wahl, chair of the APLS
Executive Board on Sunday afternoon. She immediately contacted Mayor Sullivan,
Jimmy Conyers, and Marcus McDowell (city attorney).
Following a recommendation from John Wahl, chair of the APLS executive board of
directors, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to reconsider books that remained
in the Teen Section of the library following the December 2023 vote by the Board to
keep the books in the Teen Section. A small group of citizens continue to request that
the books be removed and shelved in the Adult section of the library based on the
changes to the Administrative Code that went into effect in the Fall of 2024. Because
this appears to be the primary reason APLS is considering defunding the Fairh ope
Public Library the Trustees agreed it made sense to once again, review these books.
The Trustees will read all 14 books. Each book will be read by 2 different Trustees.
Books will be randomly assigned to each of the Trustees. At the next meeting Trustees
will share their thoughts and analysis of each book they read. Trustees will consider
community standards, judge the book as a whole, use the Miller Test to determine
whether inappropriate for minors, and are reminded the word “prurient”, which
means to sexually arouse the reader, is part of the definition.
2) Every-Library is a national organization with a robust online presence advocating
for public libraries and working to stop the current misinformation that is being spread
about public libraries and librarians. They were contacted by Read Freely Alabama
to help raise money for the Fairhope Public Library when it was disclosed that we
might lose state funding. (This year the library is scheduled to receive a little over
$40,000 in state funds. This funding comes in 4 different payments and the first two
have already been sent to Fairhope. The June and September funds are the ones in
jeopardy.) Every-Library began a go-fund-me type donation campaign that raised
over $46,000 in just 12 days. Chair Johnson, Trustee Wright and Director Gourlay
participated in a Zoom meeting with John Chrastka, head of Every-Library. Mr.
Chrastka stated that Every-Library will release the funds as soon as we know our
status. If we lose funding, the amount will come to the library. If funding is restored,
Every-Library will contact all the donors and let them know that funding is not needed
and ask if they would like their money returned or would they be willing to donate it
to the library. Every-Library takes 10% of the money raised to help pay their
expenses.
3) CIPA Compliance: CIPA compliance refers to the requirements imposed by the
Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) on schools and libraries that receive E -rate
funding. CIPA mandates the implementation of internet safety policies and technology
protection measures to filter harmful content and ensure a safe online environment
for minors. Alabama Super-Computer provides that filter for Fairhope Public Library.
The Board of Trustees must authorize the E-rate funding each year. A motion was
made, seconded and the vote was unanimously approved to authorize the E-rate
funding.
4) Upcoming Programs: The Director shared important upcoming programs: April 22
at 4:00 we will celebrate the beginning of a year of activities to highlight the
Fairhope Public Library’s 125th Anniversary. This event will also include an Open
House for the renovated upstairs area. On Thursday, April 24, Author Sonny Brewer
will present “It Takes A Village” a program about moving the hermit’s cottage to the
newly developed city park.
Election of New Officers for the Board of Trustees: Trustee By-laws stipulate that
officers are elected each April for the upcoming year. Anne Johnson has served for
4 years and would like to relinquish the job. New Officers for the coming year are
Randal Wright, Chair; Andy Parvin, Vice-Chair; Anne Johnson, Secretary. Our
heartfelt gratitude to Trustee Johnson for her outstanding leadership and devotion to
ensuring the Board of Trustees do the job they were entrusted to do in supporting the
Fairhope Public Library.
Meeting was adjourned at 4:33
The meeting was followed by public participation with 8 people addressing the
Board in support of the library and its decisions regarding the placement of books in
the Teen Section.
Respectfully Submitted,
Randal H. Wright