HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-20-2026 Fairhope Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Minutes of the Fairhope Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Monday, April 20, 2026
4::00pm
Present:
Trustees Randal Wright, Dan Stankoski, Andy Parvin, Anne Johnson and Gustavo Douaihi
Library Director Rob Gourlay and Friends Representative Nan Denson
Absent: Andrea Faust Booth, City Council Liaison
The meeting was called to order at 4:00pm by Board Chair Randal Wright.
The minutes of the February 2, 2026, Board meeting were reviewed and approved. The monthly
statistical, employee and financial reports were reviewed and approved. Items of note include
an opening for a Reference Library Technician, the library is number one in Libby for items
checked out statewide (in our cohort of 113 libraries), and the number of recorded programs
should increase over time as patrons learn about the posting of recorded programs on the
library’s Youtube channel.
Director’s Remarks
The Director noted that this is National Library Week (NLW). They mayor came to the library
today to read a proclamation of NLW and to dedicate the new Local Authors space. A crowd of
some 40 writers, patrons and library Friends came to the ribbon cutting. The Director will also
host a “Coffee with the Director” this week as a part of NLW. Finally, no fines will be charged this
week.
The library is now able to accept credit cards for fines payments. While there is a cost to this
service, it should offer patrons a convenient way to pay for fines and for lost library items. The
recent Thrift Swap was a success; leftover items went to Emmies. There will be a puzzle race this
weekend with 8 teams participating.
Friends Report
The purpose of the Friends of the Fairhope Library is to advocate for and support the library.
The Friends currently have 520 members and hosted a thank you brunch for library staff Feb
25th and a brunch for library volunteers Apr 15th. The Friends continue to host monthly lobby
book sales and the annual Chocolate and Champagne fundraiser (this year netting some
$30,828). The Friends are supporting the Director’s trip to the annual conference of the
American Library Association in June this year.
Old Business
No old business.
New Business
1. Welcome to new Board member Gustavo Douaihi.
2. Annual Board elections were held and new officers are Chair Randall Wright, Vice-
chair Andy Parvin and Secretary Anne Johnson
3. The Director reported that staff are drafting policies for two new collections: the
Local Author collection and the Lucky Day collection. The Lucky Day collection aims
to make popular books available to “lucky” patrons who are in the library when the
books are available on that day. The library trustees will vote on these new policies
and as well as the annual review of all policies at the June library board meeting.
The meeting ended at 4:43pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Anne Johnson
Secretary