Minutes of the Friends of the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/ Knox Library
May 21, 2022
The meeting was held in the staff room at the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Harley and Bessie Knox Library. The meeting was called to order at 11:00 A.M. by Anne Box, President. An attendance list is at the end of the minutes.
Minutes: The minutes of the April 23rd meeting were approved as submitted.
Programs: Jean Stein was not in attendance. Steve Wheeler reported that we are starting a new series, Getting to Know You. We will invite neighborhood people to speak. The first will be July 11th at 6:30 P.M. Toni and Fausto Palafax, who own Mission Hills Nursery, will speak about the nursery.
On August 15th, Dixie Hall who owns Dixie Pops, a local shop featuring homemade ice cream, will speak about her ice cream.
Other programs will be a performance by Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on June 20th at 6:30 P.M. It will be followed by a Pride open mic.
A poetry reading will be held on August 6th from 12 to 2:30.
Financials: Don Rudesill provided the April financial report. Bookstore cash sales were $1,641.50, Bookstore Square sales (credit card) were $154.92, Amazon sales were $1,222.44 and book cart sales and donations were $50.00. Total income was $3,068.86. Expenses included $75.94 for a new toaster oven for the branch staff room. Total expenses were $158.69. Our totals in all accounts are $161,368.46.
Librarian’s report: Steve gave a report on matching funds balances as of May 2nd. The Materials fund has a balance of $28,251.23, Equipment and Supplies has $11,113.81, Performers and Contracts $9,269.83. The unmatched Trust Fund has a balance of $10,466.93.
Steve said that the mayor increased the matching funds amount for the upcoming fiscal year to $1.4 million.
In answer to a question, Steve said that our branch is basically fully staffed now, more than it has been in the past.
Recent expenses included anti-graffiti window film replacement at about $1,067.00, crayons for children’s crafts $39.47, expenses for Tinker Tuesday of $138.98. Steve requested renewed supplies for making buttons of $150.00, and supplies for Shrinky Dinks of $45.00. Both were approved.
Steve anticipates needing matching funds for the Summer Reading Program which runs from June 1st through August 31st. Performers are scheduled every Friday at 10 A.M. The program is available to adults as well as children.
Bookstore: Michele Pieters said that Square, our new credit/debit card system is working with no problems. Sue Eubanks said the instructions are in the back of the red book in the store. There is also an on-line “help” feature on the machine.
The PC in the bookstore is being repaired by reinstalling the operating system for a price of $99.00. We are using a laptop temporarily.
Sue Eubanks said that trash is not being picked up in the bookstore before her shift on Friday. Steve will report it.
Sue distributed a new form for volunteers to track hours that are nor recorded in the bookstore. If you do not have a copy, please take one in the bookstore, record it to date, and return it to Pat Littell, secretary, for safe keeping.
Michele suggested that we have a get together later in the summer for the volunteers since we are rarely able to see each other during the year. Yolie McLeland and Pat Littell have volunteered outdoor space at their homes.
Website: Al Hoefer reminded us to send anything we want to post on our website.
Our annual domain name renewal is $33.99.
Al received and forwarded a volunteer inquiry from the website.
Al created and made signs showing the credit and debit cards that we take in the bookstore. The signs have been posted on the door and in Lucite stands.
Membership: Chuck Leib verified that he had received two payments from Anne.
Chuck said that he and Al will get together to how to document memberships paid on-line.
Chuck said that he sent a letter last month with a return envelope to sixteen members who have not paid for 2022. In answer to a question of payments made late in the year, Nancy Carol Carter, former membership chairperson, said that those would be considered paid for the next year. This follows Corporate guidelines.
To increase memberships, Chuck will order a Lucite displays with a holder for membership envelopes. One of the holders will be for the bookstore, the other will be for the main circulation desk.
Corporate Friends meeting: Anne said that Corporate is having a book offering to Friends groups today to clear excess. Since we have plenty of donated material, we will not be attending.
Roundtable: Holly Murten asked about staff attending ALA annual events. Steve said there might be a partial payment, but that the event will be in San Diego next year, making it easier to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:55 A.M. The next meeting will be June 18th. The July meeting will be on the 16th. Both will be at 11 A.M.
Attendance: Anne Box, Steve Wheeler, Michele Pieters, Elaine Kalin, Al Hoefer, Sue Eubanks, Holly Murten, Don Rudesill, Chuck Leib, Marcia Schulman, Nancy Carol Carter, Don Liddell and Pat Littell