August 2025 Board Meeting

Agenda

Jacksonville Public Library

Board of Trustees

Monday, August 11, 2025    5:00 p.m.

• Call to Order

• Public Comments

• Minutes of July 14, 2025, Board Meeting

• Financial Reports
  • Approval of the Payment of Payroll and Bills for August 2025

• Endowment Report

• Director’s Report

• Comparative Service Report

• Committees:
  • Automation/Technology
  • Building and Grounds
  • Finance
  • Personnel
  • Public Relations

• Friends of the Library

• RSA/RAILS

• Old Business
  • FY26 Public Library Per Capita Grant

• New Business
  • House Bill 1910/Public Act 104-0056

• Adjournment

Minutes

August 11, 2025

The regular meeting of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees was held on August 11, 2025, in the conference room of the Jacksonville Public Library.  The following Trustees were present: President Mary Fergurson, Laura Bandy, Noel Beard, Beth Capo, Forrest Keaton, and Elizabeth Kennedy.  The following Trustees were absent: Kevin Eckhoff, Lisa Haley, and Katie Weeks.  Library Director Jake Magnuson and Bridgette Fox (staff writer from the Jacksonville Journal-Courier) were also present

President Fergurson called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

President Fergurson asked if there were any persons desiring to make public comments, and there were none.

On motion of Kennedy, seconded by Bandy, and carried, the minutes of the July 14, 2025 meeting of the Board of Trustees were approved as published.

The financial reports and bills were reviewed.  On motion of Beard, seconded by Capo, and carried, the financial reports for August 2025 were approved and all properly approved expenses and payroll for August 2025 in the amount of $80,227.09 are to be paid out of general funds as funds are available.

Keaton reported the Endowment Fund market value was $2,477,437.85 as of July 31, 2025, and noted that, after taking into account $105,588.05 of cash disbursements since December 31, 2024, the market value had increased by $148,578.33 since December 31, 2024. 

Director’s Report

Magnuson reviewed the Director’s Report, July 2025.  He reported that, during July, the Summer Reading Program had concluded and other summer programs had wound down.

Magnuson reported that Neff-Colvin had addressed several maintenance issues, including replacing stained and broken ceiling tiles, adjusting closure speeds on several restroom doors, installing the replacement for the broken patio window, ordering new glass for a cracked window, rerouting the downspout by the staff door away from the building, and pouring new concrete for the sidewalk leading up to the staff door.  Neff-Colvin will also be looking at obtaining concrete blocks to reroute some of the other downspouts away from the building and preparing a proposal for replacing the front door, which has a crack in the glass.

Magnuson reported that Sablotney Floors had installed the new carpet in the vestibule between the patio doors.

Magnuson reported that Kone Elevators had repaired the emergency light in the elevator, and the elevator was reinspected and passed.

Magnuson reported on the problems experienced with one of the air conditioning units during June and July and the difficulties experienced in getting service from Doyle Plumbing and Heating.  He expressed his frustration with the situation but noted that a new sensor has been ordered to replace the sensor which was misreading the temperature differential.

Magnuson reported that Claire Peak from Memorial Health Care dropped off four mental health kits for the Library to circulate and that a sign-out sheet for the bags has been created for this program which begins on August 18.

Magnuson reported that the new website was launched on July 9 and that he and Brittany Overby had a training session with CyberOptik on July 19 on how to use the administrative backend.

Magnuson reported that the Friends of the Library met on July 17 but, due to vacations, the meeting lacked a quorum to conduct business.  The new Board President, Emily Mueller, led a discussion on the newest fundraising event, a jigsaw puzzle competition to be held on September 13.

Magnuson reported that he had participated in his regular monthly segment on WLDS radio and that the Jacksonville Journal-Courier had reported on several Library events during July.

Magnuson reported that the Library had received its first property tax distribution of $264,494.10 on July 16.

Magnuson reported on circulation activities during the month of July.

Magnuson reported that July was a very busy month for Adult Services in which Ali Jones had 33 appointments for technology assistance, job search and resume building.  He reported there were five Adult Service programs during July which included the rescheduled Jacksonville Centennial Celebration program, the book club, the teen/adult craft night, a movie night, and a family game night.  He reported that Ali Jones has been sending information about upcoming events to local media outlets and posting them on social media.

Magnuson reported that the summer bookmobile program was very successful and will be wrapping up in August before school starts.  He reported that the Adult Summer Reading Program will be concluding in early August.

Magnuson reported that Ali Jones had another technology visit to The Pointe assisted living facility and that she is waiting to hear from the Activity Director at Cedarhurst about scheduling a similar program.

 Magnuson reported that Heidi Estabrook took the mobile library to all of the scheduled stops to provide homebound patrons with plenty of books.  He reported that she had worked with the Activity Directors at Cedarhurst, The Pointe Memory Care, and Arcadia Care about ideas for providing materials for activities.

Magnuson reported that Andy Mitchell had presented a poetry program at The Pointe on July 23.

Magnuson reported that there were no community outreach events in July, but that the Library prepared for “National Night Out” and the “Back to School Bash” at which Ali Jones represented the Library in early August.

Magnuson reported that, in Youth Services, July was spent wrapping up the Summer Reading Program.  He reported that the program went well and about 80 people attended the closing party.  He reported that there were 193 kids signed up for the program and 78 of them turned in some amount of time read.

Magnuson reported that the take-and-make crafts were again a big hit.  He reported that Abby Roth and Courtney Langdon prepared 80 to 100 materials kits for each craft and all kits were taken.

Magnuson reported that the murder mystery was again a hit and the kids are already asking about doing another one.

Magnuson reviewed the Comparative Service Report for July 2025.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Automation/Technology

No report.

Building and Grounds

No report.

Finance

Magnuson reported that Health Alliance has announced that it will be ending its medical insurance program and that the Library and the City of Jacksonville will need to explore options for obtaining replacement coverage.

Personnel

No report

Public Relations

No report.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY

No report.

RAILS/RSA

No report.

OLD BUSINESS

Fiscal Year 2026 Public Library Per Capita Grant application.  As part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Public Library Per Capita Grant application process, Magnuson and the Board of Trustees reviewed the checklists for the following two areas contained in the Guidelines of the Illinois Library Association Standards for Illinois Public Libraries: Chapter 4 (Access) and Chapter 5 (Building Infrastructure and Maintenance).

NEW BUSINESS

House Bill 1910/Public Act 104-0056.  The Board of Trustees and Magnuson reviewed the provisions of Public Act 104-0056, which deals with the administration of opioid antagonists by authorized personnel of the Library, and which had been distributed by Magnuson to the Trustees prior to the meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, on motion made by Beard, seconded by Kennedy, and carried, the meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Forrest Keaton