Jacksonville Public Library
Board of Trustees
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 5:00 p.m.
- Call to Order
- Public Comments
- Minutes of September 8, 2025, Board Meeting
- Financial Reports
- Approval of the Payment of Payroll and Bills for October 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
- Parking Lot Repair Proposals
- FY26 Public Library Per Capita Grant
- New Business
- Carpet Cleaning Proposal
- Adjournment
Minutes
October 14, 2025
The regular meeting of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees was held on October 14, 2025, in the conference room of the Jacksonville Public Library. The following Trustees were present: President Mary Fergurson, Noel Beard, Lisa Haley, Forrest Keaton, Elizabeth Kennedy, and Katie Weeks. The following Trustees were absent: Laura Bandy, Beth Capo, and Kevin Eckhoff. Library Director Jake Magnuson was 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 Weeks, and carried, the minutes of the September 8, 2025, meeting of the Board of Trustees were approved as corrected.
The financial reports and bills were reviewed. On motion of Haley, seconded by Weeks, and carried, the financial reports for October 2025 were approved and all properly approved expenses and payroll for October 2025 in the amount of $78,964.04 are to be paid out of general funds as funds are available.
Keaton reported the Endowment Fund market value was $2,572,292.92 as of September 30, 2025, and noted that, after taking into account $106,093.47 of cash disbursements since December 31, 2024, the market value had increased by $271,844.19 since December 31, 2024.
Director’s Report
Magnuson reviewed the Director’s Report, September 2025. He reported that Doyle Plumbing and Heating worked on issues related to repair of the upstairs temperature control sensor and a slow drain in the women’s restroom and children’s area.
Magnuson reported that Morthole Masonry is investigating solutions for flaking at the step by the front door and will be submitting a proposal soon.
Magnuson reported that the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library met on September 18 and decided to postpone the puzzle contest to the winter for better participation. He also reported that the Friends had approved paying for the Youth and Summer Reading programs in the sum of $6,448.79. He also reported that the Friends are seeking to fill two vacancies on its board.
Magnuson reported on displays during the month, including (a) Chad Boehlke’s display about the history of the Jacksonville Public Library, (b) the Crisis Center Foundation’s display for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and (c) the Daughters of the American Revolution’s display for Constitution Week.
Magnuson reported that he attended naloxone training at the Sangamon County Health Department and then trained Library staff on the procedures for its use during the Staff Development Day.
Magnuson reported that he had his regular monthly segment on WLDS radio and that the Library was the subject of articles in the Jacksonville Journal-Courier regarding the Illinois Libraries Present program by Steve Burns, and the Music under the Dome program of Barry Cloyd.
Magnuson reported that the Library had received its second installment of property tax payments in the amount of $235,913.38 and is still waiting for the distribution of the funds for the Personal Property Replacement Tax.
Magnuson reported that, in the next month, he plans to have the job posting to fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Diane Hequet.
Magnuson reported that September was a very busy month for Adult Services and included five Adult Service Programs, i.e., pumpkin coaster craft night and craft day, presentation by local author Larry Kuster, and presentation by author Sylvia Shults. He also reported on upcoming programs by several popular presenters, i.e., John Lynn, Robert Seufert and Sherri Mitchell, and Chad Boehlke.
Magnuson reported that the Music Under the Dome performance by Barry Cloyd on September 7 drew 37 people.
Magnuson reported that Ali Jones’s Tech Drop-in Time at The Pointe is beginning to really gain traction and help residents with technology questions. He reported that she has also been discussing with the activity directors at both The Pointe and Cedarhurst planning for “Senior Crafternoon” once a month at the Library.
Magnuson reported that Ali Jones attended Illinois College’s Welcome Back event at Schewe Library at which she informed students about the different materials and programs that the library has to offer and about the students’ ability to sign up for free library cards. He reported that the library director at Illinois College has invited Ali Jones to come to the Schewe Library in November to put on a craft night for students.
Magnuson reported that the mobile library went to all of its scheduled stops in September. He reported that readership at The Pointe has grown so much that Heidi Estabrook now needs help transporting enough books to satisfy demand and that reading is also increasing at Cedarhurst. He also reported that, at Cedarhurst’s invitation, Andy Mitchell had an encore poetry reading on September 4.
Magnuson reported that Heidi Estabrook received a $1,400 grant from the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln Ann Karen Siciliano Fund for the purchase of memory kits for patrons with cognitive impairment due to dementia. He reported that, during the upcoming months, she will work on purchasing the kits and providing programming for the community and library staff to enhance the library’s support for these individuals, their families, and caretakers.
Magnuson reported that September was a great start to the school year, with consistent attendance at both the morning and afternoon storytimes, which included the first visits from Salem Lutheran School students. He reported that again there were no attendees at the sensory sensitive storytime and that, if there is not an increase in attendance, the library will end this offering at the end of the year.
Magnuson reported that the monthly visits to the Illinois School for the Deaf were very successful, with 24 students checking out a total of 37 items. He reported that the ISD teacher with whom the library staff has been working believes that almost all of the ISD high school students now have a library card.
Magnuson reviewed the Comparative Service Report for September 2025.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Automation/Technology
No report.
Building and Grounds
No report.
Finance
Magnuson reported that the Finance Committee will meet on October 22, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. to prepare the proposed budget for review by the Board of Trustees at the November 10 meeting
Personnel
No report.
Public Relations
No report.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
No report.
RAILS/RSA
No report.
OLD BUSINESS
Parking Lot Repair Proposals. Magnuson and the Board of Trustees reviewed parking lot repair proposals received from Illinois Paving and from Vision Infrastructure Construction Corporation (VICC). After discussion, on motion of Keaton, seconded by Haley, and carried, the Board of Trustees approved entering into an agreement with VICC for a 2025 parking lot repair project consisting of patching and crack filling as set forth in the expanded repairs proposal from VICC dated September 4, 2025, for a total of $22,771.00.
After further discussion, on motion of Beard, seconded by Kennedy, and carried, the Board of Trustees approved entering into an agreement with VICC for a 2026 parking lot repair project consisting of pavement seal coating and marking as set forth in the expanded repairs proposal from VICC dated September 4, 2025, for a total of $4,695.00.
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 8 (System Member Responsibilities and Resource Sharing) and Chapter 9 (Reference Services and Readers Advisory Service).
NEW BUSINESS
Carpet Cleaning Proposal. The Board of Trustees reviewed a proposal from Graham Slam Custodial Service for carpet extraction cleaning of the library at a proposed cost of $4,250.00. On motion of Beard, seconded by Weeks, and carried, the Board of Trustees approved acceptance of the carpet cleaning proposal from Graham Slam Custodial Service.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, on motion made by Kennedy, seconded by Beard, and carried, the meeting was adjourned at 6:01 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Forrest Keaton