Minutes: Evansville Library Board: December 2011

EAGER FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY SPECIAL MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 5, 2011 1. Call to Order. Board President Susan Kruser called the meeting to order at 5:33pm. Trustees present: Susan Kruser, Walter Shannon, Gwen Glendenning, Kim Miller, Robert Flaherty, Eloise Eager and Johanna Lema. Also present: Library Director Kathi Kemp and Cheryl Fuchs, City Liaison to Eager Free. Absent: None. 2. Approval of November 29, 2011 Minutes. K. Miller moved to approve the minutes. S Kruser seconded. Discussion: The meeting minutes mistakenly excluded E. Eager as a voting member. Therefore, they are to be amended as follows: Eloise Eager was a voting member and voted yeah on the motions requiring a roll call vote. All in favor to accept the minutes as amended; none opposed. Motion carried. 3. Librarian’s Report a. Discuss meeting room use There is a Policy for the meeting room established in 2008. K. Miller summarized the Policy. [Policy at Page 1, number 3: Prohibited Uses of the Meeting Room.] Prohibited uses of the meeting room include: “Political Campaigns, political fundraising. (Political activities, Forums, and town hall meetings that do not favor or promote a political candidate or party are permitted.)” The question of legality was covered by W. Shannon. There is a constitutional balancing act required. The law allows Libraries to regulate political activities (free speech) on site so long as the reason for the regulation is not the fact the the library board disagrees with the political position of the activity. The only other prohibition is if the activity was to occur within a specific timing and distance of a polling place. Free Speech is to be balanced against the library’s business reason for the restriction. The point of the Policy appears to be that the library wants to promote a political dialogue and provision of political information but not be in a position where it is promoting a specific party or candidate over another. S. Kruser made a motion ratifying the earlier passage of the meeting room policy and stating that the board shall follow the policy as expressed. Motion was seconded by K. Miller. All in favor and none opposed. 4. Closed Session (6:00pm) S. Kruser moved to go into closed session as per Section 19.85 (1) (c). E. Eager seconded. All in favor and none opposed. Entered closed session at 6:30 pm. K. Miller made a motion to leave closed session. W. Shannon seconded. All in favor and none opposed. Close session ended at 6:26pm. 8. Adjourn. K. Miller made a motion to adjourn the meeting. G. Clendenning seconded. All in favor; none opposed. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:27pm. Respectfully Submitted; Walter E. Shannon, Secretary, Library Board of Trustees - Eager Free Public Library Note: Minutes of the Library Board of Trustees are not official until approved by the Library Board of Trustees at a meeting called and noticed for that purpose.