Wood County District Public Library will resume Sunday hours Feb. 27.
"My recommendation is that the library resume Sunday hours through May and then close Sundays June
through August and resume on the Sunday after Labor Day," Library Director Elaine Paulette told
library trustees Friday morning. "I realize I am a lame duck on this but I think it would be a
prudent decision because of the likely additional loss of state funding after July 1," she said.
Paulette last month announced plans to retire in April.
She said plans to restore of some hours at the Walbridge branch library have not been finalized.
A special program Feb. 27 will include an open house featuring activities for families, music in the
Atrium, and sundaes, all hosted by the Friends of the Library
The hours are being restored because voters approved a .8-mill levy in November to help support library
operations. Among the promises made by library trustees during the levy campaign were restoration of
Sunday hours, increased purchases of books and replacement of aging computer equipment.
Paulette said the library expects to receive its first-half check from the levy by early March. She also
said that the state check for February is projected to be three percent more than February 2010 because
state tax collections are running slightly ahead of projections. "We expect to see a downturn (in
the amount of the state checks) in the second half of the year," she said.
Director of Adult Services Michael Penrod said he and Maria Simon, director of youth services, "had
a lot of fun" earlier last week ordering books that will be added to the shelves over the next six
months. "For the first time in a long time we have been able to order books in areas that we have
not been able to pay a lot of attention too," he said.
Simon said the Children’s Place was busy during January, highlighted with the visit of author/illustrator
Will Hillenbrand, who spoke to more than 500 students at Conneaut Elementary, 65 students at Bowling
Green State University and another 130 people at an evening program at the library. "There seem to
be many new people in the library every day learning about the things we do," Simon said.
Trustees also:
¥ Heard that all 36 of the oral history DVDs have disappeared from the library. Penrod said the items
disappeared Feb. 5. He asked that whoever has the material see that it is returned.
¥ Learned that circulation on Jan. 31 surged 91 percent from the previous Monday. Penrod speculated that
people were preparing for the storms being predicted that week.
¥ Learned the redesign of the library website is nearing completion. Staff member Mary Boone will spend a
day at the State Library in Columbus for training. Paulette said the new site will allow easier updating
and provide other improvements.
¥ Approved a new health insurance contract for full-time employees that will cost approximately $9 a
month less per employee. The 17 employees pay $35 per pay period toward the $318.56 per month cost on a
single plan. Details are being worked out on the new dental plan.
¥ Changed the monthly meeting date to the third Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. for the remainder of 2011. The lone
exception is that the Sept. 20 meeting will be at 7 p.m. in the Walbridge branch.
¥ Met for 105 minutes in executive session to discuss personnel issues and then returned to regular
session to complete the agenda.
¥ Will hold a board retreat March 5 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the library.
