HELEN M. PLUM MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES

March 23, 2011

Call to Order: Chairman Carlson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Small Conference Room. Committee members Virginia Carlson, Kris Johnson, Linnea Warda were present.

Absent: None

Staff members present: Library Director Bob Harris and Business Office Assistant Norma Moore

Visitors: None

Public comment: None

Changes or Additions to the Agenda: None

Action Items: None

Friends of the Library
Mr. Harris and the Administrative Team discussed how the Library would be best served by the Friends. Mr. Harris presented a list of ideas that the Committee discussed.

Homeless
Mr. Harris and Kris Johnson met with Rev. Hatfield and Sandra Hill of the First Church and Beth Epstein of PADS on March 22nd upon the suggestion of Village officials, to better understand their position in offering to provide a PADS program rather than merely a warming center. Rev. Hatfield explained that a warming center without any services offered would not be compatible with their mission to end homelessness. The First Church and PADS already rely on a variety of diminishing resources to obtain funds and cannot further exhaust those resources. If funds were available from another source they would still be willing to offer a program but would need to know by May 2011 in order to get the program started by September 2011. The Committee agreed that finding additional funding seems unlikely.

The Committee briefly discussed the possibility of creating a focus group of the homeless community. Mr. Harris is encouraged by his research that shows that a forum for face-to-face communication will allow us to better meet their needs; consequently we may have fewer incidents.

Ms. Carlson would like to know how Congregation Etz Chaim on Main Street in Lombard runs their PADS ministry on Sundays.

The Committee is not yet prepared to make a recommendation on a statement to the Village of Lombard.

Patron comments
None

Update on projects and issues
None

Adjournment: There being no further business, Ms. Warda moved, and it was seconded to adjourn. Ms. Carlson declared the meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

Secretary

Notes taken by Norma Moore.