Lawton Memorial Library Board Meeting

                 Regular Board Meeting           Tuesday, July 22, 2025

                                                                                               

*5:00 p.m. Chair Barbara Melvin called the meeting to order at the Lawton Memorial Library, 118 N. Bird Street. Roll call was taken with all board members present: Melvin, Gail Muller, Georgia Everson, Donna Niles, Carol Persons, Gwendolyn Hatfield, and Kimberly Walker. Also present, Librarian Lisa Ahler.    

     

*Verification of posting at the Bank, Post Office, and Village Office on July 21, 2025, was given.  

 

*Niles moved, Hatfield seconded to approve the meeting minutes from May 20, 2025. (Carried).

     

*Financial report: Reviewed the report from 1/1/2025 thru 7/21/2025. The operating balance is $56,455.89.  We have $3,925 in donations to date, plus $849 from 2024. The savings account has $5,076.78, plus the 3 CDs of $26,228.47, $10,489.56, and $12,589.23 (which matures on 7-29-25). The best option at Farmers State Bank now is a 9-month CD at 4.05%. Hatfield moved, Everson seconded to approve the financial report and approve renewing CD#3, for $12,589.23 at the 4.05% rate. (Carried).  

 

*Director/Statistical Report:

**The State is running a Speak Up for Libraries postcard campaign. Cards are available for comments.  

**We’re hoping to have the STEM sets ready by the start of the school year.  

**The Vernon County Reads program, with author Beth Amos, is August 14th, at 7 p.m. at the Westby Performing Arts center. 

**A notice will be put on the webpage, that the library has a suggestion box out.

**No news from Vernon County Clerk Jerry Pedretti on our county trustee assignments.   

**Lisa has started a big shift of books, to make room for a Mystery/Suspense row.

**Programming: The numbers are down in some areas. Storytime will start again in October and surveys are out for Storytime needs. Page Turners and Cookin’ the Books have had low attendance. Sip & Chat is well attended. Summer Reading has 17 participants. For the Lego Club, debating on having it once or twice a month during the school year. Ben Johnston was here May 19th for “Planting for the Bird” with only 1 in attendance. July 28th is Aging 101 with Dr. Taylor and July 29th is “Medicare Mysteries Explained” with Katie from ADRC. Fair Passes start August 1st and will be doing a Passport Challenge.        

**Lisa passed out the statistical report for May and June, showing circulation numbers, Patrons in the library, Groups/ Program numbers, and revenue received.       

    

*Friends Update: Due to the weather, Music in Park was in the Community center, and it did well. There is one more Music in the Park at the end of August. Sold around 20 pies at the 4th of July Music in the Park event. Made about $1,200.    

 

*Business:

**Holds/Library Database Overview-Vega Discover: Lisa presented an overview of the holds process. Patrons can monitor the library catalog and other resources for upcoming titles. If an "on-order" record is available in the catalog, a hold may be placed—sometimes up to 3–4 months before the item’s release. When a hold is placed, our patron is given priority and will receive the item first from our Library before it becomes available to other libraries in the system. Once the item arrives, it is cataloged, scanned into the system, and made visible on the library website. If our patrons have placed no holds, the item will be automatically routed to another library in the system upon check-in.

 

*Public Comments: None.

 

*The next meeting was scheduled for October 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (Budget time).  

                  

*Muller moved, Hatfield seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 5:44 p.m.

 

                                                             ___________________________________

                                                                        Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer