The Medina County District Library Board of Trustees met in regular session on Monday, May 19, 2025, at Brunswick Library. With a quorum present, President William Koran called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Roll call: The following members were present: William Koran, Mark Krosse, Sarah Vachon, Brian Harr, Caleb Parker, Ann Marie Flannery and Christopher Jakab.

Library staff members in attendance included: Julianne Bedel, Executive Director; Allison Gaebelein, Fiscal Officer; Suzie Muniak, Deputy Director; Emily Henry, Human Resources Director; Connie Sureck, Brunswick Branch Manager; and Jennifer O’Neill, Deputy Fiscal Officer acting as recording secretary.

Approval of the Agenda: Mr. Harr motioned, and Mr. Krosse seconded the motion to add the agenda item “IV. Recognition of guests and comments” and adopt the agenda as revised. Motion carried.

Recognition of Guests and Comments from the Public: President Koran welcomed all in attendance.

Disposition of Meeting Minutes: Mr. Parker motioned, and Ms. Vachon seconded the motion to approve the April 21, 2025, regular meeting minutes. Motion carried.

Approval of Financial Report: Mr. Harr motioned, and Mr. Krosse seconded the motion to approve the April 2025 financial report. Motion carried.

Fiscal Officer Allison Gaebelein highlighted that April 2025 receipts totaled $505,304.70 while expenses totaled $926,838.13. There was an unexpended cash balance of $18,542,422.13 minus outstanding encumbrances of $3,266,631.66 leaving an ending unencumbered balance of

$15,275,790.47.

General Fund revenues are up 0.6% over the prior year-to-date, and General Fund expenses are up 1.9% compared to the same year-to-date period.

April 2025 investments earned $58,740.60 at an average weighted interest rate of 4.182% as compared to $62,837.58 in April 2024. The 2025 year-to-date total investment earnings are

$221,544.71.

April 2025 PLF came in at $305,341.64. This is $43,478.26 higher than April 2024 and $27,148.64 higher than budgeted. The year-to-date total for the PLF is up 10.7% from 2024 and up 10.98% from the 2025 budget. The State budget process is still underway in the Senate and still being monitored since it greatly affects the PLF.

Mr. Koran asked if the state budget included a provision for maximum carry-over amounts for

libraries since there is language regarding carry-over amounts for schools. Ms. Gaebelein responded that no, there is not currently language in the state budget affecting libraries’ carry-over amounts.

Ms. Bedel also noted that libraries do not receive funding for capital improvements like schools.

Executive Director’s Report: Executive Director Julianne Bedel highlighted that the door count was down 5% and total circulation was up 1.75% from April 2024. Circulation of physical items was down 4% and circulation of digital items was up 11%. Overall computer usage was up 18% and Wi- Fi use was down 4%. Meeting room bookings were up 36%. The number of new library cards issued was down 28%. The number of passport applications was up 10%. The number of programs offered was up 7% and the number of patrons attending programs was up 1%.

Since January 2021, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has purchased rapid antigen tests and worked with a wide range of partners including local health departments and public libraries, to increase access to COVID-19 testing for the public. To date, ODH has distributed more than 19 million tests through community partners to provide testing to Ohioans at no cost. In May 2023, the worldwide COVID-19 public health emergency ended and in March 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the end of certain federal grants directly tied to COVID response, including the grant that ODH had used to purchase these tests. Therefore, the State of Ohio will no longer purchase COVID-19 test kits for distribution to the public. The Library currently has approximately 2,000 COVID-19 test kits that will expire in August. When the kits are gone or expired, there will no longer be COVID-19 kits available for public distribution. Thank you to the staff for being part of this public effort when the need was great.

Jeff Sureck is working with our Technology and Facilities staff to update our phone system district-wide in June. We are planning to minimize impact on patrons and personnel and will make every effort to communicate in advance when limited disruptions may occur.

Thank you to Will Koran, Sarah Vachon, and Brian Harr for attending OLC’s annual Northeast Trustee

Dinner to hear the legislative update from Michelle Francis and Jay Smith.

Congratulations to Technology Services Coordinator Evan Furillo on his graduation from Leadership Medina County’s LEAD Institute. This program is always a wonderful learning experience to build professional connections and represent MCDL in the community.

Hats off to Kitty Hinkle who just earned her Ohio Library Council Certified Public Librarian designation. We applaud her commitment to continuing education.

The American Library Association’s Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table and the Will and Ann

Eisner Family Foundation have awarded the 2025 Will Eisner Graphic Novel Growth Grant to

MCDL. Collection Resources Director Chris Weaver-Pieh will accept the award in Philadelphia in June at ALA’s annual convention. Monica Heath crafted the grant application, “My Journey, My Voice” which will enhance the collection and programming that supports teens learning to express their emotions via sequential art. Working with community partners, young patrons will have the opportunity to create art, channel emotion and concern into a physical art form, see themselves in art of their own making, and engage with a wider selection of graphic novels. The objective of the Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries is to facilitate library-generated programs and services that will promote graphic novels to library patrons and to the local community. The grant award consists of $2,000 in collection development funds to purchase graphic novels for our circulating collection, $1,000 to host a

graphic novel-themed event, and $1,000 to defray the cost for a staff member to attend the ALA Annual Conference to accept the award. Additionally, MCDL will receive a collection of Will Eisner’s work and a selection of the winning titles from this year’s Will Eisner Awards at Comic-Con International.

This collection is valued at approximately $3,000. Thank you to Ms. Heath for a successful application, and to the library staff who will implement the collection expansion and program for our patrons.

Mr. Harr asked what an Ellison machine does. Ms. Bedel responded that it is a craft machine used to cut materials into shapes, numbers, and letters. Mr. Harr also asked if the Library’s Board meeting minutes that are currently being scanned and digitized would be searchable by keywords. Ms. Bedel responded that yes, they are searchable.

Communication: Ms. Bedel shared a note from Kristen Minichello to Ms. Muniak thanking MCDL for the collaboration on the Children’s Center pinwheel garden and walk.

Personnel Report: Mr. Parker motioned, and Ms. Flannery seconded the motion to approve the April Personnel Report. Motion carried.

Human Resources highlights from April 2025 include welcoming two new staff members while three left employment. One employee was promoted. There were two leaves of absence compared to six last month.

The quarterly leadership training workshop was held on April 22. Supervisors attended “Leading with Confidence: Decision-making and effective supervision,” presented by Ragan Snead MLIS/MBA, the Executive Director of NEO-RLS.

Wendy Campbell, Medina Library Associate, celebrated ten years with MCDL. Congratulations and thank you, Wendy! It’s a pleasure to have her on the MCDL team.

Board Committee Reports:

Personnel Committee: No Meeting. Next scheduled meeting is June 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

Buildings Committee: No Meeting

Policy and By-laws Committee: No Meeting

Finance Committee: No Meeting

Unfinished Business: Ms. Bedel gave a brief update on efforts to find a fiscal agent for the Dolly

Parton’s Imagination Library program in Medina County.

Mr. Harr motioned, and Mr. Jakab seconded the motion to enter into executive session for the purpose of a collective bargaining matter to prepare for negotiations relating to compensation or other terms of employment for Library employees at 6:21 p.m.

Roll Call Vote: Mr. Krosse – Aye; Mr. Parker – Aye; Ms. Vachon – Aye; Mr. Harr – Aye; Ms. Flannery – Aye; Mr. Jakab – Aye; Mr. Koran – Aye. Motion carried.

Ms. Bedel, Ms. Gaebelein, and Ms. Henry were asked to attend the session. Regular session resumed at 6:35 p.m.

New Business:

Brunswick Library Presentation: Brunswick Branch Manager Connie Sureck gave a presentation on the wide variety of services, resources, and programs at the Brunswick Library. She highlighted that 20,000 people attended children’s programs last year. She also highlighted the world language collection and citizenship corner as popular resources within the community.

OPERS Audit: Ms. Gaebelein noted that the Auditor of State conducted an OPERS audit last month. The Auditor of State completed the audit and released their findings that the data and wages reported by MCDL to OPERS were accurate and complete.

Donations: Ms. Vachon motioned, and Mr. Krosse seconded the motion to approve the following donations for April. Motion carried.

1. Keith Demarest: Six board games

2. Trenton Fumich: Three copies of his book Autism Does Not Have Limits

3. Joseph Kisvardai: $11,000

4. Charles Mayo: $150

5. Ciera Ann Thomas: $100

6. Louis Chaki: $30

The donations were accepted with gratitude.

Trustees Comments:

Ms. Flannery congratulated Ms. Hinkle on her OLC Certified Public Librarian certification. She remarked that it is wonderful to see the Eisner grant funding will directly benefit the community.

Mr. Harr thanked Ms. Sureck for her presentation and for always promoting a positive environment in Brunswick. He thanked the staff for supporting the Pinwheel Walk. He congratulated Ms.

Gaebelein on the clean OPERS audit report.

Ms. Vachon thanked Ms. Sureck for her very engaging presentation. She thanked Ms. Bedel for the update on the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.

Mr. Parker thanked Ms. Sureck for her presentation. He congratulated Ms. Gaebelein on the clean audit report. He is thankful to see OLC’s continued support and advocacy for libraries during the state’s budgetary process.

Mr. Krosse thanked Ms. Sureck for her presentation and was impressed by the 20,000 patrons attending children’s programs. He thanked the Brunswick Library staff for their great service to the community, including the citizenship corner.

Mr. Jakab thanked Ms. Sureck for her enjoyable presentation of the Brunswick Library.