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PARIS PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD MARCH 18, 1998 MINUTES The Paris Public Library Advisory Board met in regular session Wednesday, March 18, 1998, at 4:05 PM in the Texas History Room with Chairman Keitt Wood presiding. The following members were present: John Howison, Rogene Patterson, and Beth Shelton. Absent were Jackie Alsobrook, Frances Ellis, Virginia Gibbs and Ralph Rodgers. Friends President Catharine Browning and Library Director Beverly Lewis were present. The February 25, 1998 Minutes were approved as distributed. Ms. Lewis distributed the Budget Report and advised the Library was on target with expenditures for the first five months of this fiscal year. The Statistical Report was distributed and Ms. Lewis noted that there was a slight decrease of 344 items in circulation in February this year over the same month last year and 24, 150 items were checked out. The year to date circulation is 114,119 which reflects a minus 1.25% in circulation over the same period last year. The decreases were mainly in adult books and juvenile videos and amounted to 18 items per open day. 1,057 new items were added to the collection in February and nearly half of them were juvenile titles. The Library collection now includes 77,6012 books; 3,424 audio books; and 6,466 videos. 203 patrons received new library cards in February and there are 15,647 registered borrowers. In February there were 22 children's programs which 266 kids and 128 adults attended. The Senior Outreach program served 8 senior centers, 1 museum and 1 homebound patron and total circulation was 459 items. National Library Week will be celebrated simultaneously with Week of the Young Child this year beginning with a Parade Saturday, March 18. Afterwards, participants will come to the Library for refreshments sponsored by Friends of the Library and a storytime which will include two puppet shows. Throughout the following week, there will be daily book related themes and several classes from three elementary schools will visit the Library for special programs. The Library will be festively decorated and there will be exhibits and carts of new materials throughout. Ms. Lewis advised the Library is applying for the Federally sponsored telecommunications discount, referred to as the "B- Rate ", which could mean savings as high as 70% for Internet connections and service. This application is in progress and will take several months to complete.