MINUTES of the Annual meeting of the Pitkin County Library Board of Trustees on December 10, 2025. The meeting was called to order at 12:01 PM in the Hot Pick Room.
Roll Call:
Trustees Present:
Pres. John Wilkinson (JW)
V.P. Elizabeth Nix (EN)
Sec. Anna Lookabill Scott (ALS)
Tres. Audrey Ellis (AE)
Ashley Connolly (AC)
Austine Stitt (AS)
Alternate Present:
Chris Keleher (CK) – Voting Member
Staff Present:
Genevieve Smith (GS), PC Librarian
Anna Steinberg, Assistant to PC Librarian
Melissa Knight, PC Director of HR
Jodie Smith, PC Assets Director
Approval of Minutes for November 12, 2025
- Moved by Austine Stitt 2nd by Audrey Ellis
- Passed by Board, unanimously
Public Comment:
- None
Trustees Comments & Librarian’s Report:
- Trustee Comments-
- John – Federal Funds have been released to the State. John was asked to return to DC as a representative for the Library Board in Colorado. We need to keep a watch on the front as things like the Supreme Court's refusal to hear a case from a library lawsuit.
Librarian’s Report-
- Staffing:
- Jennifer Hanson’s seasonal position had ended but she will return in the spring. She leads the sewing and knitting programs and will continue on a limited basis.
- Diana Flores, a bi-lingual team member, has returned for a winter seasonal position and leading updates to the Ask-a-Librarian service and Lunch-and-Learn tech help.
- Strategic Plan Update:
- Committee has been meeting weekly with the Consulting Team- with a broader Steering Committee, consisting of enthusiastic community leaders, meeting occurring Tuesday December 9th. They are also looking to get feedback from User and Non-User focus groups.
- A staff survey was launched on the 8th to gather internal perspectives and ideas
- Tech & Facilities Updates:
- AV Replacement RFP Update: Is happening with work in the Dunnaway Room to be completed by the 12th and training for staff on the 16th.
- Public Computers: Replacement will be happening in 2026 (already on order)
- Print Management & Payment: A new system is in place- Princh- so patrons can print from home and their own devices. Marmot will enable credit card payments, but until then it is a coin-based system. New units have also been ordered for replacement in 2026. Print management from home is an on demand service: print from home, then come in and it is queued based on your email account- once confirmed, it will print on site.
- Roof Heat Tape: Electricians have identified a viable path for the electrical work and supplies have been ordered with anticipation that the heat tape project will be completed this year (weather dependent).
- Collections:
- With the end of vendor Baker & Taylor, staff identified a new book vendor, Ingram, but with high demand for their services, changes have had to be implemented. Staff had taken on processing more in-house and have scaled back ordering, focusing on high demand & children’s books. Once things have stabilized, staff hopes to resume to normal workflow.
- Follow up from PC Attorney- Email explaining the roles of BOCC oversight to funds and PCLB. John wants to ensure that restricted funds are not subject to BOCC discretion.
Old Business-
- Establish a Policy Review Subcommittee - Tabled
- Electrification & Bollard Update: Presented by Jody Smith, PC Asset’s Director
- Bollards- Safety barriers presented to BOCC- 25% of process is completed with concept designs to help guide them to the 50% phase. These are getting paid for by the general funds and are meant to help protect PC assets and people. This will save money by reducing the risk of larger damage due to an accident or intentional incident.
- Vote to move forward with getting bollards on site
- Moved by Audrey Ellis 2nd by Chris Keleher
- Passed by Board, 6 for, 1 against
- Guidance to look at a hybrid design of natural with elements of Bauhaus like found at Meadows campus that mimics nature.
- Electrification Update- currently at 50% drawing with plans for 100% drawings by the 25th in order to meet deadlines to make it happen in 2026 as they need eight months of lead time and want to complete/install before next winter. Sound study requires barriers if over 55 decibels, with light weight visual barrier, it will muffle the noise so that an architecturally designed wall is not needed.
- It was determined that even if all the wiring and units on the roof are not fully operational, they will be in place and the boilers connected before winter so that the Library is not left without heat. Permitting will be in early January.
- Executive Session Library Director Review: Presented by Melissa Knight, PC Director of HR
- The County restructured their review process, decoupling meeting goals to salary increases to a more coaching methodology. They are 18 months into the new process with successes and still growing into the process. Last year Genevieve’s review was postponed due to various circumstances, so this year the review period covers Nov 2024-Oct 2025
John Motioned:
“Pursuant to section 24-6-402(4) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, I move that this [regular or special] public meeting of the Pitkin County Library Board of Trustees adjourn and, upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present, reconvene in executive session for the sole purpose of discussing [topic to be discussed, described with as much detail as possible] as authorized by [statutory citation from the list of Executive Session reasons].”
Ashley Connolly 2nd
Passed by Present Board Members Unanimously
“Begin Recording”
“This executive session is being held on December 10th, 2025 at 12:45 pm. As required by the Colorado Open Meetings Law (C.R.S. § 24-6-401 and § 24-6-402), this executive session is electronically recorded.
Present at this executive session are the Pitkin County Library Board of Trustees, including: John Wilkinson, Elizabth Nix, Anna Lookabill Scott, Audrey Ellis, Ashley Connolly, Austine Stitt and Chris Keleher, and staff, including Melissa Knight, Pitkin County Human Resources Director.
I caution each participant to confine all discussion to the stated purpose of the executive session and to note that no formal action may occur during the executive session.
If at any point during the executive session any participant believes that the discussion is going outside the proper scope of the executive session, please interrupt the discussion and make an objection.”
Conversation on review occurred lead by Melissa with questions and comments from Board members.
Next steps – Melissa will draft notes and send to Board in a memo. Then John, Melissa and Ann Driggers will meet with Genevieve in January to go over review.
John Motioned to adjourn executive session:
“I hereby attest that this recording reflects the actual contents of the discussion at the executive session and has been made in lieu of any written minutes to satisfy the recording requirements of the Open Meetings Law. I will retain this recording in my possession for a 90-day period.
The time is now 1:23 pm, and we now conclude the executive session and return to the open meeting.”
Adjourned at 1:23 pm
John called to order regular meeting
Review Future Meetings Schedule 2026
- January 14 (schedule 2+ hours), February 11, March 11, April 8, May 13, June 10
Adjourned @ 1:25 PM
Moved by Audrey Ellis 2nd by Elizabeth Nix