FOL Executive Board Meeting for October 5, 2024

At 1:00 PM, Chairman Sarah Reed called the meeting to order.

Attendance
Those in attendance were Linda Portman, Kara Rumble, Mary Anne Edwards, Susan Stanton, Gerry Slaughter, Pat Bull, Tom Hill, Sarah Reed, and Joan Hill.

Approval of Minutes
The Secretary’s report was given by Joan Hill. The minutes from the July meeting were approved with one correction.

Treasurer’s Report (Tom Hill)

• Total deposits through September 2024: $40,371.18
• Total disbursements to Cherokee Public Libraries: $37,050.00
• Total expenses thus far: $2,838.17

Balances as of September 30, 2024:

• FOL Fund: $8,352.67
• Ball Ground: $158.27
• Hickory Flat: $3,273.43
• RT Jones: $480.82
• Rose Creek: $361.83
• Woodstock: $1,333.49
• Total Balance: $13,960.51

Tom made a motion to disburse $7,000.00 to Cherokee County Libraries. The motion was approved.

Membership Report (Sarah Reed)

• Current Membership: 148 members (an increase from the last meeting).

Grants Report (Tom Hill for Dianna Gunter)

• No grants received from Cobb EMC for the past three months.
• No response yet from Amicalola EMC, which awards grants every three months.

Bookstore Report (Tom Hill)

• Woodstock Public Library: $15,385.28
• Hickory Flat: $2,837.39
• Rose Creek: $106.12

A discussion followed regarding the large number of 10-cent books stored in the POD. The decision was made to:

• Continue setting up 10-cent tables on the porch at WPL during Live Sales.
• Donate any remaining books at the end of each sale to No Longer Bound.

Tom will check if the Square Reader can be permanently placed at Hickory Flat, as it may help increase sales.

Volunteer Recruitment and Sales Frequency

• Sarah Reed contacted the Beta Club sponsor at Sequoyah High School, who agreed that students could volunteer at WPL book sales.
• Sarah created a SignUp Genius for student volunteers.
• A discussion was held regarding how often WPL sales should be held, due to a lack of volunteers. The board decided to wait for one or two more sales before making a final decision.

New Business

Committee Assignments

• Nominating Committee: Joan Hill
• Susan White Award Committee: Susan Stanton
• Audit Committee: Dianna Gunter, Linda Portman

Library System Report (Kara Rumble, Deputy Director)

• SRLS was a featured sponsor for the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce’s Schmoozapalooza, a large business networking event. This provided an opportunity for SRLS to increase name recognition and engage with attendees.
• Scarecrow Displays featuring library-themed designs will be set up in Woodstock and Canton this fall.
• Election Polling Places: Three SRLS branches will serve as polling locations this fall:
  • Ball Ground
  • Hickory Flat
  • Rose Creek

New Federal Reporting Requirement
Tom Hill reported that a new federal reporting requirement for FOL will soon be implemented. The organization will need to update records anytime the Chairman, Treasurer, or Secretary changes.

Approval of 2025 Quarterly Meeting Dates
The following 2025 board meeting dates were approved:

• January 18, 2025 – RT Jones at 1:00 PM
• April 12, 2025 – WPL at 1:00 PM
• July 26, 2025 – Rose Creek at 1:00 PM
• October 18, 2025 – Hickory Flat at 1:00 PM

FOL Donations for Cherokee Collections and Programming

• Kara Rumble presented a request for FOL to earmark donations for Cherokee collections and programming, rather than limiting funds to children’s materials and programs.
• This change would allow the library system to support a wider range of collections and services.
• After a detailed discussion, a motion was made and passed to earmark FOL donations for Cherokee collections and programming.

Publicity Committee Report (Susan Stanton)
The Publicity Committee has met and is reviewing options for advertising FOL and promoting bookstores.

Strategic Plan for Libraries (Tom Hill)
Tom Hill introduced the 25-year strategic plan for Cherokee County Libraries, which was developed by an outside organization. The plan outlines:

• Updates needed for existing libraries.
• Projected demand for new libraries in Cherokee County.

Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned.