Library Board Passes Computer Policy

After a public hearing on the Warsaw Community Public Library’s annual policy on computer usage and acceptable  Internet use, the Board of Trustees approved it during its regular monthly meeting Monday.
It also approved the 2016 employee holiday schedule and the library closed days.
Director Ann Zydek said there were no changes for the 2016 Internet acceptable use policy from 2015.
Assistant Director Joni Brookins said, “We reviewed it and didn’t see anything we needed to change at this point.”
She said the policy was something the board had to review and approve every year.
“It’s pretty standard. It says you’re not going to do anything that you’re not supposed to do, that’s against the law. And if you do and we catch you, we’ll either call the police or kick you out,” Brookins said, summarizing the six-page policy.
It also states that the library doesn’t guarantee anything anyone does on its public computers are private and “we don’t recommend you use them to buy things. And if you’re under a certain age, we recommend a parent be with you because we’re not going to evaluate what you’re doing on there.”
Under the holiday leave policy, all full-time and part-time WCPL employees are eligible for holiday pay. Eligible employees will be paid for holidays pro-rated to their employment status. Part-time no-benefits employees do not receive holiday pay. 
If a holiday falls on a regular day off, another day off is substituted before the end of the current pay period. If an employee, by the director’s approval, must work on a holiday, the holiday hours worked may be taken off during the current pay period. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the library will be closed the following Monday.
For 2016, eligible staff will be paid for the following 10 holidays: Jan. 1, New Year’s Day; Feb. 15, President’s Day; May 30, Memorial Day; July 4, Independence Day; Sept. 5, Labor Day; Nov. 11, Veterans Day; Nov. 24 and 25, Thanksgiving; and Dec. 23 and 26, Christmas. 
Birthdays off must be approved by the employee’s supervisor and taken the day of the birthday or within the 14 days after. 
To honor long-term employees, they will be given an extra holiday which may be taken during the month in which they celebrate each five-year milestone in their library employment. This must be approved by their supervisor and taken the day of the anniversary date or within 14 days after. 
In 2016, days the library will be closing early or closed to the public, and which are not paid time-off days for employees, are: Jan. 2; Jan. 21, staff development day; Sept. 22, staff development day; Nov. 23, closes at 5 p.m.; Nov. 26, closed; Dec. 24, closed; and Dec. 31, closes at 5 p.m.
Business Manager Renee Sweeney said the holiday policy wasn’t different than this year’s.
In other business, the board:
• Heard from Sweeney that a payment was made to Graycraft Signs Plus for the library’s two new electronic signs so the project could get started. A grant of $30,000 from Dekko is helping to pay for the signs.
Zydek added that Graycraft has started its preliminary work, and permits are in place. There are some plants that still need removed.
• Heard a brief report from Zydek that the library is trying to take care of a leak  that becomes evident during heavy rains. By purchasing sump pumps for about $7,200, the problem with the drain pipe may be solved.
All the new part of the library has drainage, but the older part of the library is where there is an issue.
“It looks like sump pumps are our answer,” Zydek said.
Because of the costs incurred with this issue, the library will delay switching all of its outside lights to LED until next spring.
• Heard the library’s strategic plan was sent to the state, which may use it as a sample for others. 
“I thank everyone who helped with that,” Zydek said. 
• Heard the new three-year technology plan is being worked on. It will be ready for the board at its December meeting, and will be about eight pages. 
• Approved the minutes of the October meeting, treasurer’s report and agenda.

(Story By The Times Union)