Library Board Meet and Greet

If you have been reading PlainTalk for the last few years, you know that we are striving to make the governance and operations of the library more open and transparent for you. You view the board minutes and reports on our website and view Boad meetings on our Vimeo channel (last month's meeting is embedded below). Making Library Board meetings and minutes accessible online is not only legally mandated but also an important part of this process.

Des Plaines Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting - October 18, 2011 from Des Plaines Public Library on Vimeo.

As a part of their effort to be transparent and to engage the community, two members of the Library board—Steven Mokry and Vince Rangel—met library patrons in the lobby last Tuesday night. According to Mr. Mokry, the event gave them a chance to interact with some of the library patrons they are working to serve. When reflecting on the event, Mr. Mokry said:

The patron's are always appreciative at the Library, thanked the Staff, and the Board, though many don't know all the workings of the Staff and the Board... I encouraged a patron to attend a Board meeting and speak for just a few minutes... I think the person left feeling his or anybody's voice could be heard.

That last point is probably the most important take away. For a library like ours to flourish and thrive, we have to listen to your feedback. Events like the Board member meet and greet are just one way to do this. As Mr. Mokry explained:

I think it a good thing to reach the citizen in some of the ways that President George Mageral and others on the board have talked about.......Ward Meetings, Civic Events, Meet and Greet, just to name a few.

The next Library Board meeting will be held here at the library on November 15, 2011 starting at 7:00 pm.