Financial operations and reporting 

• May and June financials – no anomalies  

• Closing with Alabama Credit Union by Oct. 1 

• Passed motion to pay bill for e-books and audiobooks of $2,000 and $4,000 for content credit 

• $23,702.50 from operating balance (Alabama Credit Union transfers) cashed out and awaiting investment decision; Board agreed to deposit into operations and trigger a special call when a 4% CD is identified 

Board policy changes and state code compliance 

• APLS/state code changes required specific wording additions across policies to remain eligible for state aid; board adopted updated policy language 

• Library sections for minors under 18 must remain free of material deemed obscene/sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate; materials containing such content must be weeded or relocated to adult sections 

• Library added clarifying exceptions for age-appropriate religion, history, biology and human anatomy materials 

• The young adult section was removed and its materials reclassified into fiction to avoid ambiguous categorization under the new code 

• No books were permanently removed, but relocated to adult section, with parents’ consent and waiver a child may be permitted to check out these books 

Patron access and computer use 

• Branches no longer require patrons to show ID to use public computers; guest passes available for those without a library card 

• Staff must follow internet/computer usage guidelines already adopted; internet remains available as an information source and parental responsibility emphasized 

Board members were impressed with this year’s summer activity: 553 new library cards issued, 76 summer programs completed with 3,521 program attendees and 12,322 physical books checked out. The bookmobile will continue its weekly outreach and new outreaches to assisted living centers. 

Be sure to also check out the upcoming events such as Batesville Porch Picnic at Oktoberfest Oct. 3 and the Storybook 5K costume contest Oct. 24