Rochester Library Board Meeting - May 20, 2026

The Rochester Library Board met on May 20, 2026, at 4:31 p.m. in the Library's Second Floor Meeting Room. The meeting was called to order with six members present (Leah Baethke, Constance Mudore, and Mary E Sancomb-Moran absent). The board approved the consent agenda, several new service agreements, policy updates, and a parking survey, and held an extensive discussion on proposed changes to Olmsted County funding that would reduce the library's allocation.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes: Approved the minutes of the April 15, 2026 meeting as official record.
• Accounts Payable: Approved disbursements for May 14, 2026, totaling $194,407.44.
• April 2026 Monthly Reports: Accepted monthly reports covering statistics, programs, expenditures, revenue, and income.
• Contracts Signed by Library Director: Accepted the list of contracts executed by the director. All consent items were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were made during the designated period.

Reports and Updates

• Rochester Public Library Foundation (5.A): Executive Director Brenda Kardock reported that the foundation exceeded its fundraising goals for the year due to an unexpected estate gift from the Judith Hams Estate. The gift is undesignated, allowing flexible use. A Mayo planning grant application was submitted, and a new website is under review. The board president and director will attend a library fundraising conference in Columbus, Ohio in early June.
• Friends of the Rochester Public Library (5.B): President Val Kaliszewski announced receipt of a $1,000 Good Neighbor Grant from the Minnesota Association of Library Friends to purchase multilingual books and books with children of color representation for free distribution through the Hawthorne Helps and social worker programs. The Friends' bookstore held a highly successful half-price sale (over $500 in the first hour) and a garage sale in the bookmobile garage raised $700. The Friends thanked the library for use of the garage.
• Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO) Update (5.C): Board member Laura Wheatman provided an update; the SELCO board has not met recently but will meet next Tuesday. A written update will be emailed.
• Policy Committee Update (5.D): Board members Adam Nelson and Laura Wheatman reported that the committee reviewed policies on Undesignated Gifts, Volunteer, Volunteer Recognition, and Public Relations; no changes were recommended except aligning the Volunteer policy with city policy. The Privacy Policy update is delayed pending federal guidelines.

Discussion Items

• Library At Home (7.A): Library Director presented a proposal to partner with Family Service Rochester (FSR) to provide delivery services for the Library At Home program, following changes to city volunteer policy. FSR will handle volunteer recruitment, training, insurance, and delivery logistics. The library will provide delivery routes, bags, boxes, privacy training, and a calendar. The agreement is open-ended through the end of 2026. Board members asked about background checks (FSR meets minimum standards) and the potential for library volunteers to also volunteer through FSR (allowed). The motion to approve was made by Laura Wheatman and seconded by Nicholas Goetzfridt; passed unanimously.
• SELS Agreement (7.B): The board approved an updated agreement with the Southeast Library System (SELS), which had not been updated since 2012. The new agreement clarifies current services and is consistent with agreements signed by other libraries in the region. Motion by Laura Wheatman, seconded by Ryan Mihalak; passed unanimously.
• Policy Updates (7.C): The board approved updates to four policies as recommended by the Policy Committee: Undesignated Gifts, Volunteer (aligned with city HR policy and made publicly available), Volunteer Recognition (annual recognition supported), and Public Relations (updated title of Communications and Engagement Manager). The policies were presented in a block motion by Laura Wheatman, seconded by Nicholas Goetzfridt; passed unanimously.
• Parking Pilot Survey (7.D): The board approved the final draft of a parking pilot survey, incorporating feedback from the April meeting and adding optional city demographic questions. A minor edit was suggested to alphabetize racial identity options. The survey aims to gather data on how patrons use parking validation, including whether they visit the library or only use validation for nearby businesses. Motion by Laura Wheatman, seconded by Nicholas Goetzfridt; passed unanimously.
• County Funding (8.A): The board received an informational update and provided staff direction regarding proposed changes to Olmsted County funding. The county currently contributes about 12% of the library's budget, based on a formula tied to city per-capita spending. The county is proposing a new formula based on 1% of its annual levy, distributed among county libraries using 50% library service area, 30% circulation, and 20% program attendance (using 2021 data). This would result in a $35,000 reduction for RPL (a 3% cut relative to current funding, but larger relative to anticipated growth). The library's usage by county residents: 12% of registered users, 16% of physical/digital circulation, and 15% of resource canopy use. The county administrator stated this is not anti-library but driven by state/federal funding pressures affecting all county services. Board members expressed concerns: the formula does not account for RPL's role as the destination library for the entire county, it relies on self-reported service area data that can be inflated by other libraries, and it does not capture the library's outsized digital circulation to county residents (18% of digital use vs. 12% funding share). The board discussed the need to articulate that a $35,000 cut equates to about 1,800 staff hours or 1,300 audiobooks, and that the library's collection supports circulation at other libraries through interlibrary loan. The board directed staff to finalize a letter to the Olmsted County Commissioners requesting reconsideration, emphasizing the disproportionate impact and the unique value of RPL's services to the county. The letter should avoid threatening to reduce services but should request a meeting and propose alternative metrics (e.g., registered users, digital circulation). The board also noted that a new contract will be needed and that the current agreement automatically renews unless six months' notice is given.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar (minutes, accounts payable, monthly reports, contracts) unanimously.
• Approved the Library At Home partnership with Family Service Rochester, with the agreement to be reviewed at the end of 2026.
• Approved the updated SELS agreement.
• Approved policy updates for Undesignated Gifts, Volunteer, Volunteer Recognition, and Public Relations.
• Approved the final parking pilot survey with minor edits.
• Directed staff to finalize and send a letter to Olmsted County Commissioners requesting a meeting and reconsideration of the proposed funding formula, incorporating arguments about RPL's role as a destination library, usage statistics, and the need for equitable metrics.
• Adjourned at 5:46 p.m. on a motion by Ryan Mihalak, seconded by Laura Wheatman, passed unanimously.