Library Board Agenda Packet (PDF)

Deviation from Order Shown May Occur In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person needing assistance to participate i n this meeting, should contact the Library at (920)746-2700. Notification 72 hours prior to a meeting will enable the Library to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to that meeting. Notice of Public Meeting Monday, January 19, 2026 5:00 pm DOOR COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Door County Library – Sturgeon Bay Jane Greene Room 107 South 4th Avenue Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Oversight for Door County Library 1. Call Meeting to Order 2. Establish a Quorum 3. Adopt Agenda 4. Approval of the December 15, 2025 Library Board Meeting Minutes 5. Correspondence  Door County Library Events Calendar – January  Door County Reads Events Calendar  WI-DPI Public Library Standards report Dec 11, 2025  Trustee Tale- Tips for Hiring Library Director pt.2 6. Public Comment 7. Reports  Miller Art Museum Report  Museum/Archives Report  Library Director Report  School Library Report 8. Vouchers Review and Approval 9. Donations Review and Approval 10. Acceptance of Gifts, Grants, or Donations (standing agenda item) 11.Sustainability Matters to be Considered (standing agenda item) 12. Legislative Matters to be Considered 13. Review Hoopla Use and Budget Status 14. Review and Approve Application to (NLS) for Youth Services Grant 15. Review and Discuss Strategic Plan Goal: Service 16. Nicolet Library System (NLS) Presentation- Annual Report Board Responsibilities 17. Matters to be Placed on a Future Agenda or Referred to a Committee, Official, or Employee 18. Next Meeting Date(s)  Monday, February 16, 2026 - 5:00 pm  Place: Door County Library - Jane Greene Room 107 South 4th Avenue Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 19. Meeting Per Diem Code: 20. Adjournment This meeting will be conducted by teleconference or video conference. Members of the public may join the meeting remotely or in-person. To attend the meeting via computer: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85898827212?pwd= TIad5F05tYVPfjdLrrJoeKTD3ypbny.1 Meeting ID: 858 9882 7212 Passcode: 724329 Page 1 of 46 Draft December 15th, 2025 Door County Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 3 MINUTES Monday, December 15th, 2025 DRAFT DOOR COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Door County Library – Sturgeon Bay Jane Greene Room 107 S 4th Ave Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Oversight for Door County Library Call Meeting to Order The Monday December 15th, 2025 Door County Library Board of Trustees Meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Library Board President Morgan Rusnak. Establish a Quorum Members present in-person: Matt Huston, Mary Jackson, Nissa Norton, Morgan Rusnak, Mike Scoville. Members present online: Nicole Matson Members present excused: Robert Dickson Also present in-person: Library Director Dominic Frandrup; Assistant Library Director/Head of Technical Services Rebecca Buchmann; Door County Museum and Archives Manager Joe Taylor (until approximately 5:23); Door County, County Administrator Ken Pabich. Also present online: Miller Art Museum (MAM) Executive Director Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead. Adopt Agenda Motion Norton, second Jackson to adopt the meeting agenda. Motion carried. Approval of the November 17th, 2025 Library Board Meeting Minutes Prior to the approval of the November 17th, 2025 Library Board Meeting Minutes, there was a discussion on the section of the minutes referring to the discussion and decision following the November 17th, 2025 closed session. Motion Norton, second Huston to approve the minutes of the November 17th, 2025 with Door County Library Board of Trustees Meeting with changes. Motion carried. Correspondence The most recent Door County Library Newsletter, the most recent Friends of Door County Libraries Newsletter, a memo from OWLSnet: Parameters of OWLSnet IT access for non-library staff, the most recent Trustee Tales article Tips for Hiring a Public Library Director (Part 1), and the Bylaws of Door County Library Foundation, Inc. were included in the December 15th, 2025 Library Board Meeting Agenda Packet as correspondence. Public Comment There was no public comment. Reports  Miller Art Museum Executive Director Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead presented the Miller Art Museum report including: new exhibits, the reconceptualization MAM is working through, the Miller Holiday Shop and end of year fundraising, as well as a new position that they have posted.  The complete Museum & Archives Report was included in the December 15th, 2025 Library Board packet, Door County Museum and Archives Manager Joe Taylor mentioned that the Museum is now closed for the season, but exceeded 2024 visits. He also highlighted upcoming projects, programs, and partnerships the Museum is looking forward to in 2026.  The complete Library Director’s Report was included in the December 15th, 2025 Library Board packet; Director Frandrup highlighted specific activities outlined in his report and the reports contributed by Door County Library Branch Managers and Sturgeon Bay Library full-time staff. Draft December 15th, 2025 Door County Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3  The School Libraries Report was presented by School Representative Mike Scoville, Library Media Specialist for the Gibraltar Area School District: an update was given on the Door County School Districts’ preparation for the upcoming Beth Barton author visit in February 2026. Vouchers Review and Approval The Door County Library Board of Trustees is statutorily obligated to review and approve the Library’s vouchers. Having reviewed this month’s voucher summary, Library Board members agreed to approve all Library expenditures for November 2025 in the amount of $32,371.46. Motion Norton, second Jackson. Motion carried. Treasurer Norton’s signature to be secured per by-law. Donations Review and Approval Donation and Grant expenses are included in the Accounts Payable transactions. A summary of November 2025 donations and grant activity was included in the December 15th, 2025 Library Board Packet. Any grant funds listed have already been approved by the Library Board. Motion Jackson, second Huston to accept Library donations received for November 2025 in the amount of $13,253.04. Motion carried. Acceptance of Gifts, Grants, or Donations At its December 2025 Meeting, the Door County Library Foundation approved the following grants: • STR – 2026 Garden Upkeep Grant $1,700.00 • DCL – 2026 Circuit Collection Grant $2,500.00 • DCL -- Overdrive Advantage Pilot III Grant $2,400.00 Motion Rusnak, second Norton to accept the grants from Door County Library Foundation. Motion carried. Sustainability Matters to be Considered This is a standing agenda item; there were no sustainability matters to be considered at this meeting. Legislative Matters to be Considered Registration is open for Library Legislative Day on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026. Any Library Board members who would like to attend, should contact Director Frandrup. Review Hoopla Use and Budget Status Hoopla continues to be a popular Library resource. Hoopla usage and costs were discussed. Hoopla usage vs. Libby YTD usage was also discussed. Review and Approve Possible Appointment of Library Director to Broadband Committee Director Frandrup has been asked to serve on the Door County Broadband Advisory Committee and is asking Library Board approval to accept appointment to this committee. Motion Rusnak, second Norton to approve Director Frandrup’s appointment to the Door County Broadband Advisory Committee. Motion carried. Review and Approve ReThinking Libraries Implementation Facilitation Proposal The Library Board discussed the Rethinking Libraries Facilitation Proposal included in the December 15th, 2025 Library Board Meeting Agenda Packet, how the Library Board plans move forward with Library restructuring, and the Library staff, County staff, and Library Board members who will be forming the implementation team. Motion Rusnak, second Huston to approve the ReThinking Libraries Implementation Facilitation Proposal. Motion carried. Matters to be Placed on a Future Agenda or Referred to a Committee, Official, or Employee  Progress on the ReThinking Libraries project will be discussed as it becomes available. Next Meeting Date(s) Library Board Meeting Monday, December 15th, 2025 - 5:00 pm Place: Door County Library – Sturgeon Bay: Jane Greene Room 107 South 4th Avenue Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Draft December 15th, 2025 Door County Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 3 Meeting Per Diem Code: 1215 Adjournment Motion Huston, second Jackson for adjournment. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 6:08 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Rebecca Buchmann, Assistant Director/Head of Technical Services. Page 5 of 46 Page 6 of 46 Page 7 of 46 Page 8 of 46 Trustee Tale Trustee Tale is a joint project of the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System, Nicolet Federated Library System, Outagamie Waupaca Library System, Winnefox Library System and Wisconsin Valley Library System. January 2026 By Marla Sepnafski, Director Wisconsin Valley Library System Determine Who Will Screen Applications and Conduct Interviews Once the library board has posted the job description and sets an application deadline, the board must decide who will participate in the hiring process—whether it will involve the full board, a designated board committee, municipal HR staff, library system staff, or others—and what their roles will be. Questions to clarify include: Will the full board participate at every stage? Will a selection committee handle the initial screening? Who will conduct interviews? Who will serve as the board’s official spokesperson? Clear communication is essential. Only one person should act as the board’s point of contact to avoid misunderstandings or conflicting messages. It is important to recognize that hiring a library director is legally the responsibility of the library board—not the municipal human resources department. Additionally, the incumbent director should not participate directly in recruitment or candidate selection. Screening and Interview Processes The board or screening committee should develop a standardized list of interview questions that relate directly to the job description and the library’s culture and community needs. Interview questions should be based on essential functions of the job. Questions based on a person’s race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, disability, arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation, military service, or use or non-use of lawful products away from work T i p s f o r H i r i n g a P u b l i c L i b r a r y D i r e c t o r ( P a r t 2 ) Page 9 of 46 s h o u l d b e a v o i d e d . A l l o w a d e q u a t e t i m e f o r e a c h i n t e r v i e w a n d c o m p l e t e a n a p p r a i s a l i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r w a r d . A s t a n d a r d i z e d e v a l u a t i o n f o r m h e l p s e n s u r e c o n s i s t e n c y w i t h a l l m e m b e r s o f t h e i n t e r v i e w p a n e l . A f t e r p r e l i m i n a r y i n t e r v i e w s , c o n d u c t t h o r o u g h r e f e r e n c e a n d b a c k g r o u n d c h e c k s f o r f i n a l i s t s . C o n t a c t i n g a t l e a s t t h r e e r e f e r e n c e s i s r e c o m m e n d e d a s d o i n g s o a l l o w s t h e s e l e c t i o n c o m m i t t e e t o c o m p a r e c o m m e n t s . A l l q u e s t i o n s r a i s e d d u r i n g a r e f e r e n c e c h e c k s h o u l d r e l a t e t o t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s p a s t j o b p e r f o r m a n c e ( w i t h i n t h e m o s t r e c e n t f i v e t o s e v e n y e a r s ) , a n d n o t h i n g e l s e . A s k o p e n - e n d e d q u e s t i o n s . E x a m p l e s i n c l u d e : “ H o w w o u l d y o u r a t e t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s w o r k ? ” o r “ C o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s i n t e r p e r s o n a l s k i l l s ? ” o r “ W h y o r w h y w o u l d n ’ t y o u h i r e t h i s p e r s o n a g a i n ? ” N o t e b o t h w h a t t h e r e f e r e n c e s s a y a n d w h a t t h e y d o n o t s a y a n d c o n s i d e r t h e n a t u r e o f t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e c a n d i d a t e . B o a r d s s h o u l d a l s o r e q u e s t a n d r e v i e w c o l l e g e t r a n s c r i p t s t o v e r i f y t h a t c a n d i d a t e s m e e t W i s c o n s i n ’ s P u b l i c L i b r a r y C e r t i f i c a t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t s . S e l e c t i o n o f F i n a l C a n d i d a t e a n d J o b O f f e r A j o b o f f e r s h o u l d n e v e r b e m a d e u n t i l a l l r e f e r e n c e s a n d b a c k g r o u n d c h e c k s a r e f i n a l i z e d a n d t h e b o a r d i s f u l l y s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e r e s u l t s . I n t e r n a l c a n d i d a t e s s h o u l d b e e v a l u a t e d u s i n g t h e s a m e c r i t e r i a a s e x t e r n a l a p p l i c a n t s . W h i l e a n a s s i s t a n t d i r e c t o r m a y b e a n e x c e l l e n t p r o s p e c t , t h e r o l e o f d i r e c t o r r e q u i r e s a b r o a d e r a n d d e e p e r s c o p e o f l e a d e r s h i p . E v a l u a t e e v e r y c a n d i d a t e h o l i s t i c a l l y , c o n s i d e r i n g n o t o n l y e x p e r i e n c e b u t a l s o c o m m u n i c a t i o n s k i l l s , w o r k e t h i c , a n d v i s i o n . I f t h e p r o c e s s d o e s n o t y i e l d a n o u t s t a n d i n g f i n a l i s t , t h e b o a r d s h o u l d r e s t a r t t h e s e a r c h . I t i s f a r b e t t e r t o e x t e n d t h e s e a r c h t h a n t o s e t t l e f o r s o m e o n e w h o i s n ’ t a n i d e a l f i t . R u s h e d o r s u b o p t i m a l d e c i s i o n s o f t e n l e a d t o l o n g - t e r m c h a l l e n g e s . O n b o a r d i n g a N e w D i r e c t o r T h e b o a r d ’ s w o r k c o n t i n u e s a f t e r h i r i n g t h e d i r e c t o r . A n e w d i r e c t o r r e p r e s e n t s a m a j o r t r a n s i t i o n f o r t h e l i b r a r y , a n d t h o u g h t f u l o n b o a r d i n g f o s t e r s s t a b i l i t y , c o n f i d e n c e , a n d i n c r e a s e s t h e l i k e l i h o o d o f a s u c c e s s f u l t e n u r e . A n o n b o a r d i n g c h e c k l i s t m a y b e h e l p f u l . T a s k s m i g h t i n c l u d e : A f u l l t o u r o f t h e l i b r a r y f a c i l i t y I n t r o d u c t i o n s t o s t a f f , m u n i c i p a l a n d c o u n t y o f f i c i a l s , t h e l i b r a r y s y s t e m , F r i e n d s g r o u p , a n d l i b r a r y f o u n d a t i o n A c c e s s t o l i b r a r y a n d p e r s o n n e l p o l i c i e s R e v i e w o f t h e b u d g e t , f i n a n c i a l r e p o r t s , a n n u a l r e p o r t s , c o n t r a c t s , a n d s t r a t e g i c p l a n s A c c e s s t o m e e t i n g p a c k e t s f r o m r e c e n t b o a r d m e e t i n g s A d d i t i o n a l R e s o u r c e s a n d S u p p o r t L i b r a r y b o a r d s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o c o n s u l t t h e i r r e g i o n a l l i b r a r y s y s t e m f o r g u i d a n c e a n d s u p p o r t t h r o u g h o u t t h e h i r i n g p r o c e s s . A d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g t h e H i r e a n d S u p e r v i s e t h e L i b r a r y D i r e c t o r r e s o u r c e s , c a n b e f o u n d o n t h e W i s c o n s i n D e p a r t m e n t o f P u b l i c I n s t r u c t i o n ’ s w e b s i t e . Page 10 of 46 Favorite Visitor Comments "Impressive Collection!" "Wonderful!" Upcoming Events 1/5-9/26 - Oral History Week 1/21/26 - Historic Cooking Talk 1/29/25 - DCR Cold War Talk Programs, Education, and Events 12/18/25 - Fossil Talk (Canceled due to Illness) Artifact Donations 12/11/25 - late 1800s seed planter Summary 2025 attendance increased by 50% over 2024, setting what appears to be an record. We also had a record year for artifact and archival donations, with 65 accessions totaling several hundred individual items. New digitization equipment has been acquired and we are in the process of setting it up. A grant application was submitted (through our Friends group) to fund summer interns that will support collection digitization and online access. An award decision is expected in late February. December 2025 Report Submitted by Joe Taylor, Museum and Archives Manager Page 11 of 46 Director’s Report Page 1 of 12 Administrative • Door County Reads 2026 with 30 events. Thanks to the Library Foundation, and Friends of the Door County Libraries for their financial support and to the 21 community partners! • WLA- LDI (Wisconsin Library Association- Leadership Development Institute) is beginning a bi-weekly virtual meeting schedule in January. • Library Director and Youth Services Librarian will be attending Public Library Associate conference in Minneapolis, MN April 1-3. • OWLSnet revealed the ILS transition timeline to Polaris with a tentative August rollout. There will be intense staff training this spring and summer for Circulation and patron-facing functions. The Technical Services department will be supporting all of the background work to ensure smooth transition. A draft schedule has been released, but dates are still subject to change. • Door County Film Fest will be screening the film “The Librarians” Friday, February 13th and will be having the producer Janique Robillard available for a live Q&A. This event made possible by the Friends of the Door Conty Libraries, Door County Library Foundation, Door County League of Women Voters, Write On, Door County, and Literacy Door County Literacy. Our gratitude to the Door County Film Fest staff for their time and investment in making this possible. • Rethinking Libraries consultant meetings are occurring and progress is being made. • DCL saw a 7,151 increase in visits in 2025 vs 2024 mostly driven by Forestville, Sturgeon Bay locations. • DCL saw a 6,882 increase in circulation of physical materials in 2025 vs 2024 mostly driven by Fish Creek, Sturgeon Bay, and Washington Island locations. • AI training is rolling out for DCL staff through the County and OWLSnet. As these tools become more ubiquitous it becomes imperative to have staff knowledgeable in correct and safe usage, and to be able to guide patrons to be successful with them as well. • Nicolet Federated Library System (NFLS), is changing their name to Nicolet Library System (NLS) thus the name change on the meeting agenda. Facilities • Museum and Archives have their new digitization technology set-up in basement workroom and Friends are revising their workflows with the revised space layout. Friends of Door County Libraries • The new Friends book bags are being reordered due to unexpectedly high demand! • Upcoming book sales: January 24, February 14 & 25 Library statistics reporting – included statistical reports and charts: 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Director’s Report – Dominic Frandrup Page 12 of 46 Director’s Report Page 2 of 12 • Computer Use reporting from the software issue in November has been reconciled to the best of OWLS’ ability. It is roughly 9,000 PC uses difference from 2024, and Oct/ Dec 2025 due to 10 days of data loss. There will be a note to this effect on the Annual Report. • The Patron Registrations chart looks close Year over Year but DCL is up 1,162 new users for 2025 vs 2024. Page 13 of 46 Director’s Report Page 3 of 12 Branch Library Locations Reports Baileys Harbor- Mary Sawyer December in Baileys Harbor was a whirlwind. Due to a weather closure, holiday scheduling, and building construction in the town hall, it was a routine-busting month. The Baileys Harbor Town Hall was closed in December due to failed heating. The heating/cooling in the building has always been, for lack of more technical terminology, finnicky. Plans to upgrade the system were in place but had to be moved up and now the Hall will be closed until June of 2026. For the library this means cancellation of programs that would've involved the Town Hall kitchen and larger meeting areas. Once again, December was a wonderful time to be in Baileys Harbor, where our generous patrons gifted lots of sweet treats and kind words. Despite the topsy turvy schedule, weather, and building, library patrons continue to make December one of my favorite times work in the library. Egg Harbor- Dixie Jorns December was a month that showed a slowdown at the Egg Harbor Library. Quieter days and a slower pace in general. The Children’s room, however, remained busy almost all our open days. A lot of families visiting relatives here found their way to the play area to work off excess energy – particularly on windy/snowy days. Our “Warmth for Winter” display has been well appreciated by those that are visiting Door County and did not properly anticipate the weather. Aside from the hats and scarves sent to us from Headquarters, at least two other knitters/crocheters have donated beautiful outdoor wear for our display. We still have a very good selection, but many of these items have been taken and used. The Maker Space focused activity for December was a huge hit. Participants used photo decals to fuse with glass to make ornaments as well as other seasonal art. At least 79 people worked on glass-fused creations. We will continue with glass projects through January as this continues to be so popular. Page 14 of 46 Director’s Report Page 4 of 12 The Maker Space also hosted a Junk Journaling class in early December. We had fifteen participants that had a great time. Our monthly “Craft Kickoff Night also happened in the Maker Space and despite the day for this falling between Christmas and New Years’ Day, fourteen people showed up to work on new glass projects. Music Jam is always a consistently popular program. New Years’ Eve saw our lowest number (5), but I think bad weather and lots of other holiday happenings and commitments kept some of the musicians away. The Griffon Quartet also provided music for us in December. They came in on a Monday morning and played Christmas music for about 20 people. As always, they were wonderful. We have started playing only one Movie in the Great Hall per month. With the addition of more regular Tuesday evening events (Silent Book Club of Door County and Craft Kickoff Night), we are uncomplicating things and not trying to do two events at the same time. Last month’s movie was “A Christmas Story” and we had nine people that had a great time watching and eating popcorn. Ephraim- Suzanne Ihrig Ephraim Book Club met on December 2nd to discuss House of Honor by local author Margaret Ann Philbrick, who joined us for the discussion. Margaret Ann commented to me afterwards how much she enjoyed the discussion and thought the Ephraim Library Book Club was a “great group of readers who asked insightful questions.” In addition to our usual coffee, tea, and treats, I brought in a birthday cake to mark the 45th anniversary of the Ephraim Library Book Club, which was founded by former Ephraim librarian Sal Jacobsen in 1980. Page 15 of 46 Director’s Report Page 5 of 12 One of Ephraim’s biggest yearly events, Christmas in the Village, took place on December 6th, and the Library Committee and I hosted our annual open house. Attendance felt higher than last year, although door count does not bear this out, but door count is really iffy when you have multitudes of people running in and out of your building. We featured a lot of activities for our guests: • Four different Take and Make craft kits for kids. • One Take and Make craft kit for adults. This kit featured the materials needed to make a Christmas gnome, and proved to be very popular with guests. • Four different raffles – three for all ages, one specifically for children. We raffled off a large container of candy, Destination Door County gift certificates, and beautiful hardcover Christmas books. • We also tried something new this year since we weren’t able to book a band. Instead we put up our holiday backdrop and took Polaroids of our guests holding holiday props. Kids were fascinated by the old-tech Polaroid photos, and most families also had us take their photos on their personal phones. Guests seemed to love it, so we’ll most likely repeat this next year, along with booking a band (this year, we made do with Bluetooth speakers and a Spotify holiday playlist.) • We also had our usual hot cider and cookies to warm up the guests. In the quiet of winter, I’ve been busy weeding, deep cleaning shelves, rearranging the EPH collection, looking for new furniture, and boosting the kit and Library of Things collections. Also already making plans for the 2026 Summer Reading Program and Door to Summer Adventures Program. Fish Creek- Elisha Adelman Despite it being winter, we have been busy around here with more families who order lots of items. In support of the annual town tree lighting, we held a cardmaking afternoon with enthusiastic success. Book clubs have their plans all laid out for 2026. Page 16 of 46 Director’s Report Page 6 of 12 We’ve started ordering lots more items to support the families that have been frequenting the library more and more, including library of things items such as games and puzzles, more books, and more movies using Friends and NFLS funds. In the new year, we’re planning for more open craft nights, and some items have been purchased for that using county funds. We’re still on hold concerning the book drop. The town committees need to approve the writing of a grant to Raibrook to help offset the costs. We’re working on reorganizing the kids’ room to accommodate more library of things items as well. Forestville- Jennifer Bacall We ended our year by exceeding our 2024 door count every month but November! On the first few days of December our Friends Committee held a book sale. We made just under $100. Our fundraising campaign for new shelves is close to its initial goal of $500, which will be matched by a generous donor and will allow us to update another wall of shelving. Our first wall of new shelves, donated by C & C Builders, is stunning and uses the available space much more efficiently than our previous shelves. A volunteer painted the dark brown walls white for us before the shelves were installed. Our story time continued to bring in a crowd with between 10- 19 kids attending. We have worked our way through letter M and the number 13. Home School Workshop in December focused on graphic novels. Children learned about what makes them unique, the parts of a graphic novel, and even tried their own hand at designing a story. We welcomed Owl Arts Pottery for a packed Adult Craft Night. We can't wait to see how our snowmen turn out! On the 22nd we held our last event of the month, Adult Book Club, where we discussed Animal Farm by George Orwell. Page 17 of 46 Director’s Report Page 7 of 12 Sister Bay/ Liberty Grove - Christina Johnson Our top three December highlights at the library in Sister Bay included: hosting The Griffon String Quartet, having a vintage Christmas records and history listening party, and a travelogue on “The Nature of Light” from The Paine Art Center and Gardens recent exhibit in Oshkosh. The Griffon String Quartet’s Christmas caroling mini- concert was exceptional. We plan to have them return for future educational programming with kids. Comments from some of the 21 attendees included that it was like being at the New York Philharmonic, but somehow right here. People were blown away with the music and professional quality. One of the songs even brought several people to tears, including myself; the arrangement and sound projection from the strings playing together was so powerful and moving. Even 4 children attended with their families, of which 3 were under 5 years old. They were all so in-tune and fascinated with the live music opportunity. Very thankful for this partnership. Our vintage Christmas records event brought in 36 people who attended and enjoyed a full hour of songs, treats and hot apple cider, history, and socializing after. Thank you to David Watkins for providing the educational program and curating the music, to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik for donating several kinds of baked goods, and to the Friends of the Door County Libraries for their holiday programming grant that helped go towards sponsoring this night. All great partnerships that we and our patrons appreciate. Page 18 of 46 Director’s Report Page 8 of 12 The third highlight to mention is the travelogue. The roads were very icy, but we still had a small group of regulars (5 adults and a teen) that gathered for it and found the program fulfilling and hygge-like to see at this time of year when we have less light. We appreciate that Bill Wegehaupt shared this one, and we look forward to more travelogues from him in the future. Another partnership that we are lucky to have. Sturgeon Bay Adult Department – Laura Kayacan Monday, December 1 Multicultural Book Group met to discuss the book, “Heartwood” by Amity Gage. This book turned out to be like last month’s book, “The Salt Path” since both focus on people hiking. This book was about a woman who was lost on the Appalachian Trail. The plot was strong and the group liked the book. Many regular members of the group have gone south for the winter, so it is nice to have Zoom to keep them involved with our book club. Page 19 of 46 Director’s Report Page 9 of 12 Wednesday, December 3 Jamie Palmer presented a book talk on her non-fiction book, “Into the Storm, ” about the Leatham Smith shipwreck that killed all on board except Smith’s daughter, Patsy. Jamie is a local author, and the story was a local tragic history set during WWII. Jamie did in-depth research including interviewing people who knew about the event. A few in the audience knew the Smith family and members of the Tilden family. Patricia Smith married Robert Tilden in Sturgeon Bay. The book stirs a lot of emotions. Thursday, December 4 was another meeting of the Genealogy Club where members share stories, research tips, and ask each other for help. These meetings are always very lively. Saturday, December 6 was an eventful day with a book sale in the morning, then in the afternoon we hosted a performance of “They Had Names, ” written by Larry Desotell and Rich Wolter. This music event was based on Larry’s book about Confederate Rest cemetery in Madison Wisconsin where southern soldiers from the Civil War were buried. Larry and about 7 others read words about people and events, and about 5 musicians played music written by Rich Wolter. We expected a crowd, but in the end 75 people came to the program. As the Greene Room has a total capacity of 70, some people listened from the chairs just outside in the lobby. Wednesday, December 17 was another Play Reading Club discussion led by Jacob Janssen from Third Avenue PlayWorks. This was the play TAP presented for the holiday season. Once again, it was fascinating to hear about staging, lighting, costumes, and all the work that goes into a stage performance. Page 20 of 46 Director’s Report Page 10 of 12 Thursday December 18 was a teen and adult holiday craft event where participants painted and decorated pinecone trees, dipped ornaments in water and paint, and folded kirigami trees and stars. Sturgeon Bay Children’s Department - Beth Lokken December was Crafty, with GlitterRama for the families with young children (with only one major spill of bright pink glitter), and painted (and dipped) ornaments for the adults. I brought some traditional Christmas stories out to my story groups, singing the 12 days of Christmas (with pictures by Jan Brett) and telling the Night Before Christmas (with explanations about the 200+ year old text). I am looking forward to all the activity in January, with Pete the Cat coming on January 31st. We are making Pete’s Magic Sunglasses for the craft, having a scavenger hunt, an obstacle course, a busy table, lots of coloring, and a conga line led by Pete! The fun begins at noon and lasts until 2pm on Saturday January 31st. This event will fill the children’s department and the upstairs meeting spaces. This program is specially funded by the Friends of Door County Libraries, who also come out to volunteer to help. I am also looking far out to February 14th, when author Bethany Barton will be coming to do programs at Egg Harbor Library, Sturgeon Bay Library, and Crossroads at Big Creek. A huge thanks to the Library Foundation for funding this special event. I will go into detail about her programs next month! Sturgeon Bay Circulation Department – Morgan Mann January 2026 Sturgeon Bay Library increased its circulation of physical items by 4% over last year, and door count increased by 1.6%. Patrons donated many toys and gifts through our partnership with Toys for Tots during the first part of December. The organization had to pick up their collection box twice during the toy drive. Team building event —Members of the staff also attended a local, Holiday Movie Trivia night during December. Page 21 of 46 Director’s Report Page 11 of 12 Washington Island- Corinn Sevcik December was a busy month at the Washington Island Library. We actually had two story times this month. On Tuesday, December 2, we held our normal monthly Storytime & Crafts. We had another good turn out with 12 children and 5 adults. The theme for this month was holidays. Meghann read several books about Christmas and Santa. The children made Christmas tree ornaments and cards (photos attached). On Tuesday, December 16, we had Storytime with Mrs. Claus. A local woman dressed up as Mrs. Claus and read Christmas books to the children in attendance. She even had holiday hats for the children to wear. After the stories, children took Polaroid photos with Mrs. Claus. Meghann, Stephanie and I dressed up as elves for the occasion. For the craft, kids put the pictures in a holiday frame/ornament and decorated it. All children and adults received a gift bag. The children's gift bags included A Little Golden Book titled "I'm a Reindeer," a small holiday coloring book and crayons, packets of hot cocoa and cider, two holiday bookmarks and a snack-sized pretzel. The adult/teen gift bags held a pocket-sized planner, a DC Library pen and post-it pad, packets of hot cocoa and cider, two holiday bookmarks and a snack-sized pretzel. The event was a success with 16 children and eight adults attending (photos attached). This may have to be an annual event. For the gift bags mentioned above, we put together a total of 30 children's gift bags and 20 adult/teen gift bags that we continued to hand out throughout the month and into January. Page 22 of 46 Director’s Report Page 12 of 12 Due to Thanksgiving and Christmas falling on the 4th Thursdays in November and December, we held the November/December monthly book club on Thursday, December 4. We discussed "The Island of Sea Women" by Lisa See. We had a smaller group with just six attendees with patrons missing due to illness and off-Island appointments. Most attendees enjoyed and were fascinated by this historical fiction with many not having heard of the type of diving that occurred in the novel. For January, we are reading "The Day the World Came to Town" by Jim Defede. In December, Kindergarten, combined 1st/2nd grade, and 3rd/4th grade classes continued to visit weekly or every other week in the first half of the month. With the holidays, students were off of school, so classes did not visit during the last two weeks. Page 23 of 46 8. Vouchers December 2025 Expenses 12-Dec -2025 $38,575.51 26-Dec -2025 $6,587.59 $45,163.10 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Agenda Notes Page 24 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Department 36 - Library Batch Number 2025-00000715 Batch Date 12/12/2025 Entered by User Ashley Zahn Vendor 8383 - AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES, INC 1991-W9RL-VNVC Amazon 11/1-11/30/25 Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 2,236.48 Vendor 8383 - AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES, INC Totals Invoices 1 $2,236.48 Vendor 17941 - CAPITAL ONE, N.A. 1666300993 STRT CTY Programming Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 32.94 Vendor 17941 - CAPITAL ONE, N.A. Totals Invoices 1 $32.94 Vendor 4818 - CELLCOM WISCONSIN RSA 10 491071 Cellphones - Library Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 83.60 Vendor 4818 - CELLCOM WISCONSIN RSA 10 Totals Invoices 1 $83.60 Vendor 23985 - CENGAGE LEARNING INC 999101745268 DCL Circuit Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 34.19 999101745269 SIS CTY Books Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 26.99 999101756826 STRA CTY Books Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 33.29 999101756857 CTY Books Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 110.67 999101772784 STRA CTY Books Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 53.98 Vendor 23985 - CENGAGE LEARNING INC Totals Invoices 5 $259.12 Vendor 23993 - COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM 457624 STRJ/T Summer Reading Supplies Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 524.51 Vendor 23993 - COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM Totals Invoices 1 $524.51 Vendor 25292 - CORINN SEVCIK CS-12/1/25 Mileage Reimbursement WSH - November Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 44.10 Vendor 25292 - CORINN SEVCIK Totals Invoices 1 $44.10 Vendor 7150 - DEMCO 7735071 WSH Booktruck Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 847.19 7736741 BAI Friends Summer Reading Program 26 Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 50.94 Vendor 7150 - DEMCO Totals Invoices 2 $898.13 Vendor 10473 - DOOR COUNTY LIBRARY 11/11/25-SIS Thrift Hagen- SIS CTY Programming Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 21.20 11/12/25-FOR Denny's SuperValu- FOR CTY Programming Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 28.84 11/28/25-EPH Target and Piggly Wiggly - Programing Supplies Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 30.39 Vendor 10473 - DOOR COUNTY LIBRARY Totals Invoices 3 $80.43 Vendor 26046 - DOPAMIND 1027 Bethany Barton Author Visit- Crossroads Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,000.00 Vendor 26046 - DOPAMIND Totals Invoices 1 $1,000.00 Vendor 9776 - ELAN FINANCIAL SERVICES Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/12/2025 02:26:40 PM Page 1 of 4 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/12/25 - 12/12/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 25 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Visa11/4-12/2-25 Oriental Trading and HarperCollins Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 3,063.59 Vendor 9776 - ELAN FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals Invoices 1 $3,063.59 Vendor 13031 - GFL SOLID WASTE MIDWEST LLC U50000112887 Recycling Service Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 68.89 Vendor 13031 - GFL SOLID WASTE MIDWEST LLC Totals Invoices 1 $68.89 Vendor 20507 - HEARTLAND BUSINESS SYSTEMS 845691-H Maintenance Agreement for Laurie History ScanPro Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 400.00 Vendor 20507 - HEARTLAND BUSINESS SYSTEMS Totals Invoices 1 $400.00 Vendor 14164 - INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICES 2009329 12-1-25 CTY Books and Donations Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 7,196.94 20K8906 12-1-25 Donations Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 847.83 Vendor 14164 - INGRAM LIBRARY SERVICES Totals Invoices 2 $8,044.77 Vendor 20674 - JASON FELDMAN LANDSCAPES, LLC 4097 Spring Maintenance- HQ Foundation SB Garden Maintenance Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,060.00 4391 Fall Maintenence Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,240.00 Vendor 20674 - JASON FELDMAN LANDSCAPES, LLC Totals Invoices 2 $2,300.00 Vendor 12443 - MAIN STREET MARKET 897049, 899216 EGG Newspapers and Programming Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 81.97 Vendor 12443 - MAIN STREET MARKET Totals Invoices 1 $81.97 Vendor 16982 - MEGHANN HAERTIG MH-12/2/25 Mileage Reimbursement WSH - November Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 47.32 Vendor 16982 - MEGHANN HAERTIG Totals Invoices 1 $47.32 Vendor 26056 - MIDSUMMER'S MUSIC, LTD 124049 Griffon String Quartet Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 100.00 Vendor 26056 - MIDSUMMER'S MUSIC, LTD Totals Invoices 1 $100.00 Vendor 10103 - MIDWEST TAPE 11/1-11/30/25 CTY AV, AB, and Donations Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 2,803.84 508109432 HQ Foundation Hoopla (County expense) Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 4,390.45 Vendor 10103 - MIDWEST TAPE Totals Invoices 2 $7,194.29 Vendor 10337 - MILLER ART MUSEUM MAM #1 12-11-25 Miller Art reimbursement- supplies, printing, and exhibit fees Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 5,000.00 Vendor 10337 - MILLER ART MUSEUM Totals Invoices 1 $5,000.00 Vendor 25736 - OVERDRIVE INC 00669CO25387473 HQ Foundation Overdrive Advantage Pilot 3 Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 540.36 Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/12/2025 02:26:40 PM Page 2 of 4 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/12/25 - 12/12/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 26 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Vendor 25736 - OVERDRIVE INC Totals Invoices 1 $540.36 Vendor 25692 - OWL ARTS LLC 011225 Shipping for Washington Island projects- WSH GEN Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 65.85 121225 Ceramic Classes- HQ Foundation Ceramic Workshops with Owl Arts Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 2,000.00 Vendor 25692 - OWL ARTS LLC Totals Invoices 2 $2,065.85 Vendor 10334 - OWLS 4724 Receipt paper Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 76.50 Vendor 10334 - OWLS Totals Invoices 1 $76.50 Vendor 172 - PIGGLY WIGGLY 2721-12/1/25 SIS Newspapers and General Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 323.41 Vendor 172 - PIGGLY WIGGLY Totals Invoices 1 $323.41 Vendor 25070 - PITNEY BOWES GLOBAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC 3321671250 Postage Machine Lease Sep 30- Dec 29 2025 Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 179.46 Vendor 25070 - PITNEY BOWES GLOBAL FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC Totals Invoices 1 $179.46 Vendor 14642 - PITNEY BOWES RESERVE ACCOUNT Postage-12/12/25 Postage for meter Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,159.00 Vendor 14642 - PITNEY BOWES RESERVE ACCOUNT Totals Invoices 1 $1,159.00 Vendor 24479 - PTS COMMUNICATIONS INC 2148370 Pay Phone Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 43.00 Vendor 24479 - PTS COMMUNICATIONS INC Totals Invoices 1 $43.00 Vendor 19276 - SAN-A-CARE INC 661775 Carpet extractor Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,163.22 Vendor 19276 - SAN-A-CARE INC Totals Invoices 1 $1,163.22 Vendor 25320 - STEPHANIE REITER SR-12/2/25 Mileage Reimbursement WSH - November Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 2.94 Vendor 25320 - STEPHANIE REITER Totals Invoices 1 $2.94 Vendor 30820 - STURGEON BAY UTILITIES 12-8-25 SBU #1 Utilities Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 1,439.67 12-8-25 SBU #2 Utilities Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 37.56 Vendor 30820 - STURGEON BAY UTILITIES Totals Invoices 2 $1,477.23 Vendor 22193 - UNIQUE MANAGEMENT SERVICES INC 6147442 STR Placements Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 39.40 Vendor 22193 - UNIQUE MANAGEMENT SERVICES INC Totals Invoices 1 $39.40 Vendor 36270 - WASHINGTON ISLAND FERRY LINE I 159830 Ferry-MH Edit 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 12/12/2025 45.00 Vendor 36270 - WASHINGTON ISLAND FERRY LINE I Totals Invoices 1 $45.00 Batch Number 2025-00000715 Totals Invoices 43 $38,575.51 Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/12/2025 02:26:40 PM Page 3 of 4 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/12/25 - 12/12/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 27 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Department 36 - Library Totals Invoices 43 $38,575.51 36 Library ___________________________________________________ Grand Totals Invoices 43 $38,575.51 Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/12/2025 02:26:40 PM Page 4 of 4 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/12/25 - 12/12/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 28 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Department 36 - Library Batch Number 2025-00000758 Batch Date 12/26/2025 Entered by User Ashley Zahn Vendor 23985 - CENGAGE LEARNING INC 999101789680 DCL Circuit Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 36.89 999101789681 STRA CTY Books Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 34.19 999101792258 SIS CTY Books Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 32.39 Vendor 23985 - CENGAGE LEARNING INC Totals Invoices 3 $103.47 Vendor 26066 - CHIMERA CREATIVE INC 273 Bethany Barton Author Visits - HQ Foundation Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 1,250.00 Vendor 26066 - CHIMERA CREATIVE INC Totals Invoices 1 $1,250.00 Vendor 2720 - CITY OF STURGEON BAY 2025130 Sign Permits - HQ Foundation DCR 26 Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 360.00 Vendor 2720 - CITY OF STURGEON BAY Totals Invoices 1 $360.00 Vendor 23993 - COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM 562472 FIS Summer Reading Program Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 89.47 574229 EGG Summer Reading Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 294.00 Vendor 23993 - COLLABORATIVE SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAM Totals Invoices 2 $383.47 Vendor 24377 - DAVID J WATKINS 1/20/26 The Briar Club record listening party @ Serenity Springs 1/20/26 Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 350.00 Vendor 24377 - DAVID J WATKINS Totals Invoices 1 $350.00 Vendor 8520 - DOOR COUNTY HARDWARE COMPANY 477503 Salt shakers for doors Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 9.99 Vendor 8520 - DOOR COUNTY HARDWARE COMPANY Totals Invoices 1 $9.99 Vendor 24163 - DOOR SHAKESPEARE INC 190126 Door County Reads- Foundation 1/19/26 Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 1,000.00 Vendor 24163 - DOOR SHAKESPEARE INC Totals Invoices 1 $1,000.00 Vendor 20517 - MARCO, INC INV14667043 EGG Leased Copier Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 268.30 Vendor 20517 - MARCO, INC Totals Invoices 1 $268.30 Vendor 23240 - OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY CV15939001 Elevator Repair - 12/4/26 Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 1,282.00 Vendor 23240 - OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY Totals Invoices 1 $1,282.00 Vendor 13847 - RAE-COR DISTRIBUTING LLC 057263 Janitorial Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 138.62 Vendor 13847 - RAE-COR DISTRIBUTING LLC Totals Invoices 1 $138.62 Vendor 19276 - SAN-A-CARE INC 662528-1 Janitorial Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 122.13 Vendor 19276 - SAN-A-CARE INC Totals Invoices 1 $122.13 Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/23/2025 03:15:20 PM Page 1 of 2 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/26/25 - 12/26/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 29 of 46 Invoice Number Invoice Description Status Held Reason Invoice Date Due Date G/L Date Received Date Payment Date Invoice Net Amount Vendor 15069 - STAPLES ADVANTAGE 6049875855 Office Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 42.49 Vendor 15069 - STAPLES ADVANTAGE Totals Invoices 1 $42.49 Vendor 31970 - SUPERIOR CHEMICAL CORPORATION 431594 Janitorial Supplies Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 87.12 Vendor 31970 - SUPERIOR CHEMICAL CORPORATION Totals Invoices 1 $87.12 Vendor 11572 - TODAY'S BUSINESS SOLUTIONS 19211 Annual Service Agreement TBS- STR Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 595.00 19213 Annual Service Agreement TBS- EGG Edit 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 12/26/2025 595.00 Vendor 11572 - TODAY'S BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Totals Invoices 2 $1,190.00 Batch Number 2025-00000758 Totals Invoices 18 $6,587.59 Department 36 - Library Totals Invoices 18 $6,587.59 36 Library ___________________________________________________ Grand Totals Invoices 18 $6,587.59 Run by Ashley Zahn on 12/23/2025 03:15:20 PM Page 2 of 2 Door County Accounts Payable Invoice Report G/L Date Range 12/26/25 - 12/26/25 Report By Department - Batch - Vendor - Invoice Summary Listing Page 30 of 46 9. Donations EXPENSES Donation and Grant Expenses are included in the Accounts Payable transactions. Included is a summary of the amount of Donated and Grant Funds that were expended as part of the bills submitted to the County. REVENUE Included is a summary of Donation and Grant revenue from various individuals and entities and the summary of Library donations and grants received in December 2025. 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Agenda Notes Page 31 of 46 Revenue 46214 Donation Revenue-Misc 7586.05 Total Revenue 7,586.05$ Expenditures 52305 Repair and Maint.- Grounds 1650 53110 Operating Supplies 1084.3 53111 Library Materials 540.36 53111.010 Audio-Visual 276.49 53111.020 Audio Books 84.97 53111.030 Hoopla 4390.42 53112 Print Materials 1942.83 53150 Library Programs 9631.12 54102 Training Mile,Meals,Lodge 806.12 Total Expenditures 20,406.61$ Door County Library Donations and Grants Summary Revenue and Expenses December 1 - December 31, 2025 Page 32 of 46 Date Department Type rec'd From Description or Purpose Amount or Estimated Value 12/10/25 Library Donation General Donation General Donations for Baileys Harbor Library 100.00 12/10/25 Library Donation General Donation General Donation for Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Library 45.00 12/10/25 Library Donation Karen and David Studebaker General Donation for Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Library 250.00 12/10/25 Library Donation Lee and Barbara Jacobi General Donation for Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Library 100.00 12/10/25 Library Donation Detroit Harbor Ladies Aid General Donation for Washington Island Library 200.00 12/10/25 Library Grant Door County Library FoundationGrant 6,354.41 12/10/25 Library Donation Friends of Door County LibrariesDonation 315.39 Deposited 2025-12-10 7,364.80 12/22/25 Library Grant NFLS Continuing Education 221.25Deposited 2025-12-22 221.25 Total December 2025 $ 7,586.05 2025 Door County Gift, Grant or Donation Form Page 33 of 46 13. Review Hoopla Use and Budget Status • Hoopla subscription costs: https://bookriot.com/library-hoopla-subscription-costs/ • Libby and Hoopla comparison: https://amt-lab.org/reviews/2025/1/libby-vs-hoopla-library-apps- revisited • Hoopla titles are not included in the Infosoup catalog, but Libby materials are. Hoopla usage: • Monthly checkouts for December 2025 increased by 237 over December 2024. • December 2025 saw 89 new users over 2024. • 2025 Hoopla use increased by 1,379 over 2024. • Cost per use increased by $0.03 per use in 2025 over 2024. Patron impact: • Daily budget cap was hit in December 2025 as early as 4:43pm and late as 10:16pm • Daily budget cap was hit in January 2026 as early as 6:59am and as late as 10:48am • No unexpended money from December allocation was carried forward into January. • Average cost per use in Hoopla in December was $2.39 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Agenda Notes Page 34 of 46 14. Review and Approve Application to (NLS) for Yout h Services Grant Nicolet Library System (NLS) requests that the Door County Library Board approve this application for Youth Services. This is an annually recurring grant. 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Agenda Notes Page 35 of 46 2026 Youth Services Support Grant Application Please answer the questions completely. Please review the Youth Services Grants Policies for ways in which your Library can use these funds. Please email completed form to hzima@nflsoffice.org Application Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2026 Library: Door County Library Recipient Name: Beth Lokken Recipient Title: Youth Services Librarian Email: blokken@doorcountylibrary.org Please provide a short description of how you will use these funds and the costs involved: We will be dividing up the funds evenly across all eight branches ($228.75 each), as each branch has slightly different needs for youth services. We will jointly purchase CSLP materials for promotion of the summer reading program to the schools (printable sheets of bookmarks - $120), but otherwise the branches will use the funds for books for incentives, promotional materials from the CSLP catalog, craft supplies for children’s programming or materials to improve their children’s areas. Amount Requested (not to exceed your allocated amount): $ 1950 Name three ways these funds will directly benefit Youth Services Initiatives in your library: 1. We will promote the Summer Reading Program to all five school districts, all the parochial schools, and all the daycares. 2. We will encourage book ownership through the books offered as prizes. The prize for reading is more reading. 3. We are a single County Library made up of eight very different community branches. Youth Services covers a very diverse set of ages, abilities, and interests. Dividing the money this way allows each branch to make their own decisions based on their diverse communities. Board Approval: ☐ My library board has approved this application. Date of approval: Click or tap to enter a date. Page 36 of 46 14. Review and Discuss Strategic Plan Goal: Service Discussion of DCL philosophy regarding implementation of the Goal: Service from page 8 of the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan. 19 January 2026 – Library Board Meeting Agenda Notes Page 37 of 46 Strategic Plan 2025-2027 Page 38 of 46 1 Table of Contents About the Door County Library 2 About the Strategic Planning Process 3 What We Learned 4 Door County Library Strategic Goals and Objectives 6 Implementation of the Plan 8 Acknowledgments 8 Page 39 of 46 2 We love the Door County Library system. We are thrilled to have a library card. Keep up the good work! -- 2024 Community Survey Respondent About the Door County Library History Libraries have been active in Door County, Wisconsin since 1866 where they have served a variety of audiences and have taken many shapes and forms. Library service in Door County was revolutionized in 1949 when a bill to create a library-service-in-rural-areas demonstration project passed the state legislature and in 1950 the Door-Kewaunee Regional Library was created. Through the use of bookmobiles, this two-county pilot project brought the spirit of cooperation along with new, up-to-date books and other materials to Door County as well as the opportunity for patrons to place special requests. In 1953 when the demonstration project ended, Door County Library remained a county entity and service to the rural areas of the community continued to evolve into the organization that exists today. The largest Door County Library location is in Sturgeon Bay and seven additional branch libraries located in Baileys Harbor, Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek, Forestville, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove, and Washington Island. The multi-branch, multi-community nature of the library ensures a vibrant and responsive approach to the needs of Door County residents and visitors, no matter where they may be. Mission The mission of the Door County Library is to Inform, Instruct, and Inspire! We accomplish this by being a physical and virtual hub for information, ideas, and knowledge. The Door County Library connects people with the resources they seek for education and enrichment by providing welcoming services and engaging environments. Vision and Values The vision and values of the Door County Library are connected. We support a vision that looks toward a future where everyone who uses our services will find up-to-date resources which are accessible over a broad spectrum of current formats. Our values nurture this vision through building community with accepting, functional, and respectful places for people to gather, work, and study. Services The key responsibilities of our library is to provide Door County with easy access to information and excellent customer service, getting library materials ready for people to use, providing education and enrichment programs for people of all ages, and providing access to Door County’s Historical Archives. We are a cornerstone of the county, acting as a gathering place, a community connector, and an important part of the educational and recreational landscape of our community. Here are just a few highlights of the services that the Door County Library provided in 2024: ● Door County Reads, an annual community reading event, had 22 different programs with over 1,156 total participants. ● Our Summer Reading program thrived. The library hosted 254 programs with 3,672 in-person and 650 virtual attendees. Additionally, there were 101 self-directed activities with 6,028 participants, showing there’s something for everyone at the library. Page 40 of 46 3 ● Self-directed activities such as take-and-make crafts are growing in popularity. Door County Library met the growing demand by engaging 19,180 people with these kinds of programs, an increase of 5,352 participants (39%) from the previous year. ● Use of the library and its resources included: 230,158 library visits, 230,458 check-outs of physical materials, nearly 8,500 uses of our computers, almost 124,000 website visits, and digital checkouts of 154,098 E-audiobooks, E-books, E-music, and E-video uses through the Libby and Hoopla apps. About the Strategic Planning Process In 2024, Door County Library engaged in a strategic plan evaluation and refresh process to assess progress on its previous plan and inspire new directions for the library in the coming years. A planning team composed of library staff and representatives of the Library Board of Trustees oversaw the process, with facilitation by consultants from WiLS (Wisconsin Library Services). This strategic planning process used existing data and engaged numerous stakeholder groups to learn about our strengths, opportunities, and potential measures for success. This robust information gathering, which reached many infrequent or non-library users, included the following: Evaluation of the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan The library director and assistant director completed a worksheet reflecting on the previous strategic plan, detailing specific activities or projects to gauge progress on the plan’s goals and strategies. Staff completed a questionnaire focused on evaluating progress made on the plan, and board members evaluated the plan as part of a focus group. Community Demographic Information Data sets, such as the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey, were shared with the strategic planning team and were used to identify specific groups or individuals that live in Door County and are impacted by the library. Annual Service Data Library staff and board members gained access to a dashboard that showed our library’s annual statistics, including visitor counts, circulation numbers, collection numbers, and additional data over time. These revealed trends and outlying data points which reflected certain key statistics from each branch as well. Staff Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results (SOAR) Activity Library staff completed a questionnaire that asked them to consider the library’s strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results that they would expect or hope to see. Facilitated Conversations Page 41 of 46 4 Members of our Library Board of Trustees participated in a facilitated conversation with planning consultants. Questions focused on community assets and opportunities, as well as their perception of the library’s strengths and future growth areas. Community Survey This survey was designed to examine library usage, perception, awareness of, and satisfaction with services and resources. It was administered by the planning consultants and made available online and in hard copy. More than 500 community members took the survey. What We Learned From a Place of Strength Door County Library has several indicators of strong performance. Survey takers had high levels of satisfaction with all library services, from checking out materials to getting help from the library staff. Additionally, survey respondents overwhelmingly felt that the Door County Library was important to themselves, their families, and the larger community. The library was viewed as a critical county service with usage data providing key indicators of organizational strength. Post-Covid, Door County Library is seeing a strong rebound in visitor numbers, programming attendance, and circulations. While the library has clear goals to accomplish, especially focused on space and stable staffing, it is at the enviable position of having a deeply invested community and strongly committed network of staff and institutional stakeholders to support the library and its efforts in the coming years. Welcoming and Modern Spaces From a larger Sturgeon Bay location and comfortable seating added at all locations to rooms where calls can take place privately, in addition to engaging outdoor areas, the Door County Library should have spaces that meet community and staff needs. The library is committed to reviewing usage data and Page 42 of 46 5 reimagining underutilized spaces, including interior and exterior spaces along with parking, to ensure the day-to-day infrastructure provides a pleasant experience for everyone. While all locations will be carefully analyzed, the needs of the Sturgeon Bay location are more significant and will require a significant building improvement plan for renovations. For almost a decade, the Door County community has noted the need to modernize the main location in Sturgeon Bay. Community members shared desires for a makerspace, an exploratory children’s space, and smaller private study rooms. “Investing in cultural assets like we have in Sturgeon Bay can contribute greatly to building the economic vitality of our place.” -- 2024 Community Survey Respondent A Chance to Connect and Lead In the evaluation and planning process, staff, board, and community members reported that they see the library as a place of connection and partnership. The branch locations keep the Door County Library at the center of their communities. The library has a strong organizational presence throughout the county, and the library is an important feature which all residents have in common. The ability for library staff to understand and respond to local needs helps bolster the sense that the Door County Library is integral to the county’s identity. The library’s community-forward approach, deep partnerships, and strong connections means it is well-positioned to be part of county-wide initiatives. “The Door County Library should have ‘a seat at every table,’ especially at tables where county- wide initiatives are discussed” -- 2024 Staff Survey Respondent Organizational Strength A library is a place with materials and resources and provides access to those things. But perhaps most importantly, it is the people that make it special. To ensure that the library provides our Door County community with the resources it needs, the staff must be prioritized. Like many libraries, staff turnover has been a challenge. The Door County Library will focus on the further development of policies and practices that improve internal communication and consistency. In addition, library administration will review staffing levels and workload that matches community needs, moving toward fair compensation, manageable expectations, and training that allows staff to grow and feel confident in their work. These themes: existing strengths, welcoming and modern spaces, connecting and leading in the community, and developing organizational strength have directly informed the development of library goals and objectives for the coming years. For each of the following goals and accompanying objectives, the Door County Library will utilize a process of careful data collection, analysis and application to deepen its understanding of organizational successes and trending needs to continuously improve services. Page 43 of 46 6 Door County Library Strategic Goals and Objectives Goal: Space The communities in Door County are unique, and their needs should be reflected in welcoming, vibrant, and functional indoor, outdoor, and digital library spaces. Objectives ● Develop and implement a building improvement plan for the Sturgeon Bay location to align the library space with staff needs and community expectations. ● Prioritize and implement space changes that improve the library experience at each branch within the limits of each location. ● Improve digital library spaces and infrastructure to ensure library patrons can access digital materials in the short and long term. Outcomes ● Staff and community members have high levels of satisfaction for how each library location functions and feels. ● Groups and individuals can easily access spaces that help them learn, work, and collaborate. ● Data showing increased, diversified, and/or sustained community use through metrics collected such as library visits, program participation/ attendance, and card holders at each library location. Goal: Connection & Communication As an important hub in Door County communities, the library connects the community with resources by leveraging strong partnerships and widely sharing what is happening at the library. Objectives ● Support community usage and staff awareness of library services through impactful library, and county-wide, communication and marketing efforts. ● Deepen existing and build new partnerships with organizations and individuals to offer engaging experiences and resources. ● Connect the community with local resources through partnerships and effective communication with local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and other groups. ● Personally engage with municipal and community stakeholders to increase understanding and support of the library. Outcomes ● Positive and lively community conversation about the library such as social media mentions, word-of-mouth communication, etc. ● Meaningful partnerships that mutually meet library and partner missions. ● Library staff are seen as integral parts of county-wide initiatives. ● Data showing an increase or sustained number of cardholders, library visits and program participation at each location. Page 44 of 46 7 Goal: Service The Door County Library supports ongoing learning and exploration for individuals of all ages by providing accessible, relevant resources, and stellar services. Objectives ● Increase staff confidence in making informed and empowered decisions. ● Identify and match library services and resources with the Door County community, with a focus on engaging underrepresented community members and those that underutilize the library. ● Improve access to and representation in the Door County Library by continuously reviewing policies, procedures, and practices, and soliciting community and staff input. Outcomes ● The patron experience is enhanced by consistent, excellent customer service. ● Staff feel empowered to provide access to library collections and services along with connecting patrons to other community resources to meet their needs. ● Patrons feel welcome in a reflective space and can find what they need at any of the library locations. ● Data showing an increase or sustained in number of cardholders and library visits at each location. Goal: Organizational Strength The library is a vibrant and engaging environment for Door County Library staff, patrons, and supporters who feel a strong sense of connection and enthusiasm. Objectives ● Increase staff satisfaction, capacity, and retention through workload balance, consistent policy development and application, and a strong understanding of community needs to drive decisions. ● Improve internal communication and relationships between leadership and staff, departments, and branches. ● Explore and implement ways to ensure community needs for the library are adequately supported. Outcomes ● Improved staff satisfaction and decrease in staff turnover. ● Community members feel welcome in a reflective space and can find what they need at any of the library branches. ● Increased or sustained library service usage data that is representative of our diverse community. Page 45 of 46 8 Implementation of the Plan This strategic plan is a living document that identifies the broad goals for the library alongside its objectives. Implementing the strategic plan, or how the library staff and board will act on the plan, will follow a cycle of community and staff engagement, board involvement, project work, and assessment. The Door County Library Director and staff, in consultation with members of the Door County Library Board, will prioritize service goals and coordinate activities from the strategic plan to develop annual action plans. Decisions regarding implementation will be made by the director, staff, and board members based on potential impact; available resources, including funding and staff time; and future changes which may arise from ongoing efforts to listen to the community as well as watching local, state, and national trends within library service. Communications, Accountability, and Assessment ● To ensure that this strategic plan is a dynamic tool to shape the services and resources of the library, it will be reviewed and updated yearly by the board and director. ● An assessment plan will be developed to track metrics to understand how progress is being made toward each goal. ● Staff will review the strategic plan annually to revisit the prior years’ efforts and to discuss implementation priorities, ideas, goals, and benchmarks for the coming year. The decisions of the group will be shared with the library board and will be reflected in the library’s budget planning process as it is developed. ● The Library Director will provide a summary of the prior year’s progress toward implementation of the strategic plan to the library board which will also be shared with the public. Acknowledgments The Door County Library is sincerely grateful for the time community members spent participating in the planning process. The library would also like to thank staff members, the board, our Friends group, and our partners throughout the county, all of whom make the library a better, more vibrant place. Special thanks to the following individuals who served on the strategic planning team: Board Members Helen Bacon, Bridget Bowers, Robert Dickson, Spencer Gustafson, Matt Huston, Mary L. Jackson, Nissa Norton, Kirsten Reeths, Morgan Rusnak, and Mike Scoville. Library Staff Members Elisha Adelman, Maggie Behme, Rebecca Buchmann, Dominic Frandrup, Christina Johnson, Beth Lokken, and Morgan Mann. Thank you to the consulting team at WiLS (Wisconsin Library Services) for their project management and process coordination. Page 46 of 46