Gerber/Hart Library and Archives held its first annual meeting since questions surrounding its governance arose at the start of this year.
Nine people attended the Dec. 10 meeting, which was closed to public and press.
Present at the meeting were four board members and Gerber/Hart's head librarian. Don Landers, a board member who lives in Arizona, was absent.
It has been a rocky year for Chicago's LGBT library. In January, news broke that the library was relocating, a move that prompted outcry that the organization had become shut off from the community it was founded to serve. That controversy came to a head when the library's board released a new set of bylaws that stripped member voting rights.
Former President Karen Sendziak transitioned to treasurer in the midst of the fallout and former board member (and past board president) Brad Tucker became president.
This Spring, the library left its Edgewater home and moved to an unfinished building in Rogers Park. It has been closed now for eight months while construction is completed. Its estimated re-opening date has been repeatedly pushed back.
This year's annual meeting is believed to be the first held by the library in at least two years.
Windy City Times requested access to the closed meeting both prior to and at the meeting itself. At the meeting, Tucker said he would allow WCT access unless members objected to having a reporter in the room. One person did object, however, and this reporter was asked to leave.
Tucker later reported that he felt the meeting went well.
"It seemed like people were positive and upbeat, and they had some good ideas and were willing to help," he said.
According Tucker and others in the room, the board discussed current membership numbers, the financial health of the organization, the process by which board members are chosen, the library's dearth of volunteers and its timeline for re-opening, among other things.
Tucker and Sendziak reported that the library has less than 50 members presently, a number that Tucker said is lower than past years due to the waning interest people have in checking out books.
Gerber/Hart closed out 2011 with $215,603, according to tax documents filed by the organization. Today, it has approximately $140,000, Tucker said. Members questioned the board on how that money had been spent.
According to Tucker, nearly $30,000 went to rent at Gerber/Hart's old home on Granville Ave. Tucker totaled the cost of the move at $13,000. Sendziak said that the library was also paying for less than 10 percent of construction costs on the new space, but Tucker later told Windy City Times, "I would think it's significantly more than that."
Tucker said a pause in fundraising efforts has hindered the organization's ability to supplement those costs.
Members asked how the board is elected. Board members vote on applicant board members, they were told. At least two in the room expressed interest in joining the board. Tucker said the board is still working on a new application process for additional board members, however.
The board reported that Gerber/Hart is low on volunteers and will be ramping up its recruitment efforts in coming months.
Finally, the board announced that they hoped the new library would be finished by late January. Tucker told Windy City Times that he is aiming for a mid-February re-opening but added that he could not promise anything.
"We've been disappointed at every turn basically," Tucker said of the build-out.
Of the members interviewed following the meeting, just one agreed to speak on-record. Bob Cohn said he gained little understanding from the meeting.
"The meeting was devoted to either praise for Karen [Sendziak} or Don Landers," Cohn said.
Cohn said he felt the board failed to answer questions about the new bylaws, a major sticking point for new members.
Members interviewed also alleged that the member who objected to the presence of a reporter in the room both came and left with Sendziak.
Asked about that members' role in the meeting, Tucker said, "I knew that he was coming there to support Karen [Sendziak]." Tucker said he did not prompt the man to object to having a reporter present. He did not know if Sendziak had spoken with him, he said.
Tucker, however, has committed to a public meeting in mid January, he said. The details of that meeting have yet to be announced.
Current board members now include John Orwat who is serving as secretary and Jody Dedore, vice president. Stef Potter is head librarian.
See recent coverage at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Gerber-Hart-to-hold-members-meeting-closed-to-public-and-press/40723.html .
