July 19, 2023
Quest Conference Center Columbus
9200 Worthington Road, Suite 400
Westerville, OH 43082

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8:30 a.m. | Registration, Networking and Continental Breakfast (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

9 – 9:15 a.m. | Welcome (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

• Kristen Payne, Chair, Conference Planning Committee
• Michelle Francis, Executive Director, Ohio Library Council

9:15 – 10 a.m. | Streamlining Construction Procurement (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

Presenters: Laura Bowman, Bricker Graydon LLP and Molly DeFosse, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

With carefully crafted procurement and contract documents, a “term agreement” and “task order” arrangement may be used by public entities to allow a professional to work on multiple projects within a specific time frame, without the need to re-procure or re-negotiate a contract for each project. Term agreements are best suited for either limited scope or multiphase projects and may be used for design professionals, CMRs or design-builders. Learn more about the requirements for procurement under Ohio law as well as practical “lessons learned.”

10 – 10:05 a.m. |  Take Five Break

10:05 – 10:50 a.m. | Construction Manager at Risk: Legal Requirements & Practical Realities (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

Presenters: Laura Bowman, Bricker Graydon LLP and Wendy Tressler, Columbus Metropolitan Library

Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) is becoming one of the most popular construction delivery models for libraries, but is not immune from the challenges of the current construction climate (supply chain issues, bid busts, oh my!). Learn more about the CMR and subcontractor procurement processes required by Ohio law, what to expect, and how to deal with the unexpected.

10:50 – 10:55 a.m. | Take Five Break

10:55 – 11:40 a.m. | Supporting Staff through Renovations Panel Discussion (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

Presenters: Andrea Fisher, Lakewood Public Library; Jen Welsh, Stark Library; and John Tetzloff, Columbus Metropolitan Library

11:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  | Lunch Buffet (Morgan Rooms 1-3)

12:30 – 12:45 p.m. | Break

12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | Breakout Sessions (Choose one)

(1) Community Partner Vendor Cart (Morgan Room 1)

Presenters: Camille Hall and Sharon Taste, Dayton Metro Library

As part of Dayton Metro Library’s redevelopment project, the library has rebuilt 17 branch locations with a specialized community focus. During the ideation and design stages, community residents and stakeholders met with library representatives to give input on what they’d like to see in the library. One of the most unique requests came from our Northwest branch location, a vendor cart.

The vendor cart at Northwest is a stationary cart that has been used by food-based businesses to sell their menu items to library patrons and staff during library hours. This cart has helped jumpstart small businesses by providing them with a free space to operate as well as opportunities to sharpen their customer service skills and business operations. This partnership is mutually beneficial to both the community and the library as we continue to commit ourselves to supporting the local business community through specialized library services.

(2) Lessons Learned: Facility Considerations for Creative and Makerspaces (Morgan Room 2)

Presenter: CJ Lynce, Westlake Porter Public Library

No matter their size, location, or permanence, makerspaces and creative labs place different demands on infrastructure than most library services. The first such spaces in libraries were often set up ad-hoc in existing spaces, resulting in challenges regarding workflow and infrastructure needs. This session will take a look at lessons learned over a decade of makerspaces in libraries and examine infrastructure considerations for establishing such spaces in 2023. Ideas and best practices will be discussed related to a variety of different types and sizes of makerspaces and equipment. This session will include topics such as computer access, furniture and seating, power, ventilation, safety, and more.

(3) Construction and Facility Solutions: Creating and Maintaining Warm, Dry and Safe Buildings (Morgan Room 3)

Presenters: Kevin Kindy, Triad Facility Solutions and Greg Ramage, Upper Arlington Public Library

With tight budgets and competing priorities, many libraries are forced to operate under the age-old proverb, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The harsh reality of this approach is that reactive or emergency maintenance can cost a district far more than well-executed preventative maintenance. A safe, secure, and comfortable environment is the foundation of a library-goer’s experience. To help ensure your facilities meet these needs, this session will cover considerations you should make when thinking about keeping your facilities warm, dry, and safe. Construction and facility management experts will help you understand the benefits of proactive assessments and how they can help you allocate resources in advance of a disaster as well as budget for regular, affordable fixes. By learning what it takes to assess the overall health of your building, you will put yourself in a position to:

• Understand the expected life cycles of critical facility systems — allowing you to plan proactively to replace these systems before they fail.
• Create an economical preventative maintenance plan for your facility’s HVAC system to keep it running consistently and efficiently for many years.
• Ensure small maintenance items aren’t creating hidden long-term issues.

1:45 – 2 p.m. | Break

2 – 3 p.m. | Breakout Sessions (Choose one)

(1) Financing Library Facilities (Morgan Room 1)

Presenters: Patrick King and Michelle Hillstrom, Stifel; and Catherine Swartz, Bricker Graydon LLP

Library borrowing options vary. This session will review the legal authority for borrowing as well as financial considerations. Capital campaigns and partnerships with local businesses will also be addressed.

(2) Starting a Digital Memory Lab (Morgan Room 2)

Presenters: Allison Howell, Mansfield/Richland County Public Library and Joshua Bryant, Bexley Public Library

Many public libraries are providing space and equipment for their patrons to digitize home movies and scan their personal photographs and slides. If you’re thinking of developing your own memory lab, but have questions about where to begin, join us for a discussion and presentation with the staff of the Bexley and Mansfield/Richland County Public Libraries, which have recently established memory labs. This session will cover budgets, equipment and software, training for staff and patrons, policies, and more.

(3) Energy Efficiency Planning for the Future (Morgan Room 3)

Presenter: Justin Kale, Energility

Energy efficiency is about doing more with less AND getting building systems under control, updating operational procedures, and becoming more efficient at the same time. During this session, you will gain a better understanding of how to:

• Control building energy use, energy costs, and building equipment.
• Operate the building efficiently and comfortably (they are not mutually exclusive).
• Organize projects to reduce your carbon footprint and lower operating expenses.
• Look into sustainability projects using incentives and strategies to lessen capital costs.

You will learn how Worthington Libraries took advantage of available incentives and used Energility to build an Energy Plan through an ASHRAE level 2 energy audit. This session will describe how the library  implemented quick payback items, such as LED lighting and building automation controls, and needed maintenance items, such as broken dampers and a failing boiler, to financially build an effective project. You will learn how they are working on a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that will enable the library to hedge a portion of their electricity costs for the next 20+ years by installing solar panels on-site and buying electricity directly from this system at a reduced rate. This session will take a closer look at the incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and PPAs.

3 – 3:15 p.m. | Break

3:15 – 4 p.m. | Q&A Session with Panel of Experts (Morgan Rooms 1, 2, 3)

Panelists:

• Laura Bowman, Bricker Graydon LLP
• Camille Hall, Dayton Metro Library
• CJ Lynce, Westlake-Porter Public Library
• Michelle Hillstrom, Stifel
• Joshua Bryant, Bexley Public Library
• Justin Kale, Energility

4:15 p.m. | Closing Remarks and Adjourn