Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Called to order 7:05 p.m. Adjourned: 8:38 p.m. Present: Linda Chatfield, Eli MacCullagh, Judy Northup-Bennett, Marny Ashburne, and Marcia Reynolds.
A. Report from the Friends: Marny reported that the Friends will present the next Reading Aloud for Grownups on Feb.15, and Mar. 15. Feb. will continue to be a ZOOM program. They are deciding how to spend the money donated to the Friends in honor of John Clayton.
The Friends’ Board wants to express their gratitude to Linda Chatfield for all she’s done as Acting Director to support the library and the Friends.
B. Minutes: January 11, 2022 minutes unanimously approved.
C. Director’s Report approved. Details of the report with programs and participation attached.
Report highlights include: 1. There was a 10 % decrease in library attendance and a 15% decrease in circulation between Dec. and Jan. Use of the Hoopla digital service continues to increase with 41 users this month. 2. “The Blizzard of 1978” program was very well received with 82 people signing up and 48 people attending. There was excellent publicity for the program including: statewide library listings; an Athol News listing; and a front-page article in the Greenfield Recorder. 3. The website has been updated including a new “About” section, and listing of the Job Search and Library Director description. 4. Four new chairs purchased by the Friends for the teen section have arrived. We’re waiting for two more.
D.FY23 Budget: Judy commented that Linda did a great job of bringing down the budget where she could without damaging programs. Judy suggested that we cut the budget even more to offset the increase for the new position. She recognized that there is very little to cut in the budget after you consider personnel funding, and the materials category that is required by state MBLC law. Eli argued that Linda had already done a good job in cutting as much as possible out of the budget. It would be risky to cut items for this year as we might not get the funding back in the next year. He made a motion that was approved unanimously “to approve the FY 23 Budget as presented “.
E. Annual Report: After a discussion of possible revisions, the Annual Report was accepted unanimously as amended.
F. Review of Policies: The Trustees began an ongoing review of Library policies that Linda has organized in a plan to approve and date all Library policies. She is organizing a binder of library policies and will bring a couple of policies each month to the Trustee meeting for Trustees to approve or add to a list of policies that need more review. The Trustees voted unanimously to approve the following policies: 1. The Video Recording Policy. 2. The Pandemic Policy and 3. The Trustees’ Policy. They decided to send the Friends of the Library Policy to the Friends’ group for their comments and revise this one as needed at a future date.
G. COVID Check-in: Linda said that with the decrease in COVID numbers, she was interested in beginning to open the library for group meetings and events. The Trustees said that per the COVID policy, the decision on when and how to reopen was the Director’s, consulting with the staff. It was agreed that the library would take a step, reopening the library to groups of 10 or less.
H. New Director Search Job listings and ad: Judy reported that display ads will run in the Greenfield Recorder and in 3 of its sister papers, in print and digitally, on Feb. 9, Feb. 10, Feb. 12 and Feb. 16 for $556.20. It will also run Feb. 3 and 10 in the weekly Montague Reporter for $56. This will cover print media in our greater North Quabbin and Valley region. Eli agreed to place an item in the New Salem News that announces the Search Committee, encourages public comment at its meetings, and lists a link to the next meeting. Judy will put an item on the Job listing in the New Salem News this week.
I. Commemorative Plaque Update: Mary Ann Palmieri has completed the research on the employment history of former long-serving directors/employees. With Linda’s help, she also found historic sources that go back to the founding of the library over 100 years ago.While our mission is to honor Diana’s unique 23-year service, the committee is realizing that this is a bigger issue of how the library recognizes service. Due to some personal scheduling in March, Judy, Mary Ann and Ramona Hamblin won’t be able to work on this until April. Eli commented that it was a good idea to look at the big picture on how to display any acknowledgements of service in the library.
Future Zoom Trustee Meetings:
Tues. Mar. 8, 2022, 7 pm