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Board of Library Trustees <br />Minutes of Meeting - September 20, 1993 <br />Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m. <br />Present: Mrs. Elia Marnik, chair; Mrs. Carol Beckwith; Mr. William <br />Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford. <br />Also attending: Tom Stohlman. <br />The meeting was called to order at 6:13 p.m. <br />Minutes: Mr. Fields made a motion to approve the minutes of June 21. The <br />motion passed. <br />Financial report: The report is now generated from the Town Hall computer <br />and looks substantially 'different. There had been considerable duplication <br />of work in bill processing by the library and the finance department. The <br />Town manager purchased a modem and phone line so that the library can hook <br />into Town Hall's computer and enter bills directly. The library is a pilot <br />project in this. Ms. Hanley alerted the Board that the financial statement <br />does not include the bill roll being signed this evening it will always` <br />be one bill roll behind. The Board expressed satisfaction with the new <br />arrangement. <br />The Director noted that the library has spent almost exactly the same <br />amount of money as at this time last year, even though the budget is higher <br />this year. <br />Statistical report: Circulation is ahead of last year. Salem beat Reading <br />in circulation last month; that library is open Saturdays in the summer and <br />has been buying paperbacks at an extraordinary rate. <br />Bison reports: Mr. Fields reported that the carpeting on:"the main floor <br />,l need to be replaced and costs estimated. Dr. Redford, as liaison to <br />.ie staff, sent out thank-you notes to staff members over.the summer. <br />Unfinished business: 1) The first bid for the reference desk was for $8000, <br />not including painting; the second bidder declined; the third bid, from <br />Greg Zanni, was for $5100, not including painting. The bid includes all <br />other specifications and the removal of the old desk. DPW will pay for <br />electrical and painting. The library has $5000 for this project: $3000 in <br />Trudy Paradis' memorial fund and $2000 anticipated from the Friends. <br />Installing the new desk will require a couple of days of dislocation. The <br />Board gave the project a go-ahead. Installation may be scheduled for <br />October/November. <br />2) The Friends held their first meeting of the year last week. The 350th <br />Committee asked that the house tour be held as a capping event. There will <br />be a full membership drive this.year. Current membership: almost 1000. <br />Mr. Stohlman presented to the trustees the Friends' budget for FY94, which <br />was discussed last week but not voted on. The major difference from last <br />year's budget is the reference desk donation. The Friends will try to <br />double the video collection by donating the same amount of money as last <br />year. <br />Nancy Aberman and Mary Hichborn conceived a coordinated school project. <br />William Sleator will spend a day at Coolidge next Tuesday. All are invited <br />to come to the library to meet him over a bag lunch. The Friends will <br />offer $500 matching funds to Parker also, for a cooperative event with the <br />l-ibrary. <br />,3. Marnik expressed appreciation of the Friends' support and their <br />avision of volunteer hours and resources which the library would <br />otherwise not have, such as Electronic Bookshelf, software, and videos. <br />1 <br />