1992-12-21 Board of Library Trustees Minutes

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Board of Library Trustees Minutes of Meeting - December '21, 1992' Conference Room - Reading Public Library 6:00 p.m. 'sent: Mrs. Elia Marnik, chair; Mrs. Caroi Beckwith; Mr. William Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford. Minutes: Mr. Fields made a motion to approve the minutes of November 16. The motion passed. Financial report: Most of the book budget (municipal funds) is spent. In order to meet the state aid requirements, the Library must spend $77,000 on materials this year. Ms. Hanley notified the Board that she may ask for a transfer of trust funds (about $2000) later in the year to meet this amount, if donations do not cover it. Statistical report: Circulation is down by 10,000 from last fiscal year, but Reading continues to be number one in NOBLE. Ms. Hanley predicted that December statistics will be even lower, and noted that the Salem Public Library is nearing our circulation figures. Director's Report: The Friends have gained 550 new members, and $6500 in dues; 85 of those members are children. The holiday store has made $600. Four of the selectmen came to Staff Appreciation Day. Mrs. Marnik suggested that something be arranged to allow more staff to attend next year. Information on the Pride Stride accounting was disbursed; the Board agreed that the return was low. T.T ".nished business: 1) The Director was commended for producing the ensive documentof the long-range plan. Mrs. Marnik and Ms. Hanley p-_,sented the draft of the plan at a recent Selectmen's meeting. The Board will discuss the plan at the next meeting, the date of which was moved up to January 11. 2) The space planning committee is an outgrowth of the long-range plan. Changes need to be made to accomodate new nonprint collections and growing book collections. The committee will develop a layout for library furnishings and collections with an overall view. Mrs. Beckwith, Ms. Dubois, and Mrs. Marnik volunteered to serve on the committee. New business: Ms. Hanley presented an FY94 budget proposal. The Town Manager projects that about $300,000 will be left after all budgets are level-funded. That money will be used for a raise for all town employees, which he will submit as a separate package. It would amount to about a one or one-and-a-half percent raise. Any budget that does not come in according to his level funding guidelines must get a waiver. Ms. Hanley said that more than $461,000 is needed to run a superb library. The Town has never implemented merit raises. Merit raises for all library employees on July 1, 1993 would cost about $15,000. The proposed budget includes merit raises as of January 1, 1994, with the intent to review each employee and grant a raise, if merited, on the evaluation anniversary date in the following fiscal years. Mr. Fields moved that the four percent merit increase be applied as of Ju.1,y 1, 1993, rather than for six months only. The motion passed. Mrs. 7" "`k proposed that the book budget be increased by $15,000, bringing the 1