1990-06-18 Board of Library Trustees Minutes

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Board of Library Trustees Minutes of Meeting - June 18, 1990 Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m. ,Present: Dr. Christine Redford, chair; Mrs. Carol.. Beckwith; Mr. William Diamond; Mr. Robert Fields; Mrs. Elia Marnik. Absent: Ms. Cherrie Dubois. Dr. Redford called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. Minutes: Mrs. Marnik moved that the minutes of May 21 be approved. The motion passed. Financial report: Remaining FY90 personnel funds are being used by library pages for special projects, because their hours will be cut as of July 1. Statistical report: Circulation for this fiscal year so far is 6700 over last year. Circulation will probably not break the 300,000 mark this year. Director's report: Two Elmer Rising prints of Maine scenes have been bought in memory of Muf Shaw. A reception will be held for memorial fund donors and Mrs. Shaw's husband when the prints are hung in the Music Room. The meeting room will be recarpeted on June 19. The main floor will be recarpeted on June 22 and 23. The library will strive to maintain as much of the regular library operations as possible on those two days. Funds for the carpet come from the insurance from 1988 flood damage. Mr. Diamond and Mr. Fields asked the Director to make sure that the floor which was warped is repaired before the carpet is laid. The Garden Club's landscaping has been done; the library is being spruced up all around. Unfinished business: 1) The Board approved the letter to the Board of ,---,.,Selectmen concerning reclassification as drafted by Mrs. Beckwith. The letter will be sent immediately. 2) Ms. Flannery reported to the Board on the piano policy. A few months ago, the Board gave the Director provisional permission to authorize use of the piano, rather than the Board. Since that time there have been no requests to use the piano. The Board agreed that the current procedure should continue for another year and be re-evaluted next June. New business: 1) Concerning the library calendar for next fiscal year, the Director suggested that the library be closed all day on Monday, December 24, but that it not be a paid day off. Mr. Diamond moved that the library close for the brief three-hour period that it would otherwise be open between Sunday and Christmas Day. The motion passed. It was noted that this situation arises only once every several years. 2) Ms. Flannery recommended that the delinquency threshold be changed from three overdue items to one overdue item. The number of items currently overdue is not huge, but is more than the library can absorb given the twenty-one per cent cut in FY91's materials budget. Reducing the delinquency threshold will enable the library to reduce losses without incurring additional costs. Mr. Fields recommended that a limit be placed on the number of seven-day books that may be taken out at one time. Ms. Flannery will consult with the circulation staff to see if the current lack of restriction causes a problem. She will report back to the Board at its next meeting. Mrs. Marnik moved that the delinquency threshold be reduced from three overdue books to one overdue book. °The motion passed. 1 S..