2011-04-11 Board of Library Trustees Minutes

Home Browse Search

RECEIVED Minutes of the Board of Library Trustees Meeting T 0 W N C L E R K Monday, April 11, 2011 READING, MASS. Present: David Hutchinson, Chair; Richard Curtis, Vice Chair; Jeffrey Doucette; K. SM; fflt4i-yaWonsk~~ Ruth Urell Library, Director; Dorota Socha, Assistant Director. Absent: Cherrie Dubois Meeting called to order: 7:00 p.m. March 21, 2011 Minutes approved unanimously V. Yablonsky/R. Curtis Financial Report (R. Urell) ■ Financial Report reflects FY2011 budget 75% expended. ■ Salaries running very close to the upper limit. Options: further reduce Sunday staffing, or cut back employee hours. No reserve budget for covering public service desks for sick or vacation time or to pay for staff time for outreach, meetings or programs. Trustee Liaison's Reports Foundation (R. Curtis) Reading resident and award winning puppeteer Judith O'Hare speaking on 'The Power of Puppets to Entertain and to Educate on Monday, April 11 ffi. Friends (C. Dubois) A "Hole" Lot of Fun fundraiser featuring 18 Holes of Miniature Golf will be held inside the Reading Public Library on Sunday, May 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A silent auction will be held and Hole sponsors are stepping up and donations for raffle items are going very well. Budget FY12 R. Urell wants to thank the members of the Finance Committee, especially Marsie West, Chairperson, and Frank Fardy, Library Liaison. During March 30, 2011 meeting the Finance Committee added $18,000 back into the Library budget to ensure Saturday openings during the summer months. Discussion ■ During the March 30 meeting, there were questions about staffing levels by the Chair of the Finance Committee and she urged the Trustees to look at the amount of staffing at the Library. ■ J. Doucette asked for specifics about where and when does the Finance Committee think the library is overstaffed. ■ D. Hutchinson noted that during the course of the next year, we will look at our staffing and compare statistics to nearby communities; ■ V. Yablonsky wondered where the $9,640 shortfall in Municipal Appropriation Requirement will come from. R. Urell will most likely cut $1,000 each from supplies and technology and $7,000 from books. ■ Trustees will have to apply for a M.A.R. certification waiver which Reading's library has not had to do before. Building Program ■ Trustees presenting the design to the public on Saturdays through April 23`d from 10:00 am - 2:00 p.m. K. Storti and V. Yablonsky stated response has been positive - patrons have shown Minutes of the Board of Library Trustees - April 11, 2011