Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-13 Board of Library Trustees Minutesb c � �e Board - Committee Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Commission - Council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2025-01-13 Building: Reading Public Library Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Purpose: General Meeting Attendees: Members - Present: RECEIVED By Town Clerk GP at 5:07 am, Feb 11, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM Location: Community Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Cappy Popp, Chair; Patrick Egan, Vice -Chair (remote); Andrew Gnmes, Secretary; Cherrie Dubois; Andrew Gregory (remote); Monette Verner Members - Not Present: Others Present: Amy Lannon, Director; Michelle Fllleul, Assistant Director; Meaghan Clemente, Administrative Assistant; Joseph McDonagh, Finance Committee Liaison to Reading Public Library Minutes Respectfulty Submitted By: Andrew Grimes, Secretary Topics of Discussion: I. Call to Order 7:01 p.m. It. Public Comment No public comments were made in person or remotely. III. Community Outreach and Engagement Report Ms. Filleul presented an update on community outreach and engagement. These strategic initiatives forge community relationships and facilitate access to library programs, services, and resources. Outreach efforts target infrequent users, nonusers, and traditionally underserved groups such as immigrants, refugees, New Americans, and people experiencing hunger, homelessness, poverty, and geographic isolation. Community engagement efforts empower library users, residents, and organizations to take the lead in services and programs that benefit the community. The Library is committed to connecting all community members with opportunities to grow and learn and strives to provide resources to support a welcoming and engaged community. The Library has booths at major community events such as the Reading Garden Club Plant Sale, Friends and Family Day, Fall Street Faire, Discover the Arts Festival, and the YMCA Health Fair. The Library hosts annual events like Vehicle Day and the Connected Reading community open house. RPL offers tax assistance at the Library in partnership with the Pleasant Street Center. The Library also works with the Public Health Department to host community vaccine clinics. We hosted an Adult Autism Support Center Resource Fair in November in collaboration with Northeast Arc. The Library hosts Page I r multilingual summer tutoring, allowing teachers and students to build their learning relationships and comfort levels with the Library. The Library book bike brought books, bubbles, stickers, and smiles to five Reading Recreation summer performances. Two Treats and Beats concerts were also held at local apartment complexes to reach the families of multilingual learners. The Library hopes to further engage these community members through additional offerings at apartment complexes and extended day programs. Deposit collections include materials that have been checked out for extended borrowing and are not available in the Library catalog. Books are gifted to users of the Reading Food Pantry. Items are borrowed and returned at other deposit collection sites on the honor system. The Library understands that some items may not be returned. The Library will explore the possibility of using excess books donated to the Friends of the Reading Public Library book sale turret in deposit collections. Excess donations are donated to other charitable organizations. Five deposit collections provide direct access to library materials at the Sawtelle Hospice House, Pleasant Street Center, Peter Sanborn Place, Reading Food Pantry, and the Solstice House. Staff are developing additional deposit collections for nearby apartment buildings. The Library will expand relationships and partnerships with community groups and Town Departments in 2025. The Library will work on translating promotional materials, resource guides, and library card sign-up forms into Portuguese to promote accessibility. Overall, community outreach and engagement enhance the value of Library services for everyone. IV. RMLD EV Charger Update Ms. Lannon is working with the Reading Municipal Light Department to review data reports, statistics, and parking space pavement line discrepancies versus state grant requirements associated with its electric vehicle charging stations to determine if at least one parking space could be recovered for regular public use. Director of Integrated Resources Megan Wu will present possible options and usage data at the Board's February 10 meeting. The Library's Level 3 DC Fast Charger offers the only publicly available expedited charging experience in Reading. Although the Level 3 charger experienced some downtime over the summer, visitors use both chargers daily. There are no plans to upgrade the Library's existing Level 2 charger to Level 3. The length of charging cables and different plug standards on the nozzles allow for diverse charging experiences. RMLD will analyze usage percentages and the timing of charging sessions to maximize parking efficiency while continuing to support community sustainability initiatives. However, measuring usage and turnover in regular Library parking spots is challenging. Two parking spots are associated with each charger, with additional accessibility space at each end of the charging area. Both chargers are currently operational, and WILD is working to improve communications around any future outages. V. Library Landscape Committee Update The Ad Hoc Library Landscape Committee has been regularly meeting for approximately two years to explore the possible expansion and enhancement of the Librarys outdoor space. The Committee has collaborated with Activitas to develop a value -engineered landscape architectural design concept. The proposed terrace will be on the hillside N, 12 outside the Conference Room. It will include a small patio/performance area, seating area, landscaping improvements, sustainable gardening elements, and a historic Highland School sink fountain. These improvements will enhance outdoor Library programming, especially during the warmer weather. The estimated project budget is $350,000, funded entirely through non -municipal sources, including gifts, state aid, and fundraising initiatives. The Reading Public Library Foundation has expressed its enthusiasm and support for the project. The Foundation has committed to funding up to $350,000 for the project through its current efforts, investments, and ongoing fundraising. The RPL Foundation will revise this funding commitment if the project exceeds this budget. The Committee is seeking the Board's formal approval of the project and the allocation of approximately 10% of the projected cost for the design bid process. These funds will come from the Library's existing gifts or state aid reserves. There is also some trust fund income available. This initial investment will allow the Library Director and a Committee representative to collaborate with Town Procurement to develop a detailed scope of work and issue a design bid for the project. Ideally, RPL will select a designer based on proposed cost estimates once funding is fully secured. The only other major Library project on the horizon is a potential Teen Space refresh, as mentioned in the new 5 -year strategic plan. The Teen Space project would be similar in budget and scope to the Tween Space recently established in the Children's Room. That process involved young patrons working with designers on new furniture, collections, and other updates. There are dedicated gift funds for Teens. Ms. Dubois clarified that Dr. Genady Pilyaysky had stepped down from the Committee due to other obligations. Motion: To approve the release of up to $40,000 from Library gift and state aid funds to commence the design bidding procurement process for the outdoor Library Terrace landscape project. (Dubois / Verner) Vote: Approved 6-0 VI. Financial Report _ The FY25 budget is on track. There are no significant items or concerns that require attention at this time. The Finance Committee will review the FY26 budget in March. Vil. Director's Report December usage statistics remain steady despite a slight dip due to holiday closures The new Craft & Hobby online platform provides patrons with access to a curated collection of creative educational videos and resources. The Library has also become a FamilySearch affiliate library, offering access to extensive digital genealogical collections. Users can access Craft & Hobby both in the Library and at home. IT and AVI-SPL have completed the upgrades to the Community and Conference room technology. RPL will highlight these improvements and the new meeting room reservation system in a publicity campaign to increase public utilization of these spaces. Program highlghts include a Baby Snow Ball Dance Party, a multigenerational K -Pop Craft Event, a Winter Solstice celebration, and a STEAM -focused Drone Adventure Workshop for teens. The Friends Speaker Series has reached almost 8,000 views since June. Page 1 3 Rooted in Reading programming included a multigenerational Green Holiday Centerpiece workshop, Children's Plant Lab interactive fungi exploration, and a climate change photography lecture presented by Julia Cumes. Other efforts include expanding the Seed Library and the gardening displays. A progress report on the grant will be filed with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in February or March. The Office of Equity and Social Justice is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Day community celebration at the Reading Memorial High School Performing Arts Center on Monday, January 20, at 9:30 a.m. VIII. Approval of December 9, 2024, Meeting Minutes Motion: To approve the minutes of the December 9, 2024, Trustee Meeting as written. (Grimes / Vanier) Vote: Approved 60 IX. Future Agenda time In February, Ms. Filleul will give an update on the Technology plan. Reading Municipal Light Department Director of Integrated Resources Megan Wu will present an update on the electric vehicle chargers and parking at the Library. In March, Public Services Division Head Andrea Fiorillo will present an update on spring programming, and the Board will review the Policy Regarding Minors as needed. Adjournment 7:48 p.m. Motion: To Adjourn (Vernier/ Popp) Vote: Approved 6.0 Respectfully Submitted, I ' — e/, %— Andrew Grimes, Secretary Page 1 4 OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT t WHAT IS OUTREACH 8. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? ii AIIINC The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS) defines outreach as services for infrequent users, nonusers, or traditionally underserved. \ COMMU1141TY ENGAGEMENT Community engagement involves collaborating with library users, residents, and organizations—to address community issues. It emphasizes allowing these members to take the lead in services and programs that benefit the community. Reading Public Library's mission is to connect all people with opportunities to grow and learn and to provide resources to support a welcoming and engaged community. BUILMING COMMUNITY, MAKING CONNECTIONS COMMUNITY OUTREACH ANO SUPPORT INITIATIVES IN 2024 SEVEN FIVE READING TWO TREATS FIVE DEPOSIT COMMUNITY EVENTS Reading Gartlan Club Plant Sale Friends and FammgDay vehicle Day \\ Fall Street Faire Discover the Ans Festival YMCA Health Fair Connected Reading RECREATION SUMMER PERFORMANCES Staff brought books, bubbles, stickers and smiles to the performances. AND BEATS CONCERTS Concerts were held at apartment buildings near Washington Park, and at the Lakeview Ave apartments. COLLECTIONS Stowage Hospice House Pleasant Street Center Peter Sanborn Place Food Pantry Solstice House 2025 ACTION PLAN AND GOALS BE PRESENT EXPAND ADDITIONAL ADD MORE RELATIONSHIPS AND ACTIVE SERVICESFOR DEPOSIT WITH WITHTHE COMMUNITY MLLFAMILIES COLLECTIONS COMMUNITY GROUPS &TOWN OEPTS. Continue to participate in community events. Invite Community organizations to partner with the library for events Reading Recreation Northeast Arc: Adult Autism Support Center CATO pleasant Street Center We will continue to meet these families where they are, at the apartment complexes and with the extended day programs Summit Towers Cedar Glen Augustus Court Frank Tanner