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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-14 Board of Library Trustees MinutesRECEIVELi TOWN CLERK Town of Reading READING, MA. Meeting Minutes 2025 MAY 13 AM 9: pi;� c � Board - committee - commission - Council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2025-04-14 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Public Library Location: Community Room Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Session: Open Session Purpose: General Meeting Version: Final Attendees: Members - Present: Cappy Popp, Chair; Patrick Egan, Vice -Chair; Andrew Grimes, Secretary; Kelli Bacon; Andrew Gregory (remote); Monette Verner Members - Not Present: Others Present: Amy Lannon, Director; Michelle Filleul, Assistant Director; Meaghan Clemente, Administrative Assistant; Albert Pless, Director of Equity and Social Justice; Taylor Gregory, ACE Committee Chair; Joseph McDonagh, Finance Committee Liaison to Reading Public Library Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Andrew Grimes, Secretary Topics of Discussion: 1. Call to Order 7:00 p.m. It. Public Comment No public comments were made in person or remotely. III. New Trustee Introductions Mr. Popp welcomed Ms. Bacon to the Board and congratulated Mr. Egan on his recent re-election. The Board is looking forward to working together over the next year. IV. Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment ("ACE") Committee Update Taylor Gregory presented an update on the Ad Hoc Commemoration Establishment ("ACE") Committee. Taylor is the Board's liaison to the committee and has been elected Chair. Taylor is also the spouse of Mr. Gregory. Taylor reported that Ryan Johnstone was elected Vice Chair of the committee, which has had three monthly meetings so far. The committee has reviewed Bill Russell's life, accomplishments, and experiences, including the racism he faced personally and professionally. The committee is developing a statement of acknowledgment and intent, which will be presented at the community Pege 1 1 Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 21, on the Town Common. The committee is drafting the statement's language and will incorporate community feedback. The Select Board will be engaged to finalize the language. The committee hopes to engage with community members about its mission through future fundraising and programming. The committee also plans to host book club discussions on black athletes and notable historical figures. Taylor thanked the Board for their support and departed the meeting at 7:04 p.m V. Office of Equity Update Director of Equity and Social Justice Albert Pleas presented an update on the Office of Equity and Social Justice. Mr. Pless thanked the Board and the Library for their leadership and support of his position, which has been in the Library for approximately three years. The Office of Equity and Social Justice completed a community needs assessment in 2023. In collaboration with local consultants, the Office has developed a strategic plan with unique equity focus areas across Town Departments. A staff engagement project featuring listening sessions with Town staff is also underway. Mr. Pless will serve as the Town of Reading's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator, a position formerly held by Town Clerk Laura Gemme for many years by default. Through this expansion of his role, Mr. Pless hopes to be proactive in engaging the community and workforce around ADA services, resources, and issues. Over 150 attendees have participated in monthly volunteer Partners and Allies for Inclusive Reading (PAIR) meetings. The Office has hosted annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth celebrations and participated in community tabling events. The first Black History Trivia night was held in February. A cultural immersion series titled "Must Eats Travel" was organized with the Reading North Reading Chamber of Commerce. The Office has partnered with the Lions Club to build inclusive language into their membership process. The Office continues to focus on the 2024 Community Needs Assessment recommendations. He is gathering additional data and feedback at community listening sessions. Recommendations include establishing feedback loops, ADA compliance, community collaboration, and diversity among employees, suppliers, town boards, and commissions. Mr. Pless is working with the Town's HR Department to diversify the municipal workforce through thoughtful, mindful, and intentional hiring. Mr. Pless actively participates in the statewide Massachusetts Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coalition. Mr. Pless is co-chairing the development of an updated guide for municipalities to support and onboard Diversity. Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) positions. DEI work needs to be implemented strategically and sustainably, rather than reactively. Mr. Pless also participated in a Welcoming Community event sponsored by State Senator Jason Lewis in November. In addition to listening sessions with municipal staff, Mr. Pleas conducted community listening sessions with 167 students from eight affinity groups in partnership with the Reading Public Schools, Reading Children's Cabinet, and Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support. Teens engaged in robust and meaningful conversations. Mr. Pless also hosts regular office hours at Town Hall. With the help of a student and an adult volunteer, the Office is updating its online presence on Facebook, Instagram, and the town website. Mr. Pless is also further developing municipal and community email newsletters. Mr. Pless will continue to engage staff and community members in meaningful conversations to implement the Community Needs Assessment recommendations. Mr. Pless thanked the Board for their continued support during this challenging time and welcomed additional questions and feedback, noting that his door is always open. Mr. Pless departed the meeting at 7:23 p.m. VI. RPL Citizen Kids Collection Request for Reading Food Pantry Citizen Kids is a library program series in which kids plan and execute a project of their choice to make a difference in the community. The group recently completed collecting donations for the Reading Food Pantry at various locations around town. They had also considered collecting at the Library and requested permission from the Board of Library Trustees. However, their plans changed, and they no longer need permission. Last year, the Citizen Kids led a group cleanup of the Town Forest. The Board thanked the Citizen Kids for their commitment to helping the community. VII. Discussion and Vote: Updates to the Patron Rights and Responsibilities Policy Vill. Discussion and Vote: Updates to the Policy Regarding Minors Policy changes reviewed last month include updated references to the Responsibilities Regarding Minors policy within the Patron Rights and Responsibilities policy, updating the phrasing of "unattended" children, and new language regarding the Tween Space within the Responsibilities Regarding Minors Policy. Motion: To approve the Patron Rights and Responsibilities Policy and the Responsibilities Regarding Minors Policy as presented. (Grimes / Verner) Vote: Approved 6-0 IX. Financial Report Ms. Lannon reported that the FY26 Budget presentation to the Finance Committee on March 12 went smoothly. The Finance Committee has approved using $4.26 million of free cash for the FY26 municipal budget. Pending Town Meeting, there will likely be a Special Town Election on May 13 to approve two new debt exclusions for the Killam School and Community Center for Active Living. A real estate tax impact calculator is available on the Town's website. The Town will likely face an override vote for the operational budget within the next few years, thus reducing the need for the annual use of free cash. A failed Page 13 override means the budget may be level -funded or even cut. The last operational budget override vote occurred in 2018 and was expected to last five years. RPL has been fortunate, and several other public libraries face budget cuts and possible closures. Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding has been cut, with all staff placed on administrative leave per a recent executive order. Although this does not immediately affect the Library's daily operations, it will eventually impact federal grants and services overseen by the state Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The MBLC supports numerous services such as e-books, databases, and more. Federal grants, such as the current $20,000 Rooted in Reading grant, have enabled the Library to provide extra programs and services above and beyond the operating budget. The Library has received $128,000 in federal grant funding over the past twenty years. Most libraries make up approximately 1%of a municipal budget. Federal grant funds can have a meaningful impact on library services in the community. The IMLS is the single largest source of federal funding for libraries. The IMLS's entire program of service costs approximately 87 cents per person and represents less than 0.0046% of the federal budget. If federal budget changes are made permanent, states will be forced to absorb more costs to support libraries and museums. More detailed data, resources, and advocacy tools are available on the MBLC website. Litigation to block executive action has begun. X. Director's Report The Stoneham Finance and Advisory Board meeting on April 3 included a proposal to eliminate all funding for the Stoneham Public Library in the FY26 budget year beginning July 1. This means that residents of Stoneham would not have a certified library and would be denied borrowing privileges at other libraries. Stoneham Residents would also likely lose access to all North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE) services, including online content and the Evergreen Integrated Library System (ILS) software that manages all catalog and patron records. There are fees to join, maintain, and withdraw memberships from library consortia. Many other NOBLE libraries and other municipalities throughout the state are facing budget cuts. The Library has a Policy on Lending to Residents of Municipalities with Decertified Libraries written in accordance with Massachusetts laws and MBLC regulations, intended to help municipalities be responsible in providing services to their residents. Per the Library's policy, residents of municipalities with decertified libraries cannot borrow materials. Language regarding electronic resources may need to be updated. The current policy restricts the circulation of materials in the collection and does not restrict access to other library services such as browsing, programs, computer use, printing, or reference questions. Ms. Lannon clarified that a library can be decertified for several reasons, including a lack of open hours, not meeting its municipal appropriation requirement, or not satisfying its materials budget spending requirements. These requirements must be satisfied to receive state aid funding and federal LSTA Page 1 4 grants. A library can still technically open and operate without meeting these requirements. However, a decertified library must meet standards for a full fiscal year before applying for recertification. A library ran obtain a temporary waiver as it works to meet its certification requirements. A full library closure raises complex concerns regarding staff pensions and benefits, physical collections, building maintenance, catalog data, patron records, and more. The hope is for Stoneham to maintain its NOBLE access, building, and some staffing at a minimum. Ms. Lannon reminded the Board that RPL received a waiver in 2008 when it did not meet the municipal appropriation requirement for material spending and was able to recover from this temporary budget setback. If a library loses its certification status completely, the recertification process may take multiple years after reopening. An MBLC committee must evaluate previous year's expenditures and current year budgets. NOBLE is doing its best to support member libraries during these challenging times. The Trustees expressed concern about a potential influx of patrons from municipalities with closed or decertified libraries. Ms. Lannon noted that library card prefixes from these communities could be deactivated or blocked in Evergreen to limit borrowing. Resources and materials from the Boston Public Library may still be usable for patrons with decertified or closed public libraries throughout the state due to policy differences. Library programming is open to everyone, but could require registration, prioritizing Reading residents. The Library hopes to reduce barriers to service accessibility while holding its neighbors accountable. Staff will review how other municipalities handle decertified libraries and update the Board. Meeting room usage statistics increased this month, perhaps partly due to additional Town Department meetings being held at the Library due to technology upgrades at Town Hall. Volunteer hours have also increased, with volunteers completing meaningful work across departments. A new adult volunteer has assisted with the Office of Equity and Social Justice newsletter. Another adult volunteer uses her IT professional skills to help the Library complete a technology inventory. Teen Librarian Meghan McCabe has mentored a teen volunteer leading a STEM program series. The Children's Room has officially introduced their new pet tortoise, King Shelvis Bubbles Presley. RPL hosted a successful Community Craft Swap event on March 15. Ninety-seven attendees found valuable and interesting new and gently used donated items across various craft categories. A "3-5-0 Girls" exhibit showcasing historic artifacts from American female veterans was held on March 28. The Studio remains busy with more exhibits featuring works from the Mayflower Chapter of the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists on display through April. The Studio will feature a student art exhibit on endangered wildlife in Massachusetts in May. June will feature works by cartoonist Janet Gentile. The Library has contracted with EnviroGreenery for indoor plant care and management. A few larger plants have been suffering and will be replaced for free. Professionals will come in every two weeks to water, clip, and maintain the Library's wide variety of unusual indoor plants as needed. Mr. Popp reported that every seed he borrowed from the Seed Library collection had successfully germinated, and he looks forward to the continued expansion of the collection. Ms. Lannon noted recent staff work anniversaries and professional development activities. Ms. Clemente has been elected as the Assistant Treasurer of the Massachusetts Library Association. Head of Public Services Andrea Fiorillo continues to serve on the Intellectual Freedom and Social Responsibility Committee. Head Children's Librarian Olivia McElwain was accepted to the Library Freedom Institute and will serve as co-chair of the ALSC Membership Committee. XI. Approval of March 10, 2026, Meeting Minutes Motion: To approve the minutes of the March 10. 2025, Trustee Meeting as written. (Egan / Verner) Vote: Approved 6-0 XII. Future Agenda Items The status of the Stoneham municipal budget and possible public library closure will continue to be monitored. The Board will further discuss the situation and the Policy on Lending to Residents of Municipalities with Decertified Libraries. Ms. Lannon will meet with programming and technical services staff to review the logistics of limiting certain library services to library cardholders. Similar policies at other libraries will also be reviewed regarding broader limitations to borrowing, event attendance, and other library services. Ms. Lannon noted the complexity of data privacy issues associated with collecting cardholder information. In June, Ms. Fiorillo will present a summer programming update. The Board will vote to elect officers, determine FY26 meeting dates, and set the 2026 holiday closing schedule. Adjournment 8:03 p.m. Motion: To Adjourn (Egan / Bacon) Vote: Approved 6-0 Respectfully Submitted, Andrew Grimes, Secretary wage 1 6 Office of Equity and Social justice Library Trustee Update What have we been up to? 2023 • Completed Community Needs Assessment 2024 • Begin Strategic Planning with Town Departments 2025 • Begin Staff Engagement project Community work Continued the Partners and Allies for Inclusive Reading PAIR) project o Over r;o attendees have participated in PAIR monthly meetings. Conducted two Dr. MLK events Conducted two Juneteenth events Organized first Black History Trivia night Organized first Cultural Immersion series event (Must Eats Travel, OESJ and Reading/NR Chamber of Commerce) Participated in two community Labeling events Partnered with the Lions Club to build inclusive language to their membership process Municipal work • OF.SJ Strategic Planning • MVP 2.0 • Listening Sessions Regional/State work • Massachusetts Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Coalition o Guidc 2.0 Sen. Lewis Welcoming Community event B,i,LCArag VJmLCppl}�� Ciimmeao}6iss Listening Sessions Partnered with the RPS, Reading Children's Cabinet, and the Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support for conduct listening sessions with Reading High School students (ongoing project) o 167 students from S affinity groups • Listening sessions with Municipal Staff (ongoing) session to date Misc Social Media • Facebook • IG • Website Volunteers • One RPS student • One Resident Goals • Continue to engage staff and community and the work of the Community Needs Assessment- Traveling conversation • Continue to capture Qualitative and Quantitative data- "DEI Dashboard' Isgl M