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Home My WebLink About2025-07-14 Board of Library Trustees Packet Town of Reading Meeting Posting with Agenda This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be dis cussed at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting. Page | 1 2018-07-16 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2025-07-14 Time: 7:00 PM Building: Reading Public Library Location: Community Room Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue Agenda: Purpose: General Business Meeting Called By: Amy Lannon for Chair Cappy Popp Notices and agendas are to be posted 48 hours in advance of the meetings excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays. Please keep in mind the Town Clerk’s hours of operation and make necessary arrangements to be sure your posting is made in an adequate amount of time. A listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting must be on the agenda. All Meeting Postings must be submitted in typed format; handwritten notices will not be accepted. Topics of Discussion: This meeting will be held in-person in the Community Room at the Reading Public Library and remotely on Zoom. It will also be available streamed live through RCTV Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86117297460 Meeting ID: 861 1729 7460 One tap mobile +13017158592,,86117297460# US (Washington DC) +13052241968,,86117297460# US Dial by your location +1 646 876 9923 US (New York) Meeting ID: 861 1729 7460 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keny6p5GTY The Trustees also accept public comments through email: rpltrustee@noblenet.org Town of Reading Meeting Posting with Agenda This Agenda has been prepared in advance and represents a listing of topics that the chair reasonably anticipates will be dis cussed at the meeting. However the agenda does not necessarily include all matters which may be taken up at this meeting. Page | 2 I. Call to Order II. Public Comment III. Library Terrace Update IV. Financial Report a. FY26 Warrant Schedule for Library Invoices V. Director's Report VI. Approval June 16, 2025, Meeting Minutes VII. Future Agenda Items a. August i. Supplemental Spending Recommendations ii. Meeting Room Use Report iii. Review: Meeting Room Policy/Fees (as needed) As of June 30 (100%)Trustee Budget Summary SUMMARY Orginal $$ Rev/Adj Expended Encumbered Balance % Used Municipal Salaries 1,754,250$ -$ 1,730,414$ -$ 23,836$ 98.64% Municipal Expenses 143,000$ -$ 134,090$ -$ 8,910$ 93.77% Municipal Materials 283,900$ -$ 292,810$ -$ (8,910)$ 103.14% Fines & Fees 13,606$ 11,455$ 12,712$ -$ 12,349$ N/A State Aid 75,579$ 65,859$ 34,067$ -$ 107,371$ N/A Gifts 188,572$ 49,403$ 58,228$ 18,602$ 161,144$ N/A Trusts (Expendable Funds) 110,253$ 10,197$ 13,127$ -$ 107,323$ N/A TOTALS $2,569,159 $136,915 $2,275,448 $18,602 $412,024 Municipal Appropriation Orginal $$ Rev/Adj Expended Encumbered Balance % Used Salaries - Library Administration 468,400$ 466,387$ -$ 2,013$ 99.57% Salaries - Leave Buyback* -$ -$ -$ -$ Salaries - Collection Services 506,450$ 515,690$ -$ (9,240)$ 101.82% Salaries - Public Services 779,400$ 748,337$ -$ 31,063$ 96.01% Expenses - General Library Maint Contract Supp 23,000$ 22,656$ -$ 344$ 98.50% Professional Development 14,000$ 17,076$ -$ (3,076)$ 121.97% Library Programs 10,500$ 4,172$ -$ 6,328$ 39.73% Software/ Licenses 70,500$ 73,311$ -$ (2,811)$ 103.99% Library Supplies 9,000$ 7,333$ -$ 1,667$ 81.48% Office Supplies 5,000$ 3,275$ -$ 1,725$ 65.50% Technology 11,000$ 6,269$ -$ 4,731$ 56.99% Materials 283,900$ 292,810$ -$ (8,910)$ 103.14% Books 113,746$ -$ Audio 6,752$ -$ Video 3,349$ -$ Periodicals 26,828$ -$ Electronic Resources 75,674$ -$ Other Materials 10,761$ -$ Overdrive (eBooks / eAudiobooks) 55,699$ -$ TOTALS 2,181,150$ -$ 2,157,314$ -$ 23,836$ 98.91% Fines and Fees Orginal $$Rev/Adj Expended Encumbered Balance Revenue (and Carryover)13,606$ 11,455$ -$ -$ $25,061 Materials 25$ -$ ($25) Supplies 12,687$ -$ ($12,687) TOTALS 13,606$ 11,455$ 12,712$ -$ $12,349 State Aid Orginal $$Rev/Adj Expended Encumbered Balance Revenue (and Carryover)75,579$ 65,364$ -$ -$ 140,943$ Expenses -$ Office Supplies 44$ -$ (44)$ Professional Development -$ -$ -$ Materials 10,782$ -$ (10,782)$ Library Other 495$ 17,669$ -$ (17,174)$ Library Equipment 5,572$ -$ (5,572)$ TOTALS 75,579$ 65,859$ 34,067$ -$ 107,371$ Page 1 As of June 30 (100%)Trustee Budget Summary Gifts & Donations Orginal $$ Adj/Income Expended Encumbered Balance Revenue (and Carryover)46,109$ 17,937$ 12,234$ 18,602$ 33,209$ Professional Development -$ 2,725$ -$ (2,725)$ Recreational -$ 2,421$ -$ (2,421)$ Programs & Services Adults 28,522$ -$ 600$ -$ 27,922$ Programs & Services Teens 24,265$ -$ -$ -$ 24,265$ Programs & Services OESJ 11$ 2,465$ 280$ -$ 2,196$ Programs & Services Childrens 26,629$ -$ 760$ -$ 25,870$ Programs & Services- Local History 500$ -$ -$ -$ 500$ Studio 30,298$ -$ 1,883$ -$ 28,415$ RPL Foundation -$ 28,891$ 28,244$ -$ 647$ Garden -$ -$ 9,049$ -$ (9,049)$ Other Gifts (Combined) 4,685$ -$ -$ -$ 4,685$ Supplies -$ -$ 31$ -$ (31)$ Materials 27,552$ 110$ -$ -$ 27,662$ TOTALS 188,572$ 49,403$ 58,228$ 18,602$ 161,144$ Trusts Original $$Avail/Income Expended Encumbered Balance Appleton / Mansfield 7,374$ 1,171$ -$ -$ 8,544$ Edward Appleton 44,919$ 3,170$ 10,029$ -$ 38,060$ R/M Babcock 3,126$ 428$ -$ -$ 3,555$ Stephen Foster 9,613$ 1,377$ 3,098$ -$ 7,893$ Charles Torrey 1,235$ 142$ -$ -$ 1,377$ Donald Tuttle 1,059$ 99$ -$ -$ 1,159$ Elaine & George Long 34,953$ 2,628$ -$ -$ 37,581$ Barbara Hewitt 6,428$ 980$ -$ -$ 7,408$ James Rawstron 1,545$ 201$ -$ -$ 1,746$ TOTALS 110,253$ 10,197$ 13,127$ -$ 107,323$ Name Non-Expend Purpose 11,000$ 5,000$ 3,598$ "Books on literary subjects and self-government" (BOOKS) 12,000$ "Books … to be inscribed 'Stephen Foster Fund'" (BOOKS) 1,000$ "Books on non-fictional subjects" (NONFICTION BOOKS) 500$ "Books" 5,000$ "Books or Equipment" 8,952$ "Books" 1,613$ "Books on tape& furniture to house books on tape" (AUDIOBOOKS) TOTALS 48,663$ Stephen Foster Appleton / Mansfield "…for the purchase of books other than those listed as fiction" (NONFICTION BOOKS) Edward Appleton "Purchase of books, paintings, engravings, works of art or other suitable useful furnishings for said library. R/M Babcock Charles Torrey Donald Tuttle Elane & George Long Barbara Hewitt James Rawstron Page 2 Schedule for Approval of Library Invoices The folder with Signature sheet, MUNIS report, and Invoices will be available in the Trustee Drawer by 9:00 a.m. on the dates indicated. Four signatures are required in order to release the Warrant to Accounting by 12:00 pm on the following Tuesday. Trustees should contact Amy Lannon with questions. Electronic scans for email approval are available upon request. Bolded Dates are BOLT Meeting Dates Warrant # (s) Available By 9:00 a.m. Sign By 9:00 p.m. T2555, T2603 Friday, July 11, 2025 Monday, July 14, 2025 T2557, T2605 Friday, July 25, 2025 Monday, July 28, 2025 T2607 Friday, August 8, 2025 Monday, August 11, 2025 T2609 Friday, August 22, 2025 Monday, August 25, 2025 T2611 Friday, September 5, 2025 Monday, September 8, 2025 T2613 Friday, September 19, 2025 Monday, September 22, 2025 T2615 Friday, October 3, 2025 Monday, October 6, 2025 T2617 Friday, October 17, 2025 Monday, October 20, 2025 T2619 Friday, October 31, 2025 Monday, November 3, 2025 T2621 Friday, November 14, 2025 Monday, November 17, 2025 T2623 Friday, November 28, 2025 Monday, December 1, 2025 T2624 Friday, December 5, 2025 Monday, December 8, 2025 T2625 Friday, December 12, 2025 Monday, December 15, 2025 T2628 Friday, January 2, 2026 Monday, January 5, 2026 T2629 Friday, January 9, 2026 Monday, January 12, 2026 T2631 Friday, January 23, 2026 Monday, January 26, 2026 T2633 Friday, February 6, 2026 Monday, February 9, 2026 T2635 Friday, February 20, 2026 Monday, February 23, 2026 T2637 Friday, March 6, 2026 Monday, March 9, 2026 T2639 Friday, March 20, 2026 Monday, March 23, 2026 T2641 Friday, April 3, 2026 Monday, April 6, 2026 T2642 Friday, April 10, 2026 Monday, April 13, 2026 T2644 Friday, April 24, 2026 Monday, April 27, 2026 T2646 Friday, May 8, 2026 Monday, May 11, 2026 T2648 Wednesday, May 20, 2026 1 Friday, May 22, 2026 T2650 Friday, June 5, 2026 Monday, June 8, 2026 T2651 Friday, June 12, 2026 Monday, June 15, 2026 T2652 2Thursday, June 18, 2026 Monday, June 22, 2026 T2653 Friday, June 26, 2026 Monday, June 29, 2026 T2654 3Thursday, July 2, 2026 Monday, July 6, 2026 T2655, T2703 Friday, July 10, 2026 Monday, July 13, 2026 1 Due to Memorial Day holiday closings, the Warrant will be available from Wednesday through Friday. 2 Due to Juneteenth holiday closings, the Warrant will be available on Thursday, June 18th. 3 Due to the Independence Day holiday closings, the Warrant will be available on Thursday, July 2nd. WARRANT CONTROL SHEET - FY26 DUE DATE = DATE INVOICES ARE DUE TO ACCOUNTING OFFICE EFFECTIVE DATE = DATE INVOICES ARE POSTED TO EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS WARRANT #DUE DATE EFFECTIVE DATE YEAR PERIOD CHECK DATE YEAR PERIOD T2601 07/01/25 07/03/25 2025 1 07/08/25 2025 1 T2602 07/08/25 07/10/25 2025 1 07/15/25 2025 1 T2603 07/15/25 07/17/25 2025 1 07/22/25 2025 1 T2604 07/22/25 07/24/25 2025 1 07/29/25 2025 1 T2605 07/29/25 07/31/25 2025 1 08/05/25 2025 2 T2606 08/05/25 08/07/25 2025 2 08/12/25 2025 2 T2607 08/12/25 08/14/25 2025 2 08/19/25 2025 2 T2608 08/19/25 08/21/25 2025 2 08/26/25 2025 2 T2609 08/26/25 08/28/25 2025 2 09/03/25 2025 3 T2610 09/02/25 BY NOON 09/04/25 2025 3 09/09/25 2025 3 T2611 09/09/25 09/11/25 2025 3 09/16/25 2025 3 T2612 09/16/25 09/18/25 2025 3 09/23/25 2025 3 T2613 09/23/25 09/25/25 2025 3 09/30/25 2025 3 T2614 09/30/25 10/02/25 2025 4 10/07/25 2025 4 T2615 10/07/25 10/09/25 2025 4 10/15/25 2025 4 T2616 10/14/25 BY NOON 10/16/25 2025 4 10/21/25 2025 4 T2617 10/21/25 10/23/25 2025 4 10/28/25 2025 4 T2618 10/28/25 10/30/25 2025 4 11/04/25 2025 5 T2619 11/04/25 11/06/25 2025 5 11/12/25 2025 5 T2620 11/10/25 BY NOON 11/13/25 2025 5 11/18/25 2025 5 T2621 11/18/25 11/20/25 2025 5 11/25/25 2025 5 T2622 11/24/25 BY NOON 11/26/25 2025 5 12/02/25 2025 6 T2623 12/02/25 12/04/25 2025 6 12/09/25 2025 6 T2624 12/09/25 12/11/25 2025 6 12/16/25 2025 6 T2625 12/16/25 12/18/25 2025 6 12/23/25 2025 6 T2626 12/22/25 BY NOON 12/24/25 2025 6 12/30/25 2025 6 T2627 12/29/25 BY NOON 12/31/25 2025 6 01/06/26 2026 7 T2628 01/06/26 01/08/26 2026 7 01/13/26 2026 7 T2629 01/13/26 01/15/26 2026 7 01/21/26 2026 7 T2630 01/20/26 BY NOON01/22/26 2026 7 01/27/26 2026 7 T2631 01/27/26 01/29/26 2026 7 02/03/26 2026 8 T2632 02/03/26 02/05/26 2026 8 02/10/26 2026 8 T2633 02/10/26 02/12/26 2026 8 02/18/26 2026 8 T2634 02/17/26 BY NOON02/19/26 2026 8 02/24/26 2026 8 T2635 02/24/26 02/26/26 2026 8 03/03/26 2026 9 T2636 03/03/26 03/05/26 2026 9 03/10/26 2026 9 T2637 03/10/26 03/12/26 2026 9 03/17/26 2026 9 T2638 03/17/26 03/19/26 2026 9 03/24/26 2026 9 T2639 03/24/26 03/26/26 2026 9 03/31/26 2026 9 T2640 03/31/26 04/02/26 2026 10 04/07/26 2026 10 T2641 04/07/26 04/09/26 2026 10 04/14/26 2026 10 T2642 04/14/26 04/16/26 2026 10 04/22/26 2026 10 T2643 04/21/26 BY NOON 04/23/26 2026 10 04/28/26 2026 10 T2644 04/28/26 04/30/26 2026 10 05/05/26 2026 11 T2645 05/05/26 05/07/26 2026 11 05/12/26 2026 11 T2646 05/12/26 05/14/26 2026 11 05/19/26 2026 11 T2647 05/19/26 05/21/26 2026 11 05/27/26 2026 11 T2648 05/26/26 BY NOON 05/28/26 2026 11 06/02/26 2026 12 T2649 06/02/26 06/04/26 2026 12 06/09/26 2026 12 T2650 06/09/26 06/11/26 2026 12 06/16/26 2026 12 T2651 6/16/26 BY NOON 06/18/26 2026 12 06/23/26 2026 12 T2652 06/23/26 06/25/26 2026 12 06/30/26 2026 12 T2653 06/30/26 06/30/26 2026 12 07/07/26 2026 1 T2654 07/07/26 06/30/26 2026 12 07/14/26 2026 1 T2655 07/14/26 06/30/26 2026 12 07/21/26 2026 1 T2656 07/21/26 06/30/26 2026 12 07/28/26 2026 1 1 | P a g e July 2025 Board of Library Trustees Meeting III. LIBRARY TERRACE UPDATE • Library Terrace Design Schematics: These were on display at the June 20 Garden Party and are now in the lobby near the elevator. There have been some questions and lots of browsing of the easels. All feedback has been positive thus far. • Project Details: Activitas is finalizing the bid documents with Town Engineer Ryan Percival and Procurement Officer Katie Gabriello. They are on target to begin the bid process in the next week with a tentative bid opening date of August 7. • Site Plan Review: The project has received Administrative Approval from Community Services Director Andrew MacNichol. This means the project does not need to go before Community Planning & Development Commission (CPDC) for a full site plan review. However, there are several changes or upgrades, such as adding lighting, that would trigger a formal review in the future. Please refer to Mr. MacNichol’s letter included with this packet. • Plantings: The plant schedule will be listed as "Alternate #1." This will help with the pricing and give us the chance to modify or fundraise if needed. The plant schedule are all MA natives or now regionally accepted as natives due to climate change. IV. FINANCIAL REPORT a) June Gifts: DONOR AMOUNT PURPOSE The Fleming Family $500 In Memory of Jennie Maria Donna Halper $75 In Honor of Excellent Reference Librarian Service Pamela Sullivan $100 In Memory of Thelma McCulloch Mary Ellen Downey $50 In Memory of Jennie Maria Various Cash Donations $32 General Total $757 b) FY26 Warrant Schedule (attached) 2 | P a g e V. DIRECTOR’S REPORT a) June Statistics Snapshot Circulation Statistics Overdrive Statistics Usage June 2025 May 2025 June 2024 Circulation 25,555 26,568 28,067 Locker Use 63 54 25 Meeting Rooms Rentals 28 29 17 Museum Passes 202 190 143 New Library Cards 99 104 117 Overdrive 5,865 5,644 5,065 Programs 44 46 43 Reference Questions 1,974 1,510 2,022 Visitors 15,526 13,749 N/A Volunteer Hours 68.25 26.5 22.5 b) Facilities Update: Second Floor Air Conditioning System Issues • Timeline - June 4: Air conditioning system failure on second floor, Facilities notified - June 9: Update to Trustees - June 17: Request for fans fulfilled - June 18: Notified HVAC company technicians on site - June 22: Technicians identified the issue as a failed compressor. They were able to source and install a new one. The system had to be shut down and drained of oil. Estimated restart of 2-3 days. - June 24: Second floor fully closed for the day. - June 25: Service mostly restored 3 | P a g e - June 27: Full system restoration completed - Ongoing: Continued monitoring by staff and facilities • Impact: Indoor temperatures reached 80-82°F, exceeding comfort and safety standards for public use. - Temporary closures several evenings and a full day closure on Monday, June 23 - The Children's Room staff implemented effective contingency operations during the outage: ▪ Established an information station in the lobby ▪ Provided item retrieval services for patrons ▪ Redirected services to the Community and Conference rooms ▪ Offered passive activities in alternative spaces ▪ Maintained professional service standards while managing patron concerns Note on Outstanding Staff Performance The Children's Room team demonstrated exceptional adaptability during this challenging period, which coincided with the launch of the Summer Reading Program and the school vacation period. Working in uncomfortable 80+ degree temperatures while managing the busiest time of year is no small feat—it's hard to stay cheerful and patient with patrons when you're hot and uncomfortable yourself. Despite these conditions, the team maintained their professionalism and grace, ensuring minimal service disruption while prioritizing patron safety and satisfaction. c) Collections, Programs, and Services • New Pass: Paddle Boston • The Wilmington Public Library assisted us with digitization of old Local History Rooma media. They digitized 2 VHS tapes, 1 mini-DVD, and 14 cassette tapes. • The Children’s Room staff visited Joshua Eaton, Barrows, Killam, and Wood End to get kids excited about summer reading. • Megan White and Ashley Cristiano staffed the Friends and Family Day booth, where over 245 people stopped by. They promoted the Summer Reading program. • Adult summer reading kicked off, launched by another successful Summer Sizzlers, with a full house of happy readers. • RPL was a location for the 2025 Reading Porchfest on June 28th. We hope to be a venue every year. • The after-hours Community Garden Party on June 20 was a hit with 150 attendees who came to enjoy nature-themed crafts, ice cream, and discussion with local sustainability and green-focused organizations including DPW, Town Forest 4 | P a g e Committee, the Town Tree Commission, local beekeepers, and more. Thank you to Sara, Olivia, Andrea H., and Desiree for making this happen • The Three Sisters Community Beading Project has come back from the framing shop! Thank you to the Friends of RPL who supported this project. They funded the original beading program and the beautiful shadow box framing from a local shop. A shout-out to Jocelyn for seeing this project through. • Readers' Reef, our first Branching Out children’s summer reading program, was a lot of fun. This multi-age program featured an octopus that escaped their aquarium, "swam" our way through a game of four corners, sampled a delicious sea -worthy mocktail, snacked on goldfish, decorated seashells, watched Swimmy on the big screen, played ocean animals Jeopardy, and found a treasure chest full of gift books for everyone in our recycled "reef." • Planets and Pages, our second Branching Out children’s summer reading program, was also well attended. The event included watching an astronaut read to us from space, learning about gravity, playing a game, and experimenting with Oobleck. We also talked about non-Newtonian fluids, the different stages of matter, and what we think the moon’s surface feels like. Kids had a chance to “walk on the moon” when they put all their Oobleck into the baby pool. • The Children’s room hosted the Killam second graders on a field trip to the library to learn about community members. Thank you, Cate and Olivia! • RPL partnered with Mandarin Storytime to co-run the Dragon Boat Festival with good crowd of 54 attendees. The event went seamlessly thanks to Lucy! • Susan and Elizabeth visited the Frank Tanner housing complex for a pop-up “Librarians and Lemonade” outreach event to share information about library services with residents, including health resources and Takeout Delivery. Additional “lemonade” outreach is planned in July for Peter Sanborn, and Cedar Glen in August d) Systems Updates NOBLE is launching a new public interface for our Integrated Library System (ILS) Evergreen. Please take some time to explore the new interface by clicking on “Try Our New Catalog” at the top of the catalog or My Account page. In addition to visual improvements, you will see an option for more advanced searching that includes some of the basic databases. This means both physical and digital content will be easier to find. Recent Issues • The left patron induction on the AMH was not working from June 5 until June 18. • The locker computer was not connecting to the network from June 18 until June 25 . • Since May, we have experienced a plethora of network outages that require a reboot of the equipment housed at the police station. The outage mostly affects public access to the internet, although some staff systems are on the same network. It’s a complex issue since the equipment is on town property, but the service is through 5 | P a g e NOBLE/Comcast. NOBLE and IT are working with a third party service, Magna5, to fix the problem. e) Personnel Library Associate Judy Terrazano has given her retirement notice effective July 25, 2025. Judy has been with us for eight wonderful years. Like a number of other retirees, Judy has asked to remain on our list of substitute staff, and we look forward to seeing her for the occasional fill-in and Sunday shifts. We are immediately beginning the search for a twenty-hour a week Library Associate position. This position is Grade B (starting rates $23.96-$25.68) and the schedule includes one evening and a Saturday rotation. July Anniversaries: • Meaghan Clemente (12 years) • Valerie Gould Heithaus (7 years) Thank you for your continued dedication and service! f) Professional Development (selected) • 2025 New England Science Boot Camp for Librarians • A Library is Not a Computer: Librarianing for Social Flourishing • ARIS Training Workshop • Backup: How Coworkers SHOULD Provide Backup During Conflict • Beyond the Basics: Unlocking the Magic of Libby • Crafting and Maintaining Effective Patron Policies for Community Success • Cultivating Influence: How to Scale Your Impact through Influencing Others • Developing Policies of Ethical Practice • Grant Writing Basics: Practical Steps and Strategies for Beginners • If We Could Have Just Ten Minutes of Your Time • Managing Libraries of Things in Tech Services • More Money, More Programs: Getting More Funding for Your Library Through Grants, Fundraisers, and City Officials • Office of Equity and Social Justice Listening Session • Permission to Lead Differently: A New Model for Nonprofit Women Leaders • Trauma Informed Care for Grieving Families Respectfully Submitted, Amy Fang Lannon, Director (she/her) 6 | P a g e July 10, 2025 Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Page | 1 2016-09-22 LAG Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Board of Library Trustees Date: 2025-06-16 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 (remote); Kelli Bacon, (remote); Andrew Gregory; Monette Verrier Members - Not Present: Others Present: Amy Lannon, Director; Michelle Filleul, Assistant Director; Meaghan Clemente, Administrative Assistant; Andrea Fiorillo, Head of Public Services; Olivia McElwain, Head of Children's Services; Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Andrew Grimes, Secretary Topics of Discussion: I. Call to Order 7:01 p.m. II. Public Comment No public comments were made in person or remotely. Mr. Egan shared an email from a friendly, yet concerned, patron regarding ongoing HVAC system issues in the Children’s Room. The patron is disappointed that the Children's Room may be closed this summer due to high temperatures. If the Facilities Department is unable to resolve the HVAC issues promptly, the patron believes that possible alternatives, such as portable air conditioners or relocating some children's materials to the ground floor, should be considered. The Board and library staff also have concerns about the temperature on the second floor, primarily since the Library is intended to serve as a community cooling center. Ms. Lannon noted that the Facilities Department is aware of the issue and is working to diagnose and resolve the problem. The Children's Room will close to the public when indoor temperatures reach a sustained level above 80 degrees due to health concerns. The rest of the Library will remain open when the Children's Room is closed. Programs and materials can be relocated to the ground-floor Community Room when available. Librarians are happy to provide readers' advisory and retrieve materials from the Children’s Room upon request. Page | 2 Portable fans are in use. Custodians are leaving windows open when possible to help cool down the room. The building's air conditioning system is always running to cool down the rest of the Library as much as possible. Portable air conditioners would not be practical or efficient due to the high height of windows and ceilings in the room. Ms. Lannon will provide updates as the situation progresses. III. Affirming the BOLT Statement of Solidarity and Support for our Pride Community Mr. Popp read aloud the Board's Statement of Solidarity and Support for the Pride Community. The Board reflected and positively affirmed the statement, which they adopted in May 2024. Statement of Solidarity and Support for Our Pride Community Our public library serves all in our community, fostering an environment of respect, understanding, and belonging. Our Library is proud to provide a welcoming, safe, supportive, and celebratory space for members of the LGBTQ+ community, both as patrons and as part of our staff. We recognize the diversity of our LGBTQ+ community and strive to meet their informational, educational, and recreational needs. Board of Library Trustees IV. Summer Programming and Early Literacy Update Andrea Fiorillo, Head of Public Services, presented an update on the Library's summer programming highlights for June, July, and August. Ms. Fiorillo distributed copies of the summer program brochure, which was designed by Ms. Filleul using Adobe and the new Communico event software. The summer brochure is available in print due to the high demand for summer events. Other seasonal brochures are available in PDF format and can be printed or emailed upon request. Highlights include the Community Narcan Training, hosted by the Town's Public Health Nurse and the Reading Coalition for Prevention and Support, on June 10. Punk Rock Aerobics for children is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23. The Robotics for Teens Event, hosted in collaboration with Guild Hall, will take place on Thursday, August 21. The annual Summer Sizzlers book talk event on June 13 was a great success. The program featured a mocktail fundraiser with the Friends of the Reading Public Library. The Library's Annual Vehicle Day will be on Tuesday, August 12, followed by a bike rally parade event on Thursday, August 14. The Library looks forward to hosting Porchfest performers for the first time on June 28. Additionally, we look forward to a PopUpCycler community art project that will encourage participants to transform plastic waste into art while raising environmental awareness. This year, the Camp Kindergarten series in August will celebrate the start of the school year and provide children with opportunities to practice school readiness skills. The Summer Friends Speaker Series events feature a variety of young adult and children's authors. All virtual events are recorded and available for viewing on the Library's website. A live watch party featuring an interview with children's author Raúl The Third will take place on Tuesday, July 8. This year's summer reading theme across all ages is "Branching Out." For teens and adults, Summer of Story events include silent reading parties, a story slam, and workshops on cartooning, writing, and public speaking. Page | 3 Head of Children's Services Olivia McElwain briefly introduced herself to the Board and gave them an informative update on Early Literacy at the Library. Olivia has worked at the Library for six years and has a master's degree in library science and children's literature. Ms. McElway reviewed standard elements of storytime activities, including a visual agenda, which allows all children to process transitions and manage expectations. She noted the importance of grownup participation during storytime, as they are often a child's first teacher. Storytimes enhance the development of early literacy, early math, fine motor, and gross motor skills, while also providing opportunities for social-emotional learning, community recognition, confidence-building, and caregiver bonding. Regular Tuesday Treasures and Wednesday Wishes, registered storytimes for children ages 1 to 5, run in six-week cycles and are limited to 25 families. Evening lapsit Babytime storytimes for children ages 0 to 15 months are held on Tuesday evenings to accommodate working families. The regular storytime season runs from September through April. Storytime attendance often decreases during the nice weather. During the summer, librarians focus on hosting large drop-in storytimes, outdoor activities, and programming for older elementary school children who do not visit as often during the busy school year. The Library partners with groups to expand offerings. Active partners include the North Suburban Child Resource Network and the Mandarin Storytime, organized by a local mother's group. Ms. McElwain reviewed other learning programs, such as Cooking Up a Storytime with Library Associate Dina Snook, where participants read a story and bake a simple recipe in the Children's Room. Ms. Snook also coordinates Dribble Drabble and Sticks and Stories (Mattera Cabin) Fridays and Saturdays feature drop-in events. On Fridays, the Library features a rotation of Playdough Palooza, Big Body Play, Babies Boogie, and concerts. Saturday events include the popular Jumping Beans Family Storytime and the Mandarin Storytime. This summer, the Library will host "Family Storytime at Memorial Park" and "Treats and Beats: Music and Movement" storytimes at the Library. Other summer activities include a Teddy Bear Picnic, Rockabye Beats Concert, and Camp Kindergarten. Registered storytimes allow for community building within group dynamics. They establish trust through the repetition of the same librarian and group each week, allowing them to focus on skill-building. Registered storytimes are based in early literacy with entertainment threaded throughout. Drop-in storytimes accommodate larger crowds and non-Reading residents. They allow extroverted friends to shine, focusing more on family literacy as librarians rely on grownups to help lead activities. Drop-in storytimes are entertainment-based, with elements of early literacy threaded throughout. Former Library custodian Peter Sheridan began playing children's concerts at the Library in 1997 and continues to do so once a month on Fridays. Other concerts include Music with Mara and Motoko, Music and Movement with Julie Stepanek, a bilingual Spanish and English concert by Boogie with Rockabye Beats, and a Family Concert with Alistair Moock, made possible by a grant from the Reading Cultural Council (RCC). Page | 4 Storytimes with special themes are held periodically and feature strong attendance. These include a Trick or Treat Storytime, a Baby Snow Ball winter prom, a Sparkly Storytime featuring the authors of Miss Rita Mystery Reader, and a Lunar New Year Storytime in collaboration with the Mandarin Storytime group. Special guest storytime readers include employees from the Office of Equity and Social Justice, the Coalition for Prevention and Support, Veteran Services, the Reading Fire Department, the Reading Police Department, and the Reading Municipal Light Department. Overall, 5,735 attendees participated in the early literacy programs from September 2024 to April 2025. The most popular program is drop-in Saturday Jumping Beans storytimes with 1,591 attendees. Some storytime families form lasting friendships and connections, resulting in playdates such as a trip to the Stone Zoo, even after storytime has ended. As storytime participants grow up, they continue to recognize librarians around town, visit the Library, and attend library programming for older children, tweens, and teens. Storytime offers adults and children a chance to meet their neighbors, express themselves in a safe space, and hear about experiences outside of their own for the first time. The Library might be a child's first introduction to a "school environment" or even their first trip into the outside world after being born. Children's librarians hope to foster a love of reading and inspire lifelong library usage. An ongoing understanding of child development and early literacy skills is key to maximizing learning in a storytime setting. Children's librarians regularly participate in professional development opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. Ms. Lannon and Ms. Fiorillo explained that storytimes are about more than just reading books. Storytimes serve as a model for caregiver interactions and the parent community. Ms. Fiorillo and Ms. McElwain thanked the Board and excused themselves at 7:29 p.m. V. Discussion of the Policy on Lending to Residents of Municipalities with Decertified Libraries The Stoneham Public Library has received enough funding to remain open, but will likely need to apply for a temporary certification waiver. Lynnfield's municipal override passed, and the Lynnfield Public Library will likely be able to stay open without a waiver. Assuming that Stoneham is granted a waiver, the libraries in surrounding communities should remain operating and certified for at least another year. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners recently surveyed public libraries on policies for serving patrons from municipalities with decertified libraries. About 180 libraries responded, representing about half of the state’s public libraries. 63% have a blanket policy, 22% have no policy, and 16% decide on a case-by-case basis. For libraries with a formal policy on lending to residents of municipalities with decertified libraries, 7% continue to extend borrowing privileges, 1% charge residents of non-certified communities for borrowing, and 73% deny borrowing privileges. 90% of these types of existing policies deny borrowing privileges overall. The survey does not consider other library services. It also does not include the Boston Public Library, which is a library of the Commonwealth that serves all residents of Massachusetts. The survey also does not address OverDrive, which provides electronic resource access and did not exist when the Library’s policy was adopted in 2002. Although the urgency to review the Library's policy has subsided for now, the Board needs to consider how it would handle the issue of a nearby decertified library in the future, to provide Page | 5 responsible financial stewardship to the Reading community. The Board is open to refining the language of the policy in the future regarding in-library-use services and registered library programming to promote fairness as needed. Reading residents, whose taxpayer dollars are funding the Library, should receive priority over members of communities with decertified libraries. The North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE) recently updated its policy. When a library decides to deny circulating services to a decertified library, it must send a letter to NOBLE. If NOBLE receives letters from more than 50% of its member libraries, the decertified library community will not have access to OverDrive resources in the NOBLE collection, except for OverDrive Advantage items that the decertified library has licensed. VI. VOTE: Election of Officers Mr. Popp noted that the Board must vote to elect officers and review the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary positions. Although it is his election year, Mr. Popp is happy to continue serving as Chair. Despite the traditional practices of other elected boards, there is no formal policy preventing a member from serving as an officer during their election year. If a member decides not to run or is not reelected, a temporary Pro Tem chair, vice chair, or secretary will be selected to serve during the April, May, and June meetings. Motion: To nominate Mr. Popp as Chair of the Trustees. (Grimes / Verrier) Vote: Approved 5-0-1 with Mr. Popp abstaining Mr. Egan noted that serving in the Vice Chair position is a valuable learning experience for those interested in a future Chair position. Mr. Egan is willing and able to continue serving, but is happy to step back if another member is interested in taking on the role. Ms. Bacon hopes to gain more experience on the Board. Mr. Gregory declined due to his busy schedule. Motion: To nominate Mr. Egan as Vice-Chair of the Trustees. (Popp / Verrier) Vote: Approved 6-0 Mr. Grimes is happy to continue as secretary. Motion: To nominate Mr. Grimes as Secretary of the Trustees. (Verrier / Popp) Vote: Approved 6-0 VII. VOTE: FY26 Trustee Meeting Dates Ms. Lannon reviewed the proposed schedule for upcoming Board meetings. Meetings typically take place on the second Monday of the month, unless there are conflicts with holidays or Town Meetings. The Board is not required to meet 12 times per year and can cancel meetings due to a known lack of quorum. This schedule is submitted to the Town Clerk and the Town Manager once approved but can be changed at any time. Motion: To approve the FY26 Trustee meeting dates as reflected on the June 16th memo from Ms. Lannon. (Egan/ Bacon) Vote: Approved 6-0 VIII. VOTE: CY26 Holiday Schedule Page | 6 Ms. Lannon noted that the proposed FY26 closings assumes: •holidays that fall on a Saturday are typically observed on both Friday and Saturday; •the Library remains open on the Monday after Easter Sunday; •Sundays begin in October and end the last Saturday before Memorial Day in May; •early closures on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve. Overall, the proposed schedule is similar to prior years. Once approved, Ms. Lannon will send the schedule to the Town Hall. Ms. Lannon noted that Library staff members often request to be off on the Friday after Thanksgiving and Mother's Day. However, library usage remains strong these days despite limited staffing. Motion: To approve the CY26 Library Holiday Closings as presented. (Verrier / Grimes) Vote: Approved 6-0 IX.Financial Report The FY25 budget is on track. The Library expects to return approximately 1% of the municipal salary budget and spend down all municipal expenses. The subsequent warrant for library invoices will be available for review and signature on Wednesday. Warrants may need to be processed weekly rather than biweekly as FY25 winds down and FY26 begins, to ensure timely payment. Ms. Lannon will present a report on supplemental spending in August. The Library has received several recent donations. The Reading Lions Club continues to support large print collections, braille story walks, and other accessibility projects. Several donations were made in honor of recently retired Trustee Cherrie Dubois. Cherrie recently held an ice cream social for current and former library staff members. Everyone enjoyed getting together with sweet treats so much that the Library hopes to sponsor an annual ice cream social in Cherrie’s honor. The Women’s League of Reading donated directly to the Office of Equity and Social Justice and has also contributed 64 Tonies to the Children’s collection. Tonies are special character figurines that read books and play games in their own unique voices. Tonies are very popular, so this collection is being processed quickly. Mr. Popp is excited to see this collection growing and enjoys using Tonies with his children. Ms. Verrier inquired about the usage of exterior pickup lockers. Ms. Lannon confirmed that the lockers are currently working, despite the interior Automatic Materials Handler (AMH) book return machine being temporarily out of order. She will reconfirm the locker usage and get back to the Board. X.Director’s Report The second-floor outdoor patio is open for patron use, weather permitting. The existing furniture has found a new home at the Reading Public Schools' Central Office. A new table, chairs, and a child-sized picnic table have been purchased as part of the Rooted in Reading grant. The new Polywood furniture is made of recycled plastic and is extremely durable for outdoor use. An umbrella and additional seating will be added using supplemental funds. A Community Garden Party event will be held on Friday, June 20, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The event coincides with the Summer Solstice and will feature ice cream, activities, and local and regional resources related to nature, health, and anything "green". Busy Bee volunteers have been actively weeding, watering, and maintaining outdoor gardens. Plant Page | 7 maintenance company Envirogreenery continues to care for indoor plants and has recently installed educational name tags and signage for some of the more unusual plants. Activitas and Town Engineering are finalizing detailed plans for the new Library Terrace on the hill outside the conference room. The Community Planning and Development Committee (CPDC) and the Town Planner are conducting an administrative review of the site plans. They hope to go out to bid for the project this summer, with construction set to begin this fall. The project is entirely privately funded by the Reading Public Library Foundation. Feedback at the Ad Hoc Library Landscape’s recent community meeting was generally positive. XI. Approval of May 12, 2025, Meeting Minutes Motion: To approve the minutes of the May 12, 2025, Trustee Meeting as written. (Grimes / Verrier) Vote: Approved 4-0-1 with Mr. Popp and Mr. Egan abstaining XII. Future Agenda Items Ms. Filleul and Ms. Clemente will run the July meeting in Ms. Lannon's absence. The meeting will include an update on the Library Terrace project and a review of the FY26 warrant schedule. In August, Ms. Lannon will present supplemental spending recommendations. Aside from the Library Terrace project, no other major expenditures are anticipated. Ms. Filleul will report on meeting room usage. The Meeting Room Policy and Fees will be reviewed as needed. Ms. Verrier requested a formal update on the exterior pickup lockers to be added to an upcoming agenda. Adjournment 8:08 p.m. Motion: To Adjourn (Egan / Popp) Vote: Approved 5-0-1 with Mr. Gregory abstaining Respectfully Submitted, Andrew Grimes, Secretary PUBLIC SERVICE UPDATE June-August 2025 HIGHLIGHT REEL Bee Program for Teens01 The Great War & Modern Memory Wildlife Encounter: Cold Blooded Creatures Robotics for Teens Punk Rock Aerobics Forever Chemicals 06 Dragon Boat Festival Storytime 8 Grade Field Trip and Tourth Narcan Training Oreo Moon Phases & More 1 2 3 4 5 OLD & NEW FAVORITES Vehicle Day Bike Rally Summer Sizzlers Community Garden Party PopUpCycler: Plastic Trash into Public Art6 7 8 Porchfest Story Slam Camp Kindergarten Friends Speaker Series A R C T I C A D V E N T U R E F r i d a y , J u n e 2 0 @ 1 0 A M - 1 1 A M R E A D E R S ’ R E E F P L A N E T S A N D P A G E S T h u r s d a y , J u n e 2 6 @ 6 P M - 7 P M J U N G L E J O U R N E Y W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 9 @ 4 P M - 5 P M T u e s d a y , J u l y 1 5 @ 1 1 A M - 1 2 P M J U S T D E S E R T S T h u r s d a y , J u l y 2 4 @ 7 P M - 8 P M B A C K Y A R D B A S H M o n d a y , J u l y 2 8 @ 2 P M - 3 P M Readathons for 1-6 gradersth A F T E R N O O N T E A & S I L L Y H A T P A R T Y M o n d a y , J u l y 7 @ 2 :3 0 P M - 4 :3 0 P M W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 2 3 , 7 :0 0 -8 :3 0 p m S a t u r d a y , A u g u s t 9 , 1 2 -2 p m C A M P I N G O U T Silent Reading Parties for Teens and Adults L O U N G I N G O N T H E L A W N R E A D I N G V O I C E S : T E L L Y O U R S T O R Y L I V E ! R E A D I N G V O I C E S : T E L L Y O U R S T O R Y L I V E ! A u g u s t 2 3 ,1 2 -3 P M *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d *f o r A d u l t s & T e e n s S T O R Y T E L L I N G & P U B L I C S P E A K I N G S T O R Y T E L L I N G & P U B L I C S P E A K I N G J u l y 2 8 , 7 -8 P MAugust 1 2 , 7 -8 P M F o r a d u l t s & t e e n s S I L E N T R E A D I N G P A R T I E S ! S I L E N T R E A D I N G P A R T I E S ! J u l y 7 , 2 :3 0 -4 :3 0 p m S i l l y H a t sJuly 2 3 , 6 -9 p m C a m p i n g O u tAugust 9 , 1 2 -2 p mLawn L o u n g i n g O W N Y O U R V O I C E : W R I T I N G W O R K S H O P O W N Y O U R V O I C E : W R I T I N G W O R K S H O P J u l y 8 , 6 :3 0 -8 :3 0 P M *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d *F o r a d u l t s & t e e n s What’s YOUR Story?What’s YOUR Story? This summer, tell your story through visuals, writing, and oral storytelling with professionals at the Reading Public Library Summer Finale Event! Join RPL’s Summer of StoryJoin RPL’s Summer of Story In collaboration with: Reading Writers’ Collective Learning Center | Redwood Speaking In collaboration with: Reading Writers’ Collective Learning Center | Redwood Speaking P O P U P C Y C L E R - A R T I S I T K I M B E R N A R DPOPUPCYCLER - A R T I S I T K I M B E R N A R D T h u r s d a y , J u l y 3 1 @ 1 -5 p m *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d *s t F r i d a y , A u g u s t 1 @ 1 0 a m -5 p m *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d *s t *T h e s e p r o g r a m s a r e f o r a l l a g e s w i t h p a r e n t a l s u p e r v i s i o n * T h u r s d a y , J u n e 2 6 @ 2 -3 :3 0 p m t h w i t h P o p U p A r t S c h o o l *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * F E L T E D T O A D S T O O L S F O R T E E N SFELTED T O A D S T O O L S F O R T E E N S C R A F T I N G F O R T E E N SCRAFTING F O R T E E N S S a t u r d a y , J u l y 5 @ 1 -3 p m - M o d e l i n g C l a yth S a t u r d a y , J u l y 2 6 @ 1 -3 p m - B e a d sth S a t u r d a y , A u g u s t 1 6 @ 1 -3 p m - C o l l a g e & J u n k J o u r n a lth S I L E N T R E A D I N G P A R T I E SSILENT R E A D I N G P A R T I E S M o n d a y , J u l y 7 @ 2 :3 0 -4 :3 0 p m - S i l l y H a t sth W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 2 3 @ 6 -9 p m - C a m p i n g O u trd S a t u r d a y , A u g u s t 9 @ 1 2 -2 p m - L o u n g e o n t h e L a w nth *T h e s e e v e n t s a r e f o r a d u l t & t e e n s * R E A D I N G V O I C E S : T E L L Y O U R S T O R YREADING V O I C E S : T E L L Y O U R S T O R Y S a t u r d a y , A u g u s t 2 3 @ 1 2 -3 p m f o r A d u l t s & T e e n s*R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * r d B E E P R O G R A M F O R T E E N SBEE P R O G R A M F O R T E E N S T h u r s d a y , J u l y 1 0 @ 2 -3 :3 0 p m w i t h N o r a t h e B e e k e e p e r*R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * t h M A G I C T H E G A T H E R I N G F O R T E E N SMAGIC T H E G A T H E R I N G F O R T E E N S F r i d a y , J u l y 1 8 @ 1 2 -3 p m w i t h O n e U p G a m e s*R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * t h O R E O M O O N P H A S E S & M O R E F O R T E E N SOREO M O O N P H A S E S & M O R E F O R T E E N S M o n d a y , A u g u s t 7 @ 2 -4 p m w i t h H e l l y t h *R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * R O B O T I C S F O R T E E N SROBOTICS F O R T E E N S T h u r s d a y , A u g u s t 2 1 @ 2 -4 p m w i t h G u i l d H a l l*R e g i s t r a t i o n R e q u i r e d * s t W H A T A R E T H E R A F F L E P R I Z E S ? T E E N S C A N T R Y T O W I N A $2 0 G I F T C A R D T O W H I T E L A M B O O K S , C A F E N E R O , O R D U N K I N ’. Q & APROGRAM D A T E S W H E N I S T E E N S U M M E R R E A D I N G ? T E E N S U M M E R R E A D I N G S T A R T S 6 /1 6 /2 5 A N D E N D S W I T H T H E L A S T P R O G R A M O N 8 /2 3 /2 5 . W H O C A N P A R T I C I P A T E ? T W E E N S & T E E N S W H O A R E C O N S I D E R E D R I S I N G 6 T H R O U G H 1 2 G R A D E R S .T H T H H O W D O E S I T W O R K ? T E E N S W H O S U B M I T S H E L F T A L K E R S W I L L R E C E I V E 1 R A F F L E T I C K E T P E R E N T R Y . C A N I S U B M I T M O R E T H A N O N E S H E L F T A L K E R ? Y E S . T E E N S C A N S U B M I T S H E L F T A L K E R S F R O M 6 /1 6 /2 5 -8 /2 3 /2 5 . C A N I E A R N A R A F F L E T I C K E T I F I A T T E N D A T E E N P R O G R A M ? Y E S . C H E C K -I N B E F O R E T H E P R O G R A M T O B E E N T R E D I N T O T H E R A F F L E O F Y O U R C H O I C E . W H A T I S A S H E L F T A L K E R ? A B L U R B T O E N T I C E R E A D E R S T O R E A D A B O O K B Y H I G H L I G H T I N G K E Y E L E M E N T S O F T H E S T O R Y W I T H O U T G I V I N G A W A Y T O O M U C H . W H E R E D O I S U B M I T ? F I L L O U T A F O R M O N L I N E . * M A G A Z I N E S O R C H I L D R E N ’S B O O K S W I L L N O T B E A C C E P T E D .* H A R N E S S Y O U R V O I C E P R O G R A M SHARNESS Y O U R V O I C E P R O G R A M S M o n d a y , J u l y 2 8 @ 7 -8 p mth T u e s d a y , A u g u s t 1 2 @ 7 -8 p mth Thank You EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS @ RPL What happens at an RPL Storytime? Early literacy skills Early math skills Fine motor skills Gross motor skills Social emotional learning Community recognition Confidence building Caregiver bonding Regular Storytime Season Why? Regular Storytime Season Schedule North Suburban Child Resource Network (2 classes) Cooking Up a Storytime, Dribble Drabble, & Sticks and Stories (Ages 3-5) Tuesday Treasures (Ages 1-5) & Babytime (Ages 0-15 mos) Wednesday Wishes (Ages 1-5) Rotating events including Playdough Palooza, Big Body Play, Babies Boogie, and concerts Jumping Beans Family Storytime & Mandarin Storytime May - August Out of Season Storytime: Events Family Storytime at Memorial Park April - May Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM Thursdays @ 10 AM Treats & Beats June - July Wednesdays @ 6:30 PM Teddy Bear Picnic Rockabye Beats Concert Camp Kindergarten Registered Storytime vs. Drop-In Registered Drop-In Builds community within group dynamics Creates trust with repetition of the same librarian and same group each week Can focus on building upon skills week to week Early literacy based with entertainment threaded throughout Accommodates larger crowds and non-Reading residents Extroverted friends can really shine Focuses more on family literacy, as we rely on grown-ups to lead with us Entertainment based with early literacy threaded throughout Family Concert with Alistair Moock April 22, 2025 Concerts Peter Sheridan Once a month, Fridays Music with Mara and Motoko October 26, 2024 & February 22, 2025 Boogie with Rockabye Beats March 28, 2025 Music and Movement with Julie Stepanek November 22, 2024 Sparkly Storytime January 25, 2025 68 attendees Themed Storytimes and Events Trick or Treat Storytime October 25, 2024 112 attendees Baby Snow Ball December 20, 2024 118 attendees Lunar New Year Storytime February 1, 2025 131 attendees Special Guests at Storytime Office of Equity and Social Justice Coalition for Prevention and Support Vetern Services Reading Fire Department Reading Municipal Light Department Reading Police Department Overall Program Attendance 5,735 early literacy program attendees from September 2024 - April 2025 1,591 Saturday Jumping Beans attendees 849 Tuesday Treasures attendees 709 themed event attendees 825 Wednesday Wishes attendees 267 Babytime attendees 1,494 Concert attendees Our Stories Our Babytime Storytime group from the 2023-2024 season still meets at the library every Tuesday night for playdates. Two of our Wednesday Wishes families met up for a trip to Stone Zoo, using our museum pass, on a Wednesday at 10 AM after our storytime season ended. Cate gets recognized around town by storytime kiddos from years past. Lara was a Tuesday Babytime baby, and when she got her own baby brother the library was his first outing ever! My first storytime was Countdown to Kindergarten in 2019, and those kids now are going into fifth grade and coming to our tween programs. Why is storytime important? Storytime is important because it offers adults and kids a chance to meet their neighbors, express themselves in a safe space, and hear about experiences outside of their own for the first time. We might be a child’s first introduction to a “school environment” or even their first trip into the outside world after being born. By creating these spaces for kids to be able to jump, sing, dance, read, and have fun, we are fostering a love of reading and hopefully, inspiring them to be lifelong library users.