HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-11-24 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting -November 24, 2003
Present: Dick Ogden, chair; Suzy Axelson; Steve Conner; Roberta. McRae; Karyn Storti; Vicki Yablonsky;
Kimberly Lynn, Director; Elizabeth Dickinson, Assistant Director.
Mr. Ogden called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and welcomed Selectman Matt Cummings.
Minutes of the October 20th meeting were revised and then approved. ww
Financial Report
Highlights of the financial report, presented by Ms. Lynn:
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• Ms L
ynn passed out acquisitions budget breakout which showed that all departments are doxn w
• In response to a question about the relatively low amount of spending by the Children's Del airtment, Ms.
Lynn explained that the summer reading program at the beginning of the fiscal year delays spending..
Statistical Report
Highlights of the statistical report, presented by Ms. Lynn:
• Circulation continues to be busy.
• Discussion of CD's and DVD's being damaged in the book drop. Ms. Lynn will contact Mike Debrigard
to look into creating a separate return slot for CD's and DVD's. In the meantime, she will request
appropriate signage asking our patrons to return these materials to the Circulation Desk.
Highlights from the Director's Report
• Ms Lynn reported that she received approval from the Superintendent of Schools to put library barcodes
on high school students' identification cards.
• There has been a dramatic increase in the use of the Business Center.
• The Teen Advisory Group held a very successful Halloween parry that was attended by approximately
90 children. Ms. Lynn noted that the event planners included both older and younger teens. She also
thanked young adult librarians, Susan Beauregard and Amy Lannon, for their extra work on this project.
• Children's Room staff and the young adult librarians have provided tours to all of the town's sixth grade
students.
• Because of safety concerns, signs have been put up which state that rollerblading and skateboarding are
not allowed on Library property. Ms. Yablonsky pointed out that the word "skateboarding" was
misspelled on at least one of the signs. Ms. Lynn said that she would have the incorrect sign(s)
replaced. Additionally, rollerblades are not to be worn inside the Library building.
• The Foundation sponsored a very successful public program featuring celebrity chef Mary Ann Esposito
and her husband, Guy Esposito. About 200 people attended the program.
• Ms. Lynn will be one of the featured speakers at a public program on the USA Patriot Act. Other
participants will be a representative from the ACLU and Chief of Police, Robert Silva. The event is
sponsored by the Human Relations Advisory Committee, and will be held on December 4th at 7:30 p.m.
• Ms. Lynn will be looking into offering MP3 players and content for public borrowing. There was a brief
discussion of this new technology, and its costs. Ms. McRae suggested that the Library explore getting a
grant to fund a pilot program. Ms. Lynn hopes to provide a demo at the next meeting.
• The Garden Club will be lighting the "Memory Tree" on the evening of December 5th. Lights are $5.00
each, and proceeds support the work of the Garden Club.
• The Friends Holiday Store will be set up after Thanksgiving. This year the Holiday Store will feature
new books at discounted prices and Friends' merchandise.
• Ms. Lynn has announced to the staff that we will now be doing CORI checks on all employees who work
with children, the disabled, or the elderly. Ms. Lynn and Ms. Dickinson have already been checked.
Staff and volunteers in the Children's Department and those involved in delivery services to the elderly
will also be checked.
• Ms. Lynn announced that there is a currently a part-time position vacancy in the Circulation Department.
Ann Skladany has been put on inactive status as she will be out of the area for four months.
Budget Update
Mr. Ogden inquired if Mr. Cummings had any updated information to share on the state of the Town's
finances for next year. Mr. Cummings responded that the deficit is projected to be between $700,000 and
one million dollars. Mr. Ogden also inquired as to the current status of labor negotiations. Mr. Cummings
replied that no discussions have been held as yet. There was a brief discussion of the work of the Charter
Commission. Mr. Cummings explained that the Charter Commission was not working on "substantial
matters" but was primarily working on procedural issues. Their work is expected to be finished by June/July.
Trustee Items
The Chairman thanked Mr. Cummings for attending the meeting.
Mr. Conner moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Ms. Storti. All voted in favor and
the meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. The next meeting will be December 15, 2003 at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Dickinson
Assistant Director