HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-05-21 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - May 21, 2001
1VED
CLERK
HEAD lt4G, MASS.
2001 JUN 18 A 8. 3 9
Present: Stephen Conner, chair; Donna InDelicato; Roberta McRae; Eugene Nigro; Richard
Ogden; Maria Silvaggi.
Mr. Conner called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Minutes: The minutes of April 9 and April 18 were accepted.
Financial report: The Director reported that donations will be spent down, and some trust
funds will be used to pay for books through the end of the fiscal year. The year-end
expenditures on materials will exceed the required fifteen percent. It looks as though
personnel expenditures will not exceed the budgeted amount. The Board requested that, if it
looks like it will go over budget, they be notified as soon as possible. Morang trust funds are
still available if needed to supplement the personnel budget.
There are two years of renewal options left in the contract to provide Reference On Call
service to the region. Ms. Lynn would be surprised if it was not renewed. Appropriations for
this service will be requested from the state in quarterly installments beginning in July.
Statistical report: Outgoing interlibrary loans are up, due to NOBLE's new system in which
loaning libraries are selected automatically and randomly. Reading tops the chart in renewals
from home over the Internet. 13.4% of NOBLE's Web renewals in April (341 renewals)
belonged to Reading. There is no staff involvement at all in this process. The number is still
too small to see an impact on staff time, however. Both our short loan period and our publicity
for it may have contributed to the extensive use.
Self-service on placing reserves on books begins July 1. It is expected that reserves and
interlibrary loans will increase dramatically over time. It will be interesting to see how it
impacts Library processes and space, and which divisions will feel the greatest burden.
The Library's weekly e-mail newsletter has 346 subscribers.
There are two kinds of e-books: those read on PCs and those read from a device. The device
(such as the Rocket that Reading owns) does not serve well as a library model. But since
many people have Palms and other PDAs, that market may grow.
Information Services report: Esme Green, Dead of Information Services since October
2000, gave an update on the division. The trend is for more, more, and more! Customers want
new equipment, software, and formats including scanners, Powerpoint, Quicken, audiobooks
on CDs, faster printers, a fax machine, but they still want the typewriter, too.
The middle ground between ready-reference questions and research is growing. Those
seeking information can more readily find answers to easy questions, but for the more
difficult requests, librarians have unlimited resources.
Ms. Green's current projects include promotion of Reference On Call, a $15,000 grant to
foster relationships between the Library and local businesses, promoting use of new databases
to the librarians and the public. She will be attending ALA in June.
Other members of the Information Services staff have been presenting successful programs
such as SIPS and this year's author visit. The staff has had to give up hours due to FY02
budget cuts. Ms. Green is concerned that they not feel overwhelmed and frustrated. The
following programs are being scaled back: young adult summer reading club, booktalks and
school visits, senior discussion group, Internet classes, plans to expand SIPS. There will be no
adult summer reading club this year.
Elections: These Board members were nominated without opposition and were elected by
acclamation: Steve Conner, chair; Dick Ogden, vice-chair; Donna InDelicato, secretary.
Director's report: Ms. Lynn thanked the Board on behalf of the staff for enabling their
attendance at the MLA conference. Follow-up to the police department's safety visit has been
frustratingly delayed. Installation of keypads, identification of locations within the Library
when 911 is called, and receipt of the report are awaited. In NMRLS news, the Reference
Committee approved adding the requirement of an RFI at the end of the FY02-03 contract for
regional reference services. The Friends annual meeting on June 13 features Corinne Fisher
speaking on children's literacy.
Mrs. Silvaggi congratulated the Friends on their very successful house tour. Mr. Ogden
commended Michael Colford for his work on the e-mail newsletter, and for accepting the
office of co-chair of the MLA Conference Committee. Ms. InDelicato was asked to write
three letters of thanks on behalf of the Board, to Mr. Colford, to Diane Young for her extra
work last summer, and to the Friends.
Mr. Nigro provided a reminder that money from the Foundation does not supplant the
municipal budget.
FY02 budget: A motion to close the Library at 1 p.m. on Fridays in July and August was
approved. Departments have been asked not to spend capital money until the extra state aid is
in hand. The Library has funding for a self-checkout system and computer equipment.
FY02 meeting dates: The list of proposed dates was approved. Bills now need to be paid
twice a month, so board members will be asked to come in and sign billsheets a second time
each month, in addition to the regular board meeting.
Facility walkthrough: The workroom has new desks and chairs donated by Addison Wesley,
donated upholstered chairs and sofa are in the lounge. Banners have been replaced in the
Children's Room; ADA corrections have been made in the fiction stacks; lights have been
added in the main hall. The stacks have quiet study and reduced noise zones. A window is
being considered for the wall between the media area and Technical Services. The magazine
room may be dedicated for another use now that so many titles are available electronically.
The computer network equipment needs proper housing and security, which is a need in all
Town departments.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
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Diane J. Young
Assistant Director