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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-06-20 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees Minutes of Meeting - June 20, 1994 Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m. t-,--sent: Mrs. Elia Marnik, chair; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford; Mrs. Maria Silvaggi. Also present: Mr. Everett Blodgett. Absent: Mr. William Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Minutes: Mr. Fields moved that the minutes of May 16 be accepted. The motion passed. Financial report: $380 will remain in the non-personal budget after the bills in tonight's billsheet are paid. The last billsheet for the fiscal year will be prepared around July 10. Both personal and non-personal accounts will be spent down to a few pennies. This year, the methodology for expending the book-budget has worked for the first time in many years, and the book budget has been expended steadily and not overspent. The donations account has about $16,000 in it, including $3500 for videos from the Friends. The Friends will also deposit money to the donations account for six children's summer reading club programs. The state aid for FY95 was level-funded by the Governor; the Library will receive another $26,000 in January. Statistical report: Due to the changeover in the computer system, statistics for May are not available yet. The new system is running, working well and fast. vector's report: Ms. Hanley drew the Board's attention to the traffic count statistics: 34,000 during the month of May. The Library will be receiving a gift from Again, Inc. of study carrels originally built for Hale and Dorr. The staff has established a "party club" to organize quarterly social events for the staff. Liaison reports: Mrs. Silvaggi expressed concern about the condition and size of the kitchen. Perhaps the Library can raise funds for remodeling from the groups that use it. Interested Board and staff members will meet to develop a plan and a target figure. No action has been taken on the the parking issue. Members of the Board asked for more scenarios from the Engineering Department, and will discuss those in September. Unfinished business: Mrs. Marnik read a letter from Karen Brown, announcing her resignation and thanking the Board for its support of her education. The Director distributed a memo about the Library's professional education policy, which allows tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing an MLS degree. A moratorium on new recipients was approved by the Board in September and is still in effect. Because of the difference in the job market from when the policy was established in 1989, and because of the small number of positions that this policy affects, Ms. Hanley proposed that the Library discontinue this policy, and follow the Town's Professional Development policy, with some added guidelines. 1 ITUAR Board of Library Trustees minutes, ttmy-n10 , 1994 Page 2 1Library currently receives $1600 under the Town's Professional lelopment account, which can be allocated to any appropriate educational opportunities (in-state). The Board decided to review the ramifications and take up the issue again at the September meeting. New business: 1) Everett Blodgett, representing the 350th Book Committee, presented information to the Board concerning the future of the 350th book, At Wood Encl. The book is sold out, and the committee is considering a reprinting or second printing: The committee needs a home for the book a place to store and sell it, and an organization that will market it and take charge of further printings, and that would derive the profit. There is currently $28,000 in the committee's account. They decide on the disposition of the funds and report it to Town Meeting. Mr. Blodgett thanked the Library and staff for answering bookbuyers' questions and allowing distribution at the Library. Mr. Blodgett asked the Board to consider the feasibility of this project from the the Library's or the Friends' perspective. Possibilities mentioned were trust funds for local history collection and preservation, or using the profits to hold community-building events like the 350th events. Other organizations are being approached with this idea also. The Steering Committee's decision on the future of both the funds and the project will likely be postponed to September. Trustees were interested in having the information about the disposition of the funds corroborated by the Town Manager, Town Meeting, etc. 2) A list of meeting dates for the next year was approved, with the first `,e changed to September 12. A Town committee is writing a grant to the EOCD to fund a consultant for c 'own-School technology plan. Mr. Fields made the following motion in support of the grant: "That the Board of Library trustees recognizes the need in the Town of Reading to develop a planning and implementation model to reach consensus and achieve common goals, thereby unifying the community and making best use of its resources. The Board of Library Trustees considers this to be a major priority for the Town. "The Board of Library Trustees desires to see communication improved throughout the Town of Reading through the use of modern technology. Specifically, communication between Town Government Departments and Schools, between the Schools and the Public (i.e. Parents and Citizens), and between Town Government and the Public (i.e. Voters and Citizens) could be improved through greater and better use of technology. The use of technology as a teaching and learning tool should be expanded. The Board of Library Trustees supports a Townwide priority effort to develop and implement a joint Town-School technology plan." Mrs. Marnik emphasized how crucial this progress is to the Town. The motion passed unanimously. The Assistant School Superintendent has indicated that he will put $1000 of the department's Chapter II funds toward the purchase of a NOBLE port for the high school. 4) Three hundred dollars remain in the Karen Zalubas fund. The account was not set up appropriately, according to Town Treasurer Elizabeth Klepeis. Board members discussed whether to spend the remaining dollars or to set it up properly as a trust fund. Mr. Fields moved to establish the Karen Meek 2 Zalubas trust fund. Consensus was to preserve the fund in order to honor Karen's memory. The motion passed. The request to establish a trust fund '..l be brought to Town Meeting. The current slate of officers was re-nominated and voted in: Mrs. ` uimik, chair, Mr. Fields, vice-chair, Ms. Dubois, secretary. The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, I Diane J. Young g Assistant Director 3