HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-03-21 Board of Library Trustees MinutesP
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Board of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - March 21, 1994
Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m.
Present: Mrs. Elia Marnik, chair; Mrs. Carol Beckwith; Mr. William
Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford.
The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m.
Minutes: Ms. Beckwith moved that the minutes of February 28 be accepted.
The motion passed.
Report of the Children's Division: Corinne Fisher reported that activity
is up. The LSCA Wee Care grant has come to an end. The staff made contact
with all the licensed day-care providers in town, establishing a
relationship between them and the Library. They made forty-one visits and
created eleven kits for borrowing.
The Macintosh computer was added last April. In ten months, 3000 kids have
used it for over 1200 hours. Arnold Berger donated money for a second
computer, which will be used for reference sources on CD-ROM. Ms. Fisher
sees a need to add a third computer for older elementary kids, for uses
other than reference.
Helping children with the computer is time consuming. Because all staff,
including pages, are called upon to give assistance, all staff must learn
each piece of software. However, pages should not have to responsible for
this and we need them to concentrate on their primary job, shelving books.
Computer instruction should be a responsibility of the professional and
raprofessional staff. Ms. Fisher introduced the idea of making Brenda
lttergreen full-time; the additional 12.5 hours would cost $10,000.
Attendance was low for the tenth anniversary children's programs. Since
there have been no school age programs since 1990, kids aren't used to the
idea, said Ms. Fisher. Program funding costs $1500 to $2000 it's the
staff expense that's more difficult.
Board members thanked the Children's Room staff for the events that they
organized for the tenth anniversary celebration.
Financial report: $76,000 has been spent to date on materials. To meet
state standards, the Library needs to spend $80,000. .
Statistical report: Circulation was down from last year, due to weather.
On Saturday, March 12 between ten and one o'clock, 900 people entered the
Library. Although sports sign-ups accounted for some of that traffic,
Saturday's returns were still being checked in on Tuesday, and trucks of
books to be reshelved went around the children's room like a train.
Director's report: The NOBLE upgrade is coming in May. The staff has been
participating in some good continuing education programs. Ms. Hanley
distributed copies of a Chronicle article from 1896 describing the new
Highland School.
The Garden club wants to landscape around the portico, add plantings to the
parking lot side, replace the clay pots, and buy benches for the landing.
They will hire a landscape designer. Dr. Redford suggested some plantings
pi: the side of the building customers first see when they drive in.
`Liaison reports: The Treasurer's office should send trust fund reports
regularly with other reports, at least quarterly.
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Unfinished business: 1) The Finance Committee approved the budget last
zday. Mrs. Marnik drew the trustees' attention to the discussion that
was raised at that meeting about fines. 'Ms. Dubois remarked that the
figures on the budget form are misleading. On Friday, the Finance
Committee voted on the town-wide priorities. They voted for the $2100 for
circulation staff, but did not vote for the $1600 for Children's Room
staff. The Selectmen support both of those priorities. The budget will be
presented at Town Meeting on April 25.
New business: 1) The Massachusetts Library Association has scheduled
Legislative Day, a weekday morning in May, for directors, trustees and
Friends to attend. Ms. Hanley considers it very effective and will attend.
2) The Friends' house tour is scheduled for May 22. On April 24, they will
offer a baseball program with Bill Littlefield and Len Merullo, and Linda
Weltner will give her talk that was postponed from March. They need
people to be part of the 350th parade float. The Library will have a team
in next week's spelling bee.
Communications: Mrs. Marnik read a thank-you from Barbara Fish for the
anniversary party. Ms. Hanley told the Board that Gene Nigro had sent
flowers to the Library.
The Board extended sincere thanks to the Friends for their support of the
anniversary celebration.
The State Ethics Commission has rendered an opinion on the conflict of
interest issue. Ms. Hanley continues to seek support from MLTA and the
Board of Library Commissioners to resolve this problem.
s. Marnik moved to extend deep gratitude to Mrs. Beckwith for her years
service on the Board.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
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Diane J. Yo ng
Assistant Direct
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