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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-05-18 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees _C Minutes of Meeting - May 18, 1992 Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m. Present: Mrs. Carol Beckwith; Mr. William Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford. Absent: Mrs. Elia Marnik, due to illness. Mr. Fields called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Minutes: Mr. Diamond made a motion to approve the minutes of April 27. The motion passed. Financial report: Balance shown in the Personal account is incorrect: the budget is on target for personnel. The fifteen percent milestone of book expenditures was met last week: $75,914. The Library had to spend $22,000 over the municipal allotment for acquisitions to meet state certification requirements. An extra billsheet will be prepared to wrap up the fiscal year, around July 10. The Board had decided to allow only two signatures on the billsheets during the summer months when it does not meet, however, -a majority is required by law. Statistical report: Reading is again number one in NOBLE for circulation. Director's Report: The summer reading clubs are in preparation. The Children's Room is participating in a nation-wide effort with an.Olympics theme. The Young Adult theme will be "Read for the gold." Young adults will earn fake money for each book read, with an auction to be held at the ^nd of the summer. An insert in the June town supplement to the Suburban ews will advertise.the two reading clubs. Technical Services re ort: Diane Young spoke about changes in that division, particularly since the replacement of the card catalog with terminals. Very little cataloging is done by staff here NOBLE Central Site finds and loads cataloging information into the computer for new titles. In place of creating and filing catalog cards, the T.S. staff has taken on most of the responsibility for sending and requesting interlibrary loans, allowing public service staff to devote more time to their customers. Two-thirds of one full-time staff member's time is spent on interlibrary loans, plus some time from two others. Other duties picked up by T.S. staff are assessing damaged books for mending or discarding, and choosing paperbacks to add to the collection from donations. The division is reliant on computers. Ordering of adult and children's books is now done electronically via a modem. A new books list is compiled monthly by manipulating data from the computer on a word processor. The Library depends heavily on volunteers for help with processing and discarding materials. Mending is very rarely done due to lack of staff time. Both Irene Sunbury and Michael Colford have been extremely creative and generous about changes in their jobs. Election of officers: Mr. Diamond nominated Elia Marnik to serve a second term as chair. Mrs. Beckwith nominated Mr. Fields for vice-chair, and Ms D.,ubois for secretary. All were re-elected unanimously. t .hfinished business: 1) installed in the parking the building operated by Ms..Hanley updated the Board on the light to be lot. Mr. Carson from RMLD recommended alight on a switch and timer. Mr. Labonte, an electrician, 1 was asked by DPW to make a proposal. He suggests a 250-watt light on the ver near School Street, which is activated by a photocell and turned off a timer. The timer would be easily accessible inside the building. Ms. Dubois and Mrs. Beckwith thought that 11 p.m. was a good time for the light to go off, however, there is a concern about light shining into neighbor's houses late at night. It is difficult to tell if the light would bother neighbors before it is installed. The 250-watt bulb should not be that bright by the time it reaches the end of the parking lot. The cost for this.light is $700. Mr. Diamond asked that a second opinion be sought from Mr. Michelini. The RMLD cannot provide a photocell light with a timer because they have no rate for it. The Board would ideally like to have a light on a pole facing the building, operated by a switch inside the building. 2) The topic of trustee liaisons was tabled due to Mrs. Marnik's absence. 3) Ms. Hanley reported that the Friends' Red Sox trip was a success. Advertising for the house tour is to come; tickets will be sold at a florist shop. The nominating committee is expected to present a strong slate of officers by May 27. 4) Ms. Hanley, Mr. Fields, and town representatives met with the Soucys to look at the property`'where their land meets the Library's. The entire parking lot drains to a catchbasin near the Soucys' property. In order to fix the drainage on their land, they want to build a retaining wall where the Town's chain link fence is now. Although that fence may be taken down eventually, the resolution was for the Town to build up a berm to contain the water until it can drain properly to the street. All were satisfied. rjPw business: 1) George Rainville has offered to donate one of his '.nting, the library to choose which one. Mrs. Beckwith moved to accept e offer. 2`) Ms. Hanley suggested that the Library provide a stipend for staff who attend national conferences, since there is no money in the library or town budget for out-of-state travel. Staff members use their own money for registration, travel, etc.' which is usually at least $1000. She proposed a stipend of $200 total per person to defray costs. Mr. Diamond made a motion to provide stipends from the Noyes fund. Ms. Dubois suggested that income from a certain fund be designated to be used for this purpose annually. The Director was instructed to investigate for the next meeting which fund would be most appropriate. 3) Jacqui Paradis, the sister of Reference Librarian Trudy Paradis, is enrolled in a degree program which requires her to evaluate a real-life service. After discussion with staff and based on the results of the recent surveys, it was decided that she evaluate the Library's service to the business community. Ms. Paradis will conduct focus groups in June. 4) The Reading Craftsmen have requested to hold an auction in the Meeting Room next year, proceeds to go to the Scholarship Foundation. The auction, held in the past at members' homes, would be publicized only to members, but open to anyone at no charge. Mr. Diamond moved to allow the Craftsmen to hold an auction in the Library. The motion passed.'' 5) Ms. Hanley apprised the Board of the Chamber of Commerce cruise on June 10. 6) Two staff members have recently told the Director that they are applying r higher-paying jobs. Ms. Hanley said that someone must take the tiative to get raises for town employees, and maybe it should be the Lbrary. The Town has a merit raise system that could be applied, but it i.s not funded. Performance evaluations are done annually, and yet there is no reward for the employee. FY93 will be the third year without a 2 cost-of-living increase. The staff, although very satisfied with their obs, are expressing discouragement about their salaries. The Board pressed support for reinstating raises in FY94. The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ~Ut 1~Q ~G Diane J. ou g Assistant Director DM. OF GENI SMVICM EE~E~V'ET~ MAY 2 t T 3