HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-03-16 Board of Library Trustees Minutesv
Board of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - March 16, 1991
Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m.
-esent: Mrs. Elia Marnik, chair; Mrs. Carol Beckwith; Mr. William
Diamond; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Dr. Christine Redford.
Absent: Mr. Robert Fields.
The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m.
Minutes: Ms. Dubois made a motion to approve the minutes of February 24.
The motion passed.
New business: The order of business was changed to allow Corinne Fisher to
present an update on the Children's Services division. "Ready reference
questions have increased by 25 percent in the past few months, due largely
to the computer catalog. Circulation of children's materials is up 5 to 7
percent in the same time period. The staff is beginning to feel the pinch.
This year, as in previous years, 18 hours per week have been allotted for
page hours in the Children's Room; however, this number is no longer
sufficient. Staff is falling behind in re-shelving, and no shelf reading
is getting done. Ms. Fisher said that the shelves are in "pretty bad
shape." She has qualms about volunteers doing regular everyday work, which
should be provided for in the library's budget (as opposed to special
projects).
A study done of one month's circulation revealed that picture books,.
while only 5.1 percent of the entire library's collection, account for 20
r_cent of circulation. The picture books are "getting beaten to death."
current volunteer project is to weed out the picture books which are in
poor condition. $6000 from the Library Incentive Grant and donations has
been allotted for the replacement of 500 to 600 picture books.
The Children's Room staff pulls books for school use about five to ten
times per month. These are displays, deposit collections, and books
reserved for assignments. This advance warning makes things easier for the
staff and shows cooperation with the schools.
Reading will join a statewide summer reading club program this year,
with an Olympics theme. The computer catalog is working out okay; stools
are needed for the table. Rotary has made another donation to the
Children's Room, with which Ms. Fisher would like to purchase a computer
and furnishings (including color monitor and printer). She thinks that
kids who don't have a computer at home are at a disadvantage in school.
The Board discussed options for improving the shelving situation:
volunteers, AARP employees. The starting rate for pages is $5.56. Ms.
Dubois pointed out that the level of service cannot be maintained, if
business continues to soar, without more resources for personnel. Mrs.
Beckwith said that an increase in page hours is a small investment for a
lot of work, and that she would back up a request for more funds. Other
members of the Board concurred. The Director has mentioned this problem to
the Town Manager and Bill Burditt of the Finance Committee. The current
page staff, Ms. Hanley added, is fantastic.
Financial report: The Director reported that the Library is coming close to
ring a problem with its personnel budget. Mrs. Marnik suggested that the
prary could close for a couple of hours and use that money to hire pages.
Donations cannot be used to supplement the personnel budget. Ms. Dubois
1
countered that a cut in hours results in more people in the Library in an
abbreviated time period and yields further problems, like a crowded parking
1o+:. Ms. Hanley offered another solution proposed in past years: to
°then the loan period so that people use the library less frequently.
r Dubois suggested that asking patrons to return magazines to the shelves
would provide a little help. The Director and staff will propose some
solutions at the next trustees' meeting.
Concerning the Donations account, Ms. Hanley remarked that just about
all of the donations money has been encumbered.
Statistical report: Last Saturday was the busiest Saturday the Library
ever had. 1620 items circulated in seven and a half hours, and reference
librarians ran out of room on the weekly form that is used to tally
questions. Mrs. Beckwith asked if there was a pattern to the increase in
reference questions, but one has not been found.
Director's Report: The archives wall is definitely leaking. A blocked
drain is suspected.
Communications: The Board received another letter from the Swampscott
Board of Trustees re NOBLE charges.
Unfinished business: Mr. Diamond has spoken to Bob Cummings about
unavailability of trust funds. He suggested to Mr. Cummings that the Town
Treasurer be given blanket authority by the Commissioners to withdraw at
will these funds to which the Board should have immediate access. Mr.
Diamond will follow up this talk with a letter, and he will meet with Mr.
`-~iings later this month. Ms. Hanley will check with the Town Treasurer
etermine if the Pierce and Wadlin trust funds still exist.
New business: The results of the staff survey were distributed. The
survey is the same as was completed by the staff in 1988. Despite strong
feelings about the lack of money, all staff are overwhelmingly satisfied
with their jobs. The staff itself was rated the Library's major strength,
and funding the major weakness (along with the AV collection). In 1988,
790 of the staff rated the level of staffing as "about right"; in 1992, 70%
of the staff rated their divisions as "understaffed." Mrs. Beckwith
commented that the members of the Board appreciate the work of the staff,
even if they may not know the full breadth of their jobs. A staff
appreciation potluck was suggested for the fall.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane Dfou~2 As sistant Dirtor
2