HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-02-24 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - February 24, 1991
Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 6:00 p.m.
Present: 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 January 27.
The motion passed.
Financial report: The book budget (town funds) is just about gone. A new
paperback rack is being purchased with donated funds. The display cubes
for the Parents Shelf books will be paid for with the rest of the money
donated by Rotary.
Statistical report: Circulation for January was 1200 higher than that of
January 1991, and Reading still tops the statistics for all NOBLE
libraries.
Director's Report: DPW has taken down the interior wall in the Archives,
and a good rain will make the problem evident so that it can be fixed. Mr.
Diamond suggested that the cause of the seeping water might be an exterior
:ownspout that runs along the foundation. The handicapped rail was damaged
a car. It will be fixed by DPW.
Communications: 1) The Burlington Public Library announced a new location
for its trustee orientation refresher program on March 11.
Unfinished business: 1) The Board reviewed the FY93 budget proposal. The
Board of Library Commissioners is recommending to the Governor that the
Municipal Appropriation Reuqirement be held at 95 per cent, according to
Ms. Hanley. The budget had been planned with that assumption. The bottom
line of the FY93 budget is $451,063, a reduction of $14,814 from the
current year's budget. Increases in the personnel account reflect step
increases for pages and new employeees and a decrease in the "Librarian"
and ".Library Associate" salaries. The Library will lose two and a half
hours per week of a librarian and four hours per week of a library
associate.
After discussion, Mr. Diamond moved that the reduction in personnel
result in closing some hours. The motion passed. Particular hours to cut
will be decided after analysis of use.
The decrease in Equipment Rental comes from the change in the copier"
contract. Ms. Hanley's suggestion to move $1000 from Office Supplies to
Aquisitions was approved. She will ask the Town Manager to make that
change.
2) The Director reported on the planning process. The citizen survey
results are complete, and the committee met this afternoon. Other surveys
are still in the works and there will be further analysis of the citizen'
'-urvey for useful data. Ms. Dubois, as a member of the committee,
;;pressed a sense of frustration with the unmanageable fiscal situation.
.rs. Marnik, also a member, commended the membership in general for their
interest in the Library. The Friends have contributed time and money for
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-hone calls, tabulating, and postage. Out of 400 surveys mailed randomly
residents, 214 were answered a good percentage. The results of the
-af_f survey will be compiled for the next Trustees meeting.
New business: 1) Ms. Hanley reported that a bill from the NOBLE
telecommunications vendor for the on-line catalogs has been outstanding
since October, because the Trust Fund Commissioners have not met. The
vendor is angry and Ms. Hanley is embarrassed. The Town Treasurer
recommended that trust funds be transferred far in advance in the future.
The Board concluded that there should be an emergency procedure that allows
the Board access to the Library's trust funds. There was no objection to
the funds being pooled for investment by the Trust Fund Commission, but the
Board strongly objected to having to wait for the Commissioners to meet
when the money is needed. Mr. Diamond will investigate the legality of the
Board controlling the funds directly and report back. It was suggested
that the Commissioners could allow the Trustees to authorize the Treasurer
to expend the funds.
2) There will be an article on the warrant establishing new trust funds.
3) Mrs. Beckwith brought up a concern expressed by a volunteer: the
photographs in the Local History Room need archival storage materials..
Perhaps the Photographic Society or the Friends would.provide the $100 or
so needed.
4) The Director noted that Town Meeting will probably adjourn before
addressing the budget, and reconvene in May, after the court date with
RESCO.
"he meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane J. 1o ng
Assistant Director
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