HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-05-16 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - May 16, 1988
Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 8:00 p.m.
Present: Ms. Cherrie Dubois, Chair; Mrs. Elia Dangelmaier; Mr. William
Diamond; Mr. Robert Fields; Dr. Christine Redford.
Absent: Mrs. Carol Beckwith.
.Ms. Dubois called the meeting to order at 8:07 p.m.
Minutes: Mr. Diamond made,a motion that the minutes be-approved; Dr.
Redford seconded. The motion passed.
Financial Report: As the fiscal year is coming to an end, accounts stand
in good shape. The acquisitions account has been spent and the
rest of the fiscal year's acquisitions will be paid from the
Library Incentive Grant as planned.
Statistical Report: After small circulation decreases in March, circulation
rebounded in April and put us back into an overall gain for the year.
Director's Report: The Friends of the Library purchased twenty new stacking
chairs for the Meeting Room:
Unfinished Business: 1.) A draft of the letter to the Board of Selectmen
concerning low professional salaries was discussed and changes
agreed upon. The Director was instructed to revise letter and
send to Trustees for final approval.
2.) Mr. Fields requested the Director to inquire about the roof
situation.
w Business: 1.) A revised Professional Activities Policy was presented,
the major difference being the inclusion of part-time professionals.
Mr. Diamond moved that the revised statement of policy and
procedure concerning professional activities be approved. Mr.
Fields seconded. The motion passed.
2.) With the current dearth of professional librarians in the job
market, the best way to recruit professionals is cultivation from
within the system. An incentive given to attend the MLS program
at Simmons would be of mutual benefit to the individual and the
library. Ms. Flannery asked the Board to .entertain the idea of
putting aside $2000 from the unrestricted state aid money for
one year, on a trial basis, to subsidize courses leading to a
MLS degree. The Board voiced enthusiasm and requested Ms. Flannery
to draft a policy for discussion at the June meeting.
3.) The Reading Art Association has donated $200 and requested
that the library purchase instructional videotapes. The Board
agreed that the initiation of a new service requires prior planning
and therefore decided to purchase books. Ms. Flannery was directed
to report back to the Reading Art Association.
4.)The town is implementing a new weekly procedure for processing
bills. The Board discussed their options of delegating the
weekly billsheet signing to the Director or staying with the
current monthly procedure. It was unanimously agreed upon to
maintain the current billsheet signing procedure.
5.) With the 1990's soon upon us, the 1981 Community Analysis
and Planning Document is nearly out of date and a new plan of.
service needs to be written. Ms. Flannery suggested a planning
process based on the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners'
guide, "A Planning Process for Small Public Libraries". The
Board discussed the procedure and Gantt chart and unanimously
agreed that the library must be responsive to current community
needs and therefore the planning process is a necessary and
:routine management function. The Board encouraged Ms. Flannery
to continue the process and requested copies of the public survey
for perusal.
6.) The Board enthusiastically authorized $80.00 for Sally
McDonald to purchase two grand prizes for the Young Adult Summer
Reading Program.
7.)Discussion of the Cultural Trips policy was postponed until
the June meeting.
8.) The Rotary Club donated a plaque of past presidents to be hung
in the Quiet Study Room, if agreeable to the Board. After much
discussion, Mr. Fields moved that the plaque be accepted and
hung in the Quiet Study Room-and if there are any objections,
it be removed.. Mrs. Dangelmaier seconded. Mrs. Dangelmaier,
Mr. Diamond,, Mr. Fields and Dr. Redford voted in the affirmative.
Chairman Dubois voted in the negative. The motion passed.
The meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m
Respectfully submitted,
Corinne A. Fisher
Head, Children's Services