HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-09-21 Board of Library Trustees MinutesBoard of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting - September 21, 1998
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Present: Ms. Maria Silvaggi, chair; Mr. Stephen Conner; Ms. Cherrie Dubois; Ms Donna
InDelicato; Mr. Richard Ogden; Dr. Christine Redford.
Ms. Silvaggi called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Minutes: The minutes of August 6 were accepted as amended.
Financial report: The payment to NOBLE was more than expected, due to connections added
during the year, incurring additional maintenance charges. Dr. Redford made note of the heavy
use of children's nonprint material, especially during the summer, and the disparity between
percentage of circulation and percentage of materials budget for nonprint materials.
Statistical report: For FY98, July saw the highest circulation; December, the lowest.
Report from the Chairman: Mrs. Silvaggi expressed her appreciation for the letter sent out by
the new co-presidents of the Friends, Karen and Peter Brown. The McLaughlins' annual party
for the Friends and staff was held yesterday. It was agreed that one of the staff liaisons or the
secretary will send notes of condolence or congratulations to staff as appropriate; perhaps a kitty
will be instated. The Director or Assistant Director will keep the liaisons or secretary up to date.
An extra meeting is scheduled for September 29 at 7:00 to discuss the FY00 budget. Regular
monthly meetings were rescheduled for October 21 and November 23. The Budget Council
meets on October 14 and November 18. There was consensus that the presence of the full board
is still needed at Budget Council meetings.
Friends report: A. trip to the MFA for the Monet exhibit is a possibility. The Friends are
considering providing funding for new toddler programs.
Director's report: Ms. Hanley will speak at the Cape and Islands Interlibrary Association on
October 17, on the subject of information literacy.
Thy RMLD has determined that the Library is using more than 400 amps at times. When a
number of large motors have turned on simultaneously, use has gone as high as 570 amps. This
week, DPW is digging a trench in the front lawn. RMLD will install a new pole in the corner of
the. lawn and a 1200 amp transformer at the Deering/Middlesex corner of the building. The
switchover to the new transformer will involve very minimal disruption.
Parking lot work is expected to begin the week of October 5.
Unfinished business: Brainstorming on Staff Development Day on September 10 generated
visions of the library as having something for everyone, and specific short- and long-term goals.
One underlying issue is that the staff think the Library needs more space to offer the services it
should in the next five to ten years. Mike deBrigard says that the attic can be converted to useful
space if the HVAC equipment is moved up to the roof. The HVAC system is sized large enough
to accommodate an addition.
Goals developed at the day were distributed, and will be used by the planning committee. Ms.
Hanley recommended not opening the Library following an all-day workshop-it was too long
of a day for those staff who worked in the evening. We need to present some of the outcomes of
the day to the public, probably via the newspaper columns.
New business: The personnel budget now includes step raises for each employee. A
reclassification study is being done by the Town's personnel department, and it is hoped that the
Assistant Director will be classified upward.
Dot Alworth, head of Circulation, plans to retire at the end of FY00. Mrs. Alworth works well
over the hours that she is paid for, to get the work of the division done. Ms. Hanley would like to
request an overlap of four months between Mrs. Alworth and her replacement, as the division
undergoes reorganization. In FYOI, the Library will need to add a full-time technician.
Ms. Hanley will figure out the numbers needed to get the materials budget up to the minimum
standards required for state aid. The Library has been falling behind in the past few years. The
increase will be primarily directed toward nonprint materials.
Most of the budget request from the division heads are for equipment and staff.
The capital requests will include the entryway project, painting, and new carpets.
In a meeting with the HVAC consultants, Ms. Hanley was advised not to install the Direct
Digital Control Device to accommodate unseasonable temperatures, but rather have the main
valves stay manually operated, and put only the valves on the individual units on automatic. The
custodian and two other key personnel would learn how to manually change the main valves.
Phase R of the HVAC is all priced out, and Ms. Hanley recommended asking for it to be funded
in the current fiscal year, at November Town Meeting. The basement, the main locus for Phase
II, is still getting a poor air quality reading. New heating units for the main floor have been
ordered.
Mr. Ogden moved that the board ask the Selectmen to bring a special article to the November
Town Meeting to fund Phase II of the HVAC project from current cash. The motion passed
unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
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Diane J. You
Assistant Director