HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-02-15 Board of Library Trustees Minutes Board of Library Trustees AS
Minutes of Meeting - February 15, 1996 AV11end4eQ
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Conference Room - Reading Public Library - 5 : 45 p.m.
pent: Ms. Cherrie Dubois, chair; Mr. William Diamond; Mrs. Elia Marnik;
Dr. Christine Redford; Mrs. Maria Silvaggi.
Guests: Stephen and Rachel Baumgartner.
Absent: Mr. Robert Fields.
Ms. Dubois called the meeting to order at 5: 50 p.m.
Minutes: Mr. Diamond moved to accept the minutes of January 21. The motion
passed.
Financial report: The budget status is fine.
Statistics: January was amazingly busy, with more reference questions than
any month in years. Circulation was down from last year, but not by much,
considering the bad weather.
Director's report: The new Children's Room desk will be installed March 1.
A spelling bee team has been assembled, with two staff members and two
Friends. The children's librarian position has been advertised. Ms.
Hanley hopes to fill the reference position soon.
Liaison reports: Mr. Diamond asked if the Director had heard from Town
Counsel on the legality of establishing a 501 (c) 3 corporation. Town
Counsel has reported that the Library can set up a corporation. A recent
edent is the Town's 350th Committee. The Board of Trustees have
of over the spending of trust funds; the Commissioners of Trust Funds
h control over investing trust funds.
Mrs. Silvaggi called attention to her report researching the history of
Library trust fund management, as assigned by the Board.
Friends report: The decision was made to name the music collection for Fran
McSheehy. A plaque will be installed and music will be purchased with the
rest of the money. Funds for nonprint shelving can be a Friends project,
rather than a memorial. Some sort of dedication ceremony will be planned,
perhaps in coordination with a Friends concert. The membership drive has
brought in about $9800 so far, very close to the goal of $10, 000.
Because of ice dam damage, some of the hosts have postponed their
involvement in the house tour. Other homes are being sought.
A nominating committee will be named soon. Mary Bastiani, currently Vice
President, is willing to be President next year. The Bonds have agreed to
help with the book sale.
Unfinished business: 1) Ms. Dubois recapped Dan Baker's second visit with
the fundraising committee. His recommendation was to retain professional
counsel to assist the committee in establishing financial goals and in
other aspects of the project. What kind of money can the Library raise --
$100, 000? A million? Over one year? Long-term? Until we can establish
that, we are not ready to begin. We need a definitive organizational
structure, a timeline, assistance with writing materials. The goal is to
be moble to use income; principal remains intact in perpetuity. Once the
al effort is done, there will be annual drives.
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Mrs. Marnik remarked that people in Reading would like to provide a legacy
to the town, and the Library is a perfect place for it. Establishing a
f ~dation is the natural next step for the Library in looking toward the
re.
D,. 'Baker said that other libraries are beginning to do this, reported Ms.
Dubois. We already have an excellent library--it falls upon our time to
start doing these things now to ensure the quality of the library, its
programs, its collection.
Mrs. Silvaggi relayed Bob Nordstrand's comment that this is going to be a
good and easy thing to do. She values his judgment. He assured the
committee that professionalism is necessary for a project of this size.
Mrs. Silvaggi feels that we will not make any kind of headway without some
professional assistance.
Mrs. Baumgartner reported that the Friends Board saw no overlap whatsoever
in this endowment and the Friends' mission. Mr. Baumgartner added that the
Friends is an organization for people who want to do things, rather than
for people who want to give money.
Ms. Dubois said that something will go into the Friends' newsletter for
people who want to volunteer to work on the endowment project.
Mr. Baumgartner questioned the 501 (c) 3 being made up of elected and
appointed Town officials. He suggested that the issue of emphasis on
non-Trustee members or non-Commissioner members be raised.
Mrs. Hanley said the the organization's sole mission will be to raise
funds, ultimately perhaps to pursue grants, employ staff, etc.
Mrs. Silvaggi said that she had not been enthusiastic about creating
another entity at first, but now supports an ongoing organization to raise
money.
Mrs. Marnik pointed out that trust funds received by this corporation can
'°`yccepted in a chunk by Town Meeting, rather than as individual gifts.
%, / Baumgartner said that 501 (c) 3 status is important for applying for
gx ants.
Mrs. Silvaggi asked where the money for professional counsel might come
from. The Director will use state aid money over the next two fiscal years.
The state aid that is ordinarily used to supplement the book budget will be
replaced by income from restricted trust funds.
Ms. Dubois remarked that many times when the Town hires a consultant,
they're hiring someone who will tell them how to spend more money. The
Library is hiring someone who will tell us how to make more money.
Mrs. Silvaggi said that the Board has to face the issue of interacting with
other boards, talking to and including others.
Mr. Baumgartner said that a very important point to make is that this
expenditure is a one-time, front-loaded expense. There is no arrangement
for the consultant to get a percentage of the take.
Mrs. Marnik made a motion to authorize the Director to expend up to $25, 000
over the course of the next year to contract with professional counsel to
lead the Foundation members in the following tasks: establish financial
goals, establish organizational structure for volunteers and volunteer
leadership, develop timeline/calendar of fundraising activities,
preparation of brochures and other marketing materials, media/public
relations plan, other written materials, such as solicitation and
acknowledgment letters, donor recognition opportunities, train volunteer
solicitors, design specific plans for reaching/soliciting various donor
groups, recommend giving levels/donor categories. The motion passed
unanimously.
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Mr. Baumgartner asked if Dan Baker had suggested this amount. The Director
responded that these people usually bill at $1000/day. This amount will
a4-re us a good project.
Marnik made the motion to authorize the Director to establish,
ally, a Reading Pubic Library Foundation, as a separate 501 (c) 3
organization.
Mr. Diamond asked to what extent the Town Manager has been apprised of this
move. The Director responded that she and Mrs. Marnik spoke to him over the
summer. Russ Graham and Gene Nigro recommended that the committee make a
presentation to the Selectmen now.
The motion passed unanimously.
2) Ms. Dubois and the Director attended the Selectmen's hearing on the
Library budget on Monday night. The Town Manager is recommending much of
what the Library requested: additional page hours, and $14 , 000 out of the
$19, 000 increase requested for materials. The technology position to
manage the Town's local area network will be in the Data Processing
division's budget. Included in the capital budget is $16, 000 for computers
and $5000 for library furnishings. This is the first time ever that the
library will have municipal funds for furniture.
There is money in the DPW budget for a new rug for the Children's Room.
The townwide professional development budget is seeing a sizeable increase.
The gap between budget requests and estimated revenue is only $400, 000.
In the current year's budget, the Town Manager has approved adding benefits
to the position vacated by Theresa Bond. The Library will fund five more
hours per week to bring that position up to twenty hours.
3) Mrs. Hanley thanked Mr. Diamond for bringing the unattractive entryway
to her attention. A representative from Checkpoint security system is
coming to discuss putting up better-looking gates. Tom Stohlman is
, J,,.gning a new canopy for the front door, one that is more in keeping with
$tyle of the building and doesn't leak. If it is economical, DPW will
b,-Id it.
In terms of space planning, the staff is thinking about where to put
nonprint, and changing the stacks around. There has been some discussion
of flipping the fiction and reference rooms.
The IBMs in the Computer Center are breaking down. Mrs. Hanley recommended
that the Library offer only the Macintosh for word processing. Because the
IBMS are old, there is no ability to update them, and there is no staff
person to provide help to the patrons, the Library is providing bad
service. More and more use is by nonresidents. She would like to put the
Mac in the typing room and use the IBMs for spare parts. The Board approved
this change.
The meeting adjourned at 6 : 50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane J. u g
Assistant Director
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