DUXBURY FREE LIBRARY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
MEETING MINUTES
JULY 31, 2002
Members Present:
Theodore Flynn (Chair), John Hill, Lynne Walsh, Carl Meier, Margaret Lougee and Nancy Delano
Staff Present:
Elaine Winquist (Director), David Murphy (Assistant Director), Nancy Denman (Assistant Director), James Jaquette (Assistant Director), Rose Hickey (Acquisition Librarian), Carol Jankowski (Circulation Supervisor), Deborah Killory (Administrative Assistant)
The meeting was convened at 7:39 am in the Setter Room at the Duxbury Free Library and went into executive session at 7:40 am. The meeting was roll called out of executive session at 7:54 am and the regular session was called to order at 7:55 am.
Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the June 19, 2002 meeting were presented.
Moved to accept the minutes of the June 19, 2002 meeting as presented.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Chair’s report
Mr. Flynn has contacted Selectman John Tuffy concerning asking Town Counsel’s advice on the library’s art inventory.
Director’s report
The American Library in Angers, France, has selected the Duxbury Free Library to be its sister library in America. The trustees were pleased with this announcement. Collaboration will begin after Labor Day and there will be ceremonies in each location to celebrate the sisterhood.
Ms. Winquist noted that the library’s website has been redesigned and that the Reporter South of Boston section had named it the best website on the south shore. The trustees congratulated Jim Jaquette on the new design and thanked him for his hard work. The Town Manager has asked Ms. Winquist and Mr. Jaquette to help design the webpage for the Selectmen/Town Manager’s office.
There has been no more information on the site for the playground since the meeting of July 3. Ms. Winquist noted that it is time to update the long range plan; she will have a report at the next meeting. An official letter has been received from the Board of Library Commissioners notifying the library that it has been awarded a $7,500 grant for customer service on campus. The first staff workshop will be at the end of October.
Departmental reports
Reports were received from the Children’s, Circulation, Reference and Technical Services Departments. Ms. Lougee praised the Children’s Department for its hard work and extensive summer programming. The enrollment in the children’s summer reading program is the largest ever at 910; 150 people participated in the sand sculpture program at Duxbury Beach. Ms. Denman noted that the first program in conjunction with the senior center will be a storytime for grandparents and grandchildren at the senior center in August. The senior center would like to continue the program; it will be reviewed on a monthly basis.
Friends of the Library report
The next meeting of the Friends is scheduled Friday morning, August 2 at 9:00.
Holiday schedule
Ms. Winquist reviewed the schedule for the next few months. She requested that the library close at 1:00 pm Tuesday, December 3; at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, November 27 and Tuesday, December 31; and that opening be delayed on Wednesday, October 30 for staff development.
Moved by Ms. Walsh, seconded by Mr. Hill, to approve the adjustments to the schedule requested by the Library Director.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Collection Development Policy
At the meeting of June 19, 2002, it was proposed that the sentence “The findings of the committee will be presented,” be deleted from section 4 of the Reconsideration of Materials segment of the Collection Development.
Moved by Ms. Lougee, seconded by Mr. Meier to approve the proposed amendment to the Collection Development Policy.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
Mr. Meier noted, in relation to the reconsideration of materials section just amended, that it is the trustees’ job to establish a policy on collection development and to hire professional staff whom they trust to implement the policy. The advice of the professional librarian, rather than the trustees reading of a particular book, should be the standard for trustees’ decisions on including materials in the collection. It would be an unusual situation for trustees to overrule staff. Parents should be encouraged to be involved with their children’s reading choices and discuss them, but should not be allowed to decide what other children should read. Mr. Hill agreed with Mr. Meier’s sentiments and Ms. Lougee noted that trustees should refer calls from patrons about concerns with particular items
in the collection to the Library Director as outlined in the Collection Development Policy. The trustees acknowledged the supportive letter to the Duxbury Clipper on this issue from Barbara O’Connor, a Duxbury resident and a prominent writer of children’s and young adult literature.
Ms. Winquist informed the trustees that there will be an article in the August issue of School Library Journal based on the article in the Boston Globe on the library’s suggested summer reading list for high school students.
There will be a volunteer appreciation program on Sunday, September 8, honoring all of the regular library volunteers, including a brunch and a Beatrix Potter program.
Meetings for the remainder of 2002 were scheduled for the second Wednesdays of each month:
September 11, October 9, November 13 and December 11.
Moved, by Mr. Hill, seconded by Ms. Walsh, to adjourn the meeting at 8:40 am.
Vote: 6 – 0 in favor
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