BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2011
MASHPEE LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM
Present: David Burton, Patricia Gamache, Jane Dolan (arrived 6:10 p.m.), Nancy Soderberg, Carlo D’Este, John Kowalski, and Sandra Lahart.
Also Present: Bridget Bontrager, Interim Library Director
Sue McGarry – Mashpee Resident
David Burton, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Patricia Gamache motioned to accept the minutes of the Meeting of March 8, 2011 as corrected; John Kowalski seconded this motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was approved by all Trustees then in attendance…Jane Dolan had not yet arrived.
Reports
Bridget distributed her monthly report and the CLAMS Circulation Statistics report for the month of March as well as Janet Burke’s report for the same timeframe. Copies of these reports are attached to the printed set of these minutes. The reports were reviewed and discussed at length. In addition to discussing the written report details, the following points were made:
• Bridget said another person will start on Thursday to replace Kathy Mahoney at the reference desk.
• Bridget advised the Trustees that although not allowed, someone was “skyping” in the quiet room and was told this was not allowed.
• She said someone stepped into the Quiet Study Room to expel breast milk. Bridget said she is merely mentioning these situations to keep the Trustees informed.
FOML Update…Pat Gamache reported that the Friends met last Tuesday.
• Pat told them about the Library Trustees fundraiser discussion and that the Trustees would like the Friends to submit an application to reserve Library room like everybody else and the Friends completely understood that and will do so.
• Hank Phillippi Ryan author series will be held April 16; Friends is scheduling the next one for July 9th featuring author Cynthia Riggs. David commented that of the 100 tickets available for the April 16 event, only 4 remain.
• Alice Borden and Bridget agreed that books would now be accepted for the book sales. Nancy Soderberg said she will help Alice Borden with evaluating books.
• Pat said Barbara Notarius’ term as President of the Friends is coming to an end under their by-laws. Barbara is hopeful someone will step forward and assume this responsibility. If no one comes forward, the Friends will schedule a meeting for September and amend their by-laws to extend the term of the President.
• Friends’ next meeting is May 3rd.
• Barbara Notarius asked Pat Gamache to do an article reflecting Trustees to go in the Friends Newsletter. David commented that one of the programs Barbara Notarius was concerned about was public safety of the patrons, lost children, etc. Bridget said she and the staff have made patrons and others aware of exits, etc.
• Sandra Lahart mentioned that she went to the Harry Potter event in Sandwich and it was great. Bridget said Janet Burke is working on this with Barbara Notarius.
• Pat said Lauren suggested some ideas for making the Young Adult Room more relevant to the teens. Maybe some of their own art could be put up in that room. Lauren is willing to work with Library staff on this. Bridget said Lauren met last Friday with Janet Burke and will talk with Janet about what could be placed up there.
The Trustee meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m. to enable the Trustees to move to the 2nd floor of the Library so another group could use the Conference Room. The Library Trustees re-convened at 7 p.m. to continue their Trustee meeting.
Old Business
Events/Meeting Room
Bridget advised in her report that for March there were 44 meeting/programs scheduled for the Events/Meeting Room. Bridget said the Events Room policy limits to 12 uses per year, but some groups like the Brownies come every week. Bridget said we are getting people beyond the local area and beyond non-profit organizations. Questions posed by Bridget: Do Trustees want only non-profits; do they want to limit to regional applicants; should everybody be held to 12 uses per year? Bridget said Janet Burke had to reschedule one of her events to accommodate a book sale. Bridget said the Girl’s basketball group had a banquet here. She said it was well done and they even brought their own vacuum cleaners in to clean up afterwards.
Bridget asked the Trustees for guidance on the following outstanding requests for the Events/Meeting Room and for the Quiet Study Room:
Events Meeting Room Requests
• Phil Adams – private individual. He would like a call back on his request with an answer from the Board of Trustees. Mr. Adams had made a request to make a 3-hour presentation to 10-30 people. Consensus of the Trustees was this request should be denied and David Burton is to e-mail Mr. Adams. Note: Mr. Adams also “skyping, teleconferencing in Quiet Study Room and was informed this is not allowed.
• Katie Belgard Political Organizer for SIEU 1199 – Political organizer for the Union and local union members want to meet with Bill Keating. Bridget to get more information and forward to Pat Gamache and David Burton to review.
• Jeff Garrison- Brain Injury Group – Currently brain injury group meets 2 hours each month and they would like to add a second session for caregivers of the brain injury group. This added group would meet 2 hours each month on a different day/time so they’d use the room 4 hours per month. Consensus of the Trustees was to suggest the group look into availability of other locations—for instance, the Brain Center in New Seabury.
• Serlingpa Meditation Center of New Bedford – Bridget said this group planning to lecture on meditation. Consensus of the Trustees was in view of high demand for Library space requests to be limited to CLAMS regional area. Bridget will inform the group.
Rachel Fiore- Cape Dental Hygienists Association – Just contacted Bridget and wants to book for date in October. All Trustees except Jane Dolan voted “no”. Jane Dolan abstained because she said she would first want to see an application to have more information before voting.
• Retirement Planning request for May 17th – Trustees voted “no”. Bridget to contact requestor.
Quiet Study Room Request
Diane DaCruz-Pocknett - Mass Rehab – Bridget said Ms. DaCruz-Pocknett is a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who would like to reserve one of the Quiet Study Rooms for almost every week for 2-6 hours because the government is closing her organization’s Career Center in Falmouth in June. Policy is Quiet Study Room can only be reserved one week in advance. Trustees pointed out that the Study Room should be available for study purposes. Trustees unanimously voted “no” and suggested other facilities, such as the Senior Center, might be available.
Quiet Study Room Policy
Bridget provided a copy of a draft Quiet Study Room Policy/Guidelines document that she and Helene DeFoe formulated. The Trustees reviewed the draft and it is attached to the printed set of these minutes.
Motion: John Kowalski motioned that the Quiet Study Room Policy as proposed be accepted as Policy for the Quiet Study Room; David Burton seconded the motion.
Vote: All Trustees voted “yes”. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Contractual Employees
Bridget said all the contractual employees have been great and have worked hard. She said they are starting Week 9 of the 12-Week allotment. Bridget said Week 12 will end when Bridget goes on her week’s vacation. Bridget said she is making a plea on behalf of the staff that 12-week contractual employees be extended through June. Bridget said she did bring this issue up to the Friends. David Burton said he is acutely aware we’re coming to that 12-week end.
At 8:45 p.m. the Trustees returned to the contractual employees topic noting that contract labor will be done in 3-1/2 weeks and that the money was used responsibly. The consensus of the Trustees was that the contract workers term had to be extended to avoid Library closings. To extend the 12-week term, more funds must be appropriated.
Motion: John Kowalski motioned the Board of Library Trustees approves supplemental funding from the Donation Account to keep the contract workers through the end of the fiscal year, that is through June 30, 2011; Carlo D’Este seconded the motions; and it was unanimously passed.
Posting of Library Director Position
Bridget provided the Trustees with a posting by Eastham Public Library for a Director and a copy of Mashpee’s in-house posting. The annual salary of Mashpee is significantly below that of Eastham’s even though Mashpee much larger Town size and much busier library. Bridget said she would expect the Town of Mashpee should be paying a Library Director $60,000.
Bridget informed the Trustees that she is not going to apply for the position and that she would like to be involved in the interviewing process and if Trustees not comfortable she has a list from the staff and the staff would like to meet the applicant. David expressed the gratefulness of the Board of Library Trustees to Bridget for all she has done.
Miscellanea
Bridget noted the following:
• Misplaced 2nd Floor EXIT sign moved from area where there was no exit over to correct location on 2nd floor.
• Library now accepting book donations.
• This week in celebration of new Library’s one-year anniversary Library is doing fine amnesty week with patrons donating food, rather than paying fine.
• Bridget asked the Trustees to please read letter to the editor in next Friday’s Mashpee Enterprise.
• DPW is going to modify the book drop.
Bridget exited the meeting at 8:05 p.m.
Library Hours of Operation…This topic was tabled for next meeting.
New Business
MPL Foundation
David introduced Sue McGarry and turned the meeting over to her so that she could do a presentation on an overview to create a Mashpee Public Library foundation. Sue was the Executive Director of the Falmouth Public Library Foundation. The Falmouth Public Library Foundation had 2 employees—1 part-time Executive Director (Sue), and 1 part-time assistant. Sue did a PowerPoint presentation from her laptop, which the Trustees found very interesting. She also provided them with hard copies of the presentation.
Remembrances
Dianna Smith
David Burton advised that friends of Dianna Smith would like the Trustees’ permission for them to plant 2 small hazelnut trees on Library grounds on Friday, May 20, 2011 and then they would have an informal tea following the planting.
Motion: John Kowalski motioned the Trustees grant permission to friends of Dianna Smith to plant 2 trees at the Library grounds on Friday, May 20, 2011; Carlo D’Este seconded the motion; and the motion was unanimously approved.
Helene DeFoe
David mentioned that Helene and Ed Defoe are returning to the Cape tomorrow night.
It was discussed by the Trustees that in view of Helene’s 21 years with the Mashpee Library and for her dedication in getting the new library building a reality, the Young Adults Room should be named in honor of Helene. The Trustees would have a plaque made; do a presentation; and have press coverage of the event.
Motion: Carlo D’Este motioned the Young Adults Room be named the Helene and Ed DeFoe Room with exact heading to be determined; Sandra Lahart seconded the motion; and the motion was unanimously passed.
Library Book Sales…David announced that Jack Kowalski went to Needham Library and they are willing to come here and discuss their book sales operation. Jack said it is most impressive…so they will be invited to a future meeting.
Next Meeting…6 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in the Library Conference Room.
Adjournment
Nancy Soderberg motioned to adjourn the meeting; Patricia Gamache seconded the motion; and it was unanimously passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Giliberti, Recording Secretary
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