BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011
MASHPEE LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM
Present: David Burton, Patricia Gamache, Jane Dolan, Sue McGarry, John Kowalski, and Sandra Lahart.
Absent: Carlo D’Este.
David Burton, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Jane Dolan motioned to approve the minutes of the Meeting of April 12, 2011 as amended; Patricia Gamache seconded this motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was approved by all Trustees, except Sue McGarry, who abstained.
Reports
David Burton stated that Bridget is on vacation this week but did provide her monthly report and the CLAMS Circulation Statistics report for the month of April. Janet Burke’s monthly report for the same timeframe was also provided. Copies of these reports are attached to the printed set of these minutes. The reports were reviewed.
David referred to the paragraph regarding contractual workers in Bridget’s report and said that last week he asked for an update from the Town Accountant and from H.R. and he asked them what they need from the Trustees, if anything to extend the contractual workers through June 30. David asked the Trustees to reaffirm the vote taken at the Trustees April 12, 2011 meeting.
Motion: David Burton motioned the Library Trustees reaffirm the vote of Tuesday, April 12, 2011 to approve supplemental funding from the Donation Account to keep the contract workers through the end of the fiscal year, that is through June 30, 2011; John Kowalski seconded the motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously approved.
Regarding the 2 part-time positions approved at the May 2nd Town Meeting, Vacancy Position Request forms have to be signed and filed with the Town. David signed the forms and Pat Gamache will deliver the forms to H.R.
Friends of the Library Update…Pat Gamache reported.
- Pat said at the Friends’ monthly meeting there was a discussion of the use of the library for commercial things and the thought was expressed that the Friends be able to use rooms whenever they want to. Pat said she reminded them that the Trustees as elected officials need to make mistakes on the side of discretion. The Friends did agree at the prior meeting that they would go through the application process but Barbara Notarius would like to come to a Trustee meeting to talk about this.
- In addition, Barbara said she thinks fees should be charged for use of the building and she wants to come and plead her case and also plead the case of the Friends.
- Friends are very excited about new Library Director coming onboard and they want to have a reception for whoever is chosen.
- Book sales planned for June 4 and July 16.
- Artisan’s fair to be held August 16th.
- Pat said that Alice was at the Friends meeting and Pat told the meeting group about the gentleman who does the Amazon book sales at Needham Library and that he would be willing to come and explain the book scanning/screening process to the Friends, which the group would like him to do. Jack Kowalski explained that this gentleman scans books and the software program instantly gives the bottom 3 prices for that book currently on Amazon. According to the gentleman, he works 2 hours a day doing the screening. He can scan books that aren’t going on to Amazon sale but going to another source—Jack said it is an efficient way to scan books
Friends of the Library Update…(continued)
quickly and know where they’re going: book sales; library; or trash. Jack said the gentleman gets $2500 a month from Amazon sales for the Needham Library Friends.
- Jack also mentioned that Catherine Laurent informed him that there is a firm under the auspices of Mashpee DPW that will pick up old books and that could solve part of the storage problem that currently exists.
- Jane Dolan suggested perhaps somebody could make benches and books could be stored in the benches.
- David Burton added that he saw a storage cabinet that is relatively inexpensive that perhaps could be placed in the Conference Room where Friends could keep some of their items. Sandra Lahart offered to check with her husband and perhaps he would be willing to do the labor and make a built-in cabinet that would match the other cabinet in the room provided the wood would be supplied for the project.
- Pat said that Bridget Bontrager made a request to the Friends for them to purchase a staff laptop and a colored Nook for patron education demonstration and off-site usage. The Friends approved this request.
It was the consensus of the Trustees to invite Barbara Notarius to the June 14, 2011 meeting. Pat Gamache will contact Barbara.
New Business
Massachusetts Open Meeting Law
Jack and others commented that it is so unfortunate the revised law does not apply only to regulatory groups that affect people directly because groups like the Library Trustees only try to make life better for people through library services. It was pointed out that perhaps the approach should be that rather than having subcommittees that one person be assigned to oversee a particular area of responsibility. All agreed that when the Library Director is hired the Trustees are going to have so much to do.
Board of Library Trustees – Reorganization
David Burton said we just had another election and now have a new Board. David said he has been Trustee Chair for some time since it was the feeling of the Trustees to keep the Chair through the building of the library project to keep continuity. David said it has been a good ride but he has personal things outside the library that need his attention and he would like tonight to be his last meeting as Trustee Chair. David explained that he isn’t abandoning the Trustees; he will remain on the Board and he will assist and work with the Chair-elect.
Motion: David Burton motioned that John Kowalski be elected as Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees for one-year term; Jane Dolan seconded the motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously passed.
Motion: David Burton motioned that Jane Dolan be elected as Vice Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees for one-year term; John Kowalski seconded the motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously passed.
Motion: John Kowalski motioned that Patricia Gamache be elected as Corresponding Secretary of the Board of Library Trustees for one-year term; Jane Dolan seconded the motion.
Roll-call vote was taken and the motion was unanimously passed.
Next Meeting…6 p.m., Tuesday, June 14, 2011 in the Library Conference Room.
There being no further business, David Burton asked for a motion to move to Executive Session to review applications for the Library Director position.
Motion made by John Kowalski to adjourn at 7:41 p.m. The Library Trustees will enter into Executive Session for the purpose to review applications for the Library Director position. The Trustees will not reconvene in Open Session.
Motion seconded by Sandra Lahart.
VOTE: Unanimous 6-0
Roll Call Vote:
David Burton, yes. John Kowalski, yes.
Jane Dolan, yes. Patricia Gamache, yes.
Sandra Lahart, yes. Sue McGarry, yes.
Meeting Reconvened
David Burton of necessity reconvened the meeting at 9:04 p.m. for the Trustees to appoint Mashpee Public Library Director.
Motion: Jane Dolan motioned to appoint Kathleen Mahoney as the Mashpee Public Library Director beginning June 1, 2011 pending administrative hiring procedures to be performed by Town; John Kowalski seconded the motion; and it was unanimously approved.
VOTE: Unanimous 6-0
Roll Call Vote:
David Burton, yes. John Kowalski, yes.
Jane Dolan, yes. Patricia Gamache, yes.
Sandra Lahart, yes. Sue McGarry, yes.
Adjournment
John Kowalski motioned to adjourn; Patricia Gamache seconded this motion; and it was unanimously passed. The meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Giliberti, Recording Secretary
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