BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING
TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2014
MASHPEE LIBRARY CONFERENCE ROOM
Present: Patricia Gamache, John Kowalski, Chip Bishop, Mark Wright, and Kate Milde.
Absent: Mary LeClair, and Carlo D’Este.
Also Present: Kathy Mahoney – Library Director
Terrie Cook – Finance Committee
Audience: Lannan O’Brien – Mashpee Enterprise
Patricia Gamache, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 4 p.m.
Approval of Minutes
Mark Wright motioned to approve the Regular Meeting minutes of June 10, 2014 as written.
Motion was seconded by John Kowalski.
VOTE: Yes-5.
Roll Call Vote: Chip Bishop, yes John Kowalski, yes
Mark Wright, yes Patricia Gamache, yes
Kate Milde, yes
Friends of the Mashpee Public Library
Kate Milde said the next meeting of the Friends will be next Thursday. Pat Gamache said Kathy Mahoney and she went to a Friends’ session. Kathy said they were talking about getting all ages of members involved and are trying to figure out how to do that.
Reports
Kathy Mahoney’s Library Director’s Report for the month of June was reviewed and discussed at length. Kathy reported balances for MEG; Donation; and Revolving accounts. Chip Bishop asked Kathy to show year-to-year comparison figures rather than just the percentage if doing so would not be too much trouble. Kathy said she will do so on report.
Library Security
Kathy met with Catherine Laurent, DPW Director and will be meeting with Police Chief Rodney Collins. Chip suggested we follow the recommendation of the Police Department. Terrie Cook commented that if she were a Trustee she would go with Chip’s suggestion—following Police recommendation.
- Kathy will look to see technology now in use with security gates.
- Kathy saw security gate at the ALA Conference she attended and it was a very sophisticated operation—for example, it identified specific item(s) being taken.
- Vendors at Conference said cost is dependent on variables—would probably run $12,000 to $15,000 per door. We would have to cover 3 doors at the Library. Terrie Cook noted that anything over $25,000 would be considered a capital expenditure.
Meeting Room Policy
Kathy reported:
- Board of Selectmen approved Room Use Fee schedule for Town buildings. This does not apply to the Library—Trustees to make the decision for the Library.
- Town is trying not to have all buildings open for use at the same time.
- Kathy suggested Library Trustees think about timing for when Library should be open.
- Terrie Cook said Schools charged groups such as Girl Scouts just for custodial services, didn’t charge them a room use fee. She said part of School Room Use Policy was conditional in that School use comes first and School has right of refusal. Terrie said that is an important condition.
- Kathy said libraries are moving into an area of supporting businesses to allow them to use rooms for training for their employees; for board meetings; for training during after-hours. However, they are not to use building to sell things. Chip suggested Kathy talk with MaryLou of the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce.
- Kathy said the approach is to provide a list of accepted activities for room use and if the group signs they are obligated to abide by the rules. For instance, list could state no campaigning; no fundraising; no political activity.
Kathy is scheduled to meet with Town Counsel on July 25th and asked the Trustees whether they had any questions she should address regarding room use policy.
- Mark Wright repeated that we should be informed as to what Mashpee Town Building Policy is regarding meeting room use for political or religious purposes.
- Chip Bishop said the question should be asked: Where is the fine line between civic and political?
- Jack Kowalski said he does not think it wise for Library to get involved with political groups using the rooms. Chip said in the absence of a community center in Town, we have a responsibility to the needs of the community that goes further than schools, etc.
Conclusions:
- What is Mashpee Town-wide policy on Town building use; and what is line between civic and political use are questions to be pursued by Kathy.
- Kathy to present her recommendations to Trustees at August meeting for consideration.
Communications
FinCom…Terrie Cook said FinCom meeting will be Thursday night. She advised that she is now serving as Chair of the Finance Committee; and Chuck Gasior is Vice Chair.
Corresponding Secretary Report … Jack said that Kathy said at the ALA Conference it was brought out that follow-up should be done with the individuals who have made donations to the Library. Jack said he will follow-up with these people to bring them up-to-date on what the Library is doing, especially with the Library 5-year anniversary approaching.
Advocacy Subcommittee ... Chip Bishop advised that prior to this meeting Mark, Kathy and he met as members of the Advocacy Subcommittee. He said they are going to be active and work initially on developing a message to the community about the Library. They are going to define the audience for their advocacy efforts and come up with tools, vehicles, and timetable for making things happen. Each of them is going back over the next 3 weeks and try to define the categories and meet again July 28th. They plan to come back to the Trustees with recommendations at the Trustees meeting in August.
Next Meeting …4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 in Library Conference Room.
Adjournment
John Kowalski motioned the meeting be adjourned; Mark Wright seconded the motion; and the motion was unanimously passed. The meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Giliberti
Recording Secretary
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