Draft of Minutes of Board of Trustees Meeting of January 23, 2014
A meeting of the Board of Trustees was held this date at 4:14 PM at the Library with Trustees Buckley, Little, Merry and Salerno present and Trustee Yale present and presiding. Trustees Schild and Mayor Driscoll were absent. Ms. Tracy was present.
Approval of minutes of November 21, 2013
UNANIMOUS
Current Library Use and Financial reports were distributed. Ms. Tracy reported Library use across NOBLE and the country are down citing a graph on circulation from NOBLE and an article in Publishers Weekly. However Salem continues to have the highest circulation in NOBLE.
Trustee finance reports were discussed. It was decided that a Finance Committee made up of Dr. Salerno, Trustee Yale and Trustee Merry will meet to recommend an investment strategy.
Ms. Tracy also reported on the State Aid Grant. The Library received an initial payment for the year of $24,475 and was certified by the Board of Library Commissioners. This is a partial payment and about $500 more than last year’s first payment. The Library should receive a second payment in the spring.
Ms. Tracy reported on the FY15 budget proposal. All city departments were instructed to submit a level funded and level staffed budget. Due to requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for Library certification a budget was prepared with a slight increase in order to meet the Municipal Appropriation Requirement. This slight increase along with other requirements will enable the Library to be certified and eligible for State Aid ($49,366 in FY13). Certification will also allow Salem residents to borrow materials from other libraries.
Ms. Tracy pointed out that Salem is in its second year of a substantial increase in its costs for NOBLE ($6000 spread over three years). The new formula for the Evergreen Integrated Library System is based on 75% equal distribution of costs, 12.5% on active users and 12.5% on circulation. Due to Salem’s high circulation and number of active users the library’s base cost will go up by approximately $2,000 for FY15. In addition the Library’s assessment for NOBLE’s downloadable collection, also based on usage, has an increase of $737. A Library budget of $1,212,700 for FY15 was submitted for the Trustee’s approval.
MOVED: Trustee Yale
SECONDED: Trustee Salerno
VOTED: To approve the FY15 budget as presented
UNANIMOUS
Ms. Tracy reported on the progress of the Reference Preservation Project. The Library has had 75 clamshell boxes made for books in deteriorating condition in the Salem Collection. Currently an additional 38 boxes are in the process of being constructed. Reference Librarian Gale Yallop estimates the project is about 60% complete. This work has been accomplished with money from the John Bertram Salem Collection fund donated by Trustee Little. Trustee Little will meet with Ms. Yallop and Ms. Tracy in March to discuss current progress and make plans for the coming year.
Architect Bob Farley was contacted about replacement of the marble threshold. He consulted with Roger Tremblay and concluded marble is too soft a material, especially with the need for a drilled hole to accommodate the wooden door lock. His recommendation is to replace the marble with a metal threshold and also replace the top concrete step which currently pitches back to the door sill.
Ms. Tracy reported she submitted the CPA Determination of Eligibility Application for the rear roof project. CPA projects from City Departments will be given priority and the deadline for submittal is January 31. After review of these submittals projects determined eligible will be invited to submit a funding application. Ms. Tracy also submitted both the roof and the window projects to the City’s Capital Improvement Plan with the roof project given priority.
Trustee Yale brought a memo for Trustees about the Benson painting “Figure in White”. He spoke with Skinner, Inc. for information on how an auction sale proceeds. After discussion of the information he provided a motion was made.
MOVED: Trustee Merry
SECONDED: Trustee Buckley
VOTED: To obtain appraisal from one or more auction houses for Benson’s “Figure in White”
UNANIMOUS
Ms. Tracy informed the Trustees of upcoming adult programs, one by Bonnie Hurd Smith on her book “We Believe in You” and a series of genealogy workshops given by Reference staff.
Ms. Tracy also showed the Trustees several thank you cards from staff for their generous holiday gifts.
Meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM.
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