Board of
Library Trustees Meeting
Jan 2, 2007
7:00 p.m.
Attendees:
Trustees:
MaryAnn Cabibbo, Vice
Chairman
Meena Jain
William Roberts, Secretary
Chuck Rockwood
Wendy Rowe, Chairman
Citizens:
Margaret Perkins
Minutes:
Motion to approve the agenda: MAC1, CR2, passed unanimously
Motion to approve Dec 12 minutes: MAC1, WLR2, passed with CR abstaining (he wasn't present)
Only getting monthly reports on the salary lines. Not the Donation line.
Donations are being used for materials and Poland Spring cooler for staff (the Friends have paid for that, traditionally, so this is paid out of their monthly donation)
Non-materials expenses including temporary help pay are coming from the State Aid account until it runs dry and then will be paying those from the Tuchinsky Interest Fund.
Wendy, Jim Galligan, chairman of the Selectmen, and Suzanne Kennedy, Town Administrator are going to meet with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners on Thursday. Jim has to give a presentation addressing 5 questions.
Nobody seems interested. At this point it's likely we'll just have to see who's interested in running.
The general consensus was to not require an MLS. Wendy is going to bring the job description in for the next meeting so we can change the wording appropriately.
Also should review pay scale.
The consensus was to try to create separate revolving accounts for the meeting rooms and for the printer & copier at the Annual Town Meeting.
Will likely need the wording for the warrant article(s) for the next trustee meeting.
Question of charging for computer usage. Is providing computer access to patrons a core service? Margaret pointed out that all libraries do and no one charges.
The costs for patron computers is just maintenance as we will be getting internet access through the Town's deal with comcast (at the moment we are paying minuteman for this).
Once wireless is installed, patrons will be able to bring in laptops and go to town.
The trustees are to think about these matters (more fees) for next meeting
Chuck's made it a New Year's resolution
After some regretful discussion the Trustees felt that this pass, while quite worthwhile (the pass is used 1/week by 1-2 people/week), wasn't part of our core offering and that the money ($400) would be better off paying for books or heat or light.
We considered having people pay $2 each time they use the pass, but that would only get us $100 and we'd still have another $300 to pay. The Friends pay for the rest of the passes, so if we want people to pay $2/pass for all of them we'd have to discuss that with the Friends.
We also discussed possibly limiting pass use the way Holliston does, with Medway residents allowed to reserve them but out-of-towners only able to get them the last hour of the previous day or the same day. We didn't vote, but most of the Trustees seemed to think that would be a good idea since Medway will be its own little island once we lose certification; but again, the Friends would need to provide input into that because they pay for them.
Motion to drop the MFA Pass: MJ1, WLR2; passed unanimously
Wendy suggested we ask for donations for the pass and renew it whenever we finally get the $400 we need. Chuck said he's game to spearhead that fundraising effort.
There are basically 2 questions. One is the hours, the other whether to serve out-of-towners once we've been decertified and so are no longer bound by reciprocity.
The first was easy. We can't afford the $2000 a month it takes to be open the 12 extra hours so:
Motion to return to the 20 hour schedule in effect in late summer (September) if we lose certification: MJ1, CR2, passed unanimously
Note that 20 hour schedule includes a fifteen minute closing procedure during which the doors are locked but patrons in the building may check stuff out.
The question of serving non-residents is a bit more vexed. We will continue to get book deliveries from Metrowest so that books returned to other libraries will make their way to us (and vice versa).
There are also questions of what is technically possible vis-a-vis Minuteman. Supposedly they're all in a tizzy about how to deal with us as we slowly sink from sight.
The consensus of the Trustees was that ideally, we'd like to serve out-of-patrons who come to the building, but not fill requests. The latter is some amount of work for our stretched staff and volunteers. It's unclear how this would work. We could just stop running the "paging list", but that would mean that we would no longer be taking requests from residents over the internet (from home). It was felt that this might be acceptable and would certainly result in less work for the staff.
If we can't just serve non-residents who physically manifest themselves, it was felt best to only serve Medway residents.
Wendy will talk with Minuteman (and Metrowest) about the details. She will also talk to the staff to make sure there are no big objections to the plan.
Anyhow:
Motion: if we lose certification, to serve non-residents from the premises only (not fill requests from non-residents). Further, if that distinction proves impossible for technical reasons, to only serve Medway residents: WLR1, MJ2
It's a mess back there. The shelves need to be cleared of dross and the dross boxed so that it can be donated. Wendy, Margaret, Meena, and Chuck agreed to get to it.
Motion to adjourn (9:20) MJ1, MAC2, all left