LIBRARY TRUSTEE MINUTES OF AUGUST 10, 2017
The meeting was convened in the Community Room at the library at 6:04 p.m.
In attendance were: Library Director Marie Mueller; Trustees Gloria Parkinson, chairwoman; Wendy Neil, vice chairwoman; Tracy Colangione, Angela DeVivo, Karen Nugent, and Alex Zapantis. Also, Michelle Lupien, children’s library assistant.
The minutes of the July 13, 2017 meeting were amended to change a sentence about a $7,500 federal library grant. It will be used for health literacy; not services and technology. The amended minutes were then unanimously approved.
There were no public comments.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
– Ms. Mueller gave a video presentation on the library’s free online services (languages, Universal Class, music, test prep, continuing education credits, e-books, etc.) Trustees agreed these should be marketed aggressively in the future.
– There is a 10-hour per week summer intern at the library, from ARC.
– Insurance on artwork from Olde Home Day (to be displayed in the library) is covered by the town.
- Some broken/worn tiles on the floor behind the circulation desk may be a safety hazard. Trustees will check them out before the next meeting. Tabled for the time being.
- Community Room: Chris McGown, public works superintendent, said we don’t need a permit or involvement with the town’s Building Committee for the renovations, but they are available for consulting and help, if necessary. Requests for formal bids are not necessary unless the project costs more than $50,000. Phil Duffy has not yet gotten back with specifications and scope of work for window and door replacement. Ms. Mueller will contact him.
- Long-term planning: A committee for a five-year plan starting in FY2019 will be formed.
OLD BUSINESS:
- Community Room Update: Ms. Parkinson still has not had a response regarding the grant request to the Clinton Home Foundation. She will continue to contact the chairwoman of the board, Caroline Keiger. Meanwhile, Ms. DeVivo will research other potential foundations as funding sources, including the Nypro Foundation.
- Capital Campaign: Ms. DeVivo will also research other foundations and funding sources.
- Public Relations Plan update: Trustees will research target groups for the library’s online offerings, and how to target niche demographics.
- Trustees have been invited to a solar eclipse/astronomy program by the School Department at Veterans’ Memorial Field, on Aug. 21, during the solar eclipse. The library has provided special viewing glasses. Parkinson and a few other trustees plan to attend.
- Trustees decided to offer library card sign-ups during Olde Home Day, as part of a “Cookie For Card” campaign. New library sign-ups will get a free cookie (Ms’s. Neil, Nugent, and Zapantis will get or bake cookies), along with the regular welcome packets. Ms. DeVivo will make two signs – one for the Friends’ booth in the park, and one for the Friends book sale – announcing the cookie-signups deal.
NEW BUSINESS:
Subcommittee updates:
Ms. Parkinson informed the board that the state Open Meeting Law requires that subcommittee meetings be posted. The board will do so from now on.
A . Policy Subcommittee: Ms. DeVivo and Ms. Zapantis gave an update on a draft of a new children’s
safety policy they are working on. At this point, Ms. Parkinson welcomed Ms. Lupien and invited her to join the discussion. Ms. Zapantis read the short, more positive paragraph; and there was a discussion on the second part – to be given to the parents or guardians of repeat offenders. Ms. Lupien expressed the same concerns as she did at an earlier meeting; children are left unattended for hours or entire days, and often distract librarians from working with other children or on other tasks. There was also a discussion on whether the age limit of children left unattended should be lowered from 9 to 8. Trustees agreed to circulate the draft paragraph, explore the policies of other libraries, and discuss the issue at the next meeting.
- Personnel Subcommittee: The trustees agreed that the library’s Head of Youth Services (children’s librarian) has been placed in the wrong grade by a town consultant, because it involves supervision and education. Ms. Neil suggested that since the consultant hired by the Personnel Board considers their information as proprietary, the trustees should request job descriptions.
A motion was made to petition the Personnel Board to move the position of Head of Youth Services from a Grade 10 to Grade 13 on the town’s job classification plan.
The motion passed unanimously, 6-0.
Ms. Parkinson will request a meeting with the Personnel Board as soon as possible.
- Marketing/Branding Subcommittee: Ms. Nugent has compiled a list of new Clintonians, from real estate sales data. She and Ms. Parkinson will create a spread sheet to be used to send out welcoming letters to new residents, along with a brochure, which they will also create. The brochure will be branded with the library logo, and include photographs and information on library hours, programs, materials, and other offerings.
The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. September 21.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:12 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Karen Nugent
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