Library Board of Trustees

RECEIVED By Ellie at 8:40 am, 12/10/20 Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Online Meeting – Public Participation p Wednesday, October 14, 2020 7:00 PM Members present: Anne Campbell (AC), Bethany Sullivan (BS), Brenda Rich (BR), Delia Rinaldi (DR), Laurie Cameron (LC), Michelle Lamott (ML), Nicole Harry (NH), Sarah Downs (SD) Members Not in Attendance: Gail Browne (GB) APL Director: Erin Matlin I. Call to order at 7:03 p.m. by Laurie II. Secretary’s Minutes: A. (September 9, 2020 meeting) – Brenda motions to accept the minutes as presented. Delia seconds. Unanimous, with Michelle and Laurie abstaining. III. Budget Report: 1. Budget was approved and is in SoftRight. Haven’t spent on materials yet, so low on that line item so far. Next month will see more spending on books and periodicals now that the full budget is approved. IV. Communications: Micheala gave Erin a thank you note to pass along to the Trustees for her retirement gift. Booklet addressed to Trustees came in the mail to the library. Erin will pass that along. Laurie will check Trustees email. V. Director’s Report: A. Still down two staff positions. Erin will focus on head of circulation first. Has submitted job description to Mayor’s chief of staff. Erin is covering head of circulation responsibilities now, so it will be helpful to get that filled. B. Glass top and sneeze guards have been ordered. Tentative install Oct. 29. Once that install happens, Erin wants to have a week for staff to get used to working with those additions in place and finalize set up for patrons. Goal is to have patrons come in to pick up holds and then leave. Will slowly introduce other services. Has to get fire department review of set up before opening. Expanded curbside hours, pushing to full library hours. C. Virtual programing starting for teens, adult and children as well as kits for all ages. New database added called Creative Bug that’s focused on crafting. VI. Committee Reports:  A. Director review: Finished director review. Bethany can share notes if any other Trustees would like to review B. Preservation committee: Doors are done and look great. Freddy is coming back for a few finishing touches. Strong response on social media to the photos. Gail emailed a report on air flow to Erin, Laurie, and Bethany with recommendations. Laurie will forward to other Trustees. VII. Unfinished Business: A. Library Service Update. i. As part of consortium, the Library has the option to turn on automatic renewals as long no one is waiting and you don’t have fines. Erin thinks it is a good option. ii. Extended summer hours to end of October. Plan to go back to full Saturday hours in November. Still short staffed, so want to open 9 to 1, close at 1 so everyone can take lunch, then reopen at 2. This avoids issues with taking lunches and still having three people in the building. Temporary solution until head of circulation is hired. Bethany made a motion to change Saturday hours to 9 to 1 and 2 to 5, with 1 to 2 being lunch time for staff, starting on November 7. Delia seconded. Unanimous. B. FY21 Budget Update. Erin is meeting with collection team next week to review collection spending and distribute funds to buy items for collections. Many will be focused on OverDrive materials, but also buying physical items. C. ARIS/State Aid, Waiver Update. Both reports submitted early. Erin has all the information from city for the waiver letter and is working on first draft. They want a letter describing our budget process and why we couldn’t meet the MAR. Once that is in, all paperwork will be submitted, and we will just have to wait to hear back on the waiver. VIII. New Business: A. Hot Spots (Friends). Erin proposed a request to buy additional Hot Spots. Asked Friends to sponsor 3 more (5 for patrons, 1 for staff). Friends are doing a fundraiser on Facebook to raise money for this. They will be paying for all 6 through the end of the school year because it’s easier for billing. Have paid for hot spots with State Aid in past. Friends have raised over $600 so far. IX. Other: A. Next month’s meeting. Previously discussed going back to in person when School Committee did, so Laurie wanted to see how people feel about meeting in person next month. Room at City Hall to be socially distance and wear masks, and safety measures in place. Laurie will check City Hall calendar to make sure we have to right day reserved. Can wait until closer to the meeting for a final decision.  B. Erin – This year, Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Friday, so Library is closed because of the holiday. Discussion about what to do on Saturday? Erin checked with other libraries, 18 will be closed the Saturday after Christmas, 8 will be closed the Saturday after New Year’s Day. Saturday after Thanksgiving is a volunteer day, but the Library is usually only open until 1 because it’s tough to get volunteers. Bethany recommends closing the Saturday after Christmas but not the Saturday after New Year’s. Laurie thinks that Saturday after New Year’s will be busier for drop-off with kids going back to school. Bethany asks if it has to be volunteer if we open that Saturday. Erin wants to double check union contract. Table until November meeting when we have facts from union contract. X. Adjourn: Bethany made a motion to adjourn at 7:55 p.m. Brenda seconded. Unanimous.