Library Board of Trustees

Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - November 2023 Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Location: Amesbury City Hall Auditorium By City Clerk at 7:53 am, Jan 11, 2024 Wednesday November 8, 2023 7:00 PM Board of Trustees (BOT) Members present: Anne Campbell, Laurie Cameron, Delia Rinaldi, Brenda Rich, Jessica Ducrow, Pam Gilday, Gail Browne, and Audrey Proctor APL Staff present: Aimie Westphal - APL Director 1. Call to order at 7:01 PM by Anne as chair. 2. Secretary’s minutes Motion to approve October minutes with minor edits by Pam, 2 nd by Laurie, unanimous by all who were present at the October meeting. 3. Communications Anne is reviewing information received from MBLC (Maura Deedy) regarding how other towns have funded library renovation projects with partner/other entity engagement. She will be following up on this conversation/correspondence and presenting materials to the BOT in future. She also spoke with the former Shrewsbury Library Director via phone, who was involved in the Shrewsbury Library renovation project and is continuing that conversation/correspondence. Anne attended the MLTA Annual Conference - Massachusetts Library Trustee Association - Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) annual conference and training in Shrewsbury last month. She reports that she learned a lot of valuable information (state aid, construction grants program, book challenges, MBLC retirees, training), and she shared her detailed notes with the Board. Audrey met with the Director of the Gloucester Public Library regarding their library renovation project funding, which intends to use private funds and state grants for the project and not require tax-payer funding for that project. Audrey shared that she intends to resign from the Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees but may attend meetings in future as a member of the public. Pam shared that she needs to resign from the Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees because she was just elected (November 7) to serve as District 1 City Councilor starting in January. She stated that it would be ideal if City Council could declare her vacancy as well as Audrey’s such that the City Council and Library Board of Trustees could meet ideally just once as a special joint meeting of both bodies to appoint someone to serve the remaining term of both 4-year seats. 1  Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - November 2023 4. Budget report Aimie presents the FY2024 (month 4 of 12) APL budget. As mentioned last month, Aimie will continue to share with the BOT her monthly “Salary Expended on Extra Hours – FY24” table. 5. Facilities report Aimie presents her monthly Facilities Report to the Trustees for November 2023. This document is included in the addendum (Addendum 1). 6. Director’s report Aimie presents her monthly Library Director’s Report to the Trustees for October 2023. This document is included in the addendum (Addendum 2).  For the Staffing bullet, Aimie will continue to include the FTE level info going forward.  The new website is expected to launch in December.  Aimie and staff are continuing to work on collecting some key statistics, the first set of which she has provided in this month’s packet. 7. Sub-committee updates The Long Range Planning Subcommittee met since our last meeting, Delia presented the minutes from that meeting, and the subcommittee membership present tonight voted on the minutes - which will be posted to the City website. The Communication Subcommittee met since our last meeting, Anne presented the minutes from that meeting, and the subcommittee membership present tonight voted on the minutes - which will be posted to the City website. 8. Old business The Friends of the Amesbury Public Library Bookshop is reopening on November 19 at the Library! Look for an article in the Daily News of Newburyport shortly. Anne will attend the next City Council meeting to speak at public comment to share this information with the public and to invite the city councilors to attend. Reminder that Meghan is speaking at the Chamber of Commerce annual meeting this month and that she had a great article in the Amesbury Local newspaper, which is sent to residents via the postal service. 2  Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - November 2023 9. New business Aimie presents Q1 July-September 2023 “FY24 Statistics Review” – including statistics for number and categories of checkouts by collection, reference interactions by type, program attendees by type and age group, and total museum passes checked out and highlighting the top four museum passes issued. Aimie presents the Holiday early closing dates that are not already prescribed for Library staff per the union. Pam makes a motion to approve the “Holiday/Event Closures” document dated November 8, 2023, 2nd by Jessica, motion passes unanimously. Aimie presents the Library Board of Trustees Meeting Dates for 2024. The document shows that BOT meetings, which will continue to be held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at City Hall at 7PM, with the possible exception of August for which there is traditionally no BOT meeting. 10. Matters not reasonably anticipated in advance of the meeting. Jessica asked if the Library has a relationship with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The Library does not but Aimie is open to Jessica bringing info to the BOT for future consideration. 11. Adjourn: 9:01 PM. Motion to adjourn by Laurie, 2nd by Brenda, unanimous. 3  Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - November 2023 Addendums November -- APL Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes Addendum 1 – Facilities Report to the Trustees for November 2023 4  Amesbury Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes - November 2023 Addendum 2 – Library Director’s Report to the Trustees for November 2023 5