Library Trustees, Board of

City of Beverly, Massachusetts Public Meeting Minutes Board: Library Trustees Subcommittee: Date: March 26, 2024, 6:00 P.M. Place: 32 Essex St Board members present: Margaret Altman, Colleen Michaels, Cathryn Keefe O’Hare, Joanne Panunzio Board members absent: Mary Behrle, Marshall Handly, Ivy Mahan, Kevin O’Reilly Others present: Allison Babin, Meghan Karasin, Bruce Doig Recorder: Meghan Karasin Joanne Panunzio presided. Meghan Karasin stated that the meeting was being recorded. Public Presentation Paul Hansen-Mitev, 25 Vine St, read from the Library Bill of Rights regarding challenging censorship and spoke on his recommendation for events at the library. Committee Reports Personnel: No report. Administration: No report. Finance: No report. Long Range Planning: No report Report of the Library Director 1. Fiscal Year 2024 Budget: Everything is on track. There is still an overage in the buy-back sick time line but this will be adjusted before the end of the year. The heating fuel line was running short, so a transfer was made into that line. Joanne Panunzio asked if the geothermal system will take care of this issue. Allison Babin stated that it would do so for the main library. But fuel would still be needed for the Farms branch. 2. Fiscal Year 2025 Budget: The “Current Adjusted Budget” column isn’t very accurate. The 3rd column (Dept Req) is accurate and lists what was requested for FY25. There is not much change from FY24. The full time staff line includes step increases, but not an annual raise. The union contract is up in June and the library union will be negotiating. There is an increase in the buy-back sick time because additional employees are participating. There is a very small increase in the part-time line and a larger increase in the books & subscriptions line. In FY24, the library supplemented this line with trust funds, state aid, and Friends funds to meet the Municipal Expenditure Requirement (MER). For FY25, the library is asking for the full 13% to come from the city. Allison Babin will meet with the mayor and finance director on April 8. The total budget request is a little over $21,000 over the Municipal Appropriations Requirement (MAR). If the HVAC project is funded, there are some reductions (gas/electric) to the budget that can be made. Once those reductions are made, the books/subscriptions line could decrease as it’s a percentage of the budget. Cathryn Keefe O’Hare asked where the funds to move to a temporary location would come from. Allison Babin stated that those costs are included in the construction costs of the HVAC project. 3. Building/Vehicle Issues: The continued public hearing on the HVAC project was on March 18. The Council did not take a vote. The public hearing has been extended to Monday April 8 at 7PM. It is the only item on the agenda. North elevator repairs are underway and should be completed in the next couple of days. Once it’s inspected, it will be put back in service. 4. Community Engagement: The bookmobile is participating in Touch-A-Truck events at Endicott College and Beverly High School. Myra Pueschel, an administrative assistant at the library, runs our seed library, which launches on April 1. It’s been incredibly popular over the last two years and this year it will launch at the Farms branch also. The library participated in the Library Lovers campaign, collecting over 100 valentines from patrons. On April 1 the library will begin giving away eclipse glasses in preparation for the April 8 eclipse. The library has 500 glasses to give away. Teen Librarian, Katie Nelson will host a Beverly High School intern from April 22 to May 17. 6. Personnel: The library will send staff to the annual Massachusetts Library Association conference in Framingham in early May. One of the Children’s librarians will attend the Boston Manga Convention and at least one staff member will attend the Youth at Risk (YAR) conference. We have cross-trained one of the substitute children's librarians to work at the Farms branch. Allison Babin has been asked to serve on North of Boston Library Exchange’s (NOBLE’s) Strategic Planning Committee and the committee exploring the bid process. 7. Programs: Adult programming includes Pie Day on April 1, a Fixit Clinic on April 20, and a Living Room Conversations Series on Seeing and Living as White. Teens have crafternoon, Dungeons & Dragons, and a Taylor Swift pre-launch party. The Children’s room will have STEAM story time, Musical Mornings with Miz Liz., and a Tween Night on Dash Robots. Communications None at this time. Unfinished Business None at this time. New Business None at this time. List of Documents/Exhibits ● FY24 Budget as of 3/25/24 ● FY25 Budget request as of 3/25/24 ● Library Lovers Valentines The next regular meeting of the board is April 23, 2024 at 6PM in person at the main library. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45PM.