Russell Library Board of Trustees

Governance Committee of the Russell Library Board of Trustees Regular Meeting, October 5, 2022, 5:00 PM (Online meeting via Zoom) Approved Minutes Present: Jennifer Billingsley (Head of Youth and Family Services), Ramona Burkey (Library Director), Brandie Doyle (Assistant Director), Jennifer Hadley (recorder), Gregory Harris, Thomas Russell IV, Cynthia Sanders (Chair) 1. Call to Order: Trustee Sanders called the meeting to order at 5:01 pm and reviewed the dialogue guidelines. 2. Approval of Minutes a. MOTION: The minutes from the September 14, 2022 Governance Committee Meeting were unanimously approved, with Trustee Hadley making the motion and Trustee Russell seconding it. 3. Public Comment: No public present. 4. Unfinished Business a. Unattended Children’s Policy - approved by Board b. Whistleblower policy - still tabled while union negotiations continue c. Schedule of policy review - Assistant Director Doyle has revised the schedule. Director Burkey reminded us to incorporate time for staff review. Assistant Director Doyle believes that the time in between Governance Committee meetings and the Board meetings could be used for staff review so the process could move quickly if there are no objections. She often receives and incorporates suggestions from staff prior to the Governance Committee seeing the draft. The scheduling can be fluid. 5. New Business a. Circulation policy – Assistant Director Doyle had two aims for the draft: 1) bringing the policy into conformance with CT state law, i.e., the library cannot restrict certain items to Middletown residents only, eg., hotspots, and 2) trying to make it as easy as possible to use Russell Library, e.g., removing certain restrictions and aiming for convenience. Discussion included: moving eligibility language up, borrowed state statute language about residence. Decided to remove numbering and go with headings only. Will add a sentence explaining Borrow-IT CT and perhaps link to a public facing page about it. Discussed verification. Will speak with head of access services out how online applicants are verified. “Children under the age of 18” used based on CT language for when people become adults. Library card is a contract. Child’s card asks to have a parent there because the parent is responsible, but actually some children do come in alone, e.g., accommodating foster children. Add language that a library card is a contract with the library.  Russell does not charge overdue library fines. Fines for other libraries can be paid at Russell, but people are encouraged to pay fines at the loaning library. The only difference between Adult and Youth cards are that youth cards have line for parents. May re-order sections, put loan periods online so that they can be easily modified, combine non-circulating items with limited loans, think about restrictions. Assistant Director Doyle will edit and send the draft to staff and bring it back to us at our November meeting. She will ask if the manager of borrowing can come to that meeting b. Computer/internet use policy Assistant Director Doyle will continue to work on the draft, get staff input and aim for the November meeting. 6. Discussion of Items to Be Placed on Next Agenda under New Business a. Whistleblower policy b. Circ policy c. Computer/internet use policy d. Meeting room use policy 7. Announcements - None 8. Open Forum/General Good and Welfare The Halloween tour run through went well. 9. Additional Public Comment: None 10. Executive Session to discuss strategies and negotiations about pending claims or pending litigation involving the agency or a member: Not needed. 11. Meeting Adjournment: Trustee Hadley moved and Trustee Russell seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 6:42. Next meeting: November 2, 2022 Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Hadley