Board of Public Library Trustees

Draft of Minutes of Board of Trustees Meeting of February 14, 2019 Salem, Massachusetts February 14, 2019 A meeting of the Board of Trustees was held this date at 4:00pm at the Library with Trustees Buckley, Merry, Salerno, Schild, and Trustee Yale present and presiding. Bob Morin and Miss Mansfield were present. Mayor Driscoll was absent. A motion was made by Dr. Salerno to appoint Bob Morin to fill Board vacancy, seconded by Peter Merry. VOTE – UNANIMOUS Approval of draft minutes from November 15, 2018 and January 24, 2019 UNANIMOUS Current Library Use and Financial reports were distributed. Miss Mansfield reported that circulation was third highest in NOBLE during November, December, and January. Overdrive circulation was third highest in November, and second highest in December and January. Miss Mansfield noted that attendance numbers increased in December 2018 and January 2019 compared to the previous years. Miss Mansfield distributed a copy of the Library’s FY20 budget that was due on February 7th. Miss Mansfield noted that the electricity line had been increased in anticipation of the HVAC system renovation. Discussion followed. Miss Mansfield reported that the funding for both the HVAC and Carpet Replacement projects had been approved by the Head of Finance and the projects would be able to move forward. The funding would come from a combination of capital funds and the State earmark grant. Miss Mansfield reported that she expected the Library to be open during the carpet replacement on the Reference, Mezzanine, and Children’s floors, but the replacement of the main floor carpeting would require closing to the public due to the public bathrooms being inaccessible. A sample endowment spending policy was distributed. Discussion of responsible spending followed. Discussion to be continued at the next meeting. Miss Mansfield reported that Reference Librarian, Marie Hviding, was interested in attending the ALA Conference in Washington, D.C. this June. Miss Hviding was planning a visit to the area and would be responsible for her own transportation and lodging. A motion was made by Trustee Buckley to approve paying the admission fees to the conference and was seconded by Trustee Schild. VOTE – UNANIMOUS Miss Mansfield reported that City email was available to Board members. Discussion followed and it was decided that it was not necessary, as not all Board members use e-mail. Miss Mansfield reported that the planning for the Salem Literary Festival was underway and that she was in the process of contacting authors to visit the Library. Kim Chaffee agreed to do a reading, and Jacob Kramer had agreed to do a reading on the condition that a partnership with a bookstore was arranged so that signed copies of his book “Noodlephant” could be sold. Discussion followed. The Trustees agreed that the Library should not be directly involved with selling books. Miss Mansfield reported that the annual 4th Grade Author Visit was coming up featuring Susan Hood. As in past years, the Library would pay for the presentation and accommodations, arrange for the elementary schools to bus to the Library for the event and back to school, and would provide copies of the author’s books for each classroom and library. Miss Mansfield noted that due to additional expenses the total was estimated to be around $6,000, which would need to be transferred from the investments. A motion was made by Leanne to continue the 4th Grade Author Visit tradition and move $6,000 from the investments to the checking account to cover the fees, and was seconded by Trustee Buckley. Meeting adjourned at 5:25pm.