MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: CALL TO ORDER: REVIEW OF : CITIZEN S TIME: FRIENDS: POLICY REVIEW: Robert Neufeld, Kevin Sheehan, Ram Voruganti, Adam Woodbury Steve Wasserman, Ann Way Library Director Michael Wick, Recording Clerk Alison Varrell The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm. The Minutes from October 11, 2018 were reviewed. Motion to accept October 11, 2018 Minutes as amended: Rob Neufeld Due to the absence of a Friends meeting in November, there was no November Friends Report. Mike stated that the Book Sale was held and approximately $3,100 was raised. There will be a program on January 17 with an actor-portrayal of Albert Einstein. Mike reported that the Safety Committee is still working on Safety Policies. While working on those, he noticed that the Emergency Closing Policy needed to correlate with the Safety Policy regarding staffing the various service desks in the Library. Ram queried whether the policy staffing designations regarding Youth Services would prohibit flexibility of staffing when help is needed elsewhere. Mike assured the Trustees that it would not. Rob agreed that he felt the way the policy has been amended is appropriate and no additional changes looked to be necessary. Kevin asked for clarification regarding the health epidemic language in the policy. Mike explained that healthy workers would report and do the work even if the Library were closed and that he felt that the word choice epidemic is slightly ambiguous to allow for different health concerns and circumstances. Ram asked about the closing procedures if not all staff has keys. Mike stated that all staff has keys except minors. He referred to the online Safety Policy and its updated version (coming soon) for the Trustees to review for more specific Safety Policy information. Motion to approve the Emergency Closing Policy as amended: Ram Voruganti
(Page 2) DIRECTOR S REPORT: Mike reported the latest warrants to the Trustees. The Board is aware that warrants #T18/19 and #T19/19 were processed from October 6, 2018 November 6, 2018 for standard Library business. He also reported that warrant #T18/19 was processed for Occupancy from October 6, 2018 November 6, 2018. Discussion was held regarding how the Trustees greatly appreciate Mike including the budget expenditures and balances handouts along with the Director s Report at each meeting. Mike clarified the fence replacement/collision damage that appeared as an $850 credit to the library. The Trustees were presented with the new Calendar of Holidays for 2019. Discussion was held. Motion to accept the 2019 Calendar of Holidays as presented: Ram Voruganti Ram queried whether there are many non-union workers at the Library. Discussion was held. Mike stated that he has received very positive feedback about the strategic partnerships outside of the Library. Stonebridge Senior Living has expressed their pleasure at being able to participate in homebound delivery and monthly book talks at their facility. In two months of outreach, 25 new patrons have been registered. Shine In Math Academy, a Burlingtonbased tutoring company owned by Madhavi Tarugu, has also started seeing increased interest from patrons based on its free 20-minute math homework sessions on Monday afternoons. Coffee with a Cop with Lt. Glen Mills of the Burlington Police Department was such a big hit in October that the Library is looking to continue the program on a monthly basis as well as providing a similar program, Cookies with a Cop, for children in December. The Library will once again be a collection point for the Burlington Fire Department s Holiday Toy Drive. The drive begins mid-november and ends mid-december. Last year was the first time the Library was a collection point and the response was overwhelming. Mike would like to ask the Trustees to consider tying toy donations made at the Library to fine forgiveness the same way donations to the Burlington Food Pantry
(Page 3) are handled during the length of their food drive. People would receive forgiveness on Burlington material fines in exchange for toy values. Motion to accept toy donations in lieu of Burlington fines for November and December 2018: Kevin Sheehan The two titles have been selected for Burlington Reads 2019. The first is March, a graphic novel in three volumes, a powerful story of Civil Rights and SNCC leader John Lewis during the early stages of the movement written by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell. The second is The Hate U Give, a novel set in current times about a young African-American woman who witnesses her friend shot by a police officer during a traffic stop, landing her squarely in the middle of a national headline story, written by Angie Thomas. Programs are being built to work within the books. Mike is currently looking into asking the authors to attend; however at this time, no authors have responded. One program has been booked with the Rev. Crowley, Pastor at the historical Baptist Church in Newton. He works on many social justice topics. Other programming being looked into is a Motown and a Civil Rights program. Also, Burlington Reads will coincide with the film release of The Hate U Give so there may be a film viewing in the future. Fifty copies of both books, including all three volumes of March, are planned for purchase to be distributed at the library and in the community. Copies would count toward the Library s minimum text expenditure requirement from the MBLC. Mike would like to ask the Trustees to approve $3,400 so that titles can be purchased and programming can be booked. Motion to approve up to $3,400 from LIGMEG for Burlington Reads 2019: Rob Neufeld Ram asked for clarification regarding whether the funds should be up to $3,400 and Kevin asked what was included in the $3,400. Mike responded that he would also be asking for funds from the Friends of the Burlington Public Library and past donors of Burlington Reads, so the cost might fluctuate accordingly. Mike stated that he is currently estimating the cost of the books to be $2,018 and programming to be $1,400, but that the programming estimate does not include any author visits, due to lack of author response at this time.
(Page 4) Budget requests for programming and additional Wish List items for 2019 were submitted to Mike by Assistant Director, Marnie Smith, and Head of Youth Services, Amanda Hogue-Lavallee. Because there was no meeting in November, Ginna, President of the Friends, asked Mike to provide the Friends with an as-of-now request in preparation for their December meeting. Mike is considering adding programming to the budget request to the Town. Last year s cost for programming was $17,000. Mike is concerned that at some point in time the Friends could decide against paying for programming. Putting programming into the budget would be a safeguard against such a decision. Amanda Hogue-Lavallee and Nicole Monk, Young Adult Librarian, along with other library department heads, are planning a ComiCon-style event at the Library on Saturday, March 30, 2019. The event would be tied in to Burlington Reads in that a graphic novel has been selected as one of the titles. The event would take place from 10am-4pm throughout the entire building, resulting in the Library being a non-quiet space for the duration of the program. The current planning involves four different hour-long programs in the Fogelberg Area; rotating games in the McIntire Room; an Escape Room challenge and/or Virtual Reality setup in Meeting Room 4; an exhibitor area in the second floor magazine area; and various activities for children and adults throughout the first floor. Mike stated that the staff has wanted to do this program for a long time and this year it ties in well with the graphic novel. Rob asked if the 501 st Legion Costume Players are involved and if not, he suggested contacting them. Mike said he would do so. Mike stated that the total estimated cost for the program would be $1,800. He has asked the Friends for 50% but has not received a response yet. He is asking the Trustees to approve the amount so that programs can be booked, with the understanding that the cost may decrease with the support of the Friends. Adam asked Mike if there is a possibility of directly soliciting donations from corporate entities. Mike said he would speak with the Town Counselor but he does not believe that is possible. Motion to approve up to $1,800 from LIGMEG for programming costs for Burlington ComixCon: Rob Neufeld Kevin asked if the amount asked for includes the cost of crafts, etc. Mike stated that some is covered (up to $300).
(Page 5) Mike stated that now that the check-in process is now isolated to the Circulation Office, staff have been able to more readily identify items in need of mending. Many of these are CDs and DVDs. Patrons have also experienced scratched CDs and DVDs when checking items out and have inquired if the Library can repair the disc surface. The Library s current CD cleaner does not allow for a single cleaning option. It works more like a buffer and a batch cleaner. Current CD cleaning is only done when there are multiples to clean. Mike stated that if the Library had a single-disc cleaner it would allow staff to quickly clean items for patrons who are experiencing scratched discs as well as repair items as soon as they are discovered at check-in. Mike would like to ask that the Trustees approve funds for the purchase of an additional Venmill VMI machine with cleaning supplies at a cost of $1,060. Rob asked how long the single cleaner would take. Mike replied that it would take 1 minute and is very easy to use. It would increase turnaround and improve customer service. Ram asked if there is a capital budget for purchasing new items. Mike replied that the Town looks at this type of purchase as non-capital. To the Town, a capital item is a vehicle or part of a building. Furniture is also not included as a capital expense, which, Mike stated, is also a concern. He will begin incorporating an expectation of funding in the future. Motion to approve up to $1,060 from LIGMEG for the purchase of a Venmill VMI machine with cleaning supplies: Rob Neufeld Kevin proposed changing the amount to $1,100 to account for possible shipping and handling changes. This change was accepted. NEW BUSINESS: OLD BUSINESS: ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn: Ram Voruganti The meeting was adjourned at 8:35pm.