Lincoln Library Trustees’ Meeting
15 February 2005
Present: Jack Pugh, Jenifer Burckett-Picker. Al Kraft, Marshall Clemens, Diana Abrashkin, Peter Sugar, Trustees; Barbara Myles, Library Director; absent: staff representative: Nadine Rebovich
We discussed the following:
Minutes of meetings of January 11 and 19: approved
Fire: there were two fires at the Library: on February 4th and again on the 8th. They occurred because of blow-backs in the boiler. The Fire Department came on both occasions. Our serviceman supposedly repaired the boiler after the first fire, but after the second fire an inspection revealed that there were several other problems, among them an incorrectly installed backflow preventer valve; it was decided to terminate the services of the mechanic. For a complete report, see the Librarian’s report of 15 February. (Note that we will get a copy of the Fire Department’s report within the next few days.)
Financial report/budget: We discussed the Library’s budget: the FY 2006 base is $660,254, and override budget is $692,049. It was agreed that to achieve a no-override budget, the Library will close all Sundays and the staff will have only one week of uncompensated vacation. A vote was taken and this scenario was approved.
Librarian’s Report was reviewed briefly. Among the items discussed:
The fire – see above
The Maintenance budget – now part of the Warrant article: it was agreed that we need to provide some further breakdown for the $10,000 line item. The total of the Warrant article is $26,880
Technical Services: our driver is resigning his position because of inadequate compensation from the delivery company
Friends of the Library: they are looking for suggestions on where they may be able to help the Library
Maintenance: Al and Marshall met with Tim Higgins and Chris Coleman of the Town to discuss the Library’s intent to have their own maintenance warrant article and not join with the umbrella budget item of the town. After some discussion it was agreed that this is no problem; the town asked that we keep them in the loop. (They also agreed that we could use Earl Midgeley for advice when this was needed).
Staff concerns: Barbara reported that the major concern centers on oily smells in the building; it was agreed that repairs should be carried out as soon as possible
we also heard that Lisa Bracken has received her new kidney – we all signed a card to congratulate her
Sub-committee reports and topics:
Fund-raising:
Need to set short and long-range goals
Should we establish a foundation and how should this be done; what would the foundation’s relationship be with the Board; also what legal concerns are there: how the foundation would work within the town (legal advice should be obtained)
How would funds raised interface with the budget
Who would write the letter on behalf of the Board to any donor (for tax purposes)
Any fund-raising effort: how to ‘pitch’ it
Funds raised: what portion should go towards our endowment
The Board agreed to provide a list of potential donors to the sub-committee
We need to set a date for a ‘long-range goals’ meeting
Building Sub-committee:
It is essential that all issues related to, or work contemplated at, the building or the grounds, whether originated by the Board or others, need to have the Building Sub-committee’s input before any decision is taken by the Board
Boiler report: we need to establish a base-line (especially after the fire) to understand the status of the boiler and its expected life; the best way would be through a heating engineer – the latter could also let us know whether the chimney cap in any way impedes the operation of the boiler
Regarding the new serviceman: we should find out whether he is insured – in case any of the repairs should go wrong
Budget Sub-committee: the current budget is a draft and still needs some work
Personnel Sub-Committee: no specific report
Capital Planning Sub-Committee: needs to update the 5-year long-range plan
Sub-Committee Mission Statements: some of these were discussed. They will be attached to these notes, once all of them have been collected from the respective Sub-Committees
Next Meeting: on March 29 at 7:30 PM
Respectfully submitted
Peter C. Sugar
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25 March 2005
Lincoln Public Library – Subcommittee Mission Statements:
Budget Subcommittee (and the Library Director):
prepares the budgets as requested by the FinCom,
revises them as the FinCom parameters are changed,
explains them to the Trustees,
defends the approved budgets before the FinCom, and
before the annual town meeting.
It also prepares standards for spreadsheets to make them more readable and reliable, including standards for keeping track of revisions
Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee
The committee is charged with insuring the:
repair,
regular and preventive maintenance,
fire/theft protection,
public safety,
space planning,
and design harmony
of the Library building and grounds, as well as budget planning and scheduling for the above. The committee works closely with the board, library director, staff, other town officials, and outside consultants and contractors to meet these goals. To fulfill their oversight role, the building committee should be informed about all building and grounds related issues and liaise between the board, director, and service providers.
Collections Subcommittee
The Collections Subcommittee supports the collection development at the Lincoln Library. It strives to maintain a well-rounded collection of materials to meet most of the Library patrons’ basic needs, and some of their in-depth needs. (The Library in-depth collections include music CDs, fiction, and travel.) For the Adult Collection, the goal is to buy new popular material and keep certain areas of the collection very current, especially medicine, education, computers, business, and travel. The Children's/YA Department shares the same collection goals as the Adult Department except that, since it serves patrons from babies through teenagers, it must provide an expanded spectrum of materials such as circulating puppets, puzzles, and CD-Rom games. Space needs are a definite issue
especially in the Young Adult area.
Problems to be addressed in the future include:
shelving, and finding space to expand collections (this is true for both Adult and Children’s/YA)
buying materials in multiple formats (e.g., books both on tape and on CD)
finding good popular science books, and audio books in foreign languages, and
having funds for enough audiovisual materials to satisfy patrons.
Fund Raising Subcommittee
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In response to the overall and specific goals set by the Trustees, it is the Fund Raising Subcommittee’s task to devise programs to raise funds to meet those goals.
Library Personnel Subcommittee
This committee evaluates the Library Director’s performance on a yearly basis. This consists of a director’s self-evaluation based on attainment of yearly goals, followed by an evaluation by the committee members, which includes reviewing the self-evaluation, adding comments, and including any statements from other town officials regarding Director’s fulfillment of duties. The committee also attends staff meetings at least once a year, or more frequently if asked, to deal with any staff personnel issues.
Capital Planning Committee
This is a town committee that evaluates town-wide department requests for Capital Planning Committee funds and makes recommendations to the FinCom regarding their necessity to be funded by CPC. The Library representative advocates for the Library when appropriate and explains rationale for long-range requests (5 years out).
* * * * *
LIBRARIAN’S REPORT
February 15, 2005
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Capital Expenditure Request for FY 2006
The Community Preservation Committee has not yet decided how to distribute the Community Preservation Act money to the organizations that applied for grants. Al, Jenifer, Peter and I attended their January meeting. The committee members were supportive of our requests and even spoke of borrowing money against future CPA tax revenues in order to fund the library’s request for a new roof on the Gund building.
The Community Preservation Committee requested a list of the library’s future capital funding requests for their February meeting. I delivered the library’s five-year projection of future capital funding request at their February 8 meeting. Mary Cancian recommended that we make the fire suppression system a higher priority in light of the recent fires at the library.
Maintenance Budget Request for FY 2006
The Trustees voted at their January 19 meeting to submit a warrant article at Town Meeting for a library maintenance fund that would be outside the library’s operating budget. This change reduced our operating budget request by the $10,000 maintenance line item plus $1,500 (the 15% the library will not have to spend on materials because the total operating budget is reduced).
The library’s maintenance warrant article includes $26,880 of maintenance items such as service contracts, HVAC repair, replacing the condensing unit for air conditioner number 3, carpets for the Farrar and Reference rooms, and pumping the septic system.
Operating Budget Request for FY 2006
Al Kraft, Peter Sugar and I attended the budget meeting on February 2 where the amount of the town’s override request was finalized. The library’s FY 2005 operating budget is $665,665. On December 1, 2004 the Trustees submitted a base level operating budget to the Selectmen and Finance Committee of $666,154, which is a 0.6% increase over FY 2005. When the $10,000 maintenance line item and $1,500 book reductions are considered, the library’s base operating budget request is reduced to $654,654 or a decrease of 2% (($654,654-$661,154)/$666,154). For this budget meeting I prepared a new spreadsheet showing $0 for library maintenance and a reduction of $11,500 from the library’s FY 2005 base operating budget request, and a 2% decrease in the library’s budget. If the
library’s maintenance warrant article passes at Town Meeting, the $10,000 maintenance line item, which was removed from the library’s operating budget request, would be funded. The library would receive the same amount of money for running the library as was requested in its base level budget.
Mary Cancian and Al Schmertzler took exception to this calculation and argued that the library was supposed to present a base budget with an increase of 0.7% from FY 2005, not a decrease of 2%. At this meeting an agreement was reached about a formula for calculating the library’s base budget for FY 2006. First, the library’s FY 2005 budget was decreased by $10,000 to derive a FY 2005 operating budget without a maintenance line item ($665,665 - $10,000 = $655,655). Next, this amount was increased by 0.7% to determine the library’s base budget for FY 2006 ($655,665 * 1.007 = $660,254). Mary Cancian and Al Schmertzler argued that the library should receive an additional $8,034 ($652,220 + $8,034= $660,254). I believe that Al Kraft’s and Peter Sugar’s attendance at this meeting was instrumental in the library receiving these additional funds.
Community Reads Project
One of the library’s patrons, Gwendolyn Atwood, suggested that the library sponsor a community reads project around Tracy Kidder’s book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, which is about Dr. Paul Farmer’s charitable work in Haiti. Community organizations in Concord and Sudbury are having Paul Farmer and Tracy Kidder speak in their towns. Gwen Atwood has made contact with these organizations and they inspired her to get people in Lincoln reading and talking about this book. She will lead the effort on this project and coordinate library programs with Ellen Sisco. Diana Abrashkin is on the working group for this project and their first meeting is February 15.
Boiler Fires
At 9 a.m. on Friday, February 4 the fire alarms went off at the library and everyone evacuated the building. There was a lot of smoke in the basement area and the Fire Department discovered a fire in the boiler, which was caused by a blowback. Too much oil got inside the boiler and ignited. According the Chief Cotoni, the fire also went up the Gund building’s chimney. Chief Cotoni turned off the boiler and directed us to get a repairman to fix the boiler. Ellen called our HVAC serviceman to fix the problem. Dick Washak arrived later that morning to determine the cause of the problem and make the necessary repairs. He identified the parts that needed replacing and left the library to obtain these parts.
First thing Saturday morning Dick Washak returned to make the necessary repairs. When he left the library, the boiler was operating correctly. Dick determined that the fuel pump on the oil burner was defective and replaced it. He received a replacement fuel pump for free because it was under warranty. He also replaced the fuel nozzle, ignition electrodes and oil filters. Our custodian, Bob Bottino, was at the library overseeing these repairs. (I was at a workshop called “The Economic Value of Public Libraries” in Boxborough.) When I arrived at the library on Saturday afternoon, the heat was back on. There was a bit of an oily smell in the library but we thought that was left over from the fire on Friday.
On Monday morning Lincoln’s former library director, Kathy Glick-Weil, came to the library with Dick Corbett, Newton’s building manager to help me determine the cause of the fire. In a short time, he determined that too much oil was still getting into the boiler and that was why the library smelled oily. He gave me the phone number of a serviceman, Tony Bowser of Solar-Tech, who has serviced Newton’s HVAC equipment. Dick Corbett called Tony Bowser, explained the problem we were having and told him I would be calling him. I called Tony Bowser as soon as Kathy and Dick Corbett left the library. He told me he could come to the library the next day (Tuesday) to determine why the boiler was still getting too much oil.
When I returned to the library that afternoon, the oily smell was very bad and the staff and I agreed to call the Fire Department even though the fire alarm had not gone off. Once again the Fire Department arrived in their new Quint fire engine. Once again they determined that the boiler was still having blow backs but they were not large enough to set off the library’s smoke alarms. Once again Chief Cotoni turned off the boiler. This time, however, he told me to find a new serviceman and gave me the names of a few reputable servicemen that he has worked with. Earl Midgley also gave me the names of servicemen to call.
I called the recommended service men and one of them, Ron Mandell, who has done work for the town and services the Ryan Estates, told me he could come right away. Every time he turned on the boiler, a puff of smoke came out of the chimney damper. He found that the igniter’s electrodes were not set correctly and the porcelain had broken on the electrodes. This damage could have been caused as a result of the fire. Ron Mandell did not have a set of igniter electrodes on his truck so he left to obtain replacement parts. The boiler was turned off.
Ron Mandell did not return on Monday and Tony Bowser arrived on Tuesday morning with Lee, his pneumatics expert. Tony Bowser found the same problems as Ron Mandell but he also found that the backflow preventer valve on the fuel pump was installed backwards and was allowing oil to leak into the boiler. When he turned this valve around, there were no more puffs of smoke coming out of the chimney damper each time the boiler was turned on. Tony Bowser had the necessary supplies on his truck so I asked him to make the necessary repairs. I called Ron Mandell to let him know that another company was finishing the repairs to the boiler. I also called Dick Washak to give him a status report and explain that Lincoln’s fire chief and building inspector both advised me to find a new
HVAC serviceman. This was a difficult call for me to make because Dick has done good work for the library over the past three years.
The Gund chimney and the boiler contained unburned oil. Tony Bowser returned on Wednesday with his daughter Laura to clean the boiler and bring the boiler up to fire code regulations. He installed a firomatic square switch that shuts off electricity to the boiler in case of fire and installed a new vent pipe on the back of the boiler that was the required 4 inches from the floor, instead of the existing vent pipe that was 30 inches from the floor. The fire code requires the vent pipe to be low to the floor so that boiling water escaping the boiler in an emergency situation does not scald fire crews and boiler repairmen. I discussed these upgrades with Chief Cotoni and he advised me that these repairs were indeed required. I am in the process of getting a
price quote for the chimney cleaning.
I contacted Al Schmertzler to advise him that the library would be requesting a reserve fund transfer to fund these emergency repairs. I should have all of the necessary information by February 17.
Adult Department
Nan Freeman and Yoshiko Yamamoto, teachers at the Museum School, had a wonderful reception for their work on February 2. Kathleen Bitetti’s “Golden Handcuffs” reception included a panel speaking on domestic violence in the suburbs.
Ken Gloss’ program was enthusiastically received on January 19. Many people brought in antique books to be appraised.
Two book group meetings included discussions on Northanger Abbey and The Jane Austen Book Club.
The Classic Jazz group met on February 9. The theme was “February Favorites” and was a potpourri of peppy period pieces presented by Harold McAleer.
Children’s Department
The Children’s Department’s winter programs are in full swing at the library and are busy running winter programs. We now have programs for one year-olds through 6th graders. Amy and Jane are considering adding a youth advisory group for middle school students to expand the library’s programs to the 7th and 8th graders.
Technical Services
The driver who delivers books from other libraries is resigning his position because the amount of money he is receiving from the delivery company, CD&L, does not compensate him for the increased work load and gas expenses. He is an independent contractor who owns his delivery truck and has already secured future employment.
Reference Department
Jeanne launched a new series of Internet training sessions, each having its own theme. Eight patrons attended the training session about booking airline flights over the Internet. Two patrons had to share each of the four Internet PCs in the Reference Room!
Friends of the Lincoln Library
The Friends of the Lincoln Library asked me to prepare a list of mid-year funding requests to help them spend additional money raised by book sales, memberships, and the Pickles to Pastures tour. I worked with the staff to prepare a list and presented this list at the Friends’ February 1 meeting. The Friends asked for additional cost and product information for their next meeting on March 1.
Economic Value of Today’s Public Library Workshop
On Saturday, February 5 I attended a presentation by John E. Arnold, the Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, called “The Economic Value of Today’s Public Library: or the Relevance of Public Libraries and the Justification of Spending Tax Revenue To Support Them (A Personal Journey).” According to Mr. Arnold, the goal of his presentation was to “encourage/start/continue a conversation on better ways of establishing the value of our public libraries.” We need to be able to answer the question, “If we get this money, what will we do with it?” We have to justify and explain our spending proposals and understand that residents compare our spending proposals with other town departments’ spending proposals.
The key message I took away from this workshop is that we need to care about the value Lincoln residents place on their library because “public support reflects the perceived value of the library to each taxpayer, family, and community.” With public support we can provide excellent services to our patrons. Without public support, funding for the library will decrease. To deliver valuable services to our patrons, we need to be in tune with what our patrons need and value, what our competition is, and how we differentiate ourselves so we stand out against our competition. Ideally, we need to find ways to consistently add value to our patrons’ lives and find ways to create and measure customer value so we know if we are doing the right
things. Instead of considering the library a place where people get information, we should consider the library as providing a positive, even life transforming, experience that patrons will remember. When we really think about it, the library is a “great place for people to read, learn, meet, and grow.”
Building Repairs
Capital plan funded study of the library’s pneumatic system to determine the necessary repairs was supervised by Scott LeClair of Fitzemeyer & Tocci and performed by Dave Marini and Bill Dempsey of Taunton Controls.
Capital plan funded repair to air handler unit in sub-basement
The hole in the side of an air duct was repaired by Murphy Specialties Inc.
I obtained price quotes for making the repairs identified by Taunton Controls and approved by Fitzemeyer and Tocci. Taunton Controls had the low bid on these repairs so Scott LeClair and I agreed that Taunton Controls should make the repairs.
Taunton Controls is scheduled to begin the repairs during the week of February 21.
Community Preservation Act funded Preston building window restoration project
An agreement was reached with the Building Committee, Gorman Richardson Architects, and Contracting Specialists Inc. about the color stain and type of varnish to use on the restored windows.
The Building Committee agreed that chains should replace the ropes in the Preston building windows.
Windows for the first floor in the fiction area were reinstalled during the week of February 14. New copper weather stripping is being installed with all of the restored windows, which will increase energy efficiency.
The second floor windows will be reinstalled beginning the week of February 21.
The Building Committee is considering re-staining the window sills, beads, and stops so the colors are consistent around the restored windows.
Documentary Heritage Grant
Jack MacLean, Jeanne and I submitted a Documentary Heritage Grant to the Massachusetts Historical Records Advisory Board (MHRAB) requesting $4,500 for two vault projects. According to the grant application materials, “The MHRAB serves the public as the central advisory board for historical records projects and plans. It provides leadership and guidance to help ensure the identification, preservation, and use of the state’s historical resources (public and private) for self-understanding, government accountability, sound institutional management, and historical reflection. It is the state-level review body for grants submitted to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.” The Documentary Heritage Grant program is funded by Massachusetts state government and a
grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
The library’s grant proposal has two components, which will both be performed by Jack MacLean. First, Jack will create an Excel database of the information about Lincoln houses arranged by street address. This will increase accessibility of vault materials because the files are arranged by the historical name of the house, which is often the first owner of the house. Jack told me that sometimes even he has trouble finding vault materials!
Second, Jack will prepare a historical resources planning study that according to Jack, “will identify historical resources in the community that should be documented, including ones that should be inventoried for listing with the Massachusetts Historical Commission.” This project extends the work he has done for the town and will make it possible to preserve Lincoln houses of historical significance. Once a house has been listed with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the house cannot be torn down or modified without the approval of Lincoln’s Historic District Commission.
Kudos
Congratulations to Lisa Bracken on the receipt of her new kidney! Lisa spent almost six years on dialysis and will not miss those long mornings and evenings at the hospital receiving dialysis treatments.
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