Lincoln Library Trustees Meeting
6/20/06
Present: Jack Pugh, Peter Sugar, Diana Abrashkin, Marshall Clemens, Jacquline Apsler, Al Kraft, Trustees. Barbara Myles, Library Director. Kathy Brobeck, Staff.
Announcements.
Jack reported that the Town Master Plan Committee has representation from all the Town Boards except the Library. Jack will write a letter to Sarah Cannon Holden expressing the Library Trustees concern about our lack of inclusion.
Financial report.
All numbers of projected expenditures are within normal limits.
Librarians report.
The Friends of the Lincoln Library have given the Library about $18,000 this year. They will provide the Library with a new digital camera and an LCD recorder.
The subscription to downloadable audio books has begun, $2500 for adult books and $600 for children’s selections.
Jane Langton has been donating her letters to other authors to the Library.
Staff concerns.
Staff want to know status of the new carpeting.
We had a discussion about closing on July 3rd. There was some discussion about our policy regarding closing early on holidays adjacent to weekends. A motion was made and to close at 6:00PM on Monday July 3rd. The motion passed.
Diana would like the closing policy researched, Jack agreed to review policy.
Building committee report.
The committee met with an interior designer to select carpet options. We narrowed the pattern selection to 5 possibilities with a selection of colors.
The roof project is moving along, nearly completed. Change orders have been given to the architects for review.
Window replacement report. Flashing is generally OK. RFQ for window replacement of Gund windows will be advertised on July 5. Vault project. We had a meeting last night, and the next meeting will be on July 10th. We have selected an option for the new design that would essentially double the vault from its present size as well as provide a meeting space, tutoring room, and Friends room.
Fire suppression. We have a proposal, which our attorneys have reviewed and OK’d.
Proposal to make entrance handicapped accessible. We have gotten 3 prices from one company. Peter will contact an expert to determine the best option for retrofitting the entrance with an automatic door opener for our front door.
Personnel committee.
Anita Scheipers (Assistant Town Administrator) and Tim Higgins (Town Administrator) met with Jack Pugh, Jacquelin Apsler, and Barbara Myles about the new pay scale for non-unionized staff. The new pay scale would have resulted in some staff not receiving the 2.5% COLAs that were approved by the Selectmen. An ongoing debate with the Town about the Library salary dispute ensued, but Jacquline, our able representative, held fast, and in the end triumphed! Any staff member of the Library who would not receive the 2.5% COLA, as a result of the new pay scale, will get a one-time payment to bring the COLAs up to 2.5%. Jacqueline is almost done with Barbara’s annual review.
Report from strategic planning committee.
The draft of the strategic plan was presented. Marshall, Barbara and Ellen will work on a final draft, which will go to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.
Respectfully submitted,
Al Kraft
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LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
June 20, 2006
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Friends of the Lincoln Library
At their June meeting the Friends’ approved approximately $18,000 in funding for adult and children’s programs, museum passes, staff development grants, library brochures, and equipment. The Friends agreed to purchase a LCD projector for use at library programs. This summer we plan to begin using the projector for a digital photo share group. Jeanne will also use this projector for her training classes. Speakers at the library can show their presentations on the projector. Thanks to the Friends for their great support!
Adult Department
Ellen has already developed the FY 2007 reading list for her Friday Book Group. Based on the discussion with her book group in May, the theme for the upcoming year is “Immigrants Integrating: American Experiences.” The books concentrate on immigrants from abroad, mostly in the 20century.
A subscription to Recorded Books’ downloadable audio books began on June 1st. Lincoln patrons can download these audio books from the Internet. This free service provides about 3000 titles in addition to those held by various Minuteman Library Network libraries on cassette tape or compact disc. Patrons who live in Lincoln can register online for an account, then select and download titles to their home computers. (Those who work or go to school in Lincoln can come to the library to register.) They can then save the books to MP3 players (Not iPODS) for "reading on the run." Audio books cannot be downloaded onto the library's computers because of the bandwidth required, but some patrons have used the library's wireless network with their personal laptops to take advantage of faster speeds. The library has further
information, including step-by-step directions for registering and getting started with this new technology.
The members of the Write Stuff writers’ group met three times in June. They gave public readings of their work on June 7. According to Jeanne, the work the writers presented was very well received.
Barbara, Ellen, and Jeanne met with the Friends to plan a float for the Town’s 4th of July parade. The float will have a New Orleans theme and will advertise the Library’s fundraising brunch for rebuilding the New Orleans Public Library. The Ancient Mariners will ride on the float and play classic jazz.
Ellen represented the Library on Minuteman’s Circulation Policy Committee at their June 7 meeting. The next release of the Millennium software was put on Minuteman’s test server. Ellen tests these new software releases and trains staff before the new releases are put into production.
Children's Department
Ellen, Amy, Jane, Jeanne, and Stacy collaborated on the summer brochure to promote the programs they scheduled for the summer. Once again, Stacy Harris designed the brochure. Designing the brochure is becoming a greater challenge each season as our librarians develop and schedule new programs. The type font is getting very small on the brochures!
New shelving was installed in the Children’s Room to replace the twirling racks of cassette tapes and videos, which the library no longer purchases. These low-profile shelves were purchased with money from the Stratford gift fund.
Vault
Jane Langton has been donating her correspondence with various writers to the archives. She has a lot more to distribute to various institutions. The letters and e-mails we have received to date are fascinating and would seem to have value for scholars in the future; they’re also fun to read.
Reference Department
Reference staff answered at least 305 documented reference questions during May 2006, which is a slight decrease over last year. Jeanne represented the Library at the Minuteman Library Network’s Reference Committee. One of the tasks of this committee is selecting databases for member libraries to purchase together at a group rate. The libraries in the group receive better pricing than they would if they purchased the databases on their own. This year Lincoln will join the group purchase to subscribe to a database of “Boston Globe” newspapers dated from1872 to 1992.
Technical Services
Minuteman Library Network is doubling its connection to the Internet from 5 MB to 10 MB. While this may seem like a large increase, the Internet connection is shared by 41 libraries each having many PCs. The new bandwidth is sure to be gobbled up quickly.
The beta version of the new Millennium library software was put on Minuteman’s test server for libraries to test before it is installed on the production server. (The new version requires much more computer memory than earlier versions. Minuteman’s suggested system requirements for PCs using the Millennium software is 1GB of RAM. Most of the Library’s PCs have half this amount of RAM. Chuck Miller, the Town’s IT Director will order new PCs over the summer for the Library.) A key feature of the new version, which we are looking forward to, is the ability to print routing slips automatically when books are checked in. The receipts printed in the current version cannot be used to route books to other libraries.
Building Repairs
1. HVAC
The pressure gauge on the compressor for the pneumatic HVAC control system was replaced so it would pass inspection by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety. The pressure gauge went up to a maximum of 150 p.s.i. and it was replaced with one that goes up to 300 p.s.i.
A leaking control valve and a VAV controller were replaced in the Custodian’s Office.
2. Roof Replacement Project
as of June 13, this project was approximately 90% completed. The new slate is installed but some of the copper hips need to reinstalled. Remaining work includes reconstructing the dormers and building the drywell for the new downspouts.
3. Vault Renovation Project
On June 5 Karle Packard of Red Hawk Studio Architects (RHSA) showed the Building Committee three design options for the vault renovation. The one that was most appealing was the one that moved the wall between the vault and the Lincoln Historical Room to the column in the middle of the Lincoln Historical Room. This option nearly doubles the square footage of the vault.
At the June 16 Building Committee meeting, the design options were further developed based on feedback from the June 5 meeting. Karle Packard also gave the committee a revised draft of his existing conditions report on May 17.
4. Exterior Wall Study
Gorman Richardson Architects’ report concerning the exterior walls of the library’s 1989 addition did not reveal any surprises. There are cases where flashing do not protrude through the wall and other cases where weep holes also would have helped water exit from the exterior wall more quickly. The water vapor barrier used for the turrets was not effective, however. This could explain why there is some rot on the siding of the turrets.
5. Public Phone
The most cost effective option for adding a phone to the library is to add one to the Town’s Centrex phone system. Over the summer the Town is moving from Verizon to Conversent for its phone service. A phone will be added to the lobby after this conversion is finished.
Kudos
Congratulations to the staff and our patrons for another successful year!
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