Lincoln Library Trustees Meeting
2/27/07
Present: Jack Pugh, Jacqueline Apsler, Marshall Clemens, Peter Sugar, Diana Abrashkin, Al Kraft, Trustees; Amy Gavalis, Staff; Susan Taylor, Guest.
New Business
Meeting began with photos of Trustees. This is the last meeting with Jack Pugh as Chair. Jack was toasted and thanked by the Trustees for his years serving as a Lincoln Library Trustee.
We had a presentation by Christopher Field and Albert Smegal who have done a study of the Library looking for heat leaks using a device that takes infra-red images. It can detect heat and water leaks. Their study showed 35 areas of heat loss from the Library. Barbara has the report they prepared. They suggest adding weather stripping and insulation.
They also investigated the ductwork in the building, and discovered lots of leaks. They have been sealing the gaps with cement to stop the leaks. They have volunteered their time for this work, (about 10 hours), but Barbara has paid for materials out of repair funds. They are trying to build a business and would like to use their work at the Library as an example of what they can do for other buildings.
Financial report
We are right on target compared to last year.
Peter questioned why telephone costs are up about 50% compared to last year.
Staff concerns
Amy said the only concern of staff is the rugs. Peter reports that installation will be in early March for the reading room and the reference room. Children’s room rug selection will be made soon.
Dorothy Taylor fell on the outer terrace and broke a finger. Jack feels that we should do a permanent fix rather than more temporary repairs, and we should not wait any longer to do it. As soon as the weather permits work should be done.
Building committee report
Documents have been prepared to do the window replacement project. The town attorney will review the documents.
Carpeting. Documents have been given to Barbara by the manufacturers about possible toxicity of the carpets we have ordered. We have gotten a letter from Moira Donnell stating that for health considerations, we should consider using vinyl tile instead of carpeting in the Library.
Peter feels that carpeting does not cause any health issues with 99% of the population, and it is considered acceptable for use in public buildings. There are also noise reduction issues that necessitate carpeting. Amy reports that the concern of the person in question is because of the nanotechnology that may be in use with some carpet types.
The Library will respond to the concerns by drafting a letter stating that we are proceeding with carpet installation.
The CPC voted to give us funds to begin the fire suppression work. We will get all the funds requested except for the standpipe.
New business
There was a discussion about the Master Plan Committee meeting, Peter distributed some handouts prepared by the committee. Jack and Peter attended.
Respectfully submitted,
All Kraft
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
February 27, 2007
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Capital Budget FY2008
The Community Preservation Committee agreed to grant a portion of the library’s funding request for its fire suppression project. The grant includes funding to complete the design phase fire suppression project as well as construction phases 2 and 4 outlined by RDK Engineer’s in their September 18, 2006 schematic level study. Phase 2 upgrades the sub-basement sprinkler coverage, attic detection coverage, the fire alarm control panel, and the masterbox. Phase 4 includes sprinklers for the basement level where adult non-fiction, music CDs, and movies are located. If the Community Preservation Committee’s warrant article is approved at Town Meeting, the fire suppression work will begin in April.
Friends
At the February Friends’ meeting plans were made for TV Free Week in April. It was agreed that the Friends would sponsor a speaker for Wednesday evening of TV Free Week. Avram Kalisky suggested local sports writer and radio show host, Bill Littlefield, and offered to personally invite him to speak at the library. Bill Littlefield accepted the Friends invitation and will speak at the library on April 25! Planning also continues for the graduation book awards and the October Vault Brunch.
Adult Department
Surveys for “Open Space and Recreation,” “Restaurant Preferences for the Mall Redevelopment Project,” and the “Town Flag Opinion” and their companion ballot boxes and poster displays were available at the library during February. We are looking forward to learning the results of these surveys! Ellen’s Friday Morning Book Group discussed Saffron Sky by Gelareh Asayesh on February 9 and Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierksa on February 23 as part of the “Immigrants Integrating: American Experiences” theme for this fiscal year. Classic Jazz and the Write Stuff were snowed out of their February 14th meetings. Ellery Kimball displayed her watercolor paintings in the library during February. Photos of murals in Jamaica Plain were on display in the “Stay-Put” Coffee
Spot. Students in the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s METCO Mural Project worked on these murals. The Mystery Mondays book group discussed The Prince and the Prosecutor by Peter Heck on February 26. The Write Stuff also met during February.
Children's Department
February school vacation week had a Japanese theme. On Tuesday February 20, “Odaiko New England,” the Japanese Taiko drumming group, gave a performance of the ancient Japanese art of ensemble Taiko drumming combined with dynamic movement, traditional songs and rhythms. This was a very special performance! Mike LaFosse, an origami master, gave two origami workshops on February 21. The first workshop was for children ages 5-8 and the second age group was for children ages 9 and older. “Japanese Stories and Craft” for children ages 3-5 was the program for February 22.
The Children’s staff is also working hard to select a new carpet for their department. They have looked at many carpets so far and expect to see several more in early March. After all of the carpet samples have arrived, Barbara, Amy and Jane will meet with the Building Committee and make the final selection.
Reference Department
Reference staff answered at least 380 documented reference questions during January 2007. Tax season has started and display racks full of tax forms have displaced the animated winter scene that was located at the bay window last month.
Vault
A patron told Jeanne that he found information about the Mohawks baseball team stored in the library’s vault while he was searching on the Internet. He was able to read a vault finding aid and identify materials for his research before coming to the library. Work continues to put all of the finding aids on the library’s web site.
Building Repairs
1. HVAC
There was no heat in the Tarbell Room on February 5 due to a defective solenoid valve in the panel for air conditioning unit 2 (AC2). This made for a very cold Friends meeting! The solenoid valve was replaced and the Tarbell Room has heat again!
2. Vault Renovation Project
Karle Packard of Red Hawk Studio Architects is finishing the construction documents for the vault renovation project. We expect the design phase of this project will be completed next month.
3. Window Replacement Project
The Building Committee met with Max Ferro, the architect for the window replacement project on February 6. Max presented contract documents for two projects at this meeting, a window replacement project and a turret conservation project. The Building Committee explained that there is only a window replacement project, not a turret conservation project. Max revised his construction documents again and emailed them back on February 23 for the Building Committee’s review.
4. Carpets
Carpet installation for the Farrar Room and Reference Room will take place in March or April. The carpet has arrived for the Farrar Room and we are waiting for an installation date from RD Weis Companies. The carpet for the Reference Room is on back order.
Sales representatives from Interface Flooring, J&J Commercial/Invision, Lees Carpets, Milliken Carpet, and Shaw Industries have brought carpet samples to the library. The following carpet installers have visited the library to take measurements of the Children’s Room: Allegheny Contract, RD Weis, and State Contract Carpet. We are waiting for larger carpet samples from Interface Flooring Inc. and Lees Carpets.
There is some concern that nanotechnology may be used to manufacture the carpets. When I asked the Milliken Carpet sales representative this question in July, he replied, “Some Milliken carpets utilize submicron-size particles to enhance soil-removal
performance. These particles become ‘glued’ to the surface of individual carpet
fibers, and are therefore considered bound. We would not expect these
components to become airborne in normal commercial applications, such as office
buildings, airports, education facilities, libraries, and the like.” People have told me that sub-micron is used to describe particles that are larger than nanotechnology. The Milliken sales representative did not include any safety guarantees in his response.
I also asked an OSHA trainer about the use of nanotechnology in carpets to find out if OSHA had determined that the use of nanotechnology in carpets is safe. The response I received was, “OSHA would not be concerned with the ‘listing or approval’ of a new technology. The regulations would refer to the manufacturer's specification and, if applicable, requiring that it met a ‘standard’ (e.g., ANSI) concerning it's use.”
The carpet manufacturers listed above are on the statewide contract. If the technology used to manufacture these carpets was known to be harmful, I do not think the state’s Operational Services Division would put these carpets on a statewide contract. My first email message to the person in charge of the carpet contract requesting safety information was not answered so I have sent him another.
5. Generator
The worn out glow plugs in the generator were replaced on January 31.
6. Energy Audit
Lincoln resident, Chris Field, and Al Smegal performed an energy audit (at no charge) in early February. They used an infrared gun to determine where heat loss was occurring at the library. Next, they prepared a report of their findings. For each problem identified, they gave a solution and a price quote. Each of the solutions is minor, such as installing weather stripping or insulation or caulking. Chris and Al’s prices seem reasonable and knowing that energy conservation is a priority for the library, I told them to proceed with the work they had proposed. Al is a licensed home improvement contractor and has done similar work. Before beginning work at the library, Al obtained general liability insurance.
Kudos
Thanks to the staff of the Children’s Department for carefully considering so many carpet swatches and samples for the Children’s Room. It takes imagination to envision how a carpet sample will fill the room.
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