Lincoln Library Trustees Meeting
June 26, 2007
Present: Peter Sugar, acting chair; Susan Taylor, Diana Abrashkin, Al Kraft, Trustees; Barbara Myles, Library Director; Nadine Rebovich, Staff; Jessica Apsler, visitor.
Minutes of May 22nd accepted as corrected.
Financial report
Budget discussion, budget is basically on track for this year.
Librarian’s report
The Town Archives Committee has determined we need a comprehensive method of cataloging and retrieving Town records.
Barbara reported that the sump pumps were spraying water from the discharge pipe, repairs were made.
Master Planning Committee
Peter reports that the committee is now organized and work will require about 18 months to complete. Some sub-committees are further along than others.
There is a lot of interest in looking into building a community center. The Library serves as a common space where community members meet. Peter feels that no existing building in town would be adequate to convert either part or all into a community center. Diana commented that at the public meeting there were very few “stickers” placed on the community center but there was some disagreement about this. Peter will forward the results of the “sticker poll”.
Building Committee
There was an objector, one of the bidders not picked to do the window replacement project, who felt that the contractor that was selected did not spec the windows required by the proposal. Town council has responded with a letter to the objector stating that their objection was groundless.
One bid is in to repair the parapets, and one additional bid is expected.
The Library needs to decide on how to proceed with future capital projects.
The carpeting work in the children’s room is waiting for a review of bid documents
by town council.
No bids in yet for the terrace repair.
The engineers’ bill to review the sump pump issues is $2,000.00. Peter is going to try to have that reduced. The pumps that were just replaced were rusty, and there may be some rust/blockage in the discharge pipe. By having the engineers report done, we were able to have the pump replacement done for no labor cost, just the cost of the new pumps.
The Trustees voted to have the discharge pipe inspected for problems.
Staff Concerns
The chairs in the periodical room are looking shabby. The cushions or the chairs themselves need to be replaced. The building committee will look into the options.
Action Items
Land line phone service is needed for the Library for emergency communication.
The Board voted to authorize getting a land line installed and put the cost under “security” as a budget item.
There was a discussion about closing the Library for staff training workshops during regular Library hours in order to have most staff in attendance. Barbara feels that a Tuesday would be the best time. The Friends have agreed to fund the cost of bringing someone into the Library to do a workshop focused on customer service. The proposal was to close the Library for a half day on Tuesday, August 28th. Diana felt that the Library already has excellent customer service, and questions the need for a workshop on this topic.
The Board voted to establish a ½ day closure as a “pilot” this year. 3 votes in favor, 1 abstention.
Discussion items
Operating budget- budget is due in November. Are there changes that we may want to make in the budget process? Discussed sources of funding for the Library.
Establish a technology and website committee. There are lots of people in town with skills that would be useful in this area who may be willing to contribute as members of a sub-committee.
Capital planning- What should we pursue in FY 09? The vault is the major item. \
Fundraising- Susan Taylor is the new chair of the fundraising committee. We want to avoid interfering and competing with the Friends’ fundraising effort. An idea for vault fundraising would be to have an appreciation dinner for those who have already contributed to the vault in the past. The fundraising committee will next meet on Wednesday, July 11th.
Town archives committee- J. Apsler will update the Trustees at a meeting later in July.
There was further discussion about the Open Meeting rules, and the need to post the minutes of committee meetings.
Policy review process- We will collect policies and procedures that the Library already has and review them with some legal help. We could also have an ad hoc committee to review policies; members of the community could help with that.
FY08 calendar will be presented at the July 31st meeting of the Trustees.
Announcements
Potluck dinner kick off @ Susan Taylor’s, we will discuss potential dates at our next meeting.
Next Trustees meeting, July 18th at 7:30PM, and an additional Trustees meeting on July 31st.
Respectfully submitted,
Al Kraft
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
June 26, 2007
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Adult Department
The spring programming season for the Adult Department ended this month although the Photo Share and the Write Stuff groups are not taking a break before the summer season. Mike Hashem’s All American Banjo Group performed at the Classic Jazz group’s a live concert on May 23. The venue for this concert was the Stone Church and the concert was sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Allan Green exhibited his photographs in the gallery during June. Jeanne’s Write Stuff group met twice in June. The Photo Share group had a variety of pictures to share with each other at their June meeting. For the first time we saw wedding pictures!
Children's Department
The brochure of summer programs was mailed to Lincoln residents this month. The bright yellow paper and red lettering should get everyone’s attention! The summer reading program begins on June 28 with a kick off party!
Reference Department
Reference staff answered 278 documented questions during May, which is a slight drop from last year’s 305. On June 20 Jeanne gave a workshop at the Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System about starting writers’ groups. This program was well received. Writers groups are popular but knowing how to start one and make it successful is not well known.
Technical Services Department
The Minuteman Library Network will begin offering courtesy notices in July. These courtesy notices will be emailed to patrons two days before their items are due. We expect patrons to have mixed reactions to this new feature. Some patrons will see these courtesy notices as more spam, while others will appreciate the reminders. We also expect fine revenue to decrease because some patrons will act on these reminders and bring their books back on time.
Web Site Upgrade
Stacy began using Photoshop to edit pictures and create banners for the web site. With Jack Pugh in Maine for the summer, we are looking for assistance from Stu Haber, the library’s liaison to the Finance Committee. Stacy, Nadine, and I will meet with Stu in July and discuss how Stu can help us with the library’s web site.
Strategic Plan
A Strategic Planning Committee meeting is scheduled for June 28. A draft of the new strategic plan was sent to members of the committee on June 11. Suggestions and recommendations from the committee will be incorporated into the draft then the draft will be sent to the Trustees in July for their review.
Friends
At the Friends June meeting they approved the library’s budget request of $22,295 for FY 2008 for programs, museum passes, printing and mailing brochures, a laptop, additional shelving for DVDs, a license to show movies, and staff training! We are very grateful to the Friends for their support! We also met the members of the House Tour Committee: Jane Tierney, Karen Coyne, and Pam Caswell. The house tour will be in October 2008.
A planning meeting for the October 21st Vault Brunch took place on June 19. In addition to the activities listed in last month’s report, the Friends will ask the Minute Men’s fife and drum group to perform when the high school jazz band is on break. Library staff will set up a display of archival materials so people get an idea of what is in the vault. These new activities will give the brunch more of a historic feeling.
The Friends gave literary awards to graduating students at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School, Lincoln Public Schools, and Hanscom Schools. This year’s winners are, Sophia Lufkin, Victoria Trippe, and Bryanna Rowley. The award is given to “Lincoln students who have shown a Love of Literature through their academic performance and in activities that promote and encourage reading and writing.” Patty Levy made the presentations to the students. The Friends plan to hang the plaque with the winners’ names in the library.
Town Archives Committee
On June 12 Jacquelin Apsler (Chair, Library Trustees), Jeanne Bracken (Reference Librarian), Susan Brooks (Town Clerk), Susan Harding (ex., 250th Celebration Committee), Ann Janes (Cemetery Commission , former), Jack MacLean (historian, Historic District Commission), Peg Martin (Town Historian), Sara Mattes (Board of Selectmen), Barbara Myles (Library Director), Dana Robbat (Friends of Modern Architecture), Betty Smith (Lincoln Review),Tucker Smith (ex., 250th Celebration Committee), Ruth Wales (Historic District Commission), and Rick Wiggin (former Captain, Lincoln Minute Men) met on June 12 to discuss the Town’s archives, which are stored both at the Library and Town Offices. Specifically, we asked them to come to the meeting prepared to speak briefly about their organizations’ interests in the Town’s history and how
that interest might be better served by acting in concert with other such organizations.
The meeting went very well. First, we have the support of many people who are interested in preserving Lincoln’s history. Second, we learned that they support our goal, which Susan Brooks describes as “a comprehensive, on-going, readily accessible method of cataloging, storing and retrieving historic town records.” Some form of digitization was discussed as well. Third, we heard several of the attendees state that they would like to see the Lincoln Schools include local history elements in their curriculum.
On June 19 Susan Brooks, Jacquelin, Jeanne and I met to discuss the June 12 meeting and to work on next steps. We will contact a few libraries (Arlington, Attleboro, and Concord) to learn how they built their archival web sites and how they digitized their documents so they could be accessed over the Internet. We plan to meet again on July 12.
War Memorial
On June 19 Susan Taylor, Nancy Henderson, Phoebe McCarthy, Mary Helen Lorenz and I met to discuss sprucing up the area around the war memorial. The bushes had become overgrown so that you could not see the eagle from the library side of the monument. The group discussed possible replacements for the current bushes. For now, Nancy will cut back the bushes so that the eagle can be seen from all angles.
Building Repairs
1. Window Replacement Project
K & S Builders was the lowest bidder ($259,900) and was awarded the contract for the window replacement project. Aluminum clad wood windows will be installed in the new building of the library towards the end of the summer.
2. Carpets
Karle Packard finished the bidding documents for the Children’s Room and Staff Work Room. Town Counsel is reviewing the draft contract for this project.
3. Sump Pumps
The company that sold the library the underpowered sump pumps in April 2005 agreed to install the sump pumps specified by the engineer from Syska Hennessy. The library will pay the difference between the cost of the sump pumps purchased in 2005 and the new sump pumps. No installation costs will be charged to the library. The new sump pumps were installed on June 18.
On June 26 Dana Weigent found water covering most of the floor of the sub-basement. When we went downstairs, we also saw water on the walls, ceiling and HVAC duct work near the sump pumps. All of a sudden, water sprayed up and out of the sump pump discharge pipe with great force. Dana and I ran for the elevator! Kathy Rushby called the Fire Department because the new pumps can discharge 90 gallons of water when there is no head pressure. We needed help to keep the basement from flooding. Luckily I remembered that I knew how to turn off the sump pump so I went back to the sub-basement, turned it off, and got quite wet in the process. The fire department helped us clean up the water and temporarily repaired the sump pump connection to the discharge pipe. Hall Pump technicians
came to the library to install friction connectors so the pumps will not separate from their discharge pipes again.
4. Energy Conservation
An energy analyst from DMJM Harris came to the library on May 21 to see what draws electricity at the library. (I had called NStar about an energy audit and NStar outsourced the project to DMJM Harris.) He concentrated on the lights. A second analyst will come to the library and study the motors. DMJM Harris will send us a report with energy conservation suggestions that will reduce our electricity bill.
5. Fire Suppression
Rand Refrigeri is finishing the design phase of the project.
6. Water Test of Parapet above Handicapped Parking Area
Chapman Waterproofing performed the water test and identified some problem areas that need repairing. Chapman gave us one price quote to make the repairs and I have sent specifications to two other companies.
7. Terrace Repair Project
Peter Sugar wrote the specifications for this project. To date I have sent the specifications to six companies but have not received any price proposals. Town Counsel is reviewing a draft of the contract.
8. Generator
The 18 year-old timer clock for the generator is broken. This timer clock turns the generator on once a week so it can “exercise.” FM Generator replaced this timer clock on June 21.
Kudos
Once each year the library sends books to the bindery. When they return, they all need new spine labels and some may need new book plates and barcodes. Jennifer Donaldson did a great job getting these books reprocessed and back on the shelves in record time! Lisa Bracken added a new page to the museum pass book for the parking pass to state parks. This is a new kind of pass. All of the other museum passes must be returned the following day. For the parking pass, however, patrons can borrow it for a week. There are 440 state parks and 51 of them charge a parking fee. Walden Pond, for example, charges a parking fee but with the pass, our patrons park for free! Congratulations to Lisa Rothenberg, who was elected Chair of the Minuteman Library Network’s Bibliographic Committee for FY08!
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