Lincoln Public Library Trustees Meeting
November 27, 2007
Jacquelin Apsler, Susan Taylor, Peter Sugar, Al Kraft, Trustees: Stu Haber, guest; Ellen Sisco, Staff
October 23 and November 15 minutes accepted as amended.
Discussion items:
Operating budget has been submitted to the Town. Stu Haber asked about a discrepancy between the electrical expense for ’07 of $31,822.00 and the actual expense of $39,874.00. The final #’s for ’08 will be over budget again as the budgeted # for ’08 was also $31,822.00. He also asked why Jeannie Bracken is adding hours. Barbara explained that our archivist stopped coming to the library in ’04 and the work in the vault has been piling up, literally. When Jeannie adds 2.5 hours to her work week, she will max out at 40 hours, but even with this additional time we need more hours to work on the archives, which at this point will be an additional 5 hours proposed. We may need more as the Town records are incorporated into the vault.
Stu suggested making clear and concise answers to the questions about the budget when it is presented to the FinCom. Another suggestion was to make clear that the book budget is 15 % of our overall budget.
Staff concerns:
Ellen reports no staff concerns at this time.
Building Committee report:
The window replacement project is almost done. The carpet job (children’s room and work area behind circulation desk) is progressing, as the contract has been sent out.
Fire protection project bids have come in about 60% over budget. We only have about $30,000.00 to spend on the first phase of fire protection, and the low bid is $50,000.00. Susan asked why we could not use a reserve fund transfer; Peter responded that those funds are only for emergency use.
Al suggested that the building committee should work on reducing the scope of the project.
Announcements:
John Snell is doing an energy conservation walk through of the Library on December 17, at 7:00 PM.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted, Al Kraft.
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
December 18, 2007
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Capital Budget
The Capital Planning Committee approved a portion of Chuck Miller’s (Lincoln’s I.T. Director) plan to install more wireless access points at the library. This will improve Internet access for patrons who bring their laptops to the library. It will also make it possible to give demonstrations of software to patrons in the Tarbell Room. During the past month, Jeanne and a sales representative from a vendor of children’s books and databases wanted to give Internet demonstrations of databases. Both times the presenters had to fall back to Power Point slides.
At this time we do not know if the Community Preservation Committee has voted to put either the vault renovation project or the fire suppression project into their FY09 budget.
Operating Budget
Susan Brooks and I presented the library’s FY09 operating budgets at the Budget Hearing on December 5. The base budget provides a 3% increase over the library’s FY08 budget but requires the library to close on Sundays. The library’s preferred budget is a 6.2% increase ($23,974.22) over the library’s FY08 budget. This preferred budget funds Sundays, adds 7.5 hours for staffing the archives, provides for a half day of professional development for the entire staff, buys interactive web software to allow patrons and staff to reserve museum passes over the Internet and increases the book budget to reach the 15% state aid requirement. Feedback from Stu Haber, our liaison to the Finance Committee, was positive about our presentation and our chances for getting our preferred budget.
Friends of the Lincoln Library
The Friends met on December 3 to continue planning efforts for several events. On February 15, the blue grass group, Resophonix will play at the library. There were discussions about inviting a panel of photographers to the library to speak about their photos and photography in general. The goal is to find a panel of photographers that the members of the Photo Share group would like to hear. On April 6, there will be a “green” speaker at the library. A house tour will happen next fall and the third annual October brunch will take place at the library with an open house theme. The various library groups could all meet at once and people attending the brunch could see what goes on at the library and perhaps join one or more of these groups!
Sudan Comes to Lincoln!
The library hosted several events for the Sudan Comes to Lincoln weekend, November 30 through December 2. On Saturday, December 1, Lincoln resident Steve Atlas shared a video of his recent trip to Chad. Later that afternoon, Malik Doka Marjan, Director of the Boma Wildlife Training Center in Southern Sudan, spoke about recent astounding wildlife discoveries in Southern Sudan. On Sunday the library hosted four programs: a gallery opening for the “War and Hope” exhibition, a “Village School,” “Sculpting Cows and Their Significance in Sudan,” and “Dance and Sing!” The sculpted cows are on display in the Children’s Room. For two weeks there was a replica of a Sudanese dwelling in front of the library.
Adult Department
The Friday Morning Book Group discussed Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe on November 30 and Under Milk Wood, by Dylan Thomas on December 14. The Mystery Monday Group discussed Strong Poison, by Dorothy L. Sayers (1930) on December 17. During December Wei Li is displaying her paintings in the glass case located in the lobby. Sudanese paintings with the theme “War and Hope” are on display in the gallery. On December 12 Milt Page gave a program for the Classic Jazz Group, “Big Band Jazz … to the 40’s.” The Write Stuff met on November 28 and December 12. Ellen had a display of books and videos with island themes. She has also done a lot of weeding in the nonfiction collection.
Children's Department
The children’s programs are winding down for the fall season and planning is underway for the winter/spring season. The department is decorated with snowflakes. Dana is setting up crafts projects for the Winter Vacation Crafts week at the end of December. Amy and Jane each went to the Lincoln Country Day School at the St. Anne’s in-the-Fields church to give storytimes to preschoolers. The students cannot get to the library so Amy and Jane go to St. Anne’s three times per year.
Reference Department
Reference staff answered least 265 questions in November. Jeanne updated two handouts (“Databases from Outside Sources” and “Databases Provided by the Lincoln Public Library”). She also created a new handout, “Databases from the Boston Public Library Available to Carded Users at Remote Sites.” The purpose of these handouts is to promote the use of the databases that are available to Lincoln residents.
Technical Services Department
Lisa Rothenberg, who is currently serving as Chair of the Minuteman Library Network (MLN) Bibliographic Committee, is working on a project to upgrade brief bibliographic records. She explained that when she orders a book before it is published, the full description of the book (how many pages, size, and date of publication) is not always known. Sometimes the title changes between the time the book is ordered and when it is received. Members of MLN can only enter brief bibliographic records into the database. MLN staff searches an international cataloging database, OCLC. If a match is found, the brief record is upgraded to a full record. On the other hand, if no record is found on OCLC, the brief record will appear in a report created by MLN after approximately six months. The
ordering libraries search OCLC for matching records. When matches are found, the OCLC number is given to MLN. If no match is found and the books have arrived at the libraries, they can provide more information to MLN so MLN can upgrade the brief records to temporary records. This process ensures that MLN’s database is accurate.
Web Site Upgrade
Stacy has been coming in early to work a couple of days per week to finish the new web site and expects the new site to be ready by the end of December. We thank Stu Haber for donating this new web site to the library! (Stu Haber is CEO of InfoSciTex and the library’s liaison to the Finance Committee.)
Archives Working Group
The Archives Working Group (AWG) met on December 17 and discussed the first draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that Susan Brooks wrote. This MOU describes the Town Archives Project and the relationship and roles of the Library Trustees, Town Clerk’s Office and a new Town Archives Council and their roles. Jacquelin, Jeanne and I gave our comments to Susan and she will revise the MOU. Having the MOU in place during the early stages of our project will increase the success of this project.
Building Repairs
1. Window Replacement Project.
The window installation is nearly completed. All of the windows have been installed and painted. We are waiting for window handles to install on some of the windows. There is some exterior painting left to do so this work will have to be completed during warmer weather.
2. Carpets – Children’s Room and Staff Work Room
We are waiting for CC&FS to sign the contract and provide a payment bond. CC&FS has already provided a bid bond and general liability insurance.
3. Fire Suppression
Five bids were received on November 27 but all of them were higher than the amount we had budgeted for this project. The Building Committee decided to reject all bids and hire a cost estimator to do a peer review of the cost estimate we have for this project. The estimate we have from RDK Engineers may be too low for the entire project.
4. Cole Benches
We are waiting for a written price quote from Steve Manning, which gives us a price for the project and describes the products he plans to use refinish the benches.
Energy Committee
Two representatives (John Snell and Elizabeth Cherniack) from the Energy Committee met with Al Kraft, Kathy Rushby and me on December 17. John showed us reports of the library’s energy use over time. Compared to a national average of municipal buildings, we are doing a good job. However, he thinks we can reduce consumption to save the town money and save the planet from global warming. Five temperature sensors were left around the building to monitor the temperature every fifteen minutes. This information will help measure the efficiency of the HVAC system minus the air conditioners.
Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System
I completed my second two-year term on the MMRLS Executive Board. The last two years I served as clerk. I have resigned from this board after serving four years.
Kudos
Thanks to Bob Bottino and Bob Lager for clearing the snow after back to back winter snow storms on December 13 and 16. According to a weather report I heard, we have now had as much snow as we had all of last winter!
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