TRUSTEES OF THE LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY
REGULAR MEETING
JANUARY 27, 2009
PRESENT: Jacquelin Apsler, chair; Marshall Clemens, Al Kraft, Peter Sugar, Susan Taylor, trustees; Barbara Myles, director; Jane Flanders, children’s librarian.
MINUTES of December 2 and December 16, 2008 were approved as amended.
STAFF CONCERNS: Flanders reported that parking on Library Lane has become a greater problem because of snow. Patron parking that blocks her driveway has particularly inconvenienced Jennifer Donaldson, a staff member whose driveway is off Library Lane. Many parking places are occupied by contractors as well.
Trustees made the following suggestions:
· Signs may be placed under the windshields of patrons and contractors parked in the Donaldson’s driveway warning that the police will be called.
· Myles will ask the DPW director if a backhoe and dump truck can remove the large snow piles that block parking
· Taylor will contact the First Parish Church and the Council on Aging at Bemis Hall about possible parking coordination
· Contractors and their crew may be directed to park on the Library’s lawn near the dumpster, at least as long as the ground is frozen
· Better arrangement for book drop-offs may alleviate double parking
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· Carpet for the children’s room is on its way! During installation, the children’s programs will meet in the Tarbell and DeNormandie rooms.
· The Finance Committee has indicated it will approve the Library’s preferred budget, which includes level service and additional funds for the website and the archives.
· Our FinCom liaison, Stuart Haber, is retiring from the committee along with FinCom chair Robert Steinbrook.
POLICY REVIEW
1. The board will review the Dog Policy at the next meeting
2. Myles will draft a policy on employing summer interns for the board to consider
BUILDING ISSUES
· Vault: The vault project completion is anticipated by early May instead of March as originally projected.
· Flooring: Town Counsel will advise the board how to proceed on determining who is liable for the carpet replacement and damage to the terrazzo floor. Myles and Sugar will contact architect Karle Packard about a walk-through with the contractor’s insurance company. Photos will be taken before they enter the space.
· Roof: Ice dams around the story-telling turret may cause leaks when the ice begins to melt. Difficult to roof rake. Snow melting wires, although low voltage, only work if they are turned on before snow starts falling.
· Outlets: Estimates of $6300 for breaking out the cost of adding and relocating electric outlets in the Tarbell Room are much higher than expected, although the amount is included in the total approved budget. Apsler will discuss with the Friends of the Lincoln Library how much money it wants to contribute.
CORI CHECKS
Myles reported that there is no centralized system for checking criminal records of town employees. The Library will have to develop its own policy and procedure. The board asked for information on policies of other town departments and peer libraries. Of particular concern is whether to check criminal histories of current and especially long-term employees and volunteers.
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
· The Board approved an Internet Use Policy with minor amendments suggested by the Technology Subcommittee to specifically include patrons’ laptops in the restrictions on use of the Library’s Internet connection and to expand the definition of objectionable material to include graphic violence as well as sexually explicit material.
· The Board approved display of a flash screen explaining acceptable use of the Library’s Internet connection. The screen would appear on patron laptops as they attempt to sign in.
· The subcommittee is now looking into ways the Library and the Friends might use email-based services to inform patrons of programs and services. The subcommittee plans to recommend a policy for using such programs to the full board in April.
DECORDOVA REPRESENTATIVE
Apsler reported the approaching end of the appointment term of the Library’s representative on the DeCordova Museum Board of Directors, Jan Nyquist. Since Nyquist will be retained as a museum trustee without the Library’s appointment, Apsler said the Library may seek a new appointee. Trustees will suggest names to Apsler for follow-up.
PROCESS FOR REVIEWING DIRECTOR’S PERFORMANCE
Apsler and Kraft will meet to draft a process for Myles’ performance review and present it at the next meeting.
LIBRARIAN’S REPORT
· Carnival: Myles said the highlights of her written report include plans for two Winter Carnival events: a Mystery Lover’s Tea and a family-oriented preview of the Boston Lyric Opera’s Magic Flute.
· Career Workshop: Also the Friends are sponsoring a Career Workshop aimed at helping the community through the downturn in the economy and job market. Friends co-chair Patty Levy, a professional career counselor, has volunteered to lead the first session, which may turn into a roll-out group.
· Snow Blower: Custodians are very pleased with their new snow blower, particularly in this snowy month!
· Fire Suppression: No decision has been made whether the Fire Suppression system will be included in the Community Preservation Committee budget
FINANCIAL REPORT
Electricity costs are way down from last year.
Bookkeeper Kathy Rushby will add a column for “encumbered funds” in future reports to show money from the budget that has been committed but not yet spent.
OTHER ISSUES
· Elevator smoke vent has been repaired. Elevator now has heat.
· Handicap accessible bathroom on the second floor has no heat. Myles will investigate whether this can be alleviated by undercutting the door and leaving on the exhaust vent to draw in warm air
· Seat protectors still aren’t available in the bathrooms
· Kitchen: The Friends, staff and Apsler are making progress on the redesign of the staff kitchen which will include storage space for the Friends’ hospitality supplies
· Catalpa Tree: Taylor will follow-up on the proposal to doctor the Catalpa tree with Randall “Robin” Thompson
· Trust Funds: Taylor also will contact Donald Collins, chair of the Trust Funds Committee, for a report on how the Library’s funds may have been affected by the fall of the stock market
LONG RANGE PLANNING REPORT
Sugar reported that all the subcommittees have been disbanded after completing their fact-finding, and a steering committee is charged with pulling together the information. An open meeting is scheduled at Bemis Hall on Feb. 10 at 7:30. The committee’s report will be on view at Town Meeting. Then an implementation plan will be worked on by various boards and committees, the steering committee, the Planning Board and finally by the whole town.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: postponed until next Meeting February 24, 2009.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Taylor
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
February 24, 2009
TO: Trustees, Lincoln Public Library
FROM: Barbara Myles, Librarian
Friends of the Lincoln Public Library
The Friends met on February 3. Patty Levy reported on the successful “Career Management in 2009” program which was took place during the evening of February 2. Ten very interested people attended this event and they would like to have another meeting soon. In response, Patty had another meeting, this time, “Career Round Table,” on February 23. Barbara Low reported that the Friends’ net worth is $45,414.65. I told the Friends about our successful Winter Carnival Weekend with many people attending the Mystery Tea and the Boston Lyric Opera’s “Magic Flute” program. Jacquelin reported that the Trustees are reviewing the Library’s Internet Use Policy, CORI check policy, and intern hiring process. The Library has an appointee to the DeCordova Museum’s
Board of Directors. This person is the Library’s liaison to DeCordova. Jacquelin told us that it is time for the Trustees to appoint a new liaison to this board. The Friends agreed to donate $1,500 toward electrical outlets in the Tarbell Room. They also agreed on a specific laptop to purchase for the Friends to use when writing the newsletter and recording donations.
Adult Department
As part of Winter Carnival, the second annual Mystery Monday Afternoon Tea was held on Saturday January 31. Goodies and help were provided by the Mystery Monday book group, the Friends of the Lincoln Library, the Council on Aging, library staff and others. Over 50 people enjoyed tea, regional goodies and conversation. The Friday morning book group met on February 6 and discussed Book of Illusions by Paul Auster. They met again on February 20 and discussed On the Road by Jack Kerouac. The Mystery Mondays Book Group met on February 23 and discussed Fire and Fog by Diane Day. The Write Stuff’s January 28 meeting was cancelled due to icy road conditions. They did meet on February 11. “Three masters turn 200” is the theme of this month’s book display in the
lobby. It is the 200th year since the birth of Charles Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, and Edgar Allan Poe. Classic Jazz met on February 11 with Hal McAleer presenting, “Another A-V Tour de Force” The Photoshare Group met on February 4. Murray Drobnis is displaying his photographs in the gallery. In the Stay-Put-Gallery, Roger Cody put up an exhibit of large, poster sized photographs of cars.
Children's Department
In addition to Wonderful Ones, Terrific Twos, and Preschool programs, Ed Morgan came to sing on February 6. Performers from the Boston Lyric Opera performed part of “The Magic Flute” in the Tarbell Room on February 1 as part of Winter Carnival. This performance was exceptionally well attended! During February vacation week the Children’s Department had programs with the theme, “Down on the Farm!” Daisy, “the most famous pig in the world,” performed on February 17, Elaine Kessler sang farm songs on February 18, and staff from Drumlin Farm brought farm animals to the library on February 19! All of these events were very well attended! Farmer Minor and Daisy made the front page of the February 19th edition of the “Lincoln Journal!”
Reference Department
Reference staff answered 402 questions in January, precisely the same as last January. Jeanne proctored several exams in the past month, allowing local residents to complete college-level work at sites distant from campus. Tax season is here and Jeanne has made a display of the tax forms on the large window sill in the Reference Room. Jeanne is serving on the Minuteman Library Network’s Standards Committee. This committee will advise MLN staff by reviewing current standards and developing new system standards. One new standard the committee has already developed is where to locate barcodes on books. Before this standard, each library could put the barcodes wherever they liked. Now we will all put them on the front covers of books.
Town Archives
Jeanne and Marie Wasnock, our new archivist, continue processing materials from Lincoln’s 250th anniversary and the Grason Collection, respectively. Volunteer, Margie Hilton, is putting photographs from construction of the Gund Building into archival quality mylar sleeves. Jeanne has responded to requests for more information from the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) about the Eleazer Brooks scrapbook conservation grant proposal. She researched digitizing sources and costs for the scrapbook. The CPC told Jeanne that they would fund this proposal. Congratulations to Jeanne and Susan Brooks for submitting this proposal and shepherding it through the financing process! While researching digitization costs, Jeanne learned that good information now exists to go forward with digitizing
Lincoln newspapers into a searchable format as funds allow.
Archives Working Group
The Archives Working Group (AWG) met on February 4 and discussed final edits to be made to the collection development policy. This policy will get voted on when the Town Archives Advisory Committee meets in May.
Capital Plan
The Community Preservation Committee told us that they would not fund the library’s fire suppression proposal for FY 2010.
Operating Budget
The Finance Committee has approved the library’s level service budget! This means we can offer the same services next year that we offered this year.
Building Repairs
1. Carpets – Children’s Room and Staff Work Room
The carpet installation was completed on March 25. There is a flaw in the carpet color. Specifically, there was a yellow stripe on the edge of many of the carpet tiles. This defective carpet was replaced during the week of February 2.
Another problem is that scratches were made in the lobby floor when the carpet was delivered. Karle Packard received a price quote of $21,000 from DePaoli Mosaic Company for the replacement of 20 tiles in the lobby and Link areas. The Building Committee notified the contractor, Capital Carpet and Flooring Specialists, that they would not receive the remaining $12,896.48 in the contract because of the damaged tiles.
2. Vault Renovation Project
The two air conditioners were installed during the past month. One fits snugly into the space beneath the fire place in the Tarbell Room. The other unit is located in the Friends Room. Metal stud walls were installed in the Lincoln Historical Room. The concrete slabs for the prefabricated vault arrived at the library on February 23.
3. Gund Roof – Ice Dam
On Friday January 23 water leaks appeared in the Story Room Turret and Staff Work Room. Ice had built up at a complicated intersection of angled roof sections and the north facing parapet. There is a long history of leaks from this location as one can see from the peeling paint in the Story Room Turret and stained ceiling tiles in the Staff Work Room. Jim McKenna came right over with his crew to break up the ice dam and release the water.
The Building Committee is considering the option of installing wires at this intersection of angled roof sections to prevent further ice dams.
Kudos
Kudos this month go to the Children’s Room staff for providing services during the carpet installation. They set up a makeshift Children’s Room in the Tarbell Room complete with toys and books!
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