Library Board of Trustees Minutes 11/19/2012

SIMSBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Monday, November 19, 2012
THESE MINUTES HAVE NOT YET BEEN APPROVED BY THE LIBRARY BOARD.
PRESENT: Marianne O’Neil, Gail Ryan, Charmaine Glew, Joy Himmelfarb, Diane Madigan, Diana Fiske. Susan Bullock, Director and Eileen Sickinger, Recording Secretary.
The meeting was called to order by Mrs. O’Neil, Chair at 7:15 P.M. Mrs. Glew moved that the minutes of the October 15, 2012 meeting be accepted reflecting one correction: Under “Budgets”: Mrs. O’Neil and Mrs. Bullock will be scheduling a meeting with Mrs. Glassman and Ms. Harris to review budget tracking. …A subsequent meeting will be scheduled with Mrs. O’Neil and Mr. Blume to discuss available financial reports. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Madigan and the minutes were accepted as corrected.
PUBLIC AUDIENCE: George Boissard, Friends Liaison and Anne Melvin of Simsbury Open studios. Mrs. Melvin was present to ask for clarification regarding selling artwork when artists are exhibiting their work during the two days of the Open Studios. These artists will not be exhibiting at their studios and they were asking if the Library’s policy would allow them to sell their work during the exhibit. Mrs. Ryan moved to add Item #10 to the agenda, “Open Studios Request”. Second: Mrs. Glew. So moved. Mrs. Melvin will be advised of the Board’s decision.
COMMUNICATIONS: Mrs. Madigan shared a letter published in the Valley Press from Barbara Gopas Gibbons regarding various activities libraries now have available.
COMMITTEE REPORTS: Friends: Mr. Boissard reported that Friends have a new Art Coordinator who will arrange for the display of work by local artists, particularly young artists, in the ‘Maine Room of the Library. There will be a survey in Doorways asking local book clubs to share where they meet, what they are reading and other pertinent questions, in anticipation of working out a cooperative venture between the clubs and the Library.
Personnel: The two open positions have been posted. The Business Resource Center Coordinator position is posted both internally and externally with a closing date of December 16th and the Library Technician position is posted internally with a closing date of November 25th.
Decorating: Mrs. Glew will report later on the carpet for the Program Room. The lighting should be completed by Friday.
Building: The new AC is being evaluated and painting and carpeting is in the works. The bike rack has not been moved and Mrs. Bullock will look into this. The lines in the parking area by Boy Scout Hall will be done in the spring. There was no Landscaping report.
Parking: Signs “More Library Parking” pointing to Boy Scout Hall are being ordered and will be placed in strategic locations for the public. The walkway and lighting are complete.
There was no CHAIR’S REPORT.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT: The FY 2014 budget will be completed on line this year. Mrs. Bullock and Mrs. O’Neil will be meeting with Mrs. Glassman and Ms. Harris to discuss the Board’s control of its line items.  While the FY 2012 budget’s bottom line is in the black there is a question regarding the last electric bill and Ms. Harris is pursuing this. Mrs. Bullock explained the budget summary for the 2013 FY. She will be e-mailing the Board regarding an increase in last month’s gas bill.
Funds from the HUD Grant from 2008 have not been received and negotiations continue in the hope the Town will receive the money soon.
Simsbury rated 4th in libraries in their category in the Library Journal Index, which measures items by expenditure category measuring performances such as circulation per capita, public internet sessions and programs attendance, etc.
Mrs. Bullock and Ms. Nagy have been working on how to better serve Simsbury’s teens. They recently visited Avon and Farmington libraries’ teen centers. They have also met with the Director of the Farmington Valley Teen Center and received ideas on attracting this age group to the Library.
Mrs. Bullock and Mr. Blume continue to review the new Makerspaces movements in libraries. Mrs. Bullock will continue to keep the Board informed on programs they can review to learn more about this new movement affecting society and libraries in general.
BUDGET PRIORITIES: Discussion centered on what the Board would like to see implemented in the budget, if funding became available, either through attrition or the good fortune of found extra funding. Understaffing is still a concern and the Board continues to find ways to add a Teen Coordinator/Leader position to the staff. The lack of an IT line item for the Library was also mentioned. These concerns will be discussed with Mrs. Glassman and Ms. Harris when they meet with Mrs. Bullock and Mrs. O’Neil.
HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: At the December meeting the Board will set its meeting calendar for 2014. At that time the schedules for the holidays will also be set.  This year the Library will close on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving at 5:30 P.M. and will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday, November 23rd   (Town holidays), reopening their regular hours on Saturday and Sunday, November 24th and 25th. A decision has not been reached for Christmas Eve this year. Mrs. Glassman will be contacted to see what Town Hall will be doing that day. The building will close at 5:30 P.M. on New Year’s Eve.
OPEN STUDIOS REQUEST: Two artists will be displaying their work at the Library during Simsbury’s Open Studios. They do not have studios that can be open to the public and they wanted clarification on whether they could sell their artwork on Library premises. Following discussion, Mrs. Himmelfarb moved that the Board deny their request so as not to set a precedent to sell items on Library premises in accordance with current Library policy. Second: Mrs. Glew. So moved.
At 9:30 P.M. Mrs. Madigan moved for adjournment. Second: Mrs. Ryan. The meeting was adjourned.


Diane Madigan, Secretary