TOWN OF PROVINCETOWN
Public Library
Board of Library Trustees
Minutes of Meeting June 13, 2005
Meeting held at Provincetown Public Library,
356 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA
Members Present: Marcia Fair, Vice-Chair; Sandy Fay,
Secretary, Cj Noyes, Paul Benatti. Mick
Rudd joined the meeting at 7:25 pm
Others Present: Library Director Debra
DeJonker-Berry, Town Clerk Doug Johnstone
Members of the Public:
James Cole
Call to Order: Marcia
Fair called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm
Public
Statements: Cj Noyes, spoke as a member of the public
and neighbor of the library. With
regret, she registered a complaint from
Rose Acre, 5 Center St. that the level
of noise from the running of the A/C was unacceptable. It is worse, in fact than the noise most
days during the building construction.
She cited the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting regarding noise levels,
pre-construction in January 2003.
Minutes: Sandy Fay moved and Cj Noyes seconded
the motion to accept the minutes of May 12, 2005 as presented. The vote was 4-0 in favor.
Chair’s Report:
a. Presentation
by Town Clerk Doug Johnsone
Doug
said that he had asked to speak with us regarding the theme of the 2005 Town
Report, which he has chosen to be "Reading is Fundamental". Besides photographs, he would like to
include some quotes from the Board
members as well a some of the Library patrons who are well known in the
literary world; about most memorable PPL experiences and what the Library means
to each. He'd be happy if we could get
this material to him between September and December.
b.
Policy Review: Bylaws The
Board considered and discussed sections of the Bylaws regarding resignation,
posting of agendas and the meaning of "financial officer". Paul
Benatti had prepared notes on these issues and had some suggestions as to how
we could make things clearer and more in line with the Town Charter. It was agreed that members will go over revisions at our next
meeting and propose to act on them in the following meeting.
c.
Building update: Signage - Signarama has completed
the two exterior signs, designed by Blue Tide. Phil Smith will install them on
Friday. An open board sign for
Commercial Street is possible.
Samples for the naming of the
end panels of the First Floor stacks are here to choose from. Five panels have been spoken for at $2,500
each.
Punch List: The Punch list was getting smaller. The Doors are greatly improved, but not
fully satisfactory. The A/C is Loud,
but working; a part that had blown has been replaced. Molding issues are still being worked on. The plumbing continues to have some water
pressure issues, which will be addressed when the plumbers return. The carpet in the foyer will be
cleaned. The millwork in the Lobby for
the express computers is complete.
Plans call for the Barnstable House of Correction under DPW supervision to begin painting
the front of the building the 2nd week of August.
Paul
Benatti suggested adding a well to the planning of the Landscape Design for future
consideration. It could save cost and
labor in the maintenance. The Board
agreed that it should be investigated and evaluated.
d.
Building Fund
Marcia reported that, thanks to Jim Cole's efforts Pennie and Chuck
Silva would be making a gift of one of the First Floor end panels.
Deb DeJonker-Berry and Dana Berry are giving
donation boxes, which Dana has made, to be placed in different parts of the
Library. They are replicas of but smaller than the main box that is in the
center of the First floor.
The Capital Campaign Committee is working on
new portfolios to be given to prospective donors.
Capital Campaign Update: Marcia presented the Gift Report for June
1, 2005 showing
a
total of $1,129,047 in cash gifts and pledges, and the Cash Report showing
$786,493 in the bank.
Director’s Report:
a. Deb
reported the progress on the Digitization Grant ( a grant of $40,000 to scan
the Advocate) making it available on
the Town web site and be fully searchable by text. The Banner is very helpful
in this process and progress is being made.
b. On Wednesday, June 15, the O'Neill Festival Exhibit will be
installed, followed by the "Many Faces of Provincetown" Exhibit for
the Portuguese Festival. There will be
a film shown about the Portuguese Whale Boat "Pico" in the Library
Reading Room on Sunday evening, June
26.
Many groups of
school children have toured the building.
The Business Development Center has started using the facility on
Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Kaolin
Davis has volunteered to help with displays for visitor information in both the
Front Lobby and for the Center St. Lobby.
c. Facility Usage:
Deb reported that the building is currently averaging 600 people a
day through the doors and 130 on the public computers.
d. Town Budget: The
Town Manager has advised Department
Heads that he will re-visit the Town budget due to a $205,000 shortfall in
revenue. This might directly affect
the Library via the DPW budget, which covers the Library's physical plant. The result could be a continuation of a
half-time custodian assigned to the Library rather than a full-time position as
voted at 2005 Annual Town meeting.
Regarding this,
Marcia expressed the need to draft a statement conveying the Trustees' concern
for the care of this building. Marcia
cited the fact that the library needs a full-time person, given the tripling of
the square -footage of the Library as well as the availability of four
restrooms open to the public; a public restroom was not available at the
Freeman Library. As well, the Library
building deserves a full-time custodian to simply maintain it in good
condition, particularly in consideration of the huge financial and human
investment made by Town meeting and the private individuals who helped fund the
Project.
The consensus of the
members was that, if appropriate as Town business proceeds, the Chair should
make a public statement at a BOS meeting expressing the Board's concern for the
care of the building and the image it projects in light of attracting donors
for continuing the important fundraising required to complete the Project.
e. Rose Dorothea
Sails: Flyer Santos is anxious
to get the sails up on "The Rose",
Mick Rudd met with Capt. Richard
Bailey who would like to put wooden spars on "The Rose". Deb asked Mick to talk with the sail treatment
people. Fall seems to be a
better time frame for this project.
Other Business
& Correspondence:
An ad for the Library appears in the 2005
Gallery Guide. It was put together by
Tracey Anderson and Cj Noyes, courtesy of Julie Heller. A second ad designed by Irene Lipton is in the Provincetown Arts magazine,
courtesy of Chris Busa.
Deb will attend the
American Library Association Conference in Chicago, beginning June 24, and will
then be on vacation until July 12.
Deb announced that
the Heart Safe box is in the building.
Next
Meeting: The next
meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 18, 2005
at 7:15 pm in
Provincetown Public Library.
Adjournment: Sandy Fay moved and CJ Noyes seconded
the motion to end the meeting at 9:20
pm. The vote was 5-0 in favor.
These minutes
were approved by a vote of the Provincetown Library Board of Library Trustees
members present at their meeting on June 18, 2005.
Respectfully
submitted:
_________Carol
J. Noyes_________
______Secretary_________
Board of Library Trustees Title
Minutes
prepared by Carol J. Noyes, Secretary