TOWN OF PROVINCETOWN

Public Library

Board of Library Trustees

Minutes of Meeting November 20, 2006

Meeting was held at the Provincetown Public Library, 356 Commercial St.

Members Present:  Mick Rudd, Chair; CJ Noyes, Secretary; Paul Benatti,

    Cathy Metzger, Lyn Kratz,

Others Present:  Debbie DeJonker-Berry, Library Director

Members of the Public:  James Cole, Marcia Fair

Call to Order:  Mick Rudd called the meeting to order at 7:17pm

1.  Public Statements:  Jim Cole welcomed Lyn to the Board of Library Trustees.  Lyn thanked the Trustees for welcoming her.

2.  Minutes:  Paul moved to accept the minutes of the October 16, 2006 meeting of the Board of Library Trustees as written.  Cj seconded the motion.  There was no discussion.  The vote passed 4-0-1 (absent).

Agenda:  Paul moved to accept the Agenda as presented by Mick Rudd.  Cathy seconded the motion.  The vote passed 5-0-0.

 

Special Election of Officers– Mick entertained a nomination of a motion for the Vice-Chair position.  Paul nominated Cj for this position.  Cj declined, but in turn nominated Paul to serve in the position.  Cathy seconded the motion.  There were no other nominations.  The vote passed 4-0-1 (absent).  Paul Benatti is now the Vice Chair of the Library Board of Trustees.

 

Chair’s Report

 

Belfry Report – There will be a meeting with DPW and Coastal Engineering on November 29th to review an 80% draft of the bidding document to bid out the restoration work on the belfry and its return to the top of the library.  Mick stated that special attention needs to be paid to the bell and the wooden carriage that it sits on and that as much work as possible be done on the bell before it’s returned to the top of the building.  That could include a trap door to the belfry for access to the bell and other fixtures.  DPW will distribute the proposals for bid.  Bids will open in February.  Realistically we are looking at construction over the summer and early fall for completion. After restoration of the belfry, attention will turn to planning and funding for the restoration of the building’s front façade, exterior painting and landscaping.

 

Budget Discussion – The Trustees have until the end of November to submit the budget for 2008.  Mick gave an overview of the proposed budget discussing the expenses of running the library and for staff.  It’s consistent with last year’s figures except that increases are being sought to retain staff currently funded from outside sources and to provide additional staff hours to carry on the work of the Capital Campaign.  Deb explained how we currently have a staff member who is being funded by an expiring federal grant.  The Library would like to put this position on regular payroll.  Also she told the Trustees that the library received a one-time grant from the Provincetown Visitors’ Board (VSB) for summer janitorial staffing.  These expenses need to be incorporated into the Library’s FY2008 budget. 

An issue not addressed in the FY2008 budget however is building security.  The library building is as big as town hall but is only staffed by 3-4 people at any time which makes consistent building security almost impossible.  Security issues this summer were recounted and remediation will have to be readdressed with policy and staff education within the proposed FY2008 budget restraints and staff size.

The goal is to protect what we have and project a positive experience for visitors and patrons, which is the justification for the FY 2008 on-call budget request page and the reasons for the 46% increase on the On Call budget line item.  Marcia suggested doubling the hours for the on-call Resource Development position from 5 to 10 hours.  Mick and Deb will justify the request with Town Hall stating that we are at a minimum now, and the position lost by not being funded is absolutely necessary to maintain the level of service that we currently have. 

 

More discussion ensued about the Resource Development position.  Paul questioned the possibility of a 2 ½ override, but Deb felt that the library budget was such a small percentage of the total Town budget that it would not be a major contributing factor to an over-ride. Deb reminded the Trustees that the library never got the ½ time janitorial position in 2005 when the new library opened.  That position was going to have benefits.  Lyn stated that visitors have increased, and that circulation is up.  It would make sense that more staff is needed.  Deb stated that for years there has been a request for a reference librarian but the library has had to do without because the town didn’t have the funding.

MOTION:  Lyn moved to increase the Resource Development position from 5 hour/week to a 10 hour/week.  Paul seconded.  The vote passed 5-0-0.

MOTION:   Paul moved to approve the 2008 budget as amended by the previous motion.  Cj seconded the motion.  The vote passed 5-0-0.  There was no further discussion.

6.   Resource Development Report 

Donor Mailing – A mailing went out that contained a July 30th report that placed donations into categories and included a letter that explained the donation levels had been established.  The library has received approximately 20 responses so far.  Deb presented the holiday letter for Trustee approval.  The letter was discussed and corrections were made.

Gift and Cash Report – The report was presented.  There was no discussion.

 

 

Director’s Report

Building Issues and Operations – Building security was going well until the donor box on the 2nd floor was destroyed.  Deb presented a draft of the agenda for the November 27th staff in-service training.

b.    Long Range Planning/Action Plan – The Long Range Action Plan was looked over  by the Trustees.  Lyn stated that an agenda item for the next meeting should be the implementing of the FY 2008 action plan, specifically the patron survey questionnaire.

MOTION:  A motion was moved by Cathy to approve the FY 2008 Action Plan as submitted by the Director.  Lyn 2nd the motion.  The vote passed 5-0-0.  There was no discussion.

c.    Exhibits, Events and Tours – Rose Dorothea MFH grant – Deb presented a copy of an email from Karen MacDonald and Karen Krahulik showing updates on the Rose Dorothea project.  The Born to Read program is now back in the library with 2 programs per week.

Computers – Staff computers have been upgraded half way so far.  The new PC reservation system has made a huge difference in policing the public.  All computers are now exactly the same so there are no arguments about wanting a certain computer because it has a different program than the others.  This frees up the staff.  They’re reconfiguring the old adult computers and will be placing them upstairs for the children’s area.

 

New Business

 

Deb handed out a letter from a patron that discussed library patrons parking in the handicap space.  There will be a parking hearing in February.  Deb feels that the handicapped parking space should be moved away from the side door, perhaps further down Center Street near Commercial Street.

8.   Other Business and Correspondence – There was no further business presented.

 

      Next Meeting:  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 22, 2007 at 7:15pm at the library.

Adjournment:  Cathy moved and Cj seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:57pm.  The vote passed 5-0-0.

 

 

 

These minutes were approved by a vote of the Provincetown Library Board of Trustees present at their meeting on ___________________________________.

Respectfully submitted:

___________________________________________                        _________________________

Library Board of Trustees signature                                                        Title

Minutes prepared by Jean Jarrett