Agenda
· Call to Order
·
Approval
of Minutes
·
Treasurer’s
Report
·
President’s
Report
·
Director’s
Report
·
Privilege
of the Floor
·
Committee
Reports
o
Administration
(Policy and Procedure)
o
Budget
and Finance (Budget Preparation)
o
Collection
Maintenance (Weeding)
o
Joint
Facility (Village and Town Liaison)
o
Facility
Maintenance (Building Repair and Maintenance)
o
Fundraising
(Library Operations)
o
Executive
(Officers)
o
Personnel
o
Material
Selection (Choo0se books, DVs, etc.)
o
Nominating
(Recruitment)
o
Publicity
(Newsletter, advertisement, social media)
·
Old
Business
·
New
Business
·
Executive
Session
·
Adjourn
Library Board of Trustee Minutes
2.25.2021
Called to order 7:04 pm with board members Jeanne Irwin, Patsy Nicosia, Gina Gilbert, Susan Rorick, Bob Fucci and Belinda Feris; staff Helen Thomas, Joanne Fralick, and Joyce Slater; and MVLS guest Eric Trahan
Minutes for 1.28.2021 approved: Susan/Bob.
Treasurer’s report: Accepted. Tonja is now on the bank account and treasurer.
President’s report/new business
Eric was on hand to present Gina with her 2020 Volunteer of the Year Award, delayed because of COVID.
He also explained some of our options for increasing funding through the town or school ballot.
We’re on the town ballot now; they just “collect” our funding for us. (This would also be the case with the school; neither has any say in what we do.)
There are deadlines for increasing our funding. Realistically, we’re too late to do this for November, so we’d be looking at 2022 ballot.
Getting on the school ballot instead would allow us to tap into a larger population—people in the school district who don’t live in the Town of Sharon.
That extra population would increase the funding we raise through taxes from $43,860 (I believe) to $52,890 without increasing taxes.
We agreed to reach out to Tony DiPace at SSCS once we’ve discussed this more.
Director’s report
Attached.
Update on Library Advocacy Day.
Helen is applying for a $3,000 grant from Assoc. of Small and Rural Communities “Can We Talk?” about race, with Cobleskill and Cherry Valley Libraries and Jen Field at SSCS, and a program beginning in July/August.
Updates on our other grants; Patsy suggested Helen do a workshop on grant-writing sometime for board members and possibly public. We could even suggest a “donation.”
We agreed to offer free food from food bank/Rotary in lobby.
Committees
-- Stinson Lock has fixed the door.
--No new checks from fundraising letter.
--Shed: Still stands there, taunting us.
--Patsy and Jeanne flipped extinguishers.
--Approved policies for library computers and copyright; Susan will provide a better suggested for investments at March meeting.
--Catskill Center for Independence and Rotary want to present at March meeting.
Adjourned: 9pm.
Director’s Report for March 25, 2021
Submitted by Helen Thomas
Participated in combined advocacy meeting with HVLS and MVLS and Assemblyman Tague. One of the hot issues now is library construction aid. It had been stagnant for 10 years but was raised in 2018 only to be cut by $20 M in 2020. Back to $45M requested in this year’s budget but there is also something brewing on the Federal level. Energy efficiency is an area of concern. We should follow this with an eye to replacing doors and windows. NYSED’s Division of Library Development estimates $1.5 B is needed statewide.
·
The new minimum standards are NOT optional and
could result in loss of charter. The most important to work on are #2 (1, 3, 4,
5, and 6 all refer back to 2) and #11 (the expansion of information access).
Board agenda, materials and minutes are supposed to be available within 2
weeks, 1 week if there is an executive session. (This means before they are
approved at the next meeting.)
·
The MVLS Plan of Service and Free Direct Access
for four counties will have to be approved by all of our boards. MVLS needs to
answer 7 questions. Currently 28% of circ is outside our service areas. If it
goes below 10% there can be penalties but there is an appeal process. Libraries
are opening up. We welcomed Maria, new director at COB, Judy at Ft. Hunter.
Pandemic response plans should be in place. MVLS has provided a template.
·
We meet again 4/1/21
Participated in MVLS Board meeting 3/18/21. They will not have an in person annual meeting again this year. We are not eligible to apply for vol of the year because we won it before. We met again 4/15.
Participated in NYLA Emergency Broad Band webinar 3/18/21. ($3.2 B Fed funding to provide $50/mo. toward people’s internet bill, but it’s complicated. This may become a reality in April.)
We requested a new NYS Tax Exempt Cert. When received, copies should be provided to each of us who buy things for the library.
We are now an arm of the food bank.
Joye led book discussion this month. (7 participants)
NYS Annual Report submitted 3/18/21, one whole day early.
MVLS is having a group order for computers which guarantees the best price. However, like last year, I am recommending that we do not buy any new computers now except possibly a staff computer. Previous practice was that we would buy one new one every year. We did not buy one last year. I am opposed to scrapping them after four years simply because JA will not support them if they break. We have looked at public PC use over the past three years. 2018 had 837 users, 2019 had 739 users, 2020 had 314 (no one is using 2020 stats for anything.) It looks like our 3 – 5 computers are used just over twice a day combined. That makes them very low mileage. Unless they become a security threat, I would like to continue to use them as long as possible. We have a safety net. Mike Gilbert has offered to try to repair if one breaks. I have also put in a grant request to Walmart that would provide funding for three new computers. If we get that funding, it will be a second safety net so we would be able to buy replacements if necessary. Keeping computers and internet access available to the public is of utmost importance. This is something that may become less critical in the future
March Grant Balances
Current Status of Grant
Funding
2019 MVLS Dream and Do Adult Programming funding $500 $150.
($200 on 2 jewelry classes, $150 used for Dogs- not
Stewarts funding 3/6/21)
2020 MVLS Dream and Do grant $500 furniture minus
98.98-chairs, $71.22
For shades and $19.43 for lampshade
309.37
Walmart Furniture funding $900 – all spent for chairs 0
Advocacy grant for brochures $1400 total ($1260 rec’d
remainder later) 1260.
Stewarts Make A Wish grant for children’s programming
$800 800.
Grants submitted and
pending
·
American Library Association Libraries Transforming
Communities $3000.
·
Walmart – Cybergrants 2021 $2740 for 3 computers
and training funds.
