Attendees: Cindy Binzen, Miriam Newman, Rachel Kurland, Carol Wilson, Becky Proulx, Melissa Strayton (Library Director), Kevin Lynch.  Absent:  


Action Item Summary

Becky

  • Reach out to TA, TSA for tech time volunteers (fulfills community service requirement)

Miriam

  • Next round of Appeal Thank You notes

Kevin 

  • Biblio+/Libby show-and-tell.

  • Update current website to include Biblio

  • Post policies on google drive and learn to post final minutes to website.

Rachel

  • Finalize 2025 budget 

Cindy

  • Ask Eric to skip mowing back field in 2025 and find someone to brush hog once yearly instead

Melissa

  • Finalize 2025 budget

  • Coordinate thermostat installation

  • Regular postings to the listserv should include noteworthy

  • Pursue Fall (late 4Q)  grant for roof replacement.

  • Melissa to register Sec. of State governance - $20 due annually

Unassigned

  • Rachel volunteered to reach out to Cindy Stableford to consider a tech talk as adult program.


Secretary’s Report

  • Assign a secretary to take notes - Lynch

  • Approve minutes from November meeting- Moved Newman, seconded Kurland, approved all.

  • Motion to close library on Thurs. 26-Dec.  Moved Wilson, seconded Proulx, approved all.


Librarian’s Report

  • Mice season continues

  • Side faucet was running, might have been due to roof shedding ice

  • Thermostat purchased, efficiency VT rebate pending.  Chris Warner (HVAC) might install (along with running c-wire) but Melissa has identified backup. 

  • Regular postings - Melissa’s December posting is very well received but ongoing postings don’t need to be nearly as complete.  Bulleted lists are sufficient.

  • Creative Nursery has not attended story hour for past two weeks

  • Ordering for collection - 2024 year-end orders will be submitted by Fri 21-Dec

  • Computers - installed

  • Kanopy, Biblio - users notified of migration to Biblio+(aka Biblioplus).  Kevin has not yet conducted Biblio/Libby show-and-tell.

Friends Report 

Friends contributed $2K from Wreaths and Raffle, down from previous year because wreath vendor has increased price.  Many thanks to Friends!


Treasurer’s Report

  • P/Ls following same month-to-month pattern as previous years. No big surprises found.  Oil price is high but remains under budget.  Ask Eric to skip mowing back field and Cindy to ask someone to brush hog once yearly.

  • 2025 budget review   

    • Asst. Librarian - proposal is made that Melissa run these programs on alternating Saturdays (because Saturday timeslot draws more children).  Melissa will be compensated according to her hourly wage.  More discussion needed on plans for Sat afternoon in place of after school program. Also discussed in Executive Session. 


Other Business

  • Survey - Becky distributed very informative survey results (~50 respondents).  Focus items for discussion in 2025 include:  

    • Revised hours

    • Increased adult programming

    • Rebalance % of collections by media (audiobooks, DVDs, streaming services)

    • Listserv postings

  • Website improvement - waiting on proposal from James Taylor

  • Space planning - waiting on proposal from Kelley DesRoches

  • Adult programs -1) Biblio+ etc.- Kevin, 2) Jared Jenisch 1/9 on Nepal, 3) Scams and Fraud – BBB, 4)  Consider Matt (Hadley’s husband) for a family program on Bhutan next summer.

  • Efficiency VT Energy Audit is NOT a free service so we will not pursue


Executive Session - Budget - Motion to enter Kurland, seconded Proulx, approved all.  


December Monthly Duties

  • 2025 budget

  • Baby books

  • Furnace cleaning

January Monthly Duties

  • Prepare narrative and financial report for Town Meeting

  • EOY register Sec. of State governance - $20 due 2025

 

Next meeting January 22, 2025 @ 5pm