Minutes from June 10 Meeting

Posted by Morrill Memorial & Harris Library on Friday, July 5, 2024

Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

Morrill Memorial & Harris Library Trustees Meeting

Monday, June 10, 2024, 7:00 PM in Library

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

Action Item Summary

Becky

Finalize patron survey in Google and create paper edition.

Rachel

Ask what Probate Court is about, what Library gets from it and whether to continue.
Close $3K savings account OR withdraw one dollar and redeposit annually.

Melissa

Complete list for Spring Cleaning (19-May at 9am). See items under May Monthly Duties below.
Post opening for After School program.
New Covid tests (assuming it makes sense since smallest request is 3000).
Print new Library brochure/bookmark.
Order new thermostat in Aug.
Get library bookmark estimate from Powerhouse Plaza.
Refresh after school job description.
Reach out to West Lebanon architect for space planner suggestion.
Complete CLiF Grant
Continue purchase of new sign board.
Correct Library Brochure phone number.

Cindy

Investigate floor mat.
Review Valley Floor estimates.
Test water at Health Dept - Cindy has kit, Melissa has faucet wrench

Kevin

Post policies on google drive and learn to post final minutes to website.
Make progress on website content.
Post Palace instructions on Yola
Thank you note to Todd Tyson, Betsy Gaiser

Team

Provide feedback via email to Becky on Community Survey.
Pursue Fall grant for interior refresh.

Secretary’s Report

Approve minutes from May meeting - Moved Newman, seconded Proulx, approved all.

Librarian’s Report

The large May order of adult books has been received and processed and posted. There are two pending orders for children’s books for which we have not yet been invoiced. These include the recent Red Clover and Golden Dome award winners and the series completion order.
The LUV rotation for audiobooks and DVDs has been completed for May.
The bookmarks are printed and here, cost was $57.50 for 500. The library phone number is 765-4037: this must be corrected.
I had our tax exempt certificate from the State revised because the address was incorrect and submitted that to ULine and United Industries. I am working with United Industries to make sure our tax exempt status has been noted on our account and will order the new insert for the swing sign.
The new mat for the front has been ordered, and should arrive this week.
The new Biblio+ Streaming service offered through GMLC and as a substitute for Kanopy will cost $122.70 plus a GMLC admin fee of $20 for a total cost of $142.70. The service will begin in September and views per patron are unlimited.
The CLiF grant was submitted and we expect to hear about it by the end of the month. We received letters of support from Tracy THompson, Simone Pyle, Becky Proulx and Jody Lowes. I am hopeful we will receive the grant as our unique set of circumstances would present a wonderful opportunity to build support around literacy for children. This includes the new principal at Newton, the new school librarian, a new children’s programmer at the Morrill and the establishment of the Creative Nursery program.
The Summer Reading schedule is all set (other than a date for Fire Truck Night - still pending) and the schedule will be published this week. Meg presented to all the children at Newton on Friday, Each child is getting a notebook to record their summer “adventures,” and store their reading logs and stickers. We have already had two students sign up. We will be creating a felt pencil holder to go with each journal on our kick-off night on June 24. Each child will get a multi-color pencil to go with the holder and journal. We are also going to be painting an Adventure at Your Library bus.
Meg has agreed to run the SRP program on an hourly basis. She will be paid $20/per hour and that will include her work preparing for and running the SRP program as well as putting together the weekly take and make projects. She has not committed to doing a preschool program, but may. She has suggested running a teen book program a few times over the summer. I mentioned to Kaitlin about the potential for a volunteer run preschool program in August. No firm details for this yet, but we are working to put this together.
I spoke with Kim Lakin who will be running the toddler program at the Creative Nursery during a recent visit and I will be running a toddler story time on Thursday mornings beginning on July 17.
I will begin actively looking for a Children’s Programming Coordinator over the summer. I had a conversation about the position with Leslie Berger but it has not gone beyond that yet.
Still need to follow up with finding a potential space planner.
Will hold off on the thermostat until the next heating season,, as agreed.
Marty Cowden has begun her summer volunteer hours and has been a big help.
Promotion for Gus Speth’s reading has begun, and I have had some inquiries as to whether it will be recorded for those unable to attend. This has been true for other presentations and perhaps we should look into a system for creating a post-event link.

Friends Report

Not in attendance.
Book Sale update? Cover and a gentleman from Maine will take all books.

Treasurer’s Report

Review profit and loss statement. Highlights - in the red for budget, but not inordinately so.
LIC update. Slight improvement in earnings.

Other Business

Update on removing paintings, books, sculptures - Underway.
Patron survey - looks great. Becky to talk to Coburn’s about making available survey and dropping off survey. On hold for travel
Website improvement - underway.
Adult programs – Gus Speth- 6/20 (complete), Los Webbs in Guatemala 11-Jul o despues (Cindy hosting)?
Test Water Results - no problems.
Grant review - what is considered an Audit?
Summer reading program underway!

June Monthly Duties