Library Trustees Meeting Minutes 10/16/23
Meeting date:
Monday, October 16, 2023
Meeting of the Monterey Board of Library Trustees
10.16.23 Trustees Minutes
Held at the Monterey Library and via Zoom on October 16, 2023
Trustees Present: Mickey Jervas, Cheryll Zellman, Rebecca Wolin, Sam Reggio
Zoom: Judy Kaminstein
Absent: Nancy Kleban
Director: Mark Makuc
Meeting was called to order at 7:01PM
Minutes: The meeting minutes of September 18, 2023 were corrected. Motion to approve the minutes was made by Rebecca and seconded by Cheryl. The vote to approve was 5-0.
Friends: The Trustees want the Friends to make a donation to the effort for the Roadside Cafe of Gould Farm. It was proposed to donate $1000 towards the expenses for the kitchen. Rebecca made a motion to ask the Friends to donate $1000 to Roadside Cafe on our behalf for the kitchen. Judy seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.
Director’s Report: Mark reported that a cap has been installed and the chimney is now finished.
Mark also brought up Veterans Day and scheduling closing the library. Mark suggested the 11th and the Trustees agreed.
Mark brought up that the library’s direct neighbors planted a shrub on library property. He also mentioned that some brush has been piled on library property and in a historic mill foundation by the river.
Mark mentioned the Ultimate Library Roadtrip, a program sponsored by the Western MA Library Advocates, and Monterey Library will participate. This program encourages people to visit libraries. The date for the program has not yet been specified.
CWMars sent a copy of a memo in support of Massachusetts bill H.3239, an act empowering library access to electronic books and digital audiobooks. CWMars is supporting a resolution to the MA statehouse to support expanded resources for electronic resources in public libraries. Digital resources - ebooks, audio books, and streaming media - are very popular and there are always long waits. The Trustees will to write to Smitty Pignatelli asking him to support the bill.
Mark brought up a potential policy issue in the acceptable use of library property for events put on my community members and local organizations. The Trustees discussed the usage of library property for events.
Mark also brought up that the town is bringing to employees a policy, requiring signatures, regarding acceptable use for electronic devices.
Mark brought up the potential for federal money to help our town with the digital divide. Grant funding is available, and the library is poised to help, but the request has to come from the town. The Trustees will craft a document to give to the Board of the Select Board. The money is administered by the State.
Strategic Planning Report: MLS library facilitator, Kristi Chadwick, came to Monterey to hold a forum designed to get public input on what direction they want the library to take. After the forum, Kristi and the strategic planning committee discussed what they learned and the next step. Kristi will provide a summery of the forum. We are looking to having three to five goals for the next five years.
Policy Sub-Committee Report: No report.
Evaluation Sub-Committee Report: A draft of a new library Director evaluation has been created.
The Chair Report: Last meeting, the chair made a motion to change the Monterey Library By-laws for Board of Library Trustees, Article V. Meetings, Section 1. The change is to remove the language “excluding July, August and December”, effectively allowing the Trustees the flexibility to meet any month of the year. Cheryl seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.
Unanticipated Business: None
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 PM by a motion made by Cheryl and seconded by Rebecca. The vote was 5-0.
The next meeting is scheduled for November 6th at 7PM.
Agenda:
Minutes
Friend’s Report
Historical Society Report
Director’s Report
Strategic Planning Report
Policy Sub-Committee
Chair Report
Unanticipated Business
Submitted by Sam Reggio, Secretary