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Grafton Public Library Trustees Meeting Minutes

April 20, 2017 6:00PM

Attending: Bob Donald, Lucia Corwin, Andrea Dunmire, Deborah Toomey, David Whittall and librarian Michelle Dufort

Special Guest presenters: Barbara Friedman and Gautier Wallaert, TIAA-CREF

Bob Donald called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.

Public comment: No public in attendance.

Barbara Friedman provided a comprehensive report on the status of the Library’s endowment fund and the Jerry Stevens Fund. The stock market has been good this past year and the endowment has grown back to where it was prior to 2008. Ms. Friedman and Mr. Wallaert left the meeting after their presentation.

The minutes of the March 18, 2017 meeting were read and approved.

Librarian’s Report

Michelle attended the Department of Library’s (DOL) meeting on the Library World automation system with the intent of requesting information and assistance from other small libraries using Library World for their collections. The meeting provided information on possible migration to a system called VERSO, an integrated library system. Once the librarians heard the presentation on this new system, the Library World meeting was scrapped by acclimation and additional information on VERSO was requested. It appears that this is an NISO/ANSI Z39.50 compliant system that will be easier and more efficient to use. The DOL is offering incentives to libraries willing to migrate and will pay all costs entailed in this process and the first year’s subscription. The yearly subscription costs may be as much as $800. The Library currently pays $450/year for Library World and while the fee may be adjusted according to a library’s size and community, the Board should plan for the full fee in the 2018 budget.

A thank you letter will be sent by the Secretary to the Macks. Stan and Pat supplied and installed the new entry door handle, keying it to current configuration. Stan also adjusted the doorknob on the storm door so it would operate properly.

Signs will begin to appear around town that are related to the Turner Family history and their lives in the Grafton community. One of the first signs will be at the church. The Library may eventually have a sign, but our current location was not where the library was located for most of their tenure and Daisy Turner did not use the current library often.

Treasurer’s Report

79% of the year has been completed and the Library has used 65% of the TIAA-CREF draw. Another incremental draw is needed. The Stevens Fund is used for health insurance and to pay the library assistant. Traditionally, the Treasurer has taken this draw at the end of the fiscal year.

Building and Grounds

Members of the Investment group, Tom Senatori in particular, helped the Library by cleaning up the sticks that had fallen on the lawn over the winter. All members of the Board were most appreciative. Sarah Yarosevich is providing spring garden clean-up and will mulch the beds as well.

Bob Donald will remove the exterior door on the front of the Library now that the snow has melted sufficiently.

Strategic Planning

The Board read and discussed the previous Strategic Plan. While the Library has accomplished many items including a massive weeding of books and the automation of the collection, the focus of the previous Plan was on increasing space and access to the second floor. The costs associated with renovation and the need for fundraising to meet the costs prevented many of the suggested recommended priorities from being met. An elevator to the second floor was deemed too expensive ($90,000) and the suggested alternative of a stair lift was not possible because the stairs are not sufficiently wide and installing it would still not meet accessibility standards.

The Board brainstormed community members that might be willing to participate in two four-hour meetings. In addition, the Board felt that surveying the Grafton community would be a good start to understand whether the Library is meeting community needs. Andrea said she would contact Linda Montecalvo to see if she still has a copy of the previous survey. Board members are to think of questions that they think would be helpful and pertinent to planning for our future and review other libraries surveys to glean ideas.

The Board will go into executive session at the next meeting to discuss strategic planning.

The next Board meeting will be on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 6 pm.

The meeting adjoined at 7:35 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Deborah Toomey, Secretary