Minutes from December 7, 2011
The Board Meeting for the Trustees of Brown Memorial Library was called to order at 6:05 p.m.
Attendance: Patty Furness, Lorraine Macleod, Rod Jones, Connie Scheffy, Nola Jordan, Meg Fearnley, Garry Kalajian
1. The secretary’s report was accepted as presented. Nola will now send the minutes to trustees via e-mail and they are asked to print out a copy to bring with them to the meeting. Meg will make a copy for anyone who does not have a computer and/or printer.
2. A motion was made and passed to accept gifts and donations to Brown Memorial Library in November in the amount of $123.74. The Treasurer’s Report was accepted as presented.
3. The Librarian’s Report was presented and discussed. Circulation of children’s materials is down and Meg is concerned that fewer children are coming in to use the library. Other libraries in the area have been experiencing the same thing and there doesn’t seem to be an obvious reason for the downturn. Laurie Buchar, a professional children’s librarian, has been helping out on Monday mornings and her expertise is a real boon. Attendance at story hour has been very good.
4. Under Old Business, the Trustees continued to examine and revise the library policies. Sections I through III were revisited and Sections IV and VA were discussed. Work will continue at the next meeting. Nola will e-mail the draft revisions prior to the next meeting.
5. Garry presented a proposal from Advantage Sign Company in Concord to make a 10 inch by 8 inch sign in medium density overlay with a beveled edge that would be painted a matte bronze and have white vinyl lettering listing library hours. The cost would be $233.38. The Board agreed that this seems high for what we would be getting. Garry will continue to look for other options.
6. Under New Business, it was reported that Bea will run again for another term and that Garry has agreed to run for a full term of three years in the March elections.
7. Meg explained that because of the way the handle and lock mechanism on the front door are set up it is too easy for someone to accidentally bump the button that locks the door. Then the door remains locked and the next person cannot get in. This is certainly not welcoming and occasionally the patron assumes the library is closed and goes away. Garry showed samples of possible new handles that he could make for us in iron and the trustees agreed on the one they think will look best. He would also make a push panel for the inside. In addition we would need a dead bolt and Garry thinks he can find us a mortice type dead bolt that would look right with his design.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 4, at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nola Jordan
Secretary