Minutes from August 6, 2014
On September 3, the Trustees voted to strike the last sentence of item 7 of the August minutes and replace it with the following: “While cognizant that it is not within the Trustees’ purview to act as censors, a motion was made, seconded, and voted on to ask Tom Dunn to tone down the lyrics of the song they found offensive. The motion passed with one opposed. Garry Kalajian voted against the motion because he felt “the words ‘tone down’ were not strong enough to address the offensiveness of the lyrics.”
The Board Meeting for the Trustees of Brown Memorial Library was called to order at 6:45 p.m.
Attendance: Patty Furness, Nola Jordan, Robert Toppi, Erica Gross, Garry Kalajian, Meg Fearnley, Bea Howe, Connie Scheffy
1. Bob was seated as a voting member.
2. The Secretary’s report was accepted as presented.
3. A motion was made and passed to accept donations to Brown Memorial Library in July in the amount of $1,342.00. $1,162.00 of that amount came from the book and plant sale on July 5, $120.00 from our on-going book sale, $10.00 from book bags, and $50.00 from general donations. Bea noted that we have received the rest of our appropriation from the town. She also mentioned that receipts for the copier are doing well in spite of the lower price. The copier, computers and fax are all getting a good workout. $154.19 was spent on the purchase of a tablet for the children’s room. We will pay for it out of the Payson Fund. The treasurer’s report was accepted as presented.
4. Meg reported that circulation figures and patron numbers were up in July. The summer reading program was a big success. Thanks are due Laurie for all her hard work and enthusiasm.
5. Under Old Business, Trustees were reminded that the fund-raising dinner the Masons are sponsoring for us will take place Saturday, August 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm – not 5:30. There is a sign-up sheet for desserts on the checkout desk. Patty will purchase 7 dozen ears of corn that will need to be shucked beforehand. Trustees are encouraged to help out by bussing tables.
6. A program on the continuing popularity of Sherlock Holmes will take place at the library on Thursday evening, August 21, at 7:00.
7. The Trustees discussed at some length a concern brought to the Board’s attention about the play being performed at the children’s theater workshop – The Lending Doll. Some of the language in two songs to be sung by the Bad Boys struck many trustees as inappropriate for small children because of violent imagery. At the Board’s request, Laurie came to the meeting to fill us in on the plot and motivation behind the play which has been performed by children at a number of other libraries. While not wanting to be censors, the Trustees voted to ask Laurie to contact the directors and request that they do what they can to tone down the language.
8. Under New Business, the Board discussed the need to establish employee performance evaluations. Copies of a form used by another library were distributed and the issue will be taken up at the September meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nola Jordan, Secretary