Board of Library Trustees Meeting

September 5, 2006

7:00 p.m.

Medway Public Library

Attendees:

MaryAnn Cabibbo, Vice Chairman
William Roberts, Secretary
Wendy Rowe, Chairman

Citizens:

Margaret Perkins (at 8)

Minutes:

No quorum being present, no votes could be taken, making life easy for the secretary.

1. Old business
   • Certification status
     • Actual amount needed per corrected Accountant's form,

       because of technicalities involving snow removal expenses we may not need quite as much money from the town to be waiverable as last feared. The current figure is more than 88,000 and less than 138,000. Wendy will work out the exact amount.

     • Susan Brennan to help do State Aid form (gratis)

       Susan has volunteered to help over the next 3 Saturdays. This is deeply appreciated.

     • Special Town Meeting / articles / petition drive

       Petitions are available for signing at the library and from Wendy.

   • Replacement Trustee appointment status

     No one has stepped forward wanting the position as yet.

2. New Business
   • Nina leaves Sept 8, Lorie Brownell returns Sept 11
   • Increase Tech Services to 40 hrs/wk, Circ Lib to 35hrs/wk

     Wendy, acting as Acting Director, will increase the hours of the two positions, making use of money freed up by Nina's departure. Directors have the authority to make such adjustments in hours without a vote of the Trustees, this has often happened in the past.

   • Contract with Margaret Perkins approx. 12 hrs/wk to help LibDir

     Margaret arrived and provided the times she would be available. Nothing was decided.

   • Need budget by Sept 18 for how to spend additional STM money
   • Planning ahead: should Medway's Children's Librarian position require an MLS? (We revised it before Sally left saying it was required)

     The change requiring an MLS was made in part because the position is important, in part because without a reference librarian, our children's librarian winds up being "second in command", and in part because it was felt that it was good to have 2 staff members with MLSs (the Director is required to have one both by us and for certification).

     There was a general feeling that requiring an MLS doesn't jive with our straightened circumstances.

     Also it was unclear how much bearing an MLS actually has on the duties of a Children's Librarian.

     When Margaret arrived she generally agreed, feeling that an MLS was more relevant for a reference librarian and that library school didn't actually offer that much that was specificly useful for Children's Librarianing. She felt that knowledge of children's literature, of children's education, of children's early development, and plain showmanship were more important.

3. Next Regular Meeting Oct 3

   Wendy will try to arrive at a time when all (or at least a quorum) are available.