Richmond Free Library
Trustees October 4, 2018 – 6:30-8 p.m.
Vote Approve September minutes
Treasurer’s Report – Keith
Librarian’s Report – Wendy
Review 2020 Budget Submission
Halloween planning
ALA Trustee’s Video – Advocacy (10 minutes)
Next steps with Selectboard in terms of building report.
Review revised Strategic Plan “Action Steps” document with updates of Items #1 and #5.
Discuss “Action Steps” for Goal #2: EXPERIENCES: The library plans to host activities that reach out to a broad spectrum of people to address the interests and needs of all community members.
Please note: In October we would normally review Library Policies with the Director. This will review will be tabled until the Director returns from leave.
Richmond Free Library
Trustees Meeting
September 6, 2018
Present: Jenna Bisset, Laurie Dana, Jana Brown, and Ellen Crary.
Absent: Keith Franz and Rebecca Mueller
Minutes Approved
Minutes from the August meeting were unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report
No report available, Treasurer absent.
Librarian’s Report
Although Rebecca was absent, she sent an email briefly updating trustees on the library. Rebecca stated that it was a very busy summer at the library and things have even picked up lately. Playgroup, Part 2 and home visits have begun and exciting speakers have been booked for this winter.
2020 Budget Planning (cont from Aug meeting)
Any budget increase of more that 2% needs to be in writing to the town. Book budget was increased $2000 as discussed. Trustees would like clarification on the other increases in 2018 and FY 2019 for the salary, health insurance, and retirement line items. All others seem on par with regular annual increases.
Via email to Laurie, Rebecca mentioned that managing community space is adding to staff time as is the increase on community outreach projects such as Part 2 and Home Visits. Laurie has sent out a letter to help with clarification on these items.
Town Facilities Plan Update
No trustee was able to make the recent selectboard meeting. Laurie will reach out to Christie Witters, Library selectboard liaison, to see if the selectboard has come up with a next step on implementing the update.
Strategic Action Plan- Item Five, Engagement
“The library will provide positive supportive interactions with all library visitors”
Move to Adjourn unanimously approved.
Richmond Free Library
Trustees Meeting Agenda
June 6, 2018 – 6:30-8 p.m.
Reminder: There will be no Trustees meeting in July due to the July 4th Holiday festivities. The next meeting will be Thursday, August 2.
Richmond Free Library Trustee Meeting Minutes
May 3, 2018
Present: Laurie Dana, Keith Franz, Rebecca Muller, Jana Brown, Ellen Crary
Absent: Jenna Bisset
Minutes from April Meeting- The minutes from April 12 meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s Report- There was no report available due to the Town Office not having them
available. It was brought up that the check deposits were still being sent in once a month as
there are not enough to be deposited every other week as per the auditor’s recommendation.
Librarian’s Report-
Rebecca reports that there has been a lot of “weeding” of books because the stacks are too full.
They are doing this based on circulation and it includes many Audio CDs. Discarded books and
CDs go in the book sale although the good Audio CD cases will be reused.
The summer programming is scheduled and the Friends have been asked for cash to support it.
Contractors for a new secure front door and people to do the sign have been called but they
have been too busy or are not getting back to Rebecca. Rebecca and Laurie will call a couple
more people.
Evolving Landscape ongoing art installation activity has been great and well received.
Protest Art by Coop Students that was inspired by Katherine Paterson’s book Bread and Roses
is up.
The June 5th Katherine Paterson event is anticipated to be full ticketed capacity. Rebecca
states that they will be 100 tickets available.
The State Fire Marshal came and checked out the back stairs in the meeting room. He stated
that it met code and would not need a gate.
Strategic Plan-
Laurie brought in a draft of the layout with photos and words from the strategic plan. She found
another layout example she prefered and would email it out to us (done before minutes
finished!) She stated that there were a lot of good photos that could be used. She is hoping the
final draft of the Strategic Plan will be one page.
It was discussed that we should have a trustee who is a liaison to the Friends of the Library.
Everyone agreed that this would be beneficial to both groups. It was agreed that Jana Brown
would be the Liaison to the Friends.
Jana and Laurie both attended the Vermont Trustee Regional Training that was held at the
Ilsley Library in Middlebury. They were impressed at how well it was run and how high the
attendance was (36 people). Several takeaways were shared at the meeting. One was that
there is a lot of information on laws in regards to privacy and the responsibility of the Library to
protect it. Another takeaway was the issue of excess budget. In one town’s Town Meeting, a
law passed that the library’s excess budget went into its reserve. The trustees discussed that
this would greatly benefit our library and the money could be used for building and operating
costs. An example that Rebecca used is that she could use this for the order for new computers
she is putting in. Laurie and Jana also learned more about how volunteers, while working in the
public space of the library, are expected to be like librarians. The trustees discussed that it
might be a good idea that there is a sign at the circulation desk when a volunteer is working at it.
Finally, it was mentioned that the trustees perhaps should have name tags to wear when we are
in the library or when we are at public events and volunteering for the library (Fourth of July etc).
It was discussed and agreed that future meetings will begin with one of the information trustee
training videos that are about the roles and responsibilities of a Library Trustee. This will be
added to the agenda starting this June. Our next agendas for the rest of the year will also each
revisit and revise one of the bullets on the strategic plan.
The trustees discussed ideas on how to come up with programming that attracted a more
diverse audience to bring them into the library. It was suggested that there be a program on
Financial Literacy. Other ideas include; digital citizenship, digital privacy, the roll of the library in
a democracy and in communities.
Respectfully Submitted,
Ellen Crary
Richmond Free Library
Trustees Meeting
Thursday, April 12, 6:30 PM, Mezzanine
Richmond Free Library
Board of Trustees
Meeting Minutes – April 12, 2018
Present: Jenna Bisset, Jana Brown, Ellen Crary, Laurie Dana, Keith Franz, Rebecca Mueller and Christy Witters, Selectboard Library Liaison
Minutes from March Meeting
The Minutes from the March 1, 2018 meeting were unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Keith reported that in the 9th month of our yearly budget, we should be at about 75% of budget expended and in almost all categories we are at or below that percentage. Based on the town auditors’ recommendation, Connie has asked if income from Community Room fees could be sent to the office more often than once a month. Trustees agreed with Rebecca that she could send over this income with the warrant twice a month.
Librarian’s Report – Rebecca shared the following items via email prior to the meeting – those items with Discussion indicated were topics for the meeting.
Election of Officers
The following slate of candidates for Officers was proposed: Laurie Dana, Chair; Keith Franz, Treasurer, and Ellen Crary, Secretary. The slate was elected unanimously.
Meeting Schedule
Trustees agreed that the Richmond Free Library Board of Trustees official meeting time will remain the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
Monthly Planning Calender
Trustees reviewed the revised Monthly Planning Calendar presented by Rebecca Mueller and feel that all of the necessary items are reflected.
Strategic Plan
Laurie stated that she will be working on the design for the strategic plan document and will have a draft ready for the May meeting. At that meeting, Rebecca will also present the action items under each category that the staff had developed for discussion and review. Geoff Urbanik suggested that the library present the strategic plan to the Selectboard at some point in the next few months.
Next Meeting:
The next Trustees meeting will be Thursday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Library.
Agenda items will include review of the Strategic Plan draft, update on sign quote, update on lock research.
Richmond Free Library Trustees Meeting*
Thursday, May 3, 2018
6:30 pm
*Meeting will be held in the mezzanine lounge, on the third level of the Library at 201 Bridge Street. Call Rebecca Mueller, Library Director, at 434-3036, or email rfl@gmavt.net, with any questions.
