Board of Trustees Minutes (9/21/2020)
Wiggin Memorial Library
Stratham, NH
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Monday, September 21, 2020, 6:30pm
Virtual Meeting Via Zoom
I. Call to Order - Kate Kim called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm.
Attendees - Library Director Lesley Kimball, Library Trustee and Chair Kate Kim, Library Trustee Michael Hunter, Library Trustee and Treasurer Steve Simons, Library Trustee and Secretary Susan Wilbur, Library Trustee Joanne Ward, Library Alternate Trustee Mike Deutsch, Library Alternate Trustee Kathy Bower
II. Welcome / Guests
III. Review / Adoption of Minutes -
Steve moved to adopt the August 17, 2020 meeting minutes.
Joanne seconded the motion. Via roll call vote, all voted in favor.
IV. Director’s Report -
A. Lesley distributed it before the meeting. In general, services (appointments, curbside pickup) are going well. Lesley is going to the Stratham Select Board meeting after this meeting for a check in/recap of what has been happening at the library.
B. Digital circulation has increased dramatically this year. Moving forward, Lesley is looking to more money going into the digital collection.
C. The library book group on Zoom has been a big success. Now there are opportunities to look at new ways of offering services to the public, both remote and in person.
D. Steve asked about the self service pickup mentioned in the report. Assuming staff need to be working elsewhere, could trustees help with that? Or is there some other place trustees could help? Lesley shared that the self service pickup would be a convenience for patrons who couldn’t pick up books at the set curbside times - for example, shelves could be set up in the vestibule with the outer door open. Logistics still need to be worked out but this wouldn’t need to be staffed. Lesley will think about whether there is something with which the BOT could help.
E. Michael D. asked about how the contactless checkouts are going. Lesley shared that they are going well and she hasn’t heard any complaints from patrons.
V. Old Business -
A. Review BOT Work Calendar - Lesley distributed the BOT Work Calendar before the meeting. Looking at it, if we are taking things like the book sale and library lovers month off the table, Lesley asked if this is an opportunity for the BOT to work on something new?
i. Vero put together a small book sale table at Friday’s curbside pickup that was successful. Joanne asked if the book seller is taking
books to sell. Lesley said no since the library isn’t taking new donations right now, there aren’t any books to give him.
ii. There is a Zoom webinar on fundraising on September 29 at 1pm that Lesley shared with the BOT.
iii. Kathy suggested we use part of the October meeting to discuss fundraising.
iv. Regarding the Sweetgrass fundraiser, could we try it this year online? Joanne will reach out to see if that is a possibility.
B. Review “Schedule for Policy Review” - Lesley distributed the schedule before the meeting and asked if it seemed easiest to push all of these policy review deadlines out a year?
i. Joanne asked about a disaster plan for the library. Former Police Chief Scippa had given Lesley the schools’ plan a few years ago. Since
the library shares the building with the town, the library will follow their plan. A specific issue to the library is with regards to the
materials.
ii. Kathy asked Lesley which policies she thought should be reviewed. Lesley suggested reviewing next year the public health and illness
policies since they are new this year. Lesley can make a priority list with notes and send out to the BOT - moving a few to review in 2021
and moving the rest out to review in 2022.
VI. New Business -
A. 2021 Budget -
i. The Select Board has asked everyone to come in with a level-funded budget (zero increases). Lesley distributed the draft library budget for 2021 before the meeting. Salary expenses are the same at $407,599 and non-salary expenses are the same at $102,100. Lesley did change some of the allocations like increasing the equipment line (to make it match actual spending for the past years) and the collections line and decreasing the programming line.
ii. Discussion of library programming - online vs. in person... Kathy is a Program Chair for another organization that had to convert all their programming to online and attendance has been significantly better. Winter may be a time where people are looking for those type of connections with online programming. Lesley said now the most successful online program is the book group and that the library may need to offer different types of online programs - what was successful in person may not be successful online.
iii. Kate is in support of more money for digital collections.
iv. No budget deadline yet from the town - most likely some time in October.
B. Planning -
i. For 2021, Lesley would like to see the BOT create a one-year bridge document for this transition period. She started pulling some examples of documents she could share with the BOT. Is that a project of interest to the BOT? Kathy asked about adding the discussion to the agenda next time. Susan asked about reviewing the examples Lesley has. Steve mentioned that it is so hard to plan right now.
ii. Joanne asked about doing a virtual candidate night. Lesley thinks we can do it virtually, we just need to sort out the logistics to do it by Zoom. Lesley will touch base with Joanne regarding planning.
VII. Treasurer’s Report -
Lesley distributed the report before the meeting. Steve shared that the library has 29% of the year left and is in good shape. Lesley did submit a $7400 reimbursement to the town for COVID related expenses (CARES Act). If there is extra money available, Lesley is going to submit an idea to purchase a trailer and books for a mobile story-time/book checkout.
Kathy and Michael D. left the meeting at 7:42pm.
VIII. Executive Session -
Lesley requested an executive session. Joanne made a motion to go into a nonpublic session based on reasons A and C listed in RSA 91-A:3; Steve seconded the motion. Via roll call vote, all voted in favor.
Executive session began at 7:43 pm.
Steve moved to come out of executive session; Susan seconded the motion. Via roll call vote, all voted in favor.
The public session resumed at 7:58 pm.
Steve made a motion to seal the executive session minutes; Joanne seconded the motion. Via roll call vote, all voted in favor.
IX. Next Meeting - Scheduled for October 19, 2020, 6:30pm
X. Adjournment
Steve moved to adjourn the meeting; Joanne seconded the motion. Via roll call vote, all voted in favor. Meeting was adjourned at 7:59 pm.