This is the Franklin Township Public Library Board of Trustees meeting. It is Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025. I uh will call the meeting to order and we
should start with a pledge to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> And I will now call the role. Agnes Gulabana. >> Amy Arcawa >> here. >> Nicholas Champ, I'm here. >> Mayor Kramer here.
Deborah Kelly is not here. Tiana Gisham, no. Aisha Ali, no. And Kevin McNeel is here. >> January Adams, our director, is here.
This meeting is being held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law. Scheduled notification of this meeting uh schedule and notification of this meeting have been provided to the Courier News, the Home News Tribune, and
the Franklin Township Clerk. Copies have been posted in the library's estabule and are available at the reference desk. I would like to open this first public portion of the meeting. Is there any member of the public who would like to
speak at this time? Seeing none, I will close the first public meeting portion. Um I believe uh we've all gotten
a copy of the minutes of the August 27th meeting. >> Is there a motion to accept those meeting that meet those minutes? Um, I motion we accept the minutes uh after last month's meeting >> uh August 2 >> August
>> 27 >> 27 2025. >> I second that motion. >> Okay. Is there any discussion? Those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying I. >> I.
>> I. This is unanimously passed. And um January, would you like to go into our to your reports? >> Sure. First, we can do the financial >> um as far as I'm concerned, there's
nothing really outstanding about about any of them. >> I I agree. If anyone has any question about the financial reports, this is the time. Otherwise, we'll go on to the uh program
reports. Thank you. Um, guess I'll start with the national news. Baker and Taylor, I don't know how many of you are familiar with Baker and Taylor, but they've been around ever since ever since I was in library school
and got out. It's it's quite a blow to have them go out of business. >> Wow. >> But, um, there are the vendors and we already had accounts with, uh, Amazon and Ingram and there's even now it seems everybody wants to sell us books. So,
we'll be okay. Uh, it's just a little matter of getting used to ordering with a different company. On October 6th, Francis and Anna Demente came to the library to see the signage.
Um, and it was a really it was a really nice event. At their request, they just wanted family and their caregivers, so they were there. And then after um they looked at the signage, they had a tour of the children's room >> and u you could tell both of these women
really like children and children gravitated to them. It was just it was just a very nice short event. >> And let's see what else. And then we've got um we have the Manhattan Short Film Festival that started on September 30th and that always gets a pretty big um
attendance. And our youth services department has been to four back to school events. They went to Pine Grove, they went to CL, two at Claremont, and one at Samson G. Smith. I think
that was everything I wanted to say except if anybody has any questions or followup. >> No, thank you. Okay, there is no president's report today. Um,
would anyone like to comment on the correspondence that has been sent in our packets? >> I was confess I didn't get my accurate until today. changed the mail
>> coming out of Edison. >> Yeah. I mean, I usually I usually get it. They might have put it because it it was in a different a weird time. So maybe one of my neighbors got put in mailbox afterwards. >> I was surprised at the report of uh the
uh National Guard presence in the business district of DC. And um you know I called some people down there. They had not seen this must be spotty because nobody had seen
national guards. >> I just thought this was an interesting >> closer to the consequence. >> Yeah. And >> yeah that's too bad it's affecting business. Yeah. I can imagine, you know,
someone not, you know, feeling comfortable, especially growing up how, you know, you grew up in this country. It's not something >> I'm so proud. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> It's not something that's we're used to, but
I will read it. I didn't get a chance to. >> Okay. So, if there are no other comments about the correspondence, we should probably move on to old business.
And uh January, would you like to talk about the proposed building plans again? >> Actually, I'd like to go over the plans again, but I know >> three of you have already been through my spiel. I don't know how you feel
about having to do it again. >> Okay. >> So, this is what the architect has come up with. There was a lot of back and forth. Um, lot of staff input. Oh, this doesn't have a batteries in it.
Jay, this is your toy. >> The side switch to turn on >> Right on the side there's an onoff switch. >> Is it on? Yeah, I saw green. >> Nothing should be red. >> And then you hit the red like the red.
There you go. >> Where's my cat? >> I was going to say that's what >> the bottom goes in first, I think. I probably got it upside down. >> There you go. So, I have to hold this down while I'm doing it.
>> This is the red button. >> The sun. >> Yeah. >> There you go. >> Okay. So, we're going to I'm going to walk you around the building and show you the spots that we're concerned about. And as a point of reference, you are right over here now. This is where you are. So, we're going to start over
in the children's room. and the children's room. Uh we would like to have an additional bathroom. There's only one bathroom there now with one one stall. And when they have programs, they have as many as 60 people. These are young kids with their parents.
>> And if they can't make it to the if this is busy, then they have to come all the way over to here. >> So, a second bathroom really would be nice. Uh the other thing over in the children's room is to have a little outside patio so they can do story times and whatever during the summer in the
nice months that would what they do now is they go out in the lawn. It's nice but it's not so great. This would be nice. And then we have pavers around the edge of the back of the gallery um to prevent wash out of the soil what'sever back there. Uh moving on to the
circulation desk which is here the one we have now. patrons don't know what computer they're supposed to go to. It's it's very it's hard and it's too big. So, this would be a smaller one, the shape with just three three computers and much more easy for people to figure
out where they're supposed to go. Uh it would also enlarge the circ work room back over here and put a wall up here. Currently, the department head is like in an al cove and which means she has no
privacy. she wants to talk to a staff member. So, this would be putting in a wall and a door so she could have some privacy and talk to staff. Here we have more seating. It's dry. More seating. Um, and we
probably already have enough chairs and tables to do that. And the young adult room would be expanded. That's this room here. And at the end of it with a right now this is the media room that this would become a book sale room. So we
could get the parts out of the lobby and put them into their own little room right here. The um community room is on here because right now it's carpeted and as you can see we do have a little kitchen there. So we let people have food in there and it's a mess on the
carpet. We can't ever keep the carpet looking good. So, take out the carpet, put something that's hard, that's easy to clean. Over here, we have um one of the quiet study rooms that we want to add. There's one here. The computer office gets
enlarged uh because it's very cramped and crowded right now. And then there's another quiet study here and another quiet study here. The computers that you see when you walk
in here that the library computers with those big tables, those are going to get moved over here in front of the reference desk. So instead of being here, they're going over here in front of the reference desk. Then we have um
more storage right here. Another quiet study. Another quiet study. And this is this is the media room which is being moved from here over to here. And that's that media p P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P P PC where we do all where the they do all the um digit digitization of
documents and things like that for patrons. The um this stays here, this room stays here, but the historical room becomes this over here. >> And what do we have here? Oh, this is more storage.
This is here now. It's just um changing the recycling room to be bigger. But these rooms are already there. We're just changing the size of them. Bathrooms back here. These are the current staff bathrooms that they need
soundproofing because there's staff working right on the other side of the wall. And then we would have one door going back into the staff area. And since those doors right now are fire
exits, they can't be locked. They would be replaced by a door here to the outside and a door here to the outside. >> So those two doors, those would be the fire exits. >> That would be sufficient.
>> Well, one door, the door over here would stay. That's and would be locked and they would be replaced by two doors that way and that way that go outside. So there would always be two egress doors outside
>> that would not be locked. >> That would not be locked. >> And then you would be So >> and that's because >> in the past people have come back there. Yes. And um >> and that's where the staff and and
everything is. And right now you can't stop them from going back, >> right? >> That's a good idea. >> So that middle um where the computers are now, that's not going to be computers. >> It's right here. >> Yeah. >> No, they're moving over here.
>> So that would be completely open space. >> That would be chairs and a table. Chairs and table. also just like work like if you want to just sit but you or you can bring your own laptop or >> that's what that's what I know we talked about more and more people are bringing their own laptops just to use the Wi-Fi.
>> I like that. I like it separate from the circulation. I was actually at East Brunswick and they had a seating area but their computer lab is right by circulation. So if you're trying to do work, you're hearing everything that's going on in the circulation area which
can be distracting. And then I guess um those are all going to be new. The quiet rooms along the wall cuz we don't have any currently there. So they would build that like a lot of nice quiet rooms. >> Yeah, because that's what people want. They want to come in. They want to do Zoom, maybe take an interview, do
something like that. >> And I didn't even think about that. >> Yeah. Or they want to meet with somebody briefly. >> That's things like that. >> That's the big demand. And they they're just not using the library computers that much anymore. If you look out there now, there's what?
>> Yeah, there were three people when I came in. >> We used to have 36 out there now. >> And how many are in that plan? >> Eight. Um, >> looks like 12. >> 12. 12. Yeah.
>> And you'll still have those two quiet rooms in the corners that are >> Yes. But they're back here and they're here. When I first moved out here, we would have to sometimes wait for a computer, you know, or be
>> or have a certain amount of time, right? They would give you a certain amount. >> You you would get a certain an allocated amount of time. >> Now, we just let people go. >> You can just >> Yeah. >> I think it times out in an hour and a half now. >> Yeah. >> But if there's nobody waiting
>> Yeah. just wow. >> So, this would make life a lot easier for our patrons, I believe, because of the quiet studies and the um the extra bathroom
and circulation desk reshaped to be more welcoming. I think it's a good plan. >> Yeah, I think so. >> The extra bathroom definitely >> I know, you know, with the kids. Yeah.
>> Could imagine 60 kids in one bathroom. >> Yeah. >> A question about uh timing of this. When do we have to when would you like to be able to tell the architect,
accept the architect's proposal or some proposal from the architect? So is the board >> feels comfortable with the number. >> Is this something you might want the board to uh in the December meeting?
>> Okay. >> If not, we have November. >> You need some time to think. And there's some questions I have for the architects with um >> I do too. >> The roof and the HAC part of it >> because that I didn't go into. This is just the interior part which is actually
the most expensive part of it. But um I do have some questions and Nick does too about the roof and the HAC. >> So that I would hope to bring to you next meeting. >> We'll be ready to vote next. Uh >> well depending on
>> depending on the >> I think there are some >> well I think there's some discussion to have with the architect before >> I could even have the architect come to the meeting >> or maybe a separate meeting with the architect.
>> You could just come to the meeting >> if you wanted. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Questions? No. No, we're good. Okay. Under new business. Old business.
Is there any Is there any other old business? Seeing none, we move on to some new business. Specifically, the holiday closings for
uh 2026. Um, my own opinion is that u I'm sorry >> I'm fine with holiday closings. >> It's the blue one.
>> It's the blue one. I checked out the uh holidays. There's no >> I don't see any >> conflicts there. Is there a motion to um adopt the
proposed library closings for 2026? >> And I'm just like I said, I didn't get it. How many how many um more I know it was just the list look. Was it three more days? >> Oh, the weekends. Uh yeah, what I did was um since the Fourth of July is on a
Saturday, I added Sunday. >> Okay. >> And then on Christmas, since Christmas was on a Friday, I added Saturday. and Sunday cuz nobody's coming here, >> right? Okay. Um
>> motion to approve the holiday schedule. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Any further discussion on the closing schedule for 2026? Those in favor signify by saying I. I.
This has passed unanimous unanimously. Okay. And uh we have another schedule the meetings for this board. >> 12 p.m.
>> meetings for this board. Um, my opinion is that December 23rd is too close to a major holiday, Christmas, and uh, I would favor going to the 16th.
>> Yep. >> Agreed. >> I agree. >> Um, is there a motion to accept >> this? But yeah. um except >> with the change
>> pro proposal with the change of um adding December 16th and taking away December 23rd. >> Yes. Um I motion that we accept the um the
meeting schedule with the exception of changing December 23rd to would it would it be the 16th to the 16th? Yes. I second the motion. >> Is there any discussion?
Those in favor? >> I >> unanimously accepted. Okay, >> we've all seen the coin. >> Yeah. >> And I should say I used the wrong wording and it was a request. We've been
asked to have the coin available for sale here. That's what should have said. >> But we don't have to put out money in advance. >> No, we're just going to be collecting money and somebody will give us the coins to sell or or how does it work? Do
we take orders or are this the coins here? >> No. Bob L court will provide us with the coins and then we'll just give the money to them. So, I was talking with Bob on the way here
on the phone. Um, they have this box that turns into a display, but I don't know that you want to leave that on a counter with a bunch of coins cuz your person turns around. >> So, we He has a sign that talks about
the coins. Could leave that out and the coins could be interlocked. area. >> Okay. >> And then >> that sounds good. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Especially if you get some gold. >> Somebody will bring us the sign. >> Oh, yeah.
>> Okay. >> And how else have you is is are we going to be like exclusively um selling? >> No, I think they want to sell them as many places. >> I think they're asking for other businesses >> to to sell them into the Okay.
>> Yeah. And I'm and I'm sure they probably have a way online. Maybe >> they're working with that. There's also going to be some restaurants. >> Yeah. >> So the whole there's also this passport which this is you wouldn't be involved
with. But the passport will have say 20 restaurants maybe maybe barber shop in there too or something. But people go to that establishment and they get their books stamped
>> and so it brings foot traffic into the establishments and they advertise what we get back is they advertise other events and they may be selling the coins. >> Oh, okay. >> That's a good idea.
>> And all of this is to raise money for the Franklin 250 celebrations that we're going to have throughout the year. first money. Glenn Glenn McParland designed the coins and um they're beautiful.
>> Don't think you'd be able to get a good picture of them, but uh >> uh they're uh >> pretty big. I don't know. >> Um Peter, >> they're pretty probably >> they're pretty pretty big. They're heavy
>> and um >> the initial money goes to reimburse his expenses. He's not making anything off of it. >> And we hope to get around $6,000 >> um to make his the town have to put out
as little as possible for the celebration. >> Yeah. >> Well, I don't know. Basically, $6,000 would go too far, >> you know. But the green actors are usually they want they want gas money
for >> lunch. Yeah, >> they like doing it. >> Yeah. I don't know if they will by the end of the year. >> Yeah. To be busy next year.
>> Yes. So, is there a motion to become to enter into the coin business? >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, I motion that that um,
how do I phrase that? That that >> we uh allow or what did you say? It was a >> that the library is a point of sale. >> Yeah. >> For the Franklin two 200 250 coin, >> right? that we allow the library to be a
point of sale for the uh Franklin >> coin. Is there a second? >> I second the motion. >> Seconds. >> Any further discussion on the coin? Those in favor signify by raising a
hand. that uh we are in the coin business. This has this has passed unanimously. >> Expect to see all of you in your mind. >> Yeah, definitely. I definitely want >> I already have one. >> Oh, you got that one.
>> You're ahead of the curve. I did. I got it at the uh at Franklin Day >> when they were first for sale. >> Okay. >> They're already on the market. >> They are. I was an early adopter. It's too bad they're not numbering this
cuz my husband is on the fragment too. >> Mayor Craig, >> I'd like to uh open the second portion, the public portion of this meeting. Is there any member of the public who would like to speak now that we've discussed
all of these things? Seeing none, I will close the public portion. and confirm that our next meeting will be November 19th, 2025. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> I will make a motion to adjourn
>> and I'll second. >> Those in favor? >> I. >> We are adjourned.