um like to call to order the March 16th um meeting of the Kingston Public Library Board of Trustees. It is 608. Um the first item on the agenda. In attendance, we have [laughter] virtually Trusty Lee Lewis.
We also have Emily Bruce. We have Andrew Costa, Jen Quackenbush, and myself, Emily Curtain. and library director Donald Cullen. Um the first item on the agenda is minutes approval from our um meeting earlier in March which was a delay from the February meeting because
of weather. Does anyone have any edits or changes additions to that set of minutes? All right. Not seeing any. I'll take a motion to accept the minute as presented. >> I move to accept the minutes as presented from the March 2nd meeting. >> Second.
>> All in favor? I >> right. Any opposed? Not hearing any, then we'll accept the minutes as is. Um the next item is our policy on solicitations which we discussed last week and some changes were made. And so
now in front of you, you have the edited version. Hopefully you've had a chance to look it over and if there's anything that you would like to add or change or just comment on. Um, one sticking point when we looked at it last week was the last bullet because
we needed to have language in there specifically about candidates with nomination papers. That was the thing that um, didn't appear previously. And we also changed, if you remember, um, we modeled it from a policy where
the library director was making decisions about sales and solicitation and now we changed it to the board of trustees. It looks good to me. I don't have any changes or questions or notes. >> I think it's pretty solid.
>> Okay. So, when we Donald, anything from you? >> Nothing for me. It looks good. >> So, when we um vote on a policy, we have to do a roll call vote. So, we'll just go around the table. So, we'll start with you, Emily, and we'll end with you, Lee, just because that's where your head's popped up [laughter]
at our table. Um, but just if you could um I need to make a motion for the policy to be accepted, the um revised version of the solicitation policy to be accepted >> um first and a second to that um and
then we have to do a roll call vote. >> So someone has to move first. >> So if someone could move um this version of the solicitation policy. >> I will move this version. >> Okay. And a second. >> Second. >> Perfect. So now we can do the roll call vote. >> So I have to say my name.
>> Emily Bruce, I vote. Yay. >> Andrew Costa, yay. >> Jen Quackenbush, yay. >> Emily Curtain, yay. >> Lee Lewis, yay. >> Okay. And we have unanimously passed the solicitation process. So we um I can get
you this version with the date at the bottom so that we can put it on the Okay. Maybe >> get a frame copy. [laughter] Thank you to the Newton Free Library. >> Yeah, [laughter] thank you very much. >> Um, okay. So, the next item on the
agenda is a budget update and we just met two weeks ago, so [laughter] our items will be short and sweet. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Um, so as far as the budget, we did have a meeting with the um finance committee. Um, we presented the budget.
Um they did have some questions about the budget specifically the three accounts that did go up. Um which I was able to you know justify and explain. Um one was the software account which was due to the fact that a year ago a vendor
went out of business. We had to get a new vendor. The new vendor was more expensive. Um because the previous product was archaic. It worked. It was very basic. the newer ones all come with bells and whistles and bells and whistles cost. >> Um and we had used state aid at that
time to get the product in but now it needs to be added to the budget. Um so there was that budget. Um there was also the assessment to OLN that was the um other large increase which was based due
to the formula change that OLN implemented. Um and then obviously you know the general salaries due to steps and things. Um so they did have questions about certification. I was able to answer those and um you know I
could do a filibuster you know lecture on all of it. um which these handouts will be great to give to them um for next time. So they did take a vote on the budget and they did um pass it unanimously. Um so that is good.
Obviously >> this was the first meeting that um you know the budgets have come up as things um you know evolve either you know changes to the cherry sheet as well as any um increases from schools or other
budgets. you know, we may um you know, be asked um you know, to take another look at the budget. There was um one of the questions that was asked for all the departments was that if a cut needed to be made, where would you make it? Um and
so I said the two cuts, you know, if there were any cuts, um it would be personnel and um the materials budget and the situation with the materials budget and then elaborate on, you know, the certification process. um you know
and I basically said that you know without actually having a concrete number as an example you know I mean if it was a case of like you know $5,000 or some nominal amount you know that could potentially be you know one account over the other um you know but without having
that hard ask it would be difficult to answer but those would be the bigger pools. We have a $350 a year postage line that's not going to cover it. we have a $2,000 um you know general expenses for like
ink toner and things like that for the library. Um that's not going to be a heavy hitter per se, right? >> Um so but those were you know the interest that I gave with those. Um so yeah so they did that particular night they did have normally when they have
the finance committee meetings it's usually like four departments or so that they did they actually had 16 >> um you know because we are kind of later in the game >> um >> and stuff. So um but at this point um this is where we're at. So we got the
first yay. >> I will say for those of you if you have not seen Donald in action with presenting the budget it is something to behold. >> [laughter] >> Yes. [clears throat] >> Well, there was, you know, this is one thing I'm very comfortable with speaking
on. [laughter] >> Which is good because you don't want to get questions you can't answer. So, if you're very, you know, all the ins and outs and all the weeds and you can answer. It's important. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. It would be bad if we couldn't. >> Yeah. >> Well, that's good. I'm glad we made it through. >> Yes.
>> For now. >> Yeah. We'll see. >> Yes. It's a good spot. >> Okay. we can go right into the director's report from there. It's on the agenda. >> All right. So, obviously, you know, my report as well as the other librarians is going to be a little bit appreciated. Um
so you know um we as I mentioned in my report we did um in just now that I did attend the finance committee meeting um and I previous prior to that met with the town administrator and the town accountant to revi to review our budget and talk about you know strategies for
the future um for presenting budgets um to the committees. Um, I did meet with the librarians um to discuss upcoming programming, summer reading, internal budgets. It is that time of the year that we look at where we're at um making sure that money that hasn't been spent
needs to be spent by June 30th. Um, and looking to see where there may potentially be shortfalls that needs to be um picked up in other um areas. Um I did begin um evaluating the adult section here for um kind of layout
changes for this area. Um looking at um getting rid of some of the furniture that is not widely used, i.e. the atlas stand. Um some of the sections um book sections such as the career center materials um those were not um
extensively used um and so those have been um interfiled with the regular non-fiction um their labels still remain. So basically ultimately you know some of the bookcases over here will be removed as well and there is also ideas to um
make a change to the reference desk um as far as relocating it um and opening up floor space for you know more displays and making it more accessible in this area. Um as far as facilities um the awning is
currently being framed. My understanding is that the awning canopy itself has been sewn and put together and now it's a matter of um the framing. So hopefully in the coming weeks once the weather is a little bit nicer and so forth that they'll be inad.
>> Um so they're doing that. Um I did reach out to the sign company to get any updates about the LED sign and I have nothing to report on that. Um so we'll let me touch base with them again. Um
but that is really everything of notice in my report. Um if there are any questions I will gladly answer them. >> I'm seeing any um the staff reports they went out with the policy. They were also
um short and sweet like Donald. But any questions or concerns? >> That's great. Okay. Um, foundation and friends update is the next bullet on the agenda and they're actually having their meeting after we are. So, I'm sure we'll have more at the
April meeting. Um, but I don't have anything from them at this moment. >> Um, and then payment of bills. We don't have any. >> Next meeting, I believe we might old business. >> Old business may
>> new business. >> Okay. So, I have two items for new business. One is just it's more of a mention. Um, every year Hope Floats um asks permission to utilize the library's parking lot memory lock. >> Correct. >> They use ours too.
>> Yeah. So, they they've asked and they actually sent me the email today and I said I well, as a matter of fact, I can mention it tonight. Um, you know, it has never been a problem. It hasn't um greatly impacted, you know, the library um as far as, you know, access for our
patrons and stuff like that. So um it's I gave them the okay that you know this is just an ongoing you know ask that we graciously help as there have been other events that the foundation has done that they've asked to use their their
parkings as well. So it's um you know been a reciprocal relationship. [snorts] Um the other thing that's on the list for new items is I did have a request for um from a staff member concerning
the 4th of July holiday which is on a Saturday. Um the ask is that we close both Friday and Saturday.
Um, in the past the library would make changes like Memorial Day weekend for example, they'd close on Saturday, but staff would have to use their earned time off. And my view with that was that um I don't think it's fair for staff to
have to use their own time. However, when working with um bodies of um you know working groups, you know, one of the you know, we have a one part of our staffing is union and
there are set holidays and things. Um so, for example, if we were to close the Friday, Saturday, it would be the question of whether or not people would have to use their time on that Friday would as well. Then if we opted to say
no, we're going to forgo it, just kind of give it to them, then um there could be an issue for um outside the library unit as far as the other union members seeing, you know, people getting an extra day
>> um sort of thing as well as um we have one staff member who does work both Friday and Saturday. So if it was a situation of um you know folks um getting the day off then this you know the staff member would get the two days
which then could you know cause conflict with others as well. Um I personally in union negotiations for example were coming up and my personal view with this is that um as I've worked with under contracts that had specific language for
the library you know concerning Saturdays you know when a holiday falls on a Saturday this is how we do it in this building that building what have you have it all explained out and I think that's what needs to you know kind of be done with that. Um so the the ask
was made um in the past you know it for Labor Day and for Memorial Day weekend that was the practice but then we got away from that practice um and so the ask has been made. >> So it's up to us to discuss it and >> decide
>> do we have quum? >> We do. So they ask us to have Friday and Saturday off to put forth without being forced to use personal time to take those days off. >> Saturday's already off. >> Saturday.
>> Correct. Correct. >> Correct. Right. >> So, and what I do >> nothing in the union contract right now that for the employees have that stipulates anything about this yet. >> Correct. as far as oh, if the holiday falls on Saturdays, um it basically has
a listing of um the holidays and says these are the holidays um that folks are eligible for. What I do have is a memo from the town administrator as it relates to the townhouse um because that was also a question since town hall is
open Monday through Friday, Monday through Thursday. um how would the other the weekend holidays affect them as as far as Saturday? Um and from this listing and I did confirm it um basically they will not get those
holidays. It was something that was negotiated at the time for the closures. So for example um the um Junth is Friday June 19th and people are not getting a closing holiday for that. Independence
Day is Friday, July 3rd. People are not getting a holiday for that, a floating holiday for that. And so on. There's like four of them that will impact that. Um, >> correct. Because that's what was was an aside agreement for that closure for the
four days that are are whose conditions or whatever they've been offered should be considered here, too. Who else are we talking about that might be negatively impacted by this being given to library employees and not to them? Is that you see what I'm getting at? I'm trying to think.
>> Well, the thing is that regardless of whether or not it's a it's an entity like recreation that's Monday through Friday or um a a town hall being Monday to Thursday,
the action of giving additional time whatever the mechanism is will be looked at could potentially be looked at by any working group whether it's you know >> so we did this for the library employee the townhouse employees are not being
given anything equivalent. So they're in a way we're giving extra time off. Yeah, I get that. >> Yeah. And that's and that's where the rec departments >> they are open on Friday. So they'll be closed Friday for that for um Fourth of July. >> So they're already going to be closed.
>> Yeah. >> So they're already getting what the library want. >> Yes. >> And what the townhouse isn't getting. >> It's not a little different though because not open Saturday, >> right? That's the That's the >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Well, and I say I feel like I've said this before when we've discussed it. I wish that the union could figure out how to accommodate because obviously the the individuals that work in the library work with very different schedules than
>> our like well used to be Monday through Friday but now it's Monday through Thursday for a great portion of them. >> Yeah. >> So it's very different. So when they do their negotiations they should be figuring out all this nitty-gritty. >> Right. Right. And that is starting >> there should be
ensure that. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. >> Donald, I feel like when we voted on this last summer or last spring, um we voted last year for to not close on those extra days, but asked for some data to be kept to see whether the
library was really being used on those days. Do we have any of that information around like how many people visited or um how many book checkouts happened those kinds of things to see because I know part of it was also around like the community but
>> um it like if if closing it doesn't have any impact on the community and any impact on um like potential impact but no like guaranteed impact on any other areas. Maybe this would put some pressure on
them to even it out if I don't know. It feels a little logical to me to close on the Friday where the other buildings are closed just cuz we're opened more frequently than they are. Um and so I was just curious because I vaguely remembered that maybe we had tried to
gather some information last time. >> So the request actually came in today. Um so the data hasn't been hadn't been collected for that. I can take a look at it. The only thing that I would comment on with it is the fact that it is um
being the 4th of July that it does float. So it may skew the data. So depending on the day of the week the holiday fell >> it may impact. >> Yeah. You know >> it's not directly comparable to any day last year bas
>> potentially. Potentially >> but it is still only March. So, this is, you know, something that we can discuss again. Um, and I can provide the data for it. >> I that's that's my preference. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I'd be curious to see the data
because to be honest, I'd be inclined to give to take the Friday off along with the rest of the town, but I'd be curious to see if even though it's not an apples to apples comparison, whether July 3rd of last year was somehow a a frequent
day. You know how many people how many how many people from the community we'd be displacing who might be coming to the library expecting it open. >> Do we have to make a decision tonight or [clears throat] we kick this to the April meeting? >> Yeah, we can do that. Yeah, it is only March. Yeah,
>> we could probably kick it to the main meeting. I'm not saying >> like we're not we're not in a >> Yeah. Yeah. I just also will need to speak to HR pertaining to this. Yeah. Um as they are going getting into negotiations just to make sure that we don't make any decisions that could
impact um >> you know anything as far as you know setting precedents and so forth about this. That's what makes me uncomfortable. Like I don't want to be dipping my toe into the pool of the rest of the town union
>> decisions or what they decide to do about >> right time off or recognize time off. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, like you said, union contract should provide par here. So, I don't think you can say yes to this like
contingent on obviously what the union contract's going to say after the negotiations, but I would I don't know if there's a way to give us an out to say yes to this, but also be like, but this needs to be more this needs to be become policy in some way, shape, or form so that this vote doesn't have to keep happening.
>> And then and this same discussion where we're like, oh, well, it seems like it would be a nice >> thing to do, but the purpose of the library is to serve the community and to be open at certain times. And there's really no reason they couldn't be open on Friday. >> Yeah.
>> So that's where like >> I mean they may not elect to have programming that day because but that doesn't mean people won't be using the library that day. >> You also have adjusted hours like >> I know I thought I had asked Donald if they were if they had requested half a
half day an early closure that day. >> Yeah. >> Um or or if it was the full day off but it was the full day off. >> So they wouldn't accept a half day. Is that not on the table? >> It wasn't It wasn't brought to me. It was full day was what was brought. So that's why it was brought here for
>> maybe if we're gonna vote on this next month. We can find out if just what what their parameters are if they if a half day would not that we're going to go that way, but just know what our options are, where their boundaries are. >> I I have no idea
>> what >> what what I would decide. I'm inclined to give it to them, but I also don't want to make things difficult for HR, for the other union employees, for other town departments. Like, I don't want to, >> you know, I don't think it's worth that. And I think if I had strong evidence
that it would create ripples, I would say no. >> But, you know, >> well, this was just the introduction to it. >> So, I guess as long as we have statistics from even though we know that it was just a weekday last July 3rd, right? It was a third.
This is a Friday, then it's a was a Thursday. >> Yeah. >> So, if we could at least look to see if there's traffic. >> Yeah. >> I'd almost wonder if it was busier than your average day.
>> Well, I mean, school's already out, so it's it's going to be >> a non-school day. You know, that's why I was wondering about children's programming if they would probably elect not to do anything that day. But but I don't know if >> And [snorts] it's prior to the summer of rec
starts the following week. They start like the 6th or whatever it is. Um yeah. So I guess if we just have the data from July 3rd of last year just to see whether
>> I can get the data for few days before few days after just so that >> we have the week. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Well again every time I think it's a completely different job but they're all in the same union. like this is a
completely different setup with the nights and the weekends and >> yeah [laughter] well you had also said you wanted to chat with HR too decision here so maybe that would be also a good thing to happen in the next month before we vote on this because he could learn something that we that would change
>> that would impact our decision in ways we can't information >> yeah so I say we add it to next month's agenda and do some research before then >> vote next Sounds good to me. Um, anything else
under old business? >> Anything else under new business? Feels like old business because we've had the conversation [laughter] before. >> So, I'm not seeing anything. I will take a motion to adjourn at >> second. All in favor? Hi. They're
officially adjourned. Thank you, Lee.