[Music] Rip it.
And we can do it. Very good. Well, welcome to the uh May 2025 Milton Public uh library trustees meeting. Uh first on our agenda is citizen speak. I see no citizens here. Um with that said, I will
move on to next which is reorganization of the board and I will turn it over to you Chris the chair of the whatever the chair of the nominating committee. Um take it away. So, we have a slate to put forward um to ask for your vote to one
renew Will as our chair. Um or Jim, I'm sorry. Jim. Jim. What did they call you? Will. That's all right. I was Well, I pointed to you, but I didn't mean that. Sorry. Um Heisen as treasurer and Susan
um agreed to stay on as secretary. I'll make that a motion. I guess that's okay. Thank you. Any discussion or a second? I'll second it. There we go. All in favor? I Thank you very much.
Congratulations. Congratulations. You too. And hi, Cynth. I'll I'll help you get in touch with Mike Mto about um getting signed up. Are we still with Rockland Trust? We're still with Rockland Trust. So, yep. Okay. My name is still on there. Does she have to get rebonded?
I'll I'll check with uh I think my name is still there. They might have removed it, so we'll have to check. Okay. Awesome. Very good. All right. Moving on to the secretary's report in the approval of the March 10th, 2025
minutes. Anybody have any corrections? I have a slight one. I do believe I was in attendance. You were. Are you sure? Are you sure? I think I Yeah, you were there. Yeah, he was you were there. Yeah. All
right. Thank you. We'll make that correction. Do believe I chair that one. Any other discussions or questions about the minutes from the March 10th meeting? That I'll take a motion for approval.
Motion to approve. Thank you, Heisen. Second. Thank you. All in favor? I I'm going to abstain. Yes. Very good, John. Hi. Very good. All right, moving on to the report of the building committee. Right back to you,
Chris. Any updates on parking or Um, no. We kind of been on hold just because of the whole political season. Um, but our next step was to try to get a meeting with the select board. So, now that we have a new select board,
seems like we can try to begin that. So, I mean, one of the I guess one of the things that I'd want to talk to the trustees about, I don't know if we'll maybe need a meeting in the summer or not, but is if we decide to think about putting an article in the fall, um to
maybe form a committee, a formal um another library building committee if you will, or a library parking committee or whatever. Um so, that's just kind of a thought I have. It's not anything definite and you know you guys would all be a part of that decision if we did that if we if we thought we could go
forward and we had something to go forward with. So okay the next step is to having is it which you remember? Yeah. So Cheryl's been a bit busy and and tied up with trying to get
some zoning approved for the June meeting and the July deadline. Yeah. And I we had talked about waiting for the whole political season to come to an end. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. So, um isn't building and grounds on the same
committee or is building separate from building and grounds? It's the same committee. It's the same thing, right? Yeah. So we've always been discussing you know the earns for the library and um that's been going on for almost 12 12 years now that we haven't done anything
with those earns and um we've been talking and talking and talking and talking and our focus keep turning away from it but every time people meet me this says when are you going to put the earns up on the library you know it doesn't look complete without it you know and all these things so so maybe
just can I ask if anybody has any comments related to the building or questions or whatever for me. So that sounds like a good idea. So okay. So were the earns not there because they're broken or have they got one of the there's one urn up and one urn broke. Um
and then we looked into replacing it and it involved getting um forklifts and equipment up onto the patio which became a challenge. But since we put in the walkway for the patio area, they can now get equipment up there. And I've been
working with Tom McCarthy on it. Um, but they wanted the patio project to be done before we did that. Yeah, because two days ago, somebody asked me about it. Okay. How much does that cost? They're not insignificant. Yeah, they're a couple thousand dollars.
And we're buying two to match or we're still trying to figure out if we can match it or not because it's the other one's aged. So, right. Any other So, you're going to pursue that? Yeah. No, I've already been working on it with Tom. So, yeah. Okay.
So, meeting with the select board for the parking and then you're going to pursue the for the erns, right? Any other questions or concerns with building in grounds? Where would the funding come from for
the earns? Uh, so once we get pricing, depending on how expensive it is, we might be able to use some of the state aid funds that we have. If it's more than that, we would come to the trustees and see if we could use some of our building fund money for it. Okay. Yeah.
There's also a chance that consolidated facilities might pay for it because that's been part of our conversation. So, we'll we'll see. Yeah. Any other questions? Just speaking of the consolidated, anything happening with um
custodians? Um, yeah, because of the override situation this year, there was no talk of adding custodians to consolidated facilities as a position. I mean, there was talk prior to the override, but because we were looking at budget cuts, they didn't talk
about adding positions there. Um, so we're just going to continue with our the cleaning service uh cleaning pros that we've been doing instead, which is not replacing a custodian because it's only every couple months, but it's a deeper it's a deep clean when we do it.
Uh, so that's going to be a conversation that we'll start again in the fall um to bring it back up with the town administrator and consolidate it. Were you able to get one of those deep cleans done during the break? weren't trying to squeeze it in a um
No, we didn't get it because one the original cleaning company backed out. So, we had to get another quote and do another group and we're we're hoping to get it done um in May. We have a date set up for it. Yeah, we're going to try to do it on a Sunday now that we're closed on Sundays and it'll it won't uh
in inconvenience anybody. It'll be easy for them to do it. Yeah. And it's going to be three waves, too, because we're heading towards summer. Yeah. After we don't we're not open on Sundays um from Mother's Day to Indigenous Person's Day, I think.
Yeah. Yeah. Um and so that'll be a perfect time for them to do it. Uh and we were originally going to have them do it in three different steps, but we might be able to do at least two at once, if not all three now, because we'll be because they won't be working around our schedule.
Any other questions or comments? Seeing none. Well, I guess just another building as long as we're talking about the building is um I think we told you guys about some young woman that came, right? Um came to us looking for a way to honor her mom who worked at the
library. She was I think the assistant director or whatever. Yeah, it was well before my time. So, I don't know the exact title, but it was Anyways, we've been kind of going back and forth with how much money did they have and wanted to spend and Will was suggesting some things that they did because she used to
work in the the old entrance, which is the front entrance. She worked on the side there. So, they um came up with an amount of money. I think it was $5,000. They sent us a check and um Will and Sarah are working on doing some work. So, we think we're going to put some
chairs and some changes to that front room there by the fireplace where the large reading books are um with some kind of little plaque or whatever in memory of their grandmother. So, yeah. Um to update that room a little bit. So, yeah, we've been looking at replacing the furniture, maybe putting um some
rugs down as well and and like you said, the the plaque. Dan uh Hackers, who's still kind to comes in and does some of the local history stuff for us. uh remembers her. So, um we've been talking to him um just about her tastes and
things so we could try to get a little piece of her in the when we do it. So, maybe we could have it done in September. Do a little for the open house. For the open house, you know? Yeah. Have something for Absolutely. Awesome.
Would you think about putting the black on the furniture as opposed to on a wall just we don't want to clutter up? I don't think it was on the furniture. Yeah. No, I mean we So her office was right in a in a nook right in that um in
that large print room. So we were thinking about putting it on the wall where her office would have been in her desk. It it's not going to be a hu it'll be a modest size plaque. So, how long did she serve there? Uh, she was there 20 plus years.
Yeah. Uh, and she continued to use the library as um for years after she retired. So, this was her granddaughter who's maybe 30, I don't know, to find guests. And her grandmother always brought her to the library and her mom
used to go to library and they used to do book clubs after the grandmother, you know, retired. the the grandmother would do book clubs with the granddaughter and the daughter and you know and other people in the family or whatever. So she you know kind of instilled the library
love to her daughter the the granddaughter's Elise Hennessy. Yeah it was I think it was Piaza Eileen Piaza yeah I it was before anybody here everybody here but I mean it was
somebody Sylvia knew her very well. She was really good friends with Silia. Yeah, Sylvia and Deian were the two that Yeah. Yeah. And is granddaughter local here in Milton? She's not anymore. Um, but is there family here though? Yeah, she still has family. Yes. No, there's people who could come. She's not. Yeah,
they're not too far. Yeah. Yeah. So, I count to eight in my head. Usually, that's good. Six. three. Okay. All right. Moving on. Next on our agenda is report of the personnel committee and uh talk about survey results. Over to
you, Mr. Paul. Yeah, our survey we had over a hundred um folks take it, which is lower than we've had in the past. three points got up to 400 uh maybe the first or second time uh we did it but still statistically significant and our results are very positive. Uh if you
recall one of the main reasons that we were doing it um in the beginning was uh ask folks to give folks opportunity to um tell us anything that they wanted or needed. But also we were in the process of becoming more modern. And so one of the big questions we had is is the library up to date? How do you find the
web page? How do you find the internet? And those are all very strong responses of those who took this survey. Uh so it's a small sample size but if there was anything that was upsetting or not upsetting but out of the norm uh we would be concerned about it which should should pop up uh and it didn't and the
results are there uh for you to see and um that'll be included um as part of our data point uh when we meet with our director uh before the May or the June should be before the June meeting uh to do our end of the year evaluation checkin.
Um, and I'll just say responses were down. So was the average age, which was more people under 40 than the last couple. More women than the last couple. Um, 89% of the respondents said they
come to the library at least monthly. And like Paul said, 93% said they were able to find what they want. 100% felt safe. 99% said it was up todate. Um, and there was a question about if it would impact how how you'd be impacted by
closing or hours or something and 95% of the people said that they would be significantly impact. So, um, that's good. And then there's the fill-in- thelank type questions is what Sarah and I kind of pour over a little bit more. I mean it was also positive and I just wonder if the ser I mean it was great
idea when we started this but is it good to keep sending the same survey and the same questions since the response is now you know not even 200 people are responding but sure well we've updated so it's not the exact same survey we've we used it co and but yeah I think
that's a good question to ask uh in December when it comes time again another way to get people's input I don't know Yeah, it's always good to update it. Yeah. And but it's also the intent is having some avenue. We always say that we have an opportunity to collect information from folks that can
be anonymous. And so that's if you didn't uh see that survey then next year there'll be another one opportunity. Right. So I always like to have the open door for folks to have an opportunity to give information other than saying that there's no way to
but yes, it should be. I wasn't suggesting just getting rid of I don't changing it or I don't know doing something to make it be different or make them think that. Yeah, we it's good to keep a combination of some of the same questions so you can track yourself
and then like Paul we did some COVID specific questions during CO but maybe it's time to update what the next wave of new questions would be. Yeah. So you do one or two surveys. You said December. Well December is when we post it. So yes, we do one survey a year
around from December into through January. So these results are from January. Yeah, these are the hot off the presses results. Okay. We left it open. We we ran it we ran it a little later this year. Let let it go
till March. Yeah. Uh most people do it in January. Yeah. That's when we that's when we used to do it and then we throw it around on the on the Facebook and all different library channels. Yeah, very good. That's all. Thank you, sir. Thank you for your
report. Uh, moving on to the equity inclusion. Is there a report or are we just looking to Susan's on it too, right? So, it's Susan, Jamie, and I. Um, and I'll just Jamie was planning to come and um ask
for um a motion to approve up to $7,500 for the open house event. Um that would primarily pay for the food trucks, but also for the face painting and some of the other pieces of that. Um, we've
been working with the friends and I think we've settled on local Larry's tacos, which just sounds funny to say, and Cookie Monster again for desserts. Um, we sold out of those last year, so we're doubling that order. Uh, the
friends are going to um um they've helped set up the um the invoicing for that. And then once we get highest on the checkbook, we can cut the checks to those um to the food trucks. So, and we've been doing this from the general fund for the last two or three years
now. For how much? 7,500. You've been doing the 7500. Um I think we've done 6,000 but had to come back last year. So, what about the drinks? How that fun the end? Um so, we're getting the So, that would this would fund the drinks,
but we're not getting them through the food trucks. We're going to get them separately cuz it's less expensive. Yeah, good point. So, do you need a motion to So, I'll move that we authorize up to 7500 for
the inclusion event for second in September. The general. Thank you, Paul. Any questions or discussion? So, then same agenda as the idea is the spirit but right um donuts or no donuts or no no donuts this year. Cookies. Cookies or
Cookie Monster. Cookie Monster. I have a picture of my little one and a halfyear-old granddaughter with one in each hand and she was like happy as a clam. Yeah, I I like the donuts, too. But I like the Cookie Monster. Cookie Monster is pretty good because you get scoop ice cream, too, I think. Right.
Did you? Yeah. Yeah. You did? Could we bring the food trucks inside? Um, yeah. I was going to about to then we'll really need clean. You can't let them near the box, you know, with the sticky fingers. Some to serve something to
make. Yes. Yeah. That the donuts we were able to do inside. So the Yeah, the donuts are downstairs. Yeah. So I know there was an issue last year with the 7500 twice. Was that fixed? Yes. All in favor? I think we had a motion
and a second on the floor. I I second that. I second. Okay. Very good. Report of the finance committee town meeting updates. Um I don't think there's much
to report. Um the override passed. Um so that's the budget we'll be working on tonight at town meeting. Um the libraryies budget is on the consent agenda. So if if the consent agenda stays as is, the library will be
included on that. Um and the other piece that is on the town meeting tonight for the library is the request for the capital committee for a generator for $350,000. That's something we'd worked with facilities on. Um I attended well
John Folkarelli attended many meetings of the cabinet committee. Um in this the generator was discussed not so much in the fact of that the library needs a generator but more in light that other buildings also need generators. Um the
library needs a generator for a number of reasons. I think the primary reason is safety. Uh we lose power more often than we should. Uh and when we do, um it can trap both the family communities that might be
downstairs with strollers and no elevator to get out. Uh and some of our senior population who might be either in the balcony or looking at books or they could be downstairs for a program and again no elevator to get out. So it so it's it's an access issue. It could be a safety issue. Um we've had a number of
building issues due to surges. Um, and it also prevents or presents an opportunity for the library to become a heating and cooling station for the town of Milton. Um, you need to have a generator to be a heating and cooling station. And as um the summers seem to
get uh inordinately warmer, um it's a good place for people to come and cool off during the summer. So, those are all reasons why the warrant committee um and the and the capital committee approved uh the generator to go to town meeting.
So, we'll see. We're a building to provide heat and cooling for the town. We could be we we could become like I think the COA is a a cooling station now. What they the town can list like if there's a heat wave that you can go to the library between 9:00 and 9:00 to cool off. It's not a 24-hour a day
thing. It's while the building's open, but at least it's it's a station that you can go and sit comfortably for for a spell. Does that mean they would consider more Sunday hours in the summer or I think that would be the next step. That would be the next conversation. But
yeah, we have to and and it could be over a year before the generator gets installed because of the backlog on um getting the generators. Um I don't know what tariffs are going to do that but like but there was already um they were
already talking an 8 to 10 month lead on the generator and we had to wait for it to be approved and funded. So climate change and all that's happen in Midwest. Yeah. You know that so bad for those people. Yeah.
So didn't we ever need a new HVAC or did that ever I mean we keep having issues with the HVAC that didn't have anything to do with that. So we we were having HVAC issues that were related to power outages um and it would fry the computer. Okay. And so we worked with
facilities over the last couple of years. I can't remember the timing exactly where they put a surge like a built not a surge protector like we all have at our house but a surge protector going into the panel for the HVAC system. So, the last couple of times
we've lost power and we've lost power two or three times in the last two months and we sometimes we only lose it for five minutes and that's whatever but um it hasn't affected it at all. So, we've kind of built in that protection. The generator we're looking at also
would have a a surge I there's there's a term I it's like a threeletter acronym I can't remember right now but it would it would also have that built into it. So, um, and it used to mess up all the lights and we and the town electrician built in a surge into our lighting
panel, too. And it's, knock on wood, prevented that issue as well. So, why do we lose power so much? I can't get an answer. I don't know. Sometimes we lose it. Town Hall doesn't lose it. I two or three times a month. Two or three times in the last couple months. Yeah.
Sometimes I don't I think it's being on the main road and if a pole gets hit, we lose it for three or five minutes. But yeah, and I I'll say this though, we didn't lose power probably the first five years I was here and since then it's a couple it's at least a
couple times a year um if not more. So you know what can happen when they start doing road work? Yes. Things get Yeah. moved around. Yeah. And that happened to us with gas. We had my computer's been down many times because um Comcast
working on the poles outside, you know, it just throws everything off. I remember here we were here a few months ago for town meeting and That's right. We lost power. That's right. Like what did that impact the library? Yeah, the library was down that night too. Yeah. Like just a few minutes. Yeah, we had a
pole replaced on Cantav recently as to see if that would help with the issue and then we had new wires run out to a pole on Reedsdale as well as like a second theory loop. So, um, and those have all been done in the last month or
so. Yeah, but you're at the whims of the electric company for that. So, yeah. So, yeah, that's the town meeting update. That's that's what squad Very good. That takes care of eight and nine minutes.
Yes. Awesome. Library director's report. Um, four minutes. Yeah. I don't even So, I don't have Do I I don't have a director's report because I'm still waiting for most of the reports from the staff. Um, I know, right? It's terrible. Um I just
I but I couldn't leave well enough alone. So I did do a one pager I think. Um just to highlight some things. Um cleaners little I'll talk about little free libraries in a minute. Um
I've been doing a lot of work still. I'll talk about legislation. Um, just at the federal level, I think I can't remember the last time we met, but if not, at the federal level, the there was an executive order from the Trump administration to shut down the
Institute for Museum and Library Services. Um, and that sent everybody home from IMLS. IMLS is what gives the state library money. So, that's like $6 million to the state and that trickles down to us. The way it would most
directly impact Milton is that that money from the feds pays for databases that are statewide databases. Um so that could have an impact as early as July 1st. Since um since everybody was sent home by
Doge, there have been two lawsuits, one in Rhode Island and one in DC. And last week there was a preliminary um ruling or an injunction um that said
that um the the they can go back to work for this year and the money should be available for this year. That's fiscal 25 that we're in. However, last might have been Friday, might have been Saturday when uh President Trump issued
his budget for fiscal 26, um he zero funded IMLS for that year. So that's an uphill battle for for IMLS. So again, that's about 6 million from the state. Um I've been to the state house
on a couple of visits in the last month talking about this uh our legislators. So, right now the state library budget, which gives us about $70,000 in state aid, um is level funded for next year,
which is a which is good because other departments might be getting cut, but the the state so that's through the governor and the house. We have to go to the Senate next. Uh the state is waiting to see what happens on the federal level. if there are significant cuts to
Medicare or Medicaid, that will throw everything out the window on the state level and and they'll redo the budget. Um, we've also been working with them on the freedom to read bills, the anti-censorship bills, ebook bills, um, and we had a call with Connecticut today
about that and then and then um, school library standard bills. So, we're optimistic that we're going to get the freedom to read bill through um, through its committee. We've met with their chairs. So the the good news is right now things are at least level funded at
the state and it shouldn't impact Milton directly. There's not going to be growth. Um I don't know what's going to happen on the federal level. It's a hot mess. So um so that's kind of the big picture of funding. And then how am I doing on my four minutes? Not great,
right? Um I asked questions. As far as the Old County Library Network goes, um I've been chairing an ILS task force, which is as exciting as it sounds. Um the ILS is what runs um our patron database, our our card catalog. Um and
it it runs that whole thing. Uh OLN's been using the same system for maybe 10 to 15 years. Uh we periodically look into a new one. It's been about eight years. So, uh, we did put out an RFP, um, and we received responses which were
300 pages long. And as exciting as that sounds, we're doing demos in May. Um, and if we're going to switch systems, uh, we'd be switching next July. It'll take about a year to do that. So, uh, we're looking to update it, see if what
else it can offer, um, our library users, make it more user friendly on for patrons and for staff. Um, I've been working also with OCLN on an assessment task force. The assessment is how much we have to pay as a community to Old Colony every year. Um,
trying to update that to make sure it's still a fair and equitable share from community to community as places change in size and shape and everything else. Um, and I'm on a standardization committee, which as as any of you who
use library regularly know, you could check out five books and it can have like four different due dates because we check it out for two and they check it out for three and they check it out for one. So, we're trying to we've gone down this road before, but there's so many new people in positions of leadership in
OCLN that I think we might get further of trying to have like all old books are three weeks, all new books are two weeks, all DVDs are two weeks. So, everything you get, no matter where it's coming from, is going to be the same amount. Most libraries are also fine
free, which makes this even an easier process. So, I'll have more reports on those as as they come out. And then the final thing is patron point. Uh, this is the system that we're going to have that it's becomes automated. When you sign up for a library card, we'll send a welcome email, we'll send a follow-up email, and
we're also going to be able to use that for campaigns like uh if we launch a new service. Um, it it's it's a more powerful use of uh our e uh email database of of people. So, those are a few things. and SEMLA. I'm sorry, the other thing on
that Southeast Mass Library Advocates. This is a group that's forming of librarians and trustees and friends that are um going to become an advocacy group for libraries locally and on the state level. We've had two meetings so far.
We're trying to get bylaws and officers and get that off the ground. So, I'll have more to report on that in the coming months. So, okay. Any questions for Will? You're at a meeting every day. Every day. I So I I
don't mind a meeting, but like I I'm now tracking like how many Zoom meetings I have a month because I think sometimes you're like, "Oh, let's just do a Zoom." Even though you don't need one, and it's it's too many. But this the spring is really busy because of legislative
stuff, local, statewide. But yeah, yeah, too many meetings. It's too many. Is that just OLN the the advocacy group? The advocacy group it will be OLN sales which is like the south coast. Okay. And
and your favorite uh well clams which is a Cape in the Islands this so this the sandwich library director was also at that meeting. Just glad to hear that. Yeah I know. I want that in that. Yeah you put that
in the minutes. Okay. Sorry. Inside joke with Susan and I. Well, actually, cuz they sent you this email for you to get on Zoom with them. Oh, yeah. But then they were they were so booked you couldn't get on there with them, you know. So, it's okay. All right. Just so
popular. Yeah. Yes. Any other questions for Bill? The full report with like the monthly usage should be out next week. So, uh, any quick update on writer and residence or, uh, we're having a meeting on Thursday morning to start the writer and
residence conversation for next year. Um, the writer and residence is having a program tonight. Uh, Calvin Henik has been very popular. Uh, he's done a lot of programs. We did the baseball card one like a month or two ago and it was
uh, it was popular. Um Connie and the friends were impressed because so many men came out for it. But um whatever. It was good though. But maybe I told you like Bob Sosce who's the voice of the Patriots was there and Bob Howerin who from Channel 5 was it sports were were
there. So that was kind of fun. They were very low-key about the fact that they were there but then people kind of said tell us the story and they did. So um yeah. So that's great. Yeah. It's good to have more male programming.
Yeah. Just like up at the senior center. Yeah. You know, why just the women? Yeah. It's something we we try every once in a while and different success rates. Yeah. Yeah.
Football. Good stuff. Thanks, Will. Yep. All right. Communications and next steps with library partners. Any update from that end, Paul? No update. Uh we're in the process of sending money to um our director for the foundation to pay for
annual bills. Other than that, awesome. We get getting our taxes done and everything is in order. Great. We wait for orders. We we are ready. Excellent. All right. Other any other
business to talk about? turn it back over you to talk about action. Yeah. Little libraries and I think there's a request for some funds. Something we've talked about the and this isn't another Jamie thing and it didn't make the agenda because it was last minute so it's under other business
but um we were talking about replacing or updating some of the little free libraries in town that we probably put in eight years ago or so. Um and the friends are the ones who kind of take care of them. Uh, so it looks like there
are there's one that we definitely need to replace at Shields Park and then we're going to add a new one to Kelly Field. Um, and we'll work with DPW to have them installed, but uh, it'll be about it's really it's probably going to
be about $1,300 to get the two. Last time we had them built by the um, Votech, but this time we're going to buy them from the little free libraries. um it'll be quicker and more efficient. Um so I Jamie was going to be looking
for a motion of up to 2,000, but I think it'll be 1300 to pay for the Little Free Libraries. We'll work with the Friends um on getting them installed. And um there's an Eagle Scout who's going to do a project um in over the next year to
kind of paint and spruce up the the ones that are already structurally sound, but could just use a little love. So, um, and that would be from the general fund as well. So, I'll make that motion. Thank you, Chris.
Second. Thank you. Discussion or questions? All in favor? I. Excellent. Thank you. All right. Future meetings. Our next meeting is Monday, June 9th, my
daughter's birthday. Uh, no meetings in July and committees in August and only item up for June at this point is personnel committee. Any questions about meetings? So, we are definitely not meeting next
Monday. That's right. You are correct. This is the May meeting. So, Gotcha. Yeah, I saw that on the agenda, but yeah, I kept it just in case. Gotcha. Perfect. Uh with that I'll take a motion to adjourn to town meeting. So moved.
Second. All in favor? I meeting over. Thank you. [Music]
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