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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=DgCHQ4Mqwl8

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Okay, this is an regular meeting of the uh Newbury Library Board of Trustees. Uh and we we have a quorum. Uh we have present >> Alexander Burke >> and remotely um we have

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>> Terry >> Terry Ris and Richard Baceri and >> Catherine Katherine >> the assistant director. Yes. So we have a >> we have a quorum. So >> okay

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>> to declare that you can join remotely. >> Okay. And uh you know Terry can join this meeting uh remotely. She's not able to be in attendance. Uh and by regulation and town policy she can in fact be part of this meeting. Okay.

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>> All right. >> All right. Uh so we don't have any we can't vote on the minutes from the previous meeting because they don't have the people who were in attendance. So sufficient number of them. >> Okay. >> All right. So, we will go with the assistant director's report.

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Catherine. >> All right. >> The floor is yours. >> So, the HVAC system replacement, I believe, is done. Um, I think they worked really hard last Monday to get

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everything good because last week was bearable in here. >> It didn't get over 75. >> Okay. Even with the the high temperatures and all. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That That's better than it had been in the past, >> right? >> Oh god. Yes. >> Yeah.

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>> I'd been taking a informal little tally of the temperatures throughout the week >> when we opened midday and then closed. So, >> okay. I >> have a good good feeling that it's good to go. >> Okay.

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>> Um the town IT guy, John, um was in earlier today. He's working on the list of projects that Haley had left for him. >> Mhm. >> Um

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he one of the items was to replace the projector system in the meeting room. >> Yes. And originally he was going to replace it with an item from town hall that they don't use. But he recently, as of yesterday, found out about an opportunity and

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secured it for us for a local nonprofit that was um getting rid of a projector with whiteboard speakers. >> Oh. uh remote um Wi-Fi capability and um the hanging

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whatever is needed to hang on the wall. >> Okay. >> So um and that's all free. >> Oh, excellent. >> Um >> Wow. >> He he didn't tell me which nonprofit, but um DPW has already dropped off the big

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white board that is part of it. So, I think it's just a matter of getting those other pieces, >> okay, >> um, in the actual library and then John fitting it in the schedule to, um, to set everything up. I had told him that

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was among my top priorities. Um, >> so in essence, basically they're changing out everything that's there now. >> Yep. >> The whiteboard, the the camera, >> the equipment that's on the uh

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podium or whatever that is. Yeah. Okay. >> Um I don't know if it's actually a separate podium a new podium itself or if it will just replace >> replace the equipment equipment inside but >> okay >> um >> the podium itself is in good shape. So

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>> good good >> um that's very exciting. >> Okay. Um, and then the other thing that I told him was priority was our people counter because it hasn't been working. >> Yeah. >> Since um

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the entirety of his calendar year um it died right after Christmas. >> Y >> and um he was waiting for the new fiscal year to be able to get to order things. Um, and

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he thinks he might be able to get something in in ordered in installed in August. >> Oh, good. >> Um, I really wanted it to be up and running. Well, 6 months ago, but um

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>> for September for our big celebration. >> Yep. >> So, um, >> those and then he's working on, you know, other things now that the new fiscal year started. >> Okay. >> He can get orders in and get things going.

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on Friday. Um there with the extreme heatwave um the black top we believe was emitting an odd smell that um Liz was detected and called Alex and the fire

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department in case there was an issue with something burning and everyone came. Everything was in order. It's just the extreme heatwave. >> Sure. Sure. >> Um >> Wow.

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>> So, >> yeah. That's >> um I don't even She texted me on Friday, so I I knew about it, but I I wouldn't have known to do any differently. >> No, no, absolutely. No, no. All >> totally right. >> No, you always are on the side of caution, right?

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>> If something doesn't seem right, you call the appropriate uh authority, >> right? you know, Alex [laughter] Dick. >> Um, general updates. The fiscal year 26 is officially over. Um, trying to get us

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set up for fiscal year 27 reports. Now, is the next thing uh it closes mid August and it's a new interface this year. Okay. So, it's new to everyone, including the um

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the people at the Mass Library system and the the everyone in the state. >> Oh, >> so I'm doing my first actual training on it on Thursday. >> Okay. >> So, um >> Okay. >> I have no time off plan between now and

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August. >> Okay. Good. So, >> that's [laughter] good. Good to hear, Catherine. >> Thank you, Catherine. Um Stephanie is getting married this weekend. >> Yes. >> Oh. >> Um she's off until the end of next week. >> Okay. >> Um >> Oh, congratulations Stephanie.

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>> Um and Kelsey's kids ASL program is meeting for its first time right now in the meeting room. >> Oh, is that what that was in the uh >> Yep. >> Okay. Oh, very good. >> Um I've had lots of fights with technology over the last week. Um, one

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of them was, um, when I linked to the statistics for June, ideally I'd wanted all of the whole fiscal year stats compiled. >> Mhm. >> But, um, Excel didn't like me last week.

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[laughter] >> Okay. >> Fine. >> Oh, you're lucky. It was just last week. It doesn't like me ever. So, >> well, you know, >> um I kind of trouble shot it with my sister over the phone.

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Um and she gave me a tip and it worked this morning. So, um Terry, I I didn't get a chance to email this new one to you, but I can after the meeting. Um, so what's printed is the fiscal year

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um, statistics and um, it's interesting to see things that we've gone up in and and down a little bit or >> you know stayed the same. So >> yep. Um

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>> well I mean if you look at the the numbers just by example Terry you know looking at program statistics looking at the total live youth attendance last year it was 4400 uh this year this last fiscal year 26 it

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was 4700. So yeah there's a 300 you know a 300 head increase. Uh the visitors, well, the numbers are down because we don't have a counter. Okay. Uh that's tough to, you know, think it looks like it went from 33,000

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last year to 16 this year. So they uh they're boycotting us. But >> that's about half the year. >> Half the year. Half the year not counted. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, if we get the uh the people counter back in place and I have not met John yet, so I'm going to be in town

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hall on Tuesday to meet with Tracy to give her an update on the um uh director selection process and where we're at with that. So I will try to meet with John and um >> emphasize the points that you've made with him and

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we'll become bigger advocates for the needs of the library than uh in making that a priority for him and maybe they can hire somebody else to work with them. I mean, the town used to have another guy, >> one person >> because there was Matt was the town IT

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guy, but we also >> had a gentleman named Jake that would come by, >> right? >> Um, >> yeah. One person can't do it, right? >> Because everything is technologically driven now. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I feel like when you look at the

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fiscal year 25 community room bookings was 134, fiscal year 26 was 40 bookings more at 174. Mhm. >> So had our people counter been working

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>> right >> I feel like the visitor number would be >> would be much higher >> much higher >> right >> just to account for the meetings that we've had >> right >> yeah yeah >> a year >> yeah it really is

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>> okay >> so >> most of the other fiscal year 26 runs are up. >> Yeah. You know, >> you know, it's definitely >> working the you're doing exactly what we the drum

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beat >> slow methodical growth. >> Yep. >> Providing opportunities and programming that is bringing people in. We just start counting them. [laughter] >> Okay. >> Maybe one of us could stand at the door

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with a clicker. >> Click and count people as they come in. Okay. >> Welcome aboard. >> Thank you. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> That's all I've got. >> Okay. >> That's that's a lot considering. >> Yeah. And uh

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>> what you've been up against with the uh the weather and >> Yeah. And just the change in u in operation has been challenging, I'm sure. Um, >> you know, and I I know I haven't been an active participant in it, but I really want to

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emphasize how important it is and how grateful I am that Alex and the rest of the team and Katherine, all that you've done in terms of expediting this process. You know, Terry, you two from a

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position of, you know, not great comfort, I'm sure. um you know just being able willing to participate in this has been commendable and moving it along as quickly as um as it has to to get us to this point. So hopefully uh

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the way it lays out right now uh there should be a new director on board around August 4th. um and we'll be moving forward with that and then the educational process will start uh she comes in obviously with a lot of experience in terms of local um MVLC and

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MBLC and uh other having worked on other libraries so she's familiar with the process but um learning the new way um will take a little bit of time and we'll all be there to help her go through this. So again, thank you to all of you,

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to Patty, to Melissa, Alex, Katherine, thank you and Terry, thank you so much for for what you've all done in the past month. So this has been excellent. Thank you. So uh I think the agreement has been signed

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between us and the um the new director. So you know, we're in I think in the right position. Um I will drop those off at town hall when I'm there next week so that the appropriate copies are with um the the town administrator, the select

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board and the personnel board. So yeah um yeah and we'll go from there. >> Okay. >> So I think that's >> a final I can tell the staff about a starting date. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Great. >> Absolutely. That is it. August 4th is

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what's in the agreement. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And that's um the incoming director's designation. >> Yes. Yes. Yeah. >> Because uh you know has to give notice where she's currently employed. So >> yeah. >> So that is it. Yeah.

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>> So I you know I I think that's that's kind of where we're at and you know we're going to hopefully [clears throat] build on everything you guys have done in the past and just make it bigger and better than it was. And and again, one of my objectives over the years has making this place important to everybody

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for their specific reasons. You know, I think we got thrown a curveball. I keep coming back to this with co uh we were going in the right direction. >> Yeah. and that put the brakes on everything and uh but I think we've been slowly and methodically building on that

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and just the programming that you've been putting together Katherine has really been >> such and and we've always said try something and if it doesn't work we don't do it again and if it works we'll do it again you know it's it's it's not

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rocket science what we're doing but we're we're providing service and that you guys have done a commendable job doing that the staff you always they're there. They And I know dealing with the public is not always the easiest thing to do,

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>> but you all keep you cool. You're all >> professional, >> you know. That's that's all we can ask. So, thank you. >> Yeah. So, I I'll get I'll get off my soap box. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> We're all there. >> Yeah. [clears throat]

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>> Together with you, that's for sure. >> So, I Is there anything else that we need to deal with? the >> I don't think so, Dick. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, we'll uh set a date for uh the next meeting.

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>> Yes, let's do that. >> Okay. Let's see. Uh August 4th. Is that a >> That's a Tuesday. >> Is that the Tuesday? So, it would be the following Tuesday. Let's say let's say August 11th.

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>> Yes. Okay. >> Okay. Good. My son's birthday. Hey, you good? >> Yeah. And my grandson's birthday, his son. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, yeah. August 11th. All right.

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That'll get that'll give the director a week to >> to catch her breath. >> Yeah. >> And I certainly hope that I will be there in person. >> We would love We would love to see I

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want to see you dancing, kid. >> [laughter] >> You're gonna you're gonna do that Irish step dance for us, right? [laughter] >> Okay. >> Okay. Well, we we have a motion to adjourn. A motion.

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>> Alex is making it. Terry is seconding it. And the three of us are approving it. >> All right. The meeting is adjourned. >> Okay. Thank you, Terry.