October2019Minutes-TrusteesBoard: Library Trustees
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Subcommittee:
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2019 6:00 P.M.
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Margaret Altman, Marshall Handly, Ivy Mahan, Cathryn Keefe
O'Hare, Kevin O'Reilly, Joanne Panunzio, Myron Schirer -Suter
Board members absent: Mary Behrle, Colleen Michaels
Others present: Anna Langstaff, Allison Babin
Recorder: Allison Babin
Kevin O'Reilly presided. Allison Babin stated that the meeting was being recorded.
Marshall Handly made the motion, seconded by Myron Schirer- Suter, to accept the minutes of
the regular meeting of September 24, 2019. Motion passed.
Public Presentation
None.
Committee Reports
Personnel: No report.
Administration: No report.
Finance: No report.
Long Range Planning: No report.
Report of the Library Director
1) Fiscal Year 2020 Budget is on track.
2) Building Issues: No updates on the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or
capstone. Painting of the renovated teen area has been completed, featuring colors of Eggplant,
Stonington Gray, and Pacific Palisades. New carpeting will be installed on November 22. Anna
Langstaff, Allison Babin, and Meghan Karasin met with a furniture consultant on October 22.
New carpet was installed in the Barnet Gallery last week.
3) Community Engagement: Anna Langstaff met with the President of Montserrat College of
Art. He proposed that the college "rent" the library parking lot from 7-11 am on Move In Day in
exchange for a donation to the Friends of the Library. He also discussed a proposal to improve
the sidewalks and lights on Winter Street. Anna Langstaff met with Lillian Hsu, new cultural
district coordinator, for Beverly. Katie Marsh brought the Bookmobile to the Tiny House
Festival. Katie Marsh and Allison Babin will attend Beverly's Downtown Trick or Treat in
costume. The library was very busy on October 17 and 18 due to the widespread power outage in
the area. The Barnet Gallery was opened to the public to provide additional seating. The Farms
branch was closed on October 17 because it did not have power. Anna Langstaff shared the new
MyBeverly insert from the Salem News which features a number of articles about the library.
October 20 through 26 is National Friends of the Library week. The Friends were presented with
a giant card signed by library staff. Anna Langstaff and Thalia Lewandowski's Letter to the
Editor about the Friends was published in the Salem News. Dave Olson wrote an editorial titled
"This Week, Thank a Librarian" about librarians' work against censorship. Allison Babin shared
upcoming program highlights: Meet Your City program series featuring Beverly's political and
community leaders, concluding this Friday with Mayor Michael Cahill; 1918 H1N1 Pandemic:
The Unknown Killer talk on Wednesday, October 23; Author Talk: Michael McGowan on
Saturday, November 2; Yoga at the Library sessions on November 3 and December 1; new
Sensory Story Times in the Children's Room, an intentionally small, inclusive story time for all
children but ideal for those with autism or sensory integration challenges; Vegan Potluck at the
Farms on Tuesday, October 29.
4) North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE): Due to the power outage, the NOBLE meeting
scheduled for Thursday, October 17 was cancelled.
5) Personnel: Peter Fontaine, Junior Building Custodian, has left the library to become a Beverly
firefighter. The job has been posted and interviews are underway. Anna Langstaff plans to retire
in April 2020.
Communications
None.
Unfinished Business
None.
New Rnsiness
Fiscal Year 2021 Action Plan: Anna Langstaff presented the proposed Action Plan for Fiscal
Year 2021, highlighting items that are new or revised from the previous year. Several actions
pertain to health and wellness in support of a grant for which Lisa Ryan, Head of Reference,
plans to apply. Other proposed actions include expanding the Library of Things, promoting 1,000
Books Before Kindergarten, sending the Bookmobile librarian and administration to a national
conference, and more. Library Trustees reviewed the proposed Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2021.
Marshall Handly made the motion, seconded by Margaret Altman, to:
Approve the Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2021. Motion passed.
The next meeting of the board will be Tuesday, November 19 at 6:OOPM at the Beverly Public
Library.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:OOPM.