1980-12-29 City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee: Finance Committee
Date: 12/29/1980
Place: Beverly Public L~rary
Board members present: Nell B. Olson, Lester C. Ayers, Mary K. Connon, John R. Coogan,
and Dr. Edna M MeGlynn
Board members absent: Richard L. Buckley, Katherine L. Fanning, Emily P. Morehey, and Nancy
A. White
Others present:
Recorder: Barbara Smith
Finance Committee
Board of Trustees
Beverly Public Library
Monday, December 29, 1980, 7 p.m.
Presiding: Jack Coogan
Present: Nell Olson, Lester Ayers, Edna McGlynn and Mary Connors. Also present, Esther Calish
and Barbara Smith.
Mr. Coogan explained that he had instructed Mrs. Calish to prepare a budget providing for the Farms
Branch to be open one day per week, the Main Library to be closed Sunday and eliminating the book
budget. Copies of this pre'lnninmy budget were handed out.
In order to meet the requirements for state aid, the library must be open 63 hours per week, which
may be met by dovetailing main and branch hours, and 13% of the budget must be allocated for
materials. Although no mount appears in this budget for materials, trust income and the state aid to
be received in January 1981 and January 1982 will be earmarked for books.
Dr. McGlynn stated that the loss in materials appropriation could be dramatized and that we could
raise some private money for books. She also suggested that the hours at the Farms be expanded to
ten, with the branch being open six hours one day and four the next. These hours could be different
from those at Main Library so that the state requirement would be met. She asked if it were feasible
to close Main Library on Monday morning thereby saving ~ael since the building would be closed
from Saturday afternoon until Monday aRemoon. Mrs. Calish replied that Monday was the busiest
day in the library and that she preferred another morning closing. She also stated that she had
consulted with the heating engineer from the Picketing Oil Company (who have taken over
Goldberg's) and he stated that the savings in an extra three hours closing would be negligible. The
basic savings come through deploymere of staff.
Mr. Olson agreed with Dr. McGlynn's suggestion for opening the Branch two days rather than one
longer day.
Mr. Ayers and Ms. Connors made the recommendations unanimous.
Mr. Coogan stated that the following recommendations would be made to the full board on January
8, 1981 when this preliminary budget would be presented;
1. To maintain the Farms Branch for ten hours per week, dovetailing its hours with those at Main
Library so that requirements for state aid may be met.
2. To close the Main Library Sunday afternoon and one moming and one evening per week.
3. There is no provision for a book budget from city-provided monies.
Barbara Smith
Recorder
hours. The committee requested Mrs. Calish to compose a precis detailing the advantages of the
system which would be most attractive to the public.
A motion was made by Dr. McGlynn and seconded by Mr. Coogan to approve the budget as
presented. Motion carried.
Mr. Coogan then moved that the sub-set on the computer start-up be approved. Motion seconded
by Mr. Olson and carried.
On motion of Miss Connors, seconded by Mr. Olson, the meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
Barbara Bruno
Kecorder