Library Trustees Minutes Sept 22 2020City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board:
Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date:
September 22, 2020, 4:00 P.M.
Place:
Remote Meeting on Google Meet
Board members present:
Margaret Altman, Mary Behrle, Marshall Handly, Colleen Michaels,
-Suter
Board members absen
t:
Others present:
Allison Babin, Meghan Karasin
Recorder:
Meghan Karasin
lly presided. Allison Babin stated that the meeting was being recorded.
Marshall Handly made the motion, seconded by Mary Behrle, to accept the minutes of the
meeting of March 2, 2020. Roll call vote approved, 8 to 0. Motion passed.
Marshall Handly made the motion, seconded by Colleen Michaels, to accept the minutes of the
regular meeting of June 23, 2020. Roll call vote approved, 8 to 0. 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 2021 Budget: Everything is on track. The Assistant Director salary is showing as
st
reduced due to being prorated for an August 1 start date. The actual salary is $77,089. Custodial
line is lower due to not yet having a junior custodian. Overtime costs are due to needing
coverage by Department of Public Works while custodian was on leave. The buy-back sick time
line is overspent due to the departure of an employee with a significant amount of paid time off.
of advertising staff librarian position more widely. North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE)
did not increase its fees this year. This is shown in the computer maintenance line. Custodial
supplies is currently underspent because supplies have come in from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)
Act funding. Vehicle allowance is high, after reimbursing the bookmobile librarian for use of her
personal vehicle. Part-time staff have returned to time sheets, being paid only for the hours they
wo libraries in the network will lose certification and we would no
longer lend to their patrons. if the lending was by statute. Allison Babin
explained that the purpose of the policy is to ensure that municipalities fully fund their libraries,
and not rely on neighboring libraries for services. Margaret Atman asked if funding is the only
cause for decertification. Allison Babin explained that the other requirements for certification,
including hours, have been waived for the time being due to COVID-19.
2) Phased Reopening: Front Door Service started at the Main library on June 15and at the Farms
branch on June 29. Beverly had the highest circulation statistics in NOBLE for July and August
and averaged 77 people a day at Main (highest to date is 109) and 16 people per day at the Farms
-
scheduled for three times per week. To help replicate browsing, links have been added to the
catalog to display new , teen, and adult books. Front Door Service is evolving with the
goal of not needing appointments for pickup. Allison Babin thanked the Friends of the Beverly
Public Library for clearing out their work room to allow for holds to be moved to the first floor.
Staff are continuing to prepare personalized book lists for patrons. The bookmobile librarian has
been delivering items from her car since July 6. Most museum passes are back in circulation,
though with restrictions for use added by the museums. Circulation staff prepared pamphlets
explaining these changes. Five additional chromebooks were purchased with CARES Act
funding. These chromebooks will be leant to patrons for use on library grounds. Patrons will be
allowed to take the older chromebooks home for use. Myron Schirer-Suter asked how long holds
remain on the shelf. Meghan Karasin answered that she believes it is 10 days. The library
reopened to patrons with appointments for computer use on September 14. Browsing
appointments will begin on September 25. The Bookmobile will go back on the road beginning
September 28, with modifications to allow for social distancing. To prepare for reopening, staff
attended a training on September 9. Additionally, all staff were asked to take a webinar on
ensuring mask compliance. Planning and scheduling documents, as well as a daily health
screening form, are located on a dedicated page of the staff blog. Almost all staff are now
working on site. Mary Behrle asked if the City was testing employees. Allison Babin responded
that they are not, but the library has a process in place for when an employee calls out sick.
3) Building Issues:
COVID symptoms. Staff workspaces have been reconfigured to adhere to the guidance.
Stanchions and retractable belts have been purchased for public spaces. Almost all chairs have
been removed. Plexiglass has been installed at public services desks at the Main library and the
Farms branch. Floor stickers are installed and personal protective equipment are on hand for
patrons. The custodian follows a daily cleaning checklist and disinfects touch points daily. Bins
have been placed around the library to quarantine materials touched by browsing patrons. Public
computers have been moved to the windows to allow for social distancing. Colleen Michaels
asked if patrons have to be screened before entering. Allison Babin replied that, when a patron
ave symptoms and will follow procedures.
This allows for collected mandated data for contact tracing. Margaret Altman asked how
Election Day works. Allison Babin responded that the library was used as a poling place on
September 1 and will be again in November. She was in touch with the City Clerk about
preparations. They use the Barnet Gallery, Sohier Room, and rest rooms. The rest of the library
an article about libraries being drop off locations for ballots. Allison Babin has not been
approached by the City Clerk about this. All faucets were converted to touchless faucets
beginning in July. This did not come out of the library budget. On July 13 the City delivered new
boards to prevent flooding on Dane Street. The puddle issue at the base of the ramp on Winter
Street has been fixed. The Story Time Room renovation is underway thanks to a $10,000
donation from the Flynn Family Foundation. Ceiling tiles have been replaced. Carpet and paint
have been selected.
4) Community Engagement: The Summer Reading Program was administered through the
Beanstack app. Total participation was 376 (98 teens, 95 adults, and 176 children. 25 children
participated via paper forms). Attendance was 95 for the 15 adult programs, 44 for the 9 teen
programs, and 913 for the 41 childrens programs. The library received a $7500 Library Services
and Technology Act (LSTA) Health and Wellness Grant focusing on alternative therapies. Lisa
Ryan, Head of Reference, is the lead on this grant. For the LSTA Mind in the Making Grant, the
department, due to COVID-19, pivoted to circulating Play Kits (themed backpacks
filled with books, toys or other manipulatives, and guides to early literacy). Almost all of the 25
kits are checked out and have been featured in the Herald Citizen. Currently the library is hosting
3 pop up libraries per week at the Main library and one per week at the Farms branch. Allison
Babin attended two Unify Beverly Community Conversations focusing on race and diversity.
Allison Babin is working with the Beverly Middle School and Beverly High School librarians to
establish an Overdrive K-12 shared Sora Collection where middle and high school students can
access the Overdrive collection with a library card or school credentials. Allison Babin was
inducted into Rotary after being sponsored by Marshall Handly. She will give an introductory
speech on September 24 about herself and libraries during the pandemic and the future. The
library will again be a polling place in November. It is unlikely that regular library services will
be available that day.
5) Personnel: The Assistant Library Director position was offered to Meghan Karasin and she
accepted. She began working in the role on August 24 but we are still waiting for a contract. The
Junior Custodian position was posted on July 28 but interviews were delayed until the Senior
Custodian returned from medical leave. The position was offered to an applicant on September
16 and the applicant is now working through the next steps in the process. A second custodian is
Farms branch was August 24. She wanted to work more closely with children and will do so at
Pathways. The position was posted, interviews were held, and the job was offered to Dorothea
Lam, a staff librarian who has worked at the Farms branch for 15 years. The Staff Librarian
position was posted and advertised widely to attract a more diverse candidate pool. Applications
are currently being reviewed. Jennifer Lefebvre, an Endicott student, is interning at the library
under the supervision of Lisa Ryan, Head of Reference. She will work 30 hours a week until
December on preservation tasks, the Health and Wellness grant, and programming. Joanne
Panunzio asked what major the intern was pursuing. Allison Babin did not have that information
but would email it to Joanne. Allison Babin wanted to thank a number of volunteers who have
assisted the library recently. Iain Goddard has been doing the pull list 3 days per week to assist
circulation staff. The Friends of the Beverly Public Library, especially Eric Boeker and Karen
Laughon, cleared out the sorting room. And a team of senior volunteers has been diligently
working to clean the exterior of the building. Allison Babin attended an all day anti-racism
workshop for City department heads on August 19. The workshop was put on by Community
Change Inc, and sponsored by Mayor Cahill, the Beverly City Council, and the Beverly Human
explained that it asked participants to explore their priviledge, recognize their responsibility, and
create a vision for a different society. Allison Babin would like library staff to attend a similar
training and is looking into the cost. Mary Behrle asked about the posting of the Young Adult
Librarian position. Allison Babin responded that it could not be posted until the Assistant
Director contract was signed. She may need to request a special meeting of the Board of Trustees
to approve the contract.
6) Programs: Upcoming virtual programs include: for adults, Books and Brews with a visit by
author Alena Dillon, Monday Mornings lecture series, and Cookbook Club; for teens, a book
club; for children, story times, Rockabye Beats concert with Marcos Valles, and more.
Joanne Panunzio asked if the library has records of how many people watch the Facebook Live
story times. Allison Babin answered that the library does keep statistics, however reporting has
changed. The library used to report data for anyone who watched even a few seconds of the
show. Now storytimes are done in a closed Facebook group, which allows librarians more
options for books to read. This has resulted in a lower number of views but the program remains
high quality.
Colleen Michaels asked what software will be used to book browsing appointments. Allison
Babin demonstrated Simply Book to the Board, including detailing the terms patrons have to
agree to.
Communications
None.
Unfinished Business
None.
New Business
None.
The next regular meeting of the board will be held virtually on Tuesday October 27, 2020 at 4
PM.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:11 PM.