1946-02-28City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 02/28/1946
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Thomas F. Delaney, John C. Birmingham, W. Lincoln Boyden, Jr.,
Thomas J. Casey, Louisa V. Conrad, Lawrence E. Foster, William A. Rowe, Robert O. Small,
and B. Frederick Yoffa
Board members absent:
Others present:
Recorder: Marjorie H. Stanton
Beverly, February 28, 1946
The regular meeting of the Board of Trustees was held at the Library on Thursday,
February 28, at 7:30 P.M.
There were present, of the Trustees, Messrs. Delaney, Birmingham, Foster, and Small,
Mrs. Conrad.
The Board at once to moved to organize for the year.
By ballot, Mr. Delaney was again elected Chairman, and Miss Stanton continued as
Secretary.
The records of the meeting of January 31 were read and approved, as was the Finance
Committee's report of expenditures to date. There had been no definite report, to date, on the
budget for the year.
Mr. Delaney, for the Administration Committee, reported on the action which had been
taken with regard to the retention of Mr. Clark as janitor.
He also reported that it would not be possible to do anything at present about replacing
the parapet at the Farms Library, partly because the cost would be too high, and partly because it
would be almost impossible to obtain the necessary lumber.
Mr. Delaney was therefore authorized to get an estimate on the cost of a linoleum
covering for the floor in the work room at the Main Library - this to be paid for from dog tax.
The Committee on Circulation recommended the purchase of 398 titles and the acceptance
of 15 gifts. This was approved.
The Librarians report was read and placed on file.
The new by-laws, as prepared by Mr. Birmingham, were then discussed in detail.
It was voted to cancel all previous by-laws appearing on the books, and to adopt the new
by -laws as shown. - These to be entered upon the pages of the Trustees book, in permanent
form.
Voted: to adjourn
Adjourned
Marjorie H. Stanton
Secretary
RULES OF PROCEDURE
BEVERLY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Beverly, Massachusetts
CHAPTER I.
ORGANIZATION
OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
Section 1. Organization Meeting. The Board shall meet for organization annually at the
meeting next following confirmation by the Aldermen of the newly appointed Trustees, notices of
such meeting shall be given to the Trustees of such meeting by the Secretary of the Board of the
previous year. At the meeting for organization, the Board shall elect by ballot a Chairman and a
Secretary.
Section 2. Chairman. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board. It shall be
his duty to have an annual report prepared and submitted to the Board at the regular monthly
meeting in December.
Section 3. Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a full and correct
record of the attendance and proceedings of each meeting, to notify special committee of
appointments, and to perform such other clerical duties as shall belong to his office.
Section 4. Committee Appointments. The following appointments to sub-committees
shall be made annually by the Chairman during the month following the organization Meeting:
a. Committee on Branches: three members.
b. Committee on Administration: three members.
c. Committee on Finance: four members, of which the Chairman of the Board
shall be one.
d. Committee on Circulation: three members.
The Chairman shall be, ex-officio, a member of each committee and shall have a vote at
each committee meeting with the exception of the Finance Committee, in which Committee he
shall have a vote in case of a tie.
Section 5. Committee on Branches. The Committee on Branches shall keep an oversight
of the stations of the Library that are separated from the Central Library, reporting to the Board
their needs and in cases of emergency directing immediate action, reporting at the next meeting of
the Board.
Section 6. Committee on Administration. The Committee on Administration shall have
charge of all the buildings and grounds, shall suggest such repairs and improvements as its
members shall deem necessary or wise, and shall superintend the execution of such as the Board
shall authorize. In cases of emergency this Committee may direct immediate action, reporting at
the next meeting of the Board.
Section 7. Committee on Finance. The Committee on Finance shall have charge of
expenditures, fixing the limit of expenditures by other committees in order to keep within the
provisions of the budget, and shall approve all bills before payment. They shall prepare the annual
budget and present it for discussion and approval at the regular November meeting of the Board;
and they shall have the responsibility of procuring the appropriation from the City Government.
Section 8. Committee on Circulation. The Circulation Committee shall be responsible for
the purchase and care of books, music or other collections, its judgement being final in
determining what books shall be bought except when other members of the Committee disagree,
in which case, a vote of the whole Board is required for decision.
CHAPTER II.
Meetings
Section 1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be held on
the last Thursday of each month, July and August excepted, at 7:30 P.M. in the Trustees' Room
at the Beverly Public Library.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special Meetings may be called by the Chairman at any
time. At least twenty-four hours' notice shall be given to each member. Only the business for
which the special meeting was called shall be in order unless, by unanimous consent, the Trustees
wish to take up other matters.
Section 3. Order of Business. At a regular meeting of the Trustees, business shall
proceed in the following order:
1. Approval of records.
2. Report of Finance Committee.
3. Report of Administration Committee
4. Report of Circulation Committee.
5. Report of Librarian.
6. Unfinished business.
7. New business.
Section 4. Method of Vote. Ordinarily, business shall be transacted by viva-voce vote.
At the request of three members, a roll call vote shall be taken. In all such cases, every member
present shall vote unless excused by a majority of the members present.
Section 5. Ouorum. Four trustees shall constitute a quorum of the Board except in the
event two regular meetings of the Board are not held because of a lack of a quorum, in which
event at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees to be held, three members shall constitute a
quorum.
Section 6. Motions to Adjourn. Motions to adjourn or to lay on the table shall be decided
without debate.
CHAPTER III.
LIBRARIAN AND HER DUTIES
Section 1. General Duties. The Librarian shall be the advisory and executive officer of
the Board and, under its direction and control, shall administer and supervise the Public Library
and its branches in the City of Beverly.
Section 2. Attendance at Meetings. She shall attend all Board Meetings and she may at
any time communicate information or express her opinion on any subject. She shall not remain in
attendance at a meeting when her own election or salary is under consideration.
Section 3. Reports on Action of the Board of Trustees. All votes of the Beverly Public
Library shall be communicated through the Librarian unless designated otherwise.
Section 4. Regulations. She shall make and enforce such regulations as she may deem
conducive to the best interests of the Beverly Public Library, subject to the approval of the Board
of Trustees; such regulations are to be reported to the Trustees at their regular meeting.
Section 5. Temporary Appointments. She shall have the power to fill all vacancies caused
by temporary illness or necessary absence of employees for a period terminating with the next
regular meeting of the Board of Trustees.
Section 6. Account. She shall supervise the keeping of accounts of all expenditures of the
Board of Trustees, which accounts shall be open to all members of the Board of Trustees at any
time. She shall supervise and examine the payrolls of employees and all bills accrued by the
Board. She shall certify to the Board as to expenditures.
Section 7. Visits to Branches. She shall visit each branch of the Beverly Public Library at
least every six months. She shall direct all assistants to make such changes in methods of Library
matters as shall seem best calculated to give greater efficiency to the library system.
Section 8. Study of other Library Systems. She shall keep herself informed by visiting
and other means in regard to library systems in other cities, their organization, government and
methods so as to keep the Board of Trustees informed on progressive movements in the operation
of public libraries.
Section 9 . Reports on work of Employees. She shall report to the Board of Trustees
failure on the part of any employee to comply with the rules of the Board of Trustees or who shall
consistently fail to perform his duties in an manner satisfactory to her.
Section 10. Monthly Reports. She shall make a monthly report to the Board showing
appropriations, expenditures to date and balances on all account-
A. Salaries.
B. Maintenance.
C. Trust Funds.
D. Dog Tax
CHAPTER IV.
ELECTIONS AND SALARIES
Section 1. Elections. Elections shall be made by the Trustees to vacancies occurring in
the following positions:
Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Children' s Librarian
Branch Librarian
Desk Head
Reference Head
Desk Assistants
Children's Assistants
Clerical Assistants
Pages
Section 2. The Board of Trustees shall be the sole judge of the nature and sufficiency of
causes that make re-election undesirable. All elections shall be subject to right of the Board of
Trustees to transfer or to dismiss any employee whenever it may deem proper.
Section 3. Salaries:
Librarian
Assistant Librarian
Children' s Librarian
Branch Librarian
Desk Head
Reference Head
Desk Assistants
Children's Assistants
Clerical 1,200
Assistants 1,200
Minimum 1,000
Maximum
$2,500
1,600 $3,000
1,400 2,000
1,400 1,800
1,400 1,800
1,400 1,800
1,800 1,300
1,600 1,300
Section 4. Vacations. After one year's service regular employees shall be
entitled to a three-week vacation with pay.
Section 5. Sick Leave. Regular employees after one year's service shall be
entitled to two weeks' pay for sick leave during any year, together with such
further sick leave as the Board of Trustees shall in extreme cases determine to be
adequate.
CHAPTER V.
JANITORS
Section 1. Election, Resignation, etc. Janitors shall be elected to serve at
the pleasure of the Board of Trustees. They may be suspended at any time or
discharged for cause (subject to provisions of Civil Service Law). Janitors must
give the Board of Trustees one months notice in case of resignation.
Section 2. Duties of Janitors. They shall perform all duties as required of
them by the Board of Trustees. They shall cooperate with the librarians in the care
and protection of the library property.
Section 3. Buildings and Premises. They shall have the care of all rooms
in the library, the library yards and fences, and shall keep the paths free from ice
and snow and sprinkle them with ashes or sand when slippery. The shall be
expected to make simple repairs. They shall keep the grass properly cut and shall
not allow ashes or other refuse to accumulate. They shall be present when
workmen are employed about the buildings or when fuel is delivered. The have
the care of all materials for making fires, and shall keep the library buildings
properly heated and ventilated.
Section 4. Sweeping. They shall sweep the corridors and each room daily.
Section 5. Lights and Lavatories. They shall inspect the lavatories every
day and see that they are clean and in proper working order. They shall see that
lights are not burning unnecessarily.
Section 6. Plants and Shrubbery. They shall care for and protect all
shrubbery and plants around the library buildings, watering them when necessary.
Section 7. Maintaining Discipline. They shall aid the librarians in
maintaining discipline and shall protect the library form intrusion or disturbance by
disorderly or otherwise obnoxious persons.
Section 8. Time of employment. They shall work for twelve months of
each year beginning January first and shall be paid on a weekly schedule.
CHAPTER VI.
These by-laws may be amended in the following manner: the proposed
amendments shall be made at any regular meeting of the Board, and it shall be held
over until the next regular meeting for action by the Board.