1951-09-27City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 09/27/1951
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Thomas F. Delaney, Saul J. Cagan, Philip Rowe, and Carl Zeilon
Board members absent: John C. Birmingham, W. Lincoln Boyden, Jr., Louisa V. Conrad,
Dorothy Cook, and Lawrence E. Foster
Others present:
Recorder: Marjorie H. Stanton
Beverly, September 27, 1951
The first meeting of the Board of Trustees, after the summer interlude, was held at the Library
on Thursday, September 27 at 7:30 P.M., with Mr. Delaney, Mr. Cagan, Mr. Rowe, and Mr. Zeilon
in attendance.
The records of the meeting of June 28 were read and approved, as was the report of the
Finance Committee giving a summary of expenditures to date.
Mr. Delaney reported, for the Administration Committee, that he had talked with Mr.
Duwart, Commissioner of Public Works, about having a carpenter from the Maintenance Crew of the
City examine the doors which had been brought up here from the Farms Branch, to see if they could
be used to replace the ones now at the back door, He also spoke of the fact that it might be possible,
through the interest of several of the Aldermen, to obtain more money this year from the City
Government, for repairs and painting at the Main Library.
At the suggestion of the Circulation Committee, it was voted to subscribe, for 1952, for the
same list of magazines as those taken this year, with the addition of Collier' s Magazine which is in
great demand, and voted, further, that the order be placed once again with Miss June Pickering.
This Committee also recommended the purchase of 7 gifts. This recommendation was
approved.
At the request of the Librarian, the Trustees voted that she be allowed to use, from Trust
Funds, a sum sufficient to cover the expenses of members of the Staff attending sessions of the New
England Library Association Conference in Swampscott, October 10-13.
Miss Stanton then presented to the Trustees a copy of a letter from Mrs. Dorothy Day,
Assistant in charge of the Farms Branch, to the City Government, claiming payment of all medical
expenses and full salary payment during the three months when she would be unable to work because
of injury to her elbow, caused by a fall in the Library on August 10th. (She was given leave to
withdraw this claim, after investigation by the City, since there was no defect in the floor and the City
was not responsible.)
After hearing the Librarian' s report of summer activities, the meeting adjourned.
Marjorie H. Stanton, Clerk
At the request of the Board of Aldermen, the members of the Library Commission on Repairs
to the Farms Branch, and Miss Stanton, met with the Aldermen on Monday evening, July 23 at 7
P.M., to discuss the matter of the appropriation of $2,500.00 needed to complete repairs to the
Branch.
Present were Alderman Cohen, presiding, and Aldermen Chase, Davison, McPherson, Spear,
Wickers, and Wigglesworth.
Mr. Delaney explained the need for painting the small room on the second floor, where story
hours for small groups of children are held, and for painting the floors in the Librarian' s Office and
in the lecture hall, and presented figures showing the way in which appropriations for repairs had been
cut from $1,500.00 back in 1925, to $400.00 in 1950 and $500.00 in 1951, thus making it necessary
to request so much at this time.
He also told of the need for a link fence along the West Street side of the grounds, and of a
short paved walk out to Vine Street, as well as the need for the restoration of the lawn which had
been dug up for sewer pipes and otherwise ruined by trucks.
Mr. Williams explained the need of repairs to the area way leading into the lecture hall and
expressed the hope that this might be attended to before further disintegration took place.
Both Mr. Chase and Mr. Wickers were of the opinion that these repairs could easily wait until
next year, since there was far more pressing need of repairs to the school buildings; and Mr.
Wigglesworth was opposed to spending money for the fence, since that would have to be removed
if the City voted to enlarge the fire station and build a community hall with the next few years.
However, there was a feeling that a compromise might be worked out, either by appropriating
part of the money this year, and part next, or by having the work done by the Maintenance Crew of
the City at a lower cost than would be charged by private firm or individual.
The meeting then adjourned.
(Mr. Small died on Sunday, August 5, 1951. He had been a member of the Board for nea~y
twenty-one years.)
(Mr. Carl Zeilon was appointed to fill his place.)