1976-05-13 City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 05/13/1976
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Sheila M. MeGarc, Lester C. Ayers, John P,. Coogan, Katherine L.
Fanning, Diane M. Isenberg, Michael Larivee, Frances M. Moran, and Beatrice R. Vitale
Board members absent: Louisa V. Conrad
Others present:
Recorder: Mark A. Nesse
Beverly Public Library
Board of Trustees Special Meeting
May 13, 1976, 7:30 P.M.
Present: Miss McGarr, presiding; Mr. Ayers, Mr. Coogan, Mrs. Fanning, Mrs. Isenberg, Mr. Larivee,
Miss Moran and Mrs. Vitale.
Meeting was called to order by Board President, Miss McGarr. Miss MeGarr indicated that the
purpose of the meeting was to comply with the Finance & Property Committee's request that the
library, along with other departments in the city, submit a plan which would eliminate 25% of current
personnel costs, exclusive of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements. Miss McGarr
then turned the meeting over to Head Librarian, Mark Nesse, who presented the following plan:
Total budgeted for personnel, 1976/77 .......... $249,888.40
less custodians' salaries and overtime .......35,925.84
$213,962.56
less 25% ................................ x 25%
to be cut ............................ $ 53,490.64
A. Close the Beverly Farms Branch
Branch Librarian .................... (grade 16) $12,375.48
Pages/part-time help ............................7,502.20
$19,877.68'
B. Close the Main Library a total of nine hours per week from our present schedule (Friday, 12-9
P.M.), and reorganize the services/facilities/staff of the main library as follows:
Eliminate the "Young Adult Room" as a separate area (but merge its collection with the adult
collection), and eliminate Young Adult Department personnel. Book selection and program
planning responsibility would fall to a new department, "Youth Services Department" which
would also assume all responsibilities currently handled by the Children's Department.
Young Adult Librarian ............ (grade 16) $12,375.48
Library Assistant(Y. A.) ...............(grade 5) 8, 132.28
Children's Librarian ................ (grade 16) 10, 187.32
$ 30,695.08
Hire Youth Services Librarian ......... (grade 16) 12,375.48
net total $18,318.60
Move Reference Department downstairs, taking workload off Circulation
Library Assistant (Circ.) ..................... (grade 5) $ 8,132.28
Eliminate additional page hours ........................7, 161.08
*Closing of Farm Branch would eliminate the need of a full-time
custodian .............................................. $ 9,828.00
It was the consensus of the Board to present the plan to the Board of Aldermen.
Adjoumment: 9:20 P.M.
Mark A. Nesse
Clerk