1979-02-22 City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: 02/22/1979
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Neil B. Olson, Mary K. Connors, Dr. Edna M. MeGlynn, Emily P.
Moreney, Oleg M. Pohotsky, and Beatflee R. Vitale
Board members absent: Lester C. Ayers, John R. Coogan, and Katherine L. Fanning
Others present:
Recorder:
Regular Meeting
Board of Trustees
Beverly Public Library
Thursday, February 22, 1979 7:45 P.M.
Presiding: Neil Olson, Chairman; present: Miss Connots, Dr. MeGlynn, Mrs. Vitale, Mrs. Morency
and Mr. Pohotsky.
Motion made by Mrs. Morency and seconded by Miss Connots to accept minutes of regular meeting
of January 25, 1979 as presented. Motion made by Miss Connots and seconded by Dr. MeGlynn to
accept minutes of Finance Committee meeting of January 27, 1979 as presented.
Committee Reports.
There were none.
Librarian's Report:
Presented monthly circulation statistics.
Mrs. Calish turned the union contract over to Mr. Pohotsky, who is to review it and make any
recommendations before it is signed.
Library budgets of several other communities in the area were compared to Beverly for the amounts
spent on Books and Materials. Per capita expenditure for FY1977/78 from "Comparative Public
Library Report Data for Massachusetts 1978" listed Beverly at $2.15, or ninth out of a list of twelve.
(See list after minutes.) Mr. Olson expressed feeling that over the years, Beverly has not given
adequate financial support to the library.
Tutoring project on a one-to-one basis is being carded on in the Library.
Mrs. Calish has received request from Project Rap to use the Library as a meeting place. They have
received a grant to train high school students to work with junior high school students to answer
questions and give counseling on personal, not academic, problems. An adult staff member would be
within earshot to guide the counseling, and it would be done on a one-to-one basis. Sessions would
be held in Beverly Room and/or Yellow Room. Mrs. Calish is requesting permission for Project Rap
group to use the Library for this purpose. Board granted permission on a trial basis with an open
time-table.
Mr. Olson asked about our Referrals' file in Reference Department. Mrs. Calish assured him that this
file is kept up to date.
Division Heads' reports presented. Reference reported loss of new 1979 Beverly Directory which had
been in the department only one day before being stolen. Farms reported circulation up,
Friends of the Farms Library being formed, and interior painting completed. Bookmobile has had
several breakdowns because of generator problems which have been quickly repaired by Dept. of
Public Works crew.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was
VOTED: A letter be sent to Mr. Louis Petrosini of PWD expressing Trustees' appreciation
for the work done on our Bookmobile.
Homebound. Mrs. Hutchins visits homebound and nursing homes and delivers books to them using
her own car.
Short discussion on Book Security Theft Detection system. Cost at present time would probably be
$12,000-13,000.
Media. Tone arm on new listening station stolen. Have ordered replacement at a cost of $60-80. Will
try to have custodian make cover to forestall further thefts. New slide projector (for possible loan and
stand-by use) and film projector purchased this month. Media workshop will be conducted in March
for instructions on the use and care of ACV equipment that may be borrowed.
Request made for volunteers from the Trustees to serve on Book Selection and Library Services
Policy Committee. List with the staff volunteer names was handed out. Time-table for this project is
completion by end of June 1979. Mrs. Calish is to provide more information on this to the Trustees.
Mass. Library Assn. Trustees' Executive Board meeting will be held April 7, 1979.
Mrs. Scully attended "Born in Boston" exhibit at DeCordova Museum in Lincoln where several of
Will Barnet's prints were on display.
Communications. Letter received from Will Barnet. He is giving the library two new prints of his in
the spring.
Letter from Anne Clark of Hancock Nursing Home expressing thanks for Mrs. Hutchins' programs
and service.
Letter from staff dated February 13, 1979 expressing their disappointment in Alan Kaplan's delay in
preparation of union contract.
Letter from Friends of the Beverly Farms Public Library regarding petition sent by Christine Sherrill
and Nancy Coffey for the organizing of the Friends of the Farms Library group.
Newspaper "letter-to-the Editor" presented.
Miss Cathy Von Sonnenberg of League of Women Voters reported on League of Women Voters
update of their previous library study. She reported, also, that the League had sent a letter to the
Mayor regarding the library budget. Mr. Olson expressed the Board's appreciation for their work.
Budget. Mr. Olson stated that:
1. Budget for 79/80FY presented by Librarian had been approved in the minutes of the
December meeting.
2. Issue of Sunday closings (during 78/79 FY) had been
confused in newspaper articles. We had attempted last year to transfer money from "Purchase
& Installation of Oil Burner" account to "Pages' Salaries" account to cover the cost of Sunday
openings. Request for this transfer was turned down by the Board of Aldermen.
3. We have put money in this year's budget for Sunday openings.
4. When we were forced to cut 78/79FY budget, cutting services on Sunday affected a
minority of Beverly citizens. If we had cut Books & Materials, a majority of citizens would
have been affected.
5. Meeting scheduled for March 1, 1979 with Mayor to review our 79/80FY budget has been
canoeled.
6. Mr. Olson has informed Mrs. Calish to instruct staff members not to lobby for the budget
and to do nothing to contact city officials during their working hours at library.
7. He commended Finance Committee for their work on the budget review.
Old Business. Mrs. Vitale brought up subject of holding a Trustees' meeting at the Farms Branch.
Decision was that it would be done at some later date.
Fire alarms - referred to Administration Committee.
Front door leak - referred to Administration Committee.
Mr. Olson will set a date for Administration Committee meeting in March.
Vacancy still exists in the Circulation Dept. Request to fill it in hands of the Mayor. Filling of
positions still "frozen" by City Hall officials.
Personnel Committee meeting - Saturday, March 2, at 1:30 P.M.
Observers present: Linda Connan of Beverly Times and Cathy Von Sonnenberg of League of Women
Voters.
Motion made by Mrs. Vitale and seconded by Dr. MeGlynn to adjourn.
Adjourned: 9 P.M.
Esther Calish
Clerk