2000-02-22City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date: February 22, 2000 7:00 P.M.
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Edward Brindle, Lindsay DieM, Katherine Fanning, Joanne Panunzio,
Helga Senko, and John Young
Board members absent: Diane Costa, Neil Olson, Keyin O'Reilly
Others present: Thomas Scully, Anna Langstaff, Elia Mamik, Robert Maier
Recorder: Anna Langstaff
John Young presided.
Lindsay Diehi made the motion, seconded by Edward Brindle, to accept the minutes of January
25, 2000 as read. Motion passed.
Public Presentation
Elia Mamik, Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Robert Maier,
deputy director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, attended this meeting.
Trustees viewed a videotape, "Telling Our Stories: Massachusetts Public Libraries," produced by
the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners. The video provided an overview of public libraries
in Massachusetts, why they are important, and why they need to be supported.
Elia Mamik discussed the MBLC's legislative package, long term development plans, grant
programs, and library construction programs. She emphasized the importance of trying to
activate the library community and the potential impact of trustees in lobbying the Legislature.
Robert Maier discussed proposed technology programs.
March 3, 2000: Northeast Legislative Breakfast.
April 5, 2000: Legislative Day.
Committee Reports
Personnel: No report.
Administration: No report.
Finance: No report.
Long Range Planning: No report.
Report of the Library Director
1) Copies of the Library Direetor's report (on file with these minutes) were mailed to trustees. 2)
Farms Project: Bidders conference for landscape architecture plan was held February 22. Tom,
Michele, and Kerry are still meeting with potential donors. Donations and pledges have almost
reached $700,000. 3) Archive Grant: The Library received a $4,000 state grant to teach high
school students how to do archival and historical research. 4) State Statistics: Tom Scully has a
copy of MBLC's comparison of statistical data of Massachnsetts public libraries. 5) Nancy
Robinson: Nancy Robinson, long-time member of the Friends of the Library executive board,
died in an automobile accident two weeks ago.
Communications
1 ) Lindsay Diehl received a letter from Susan Corbett praising the Monday Mornings Program
and Mary Harvey, Monday Momings Program Director. 2) John Young received a packet from
Elia Mamik outlining MBLC's goals.
Unfinished Business
1 ) Sub-Committees: John Young will contact board members about committee assignments.
New Business
None
The next meeting of the Board will be Tuesday, March 28, 2000 at 7:00 P.M. at the Main
Library.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:55 P.M.
Library Director's Report
February 22, 2000
Beverty Farms Library - Fund raising continues for the Farms Library renovation project. Visits
with major donors are continuing. The fund raising committee is planning an evem for the early Fail
of 2000 as both a fund raiser and a way to publicize the project to the community. The City has
issued a Request for Proposals (P, FP) for landscape architects to produce a landscape plan for the
project.
Archives Grant - The Library has received a $4,000 state grant from the Massachusetts Secretary
of State to run a program to teach high school students how to do archival and historical research.
Beverly was one of ten communities selected from 40 applicants to receive this first of a kind grant.
The program will consist ofclasses mnning ffom February through May. Classeswillmeetffom6:45
to 7:45 am at the Library on Wednesday mornings for classroom work and from 9 -12 on Saturdays
for field trips to museums, libraries and historical societies with lectures fi'om working archivists and
historians. The program is being mn by Tom Scully, Kevin McGrath, Librarian at Beverly High
School, and Dean Eastman, Social Studies teacher at BHS.