2001-10-23City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board:
Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date:
October 23, 2001 7:00 P.M.
Place:
Beverly Public Library
Board members present:
Joanne Avallon, Lindsay Diehl, Neil Olson, Kevin O’Reilly, Joanne
Panunzio, Helga Senko, and John Young
Board members absent:
Diane Costa, Edward Brindle
Others present:
Thomas Scully, Anna Langstaff
Recorder:
Anna Langstaff
John Young presided.
Lindsay Diehl reported that she and John Young, not Neil Olson, met with Library Director Tom
Scully to review his annual performance review. Neil Olson made the motion, seconded by
Lindsay Diehl, to accept the minutes of the full Board of September 25, 2001 as corrected.
Motion passed.
Neil Olson made the motion, seconded by Kevin O’Reilly, to accept the minutes of the Long
Range Planning Committee of September 25, 2001 as read. Motion passed.
Public Presentation
Trustees introduced themselves to new library trustee, Joanne Avallon.
Committee Reports
Personnel: No report.
Administration: Kevin O’Reilly reported that he will be setting up an administration committee
meeting to discuss the Beverly Farms project.
Finance: John Young would like Joanne Avallon to serve on the finance committee.
Long Range Planning: No report.
Report of the Library Director
1) Copies of the Director’s report (on file with these minutes) were mailed to Trustees. 2) Farms
Library: City Council approved funding for the Beverly Farms renovation project. 3)Flooding:
The Children’s Room received some flooding during a heavy rain storm in September. 4)
NMRLS Orientation Meeting: Joanne Panunzio reported on NMRLS meeting that she and Tom
Scully attended.
Communications
1) Trustees received a letter of resignation from Mary Harvey, assistant adult services librarian.
Unfinished Business
None
New Business
1) Kay Fanning: In recognition of Kay’s service to the Library, the trustees would like to name
something in her honor in the newly renovated Farms Library. 2) Mary Harvey: The trustees will
give Mary a retirement gift and John Young will send a letter to her. 3) “Chicago Reads”: There
was a discussion of possible book titles for Beverly’s version of “Chicago Reads.” Tom Scully
suggested that each trustee bring a recommended book title to the next board meeting.4) Inter-
generational Reading Program: The Friends of the Beverly Library donated $1,000 to the Briscoe
School/Council on Aging inter-generational reading program. 5) Trustee Handbook: Updates for
the trustee handbook were distributed. 6) Creative Writing: There was a discussion of the lack of
creative writing skills in Beverly school children. Joanne Avallon will explore the idea of doing a
memoir project with middle school students and older people. 7) Book Sale: November 17 and
18. 8) Social Gathering: January 22, 2002 at Bella Venezia at 7:30 after regular board meeting at
7:00 P.M.
The next regular meeting of the Board will be Tuesday, November 27, 2001 at 7:00 P.M. at the
Main Library.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 P.M.
LIBRARY DIRECTOR’S REPORT
October 23, 2001
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Beverly Farms Branch Library -
On October 1 the City Council voted unanimously to approve
the Beverly Farms Branch renovation project. The vote authorized the expenditure of up to
$3,000,000 for the project. We won’t know for sure the cost of the project until after it is put out
to bid in December or January. The City’s Planning and Construction Committee, which will oversee
the construction project, voted unanimously to hire Tappe and Associates to do the final design and
construction supervision.
Library Flooding
- During a heavy rain storm the last week in September, the Children’s Room
received some flooding on about 100 sq. ft. of carpet near the Dane Street end of the building. This
was again during a fast torrential downpour.
Fund Raising
- Even though the Farms project is approved, we still have to raise about $250,000
as our share of the construction cost. The fund raising committee will be continuing to pursue varies
fund raising events. Our grant application is still pending before the Massachusetts Historical
Commission. Final determination of the grant recipients has been postponed from the Commission’s
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October 10 meeting to the November 14 meeting.
“Networking”
- I have been asked to serve on the Board of Directors of NMRLS (Northeast
Massachusetts Regional Library System). I am also serving on the Archives Committee of the Essex
National Heritage Council and, along with Neil Olson, on the Collections Committee of the Beverly
Historical Society.
The Mayor has also appointed me to the Board of Directors of the Beverly Cable Access Corporation
which will take over local access programming on the Beverly Cable Channel as of May 1, 2002.
Other members of the Cable Access Board are the Superintendent of Schools, Bob Dunn, who
teaches TV production at Beverly High School and Don Berman, who is a retired media production
professional.