HomeMy Public PortalAboutMay 2, 2018 minutes with linksWatertown Free Public Library
Meeting of the Trustees
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Raya Stern Trustees Room, WFPL
Present: Trustees Sheppard Ferguson, Leanne Hammonds, Mike Hanlon, Penny Peoples,
Daniel Pritchard, Tim Tracy; WFPL Director Leone Cole.
Enclosures: Meeting agenda; April 3, 2018 meeting minutes; Library FY2018 budget update;
Griffin and Burke Fund reports; HATCH financial report; memo from Liz Helfer, HATCH
coordinator, regarding change in hours of operation; Burke Fund allocations memo; MLS
Sorting Service fee memo; May 2018 WFPL Cafe RFP; WFPL Quarterly Report.
Call to order: Mr. Tracy brought the meeting to order at 7:00 pm
Watertown Cable Access Television was on hand to record the meeting.
Secretary's Report:
Minutes from the April 3, 2018 meeting approved.
Public Forum: No members of the public present_
Red Leaf Cafe: No update.
Financial Report:
Ms. Hammonds reports that the budget is on target for FY18 estimates. Mr. Tracy reminded the
trustees to submit any board -related expenditures for reimbursement. Mr. Hanlon inquired
whether any funds are required to be spent before the close of the fiscal year. Ms. Cole
explained that most fund balances carry over to the following fiscal year.
Trustees vote to accept the financial report
Chair's Report: Mr. Tracy requests a detailed reporting on HATCH usage, both visits and
unique patrons.
Director's Report:
Library IT Services
Due to a change in WFPL's staffing, the library no longer has an in-house IT department. Ms.
Cole reached out to peer libraries and is now collecting quotes from IT vendors to fill this gap in
administrative service. There appear to be two models: one in which the WFPL pays for a
minimum amount of IT service per month, plus any overage as needed; the other charges a flat
fee per machine under the service contract. She suggested the possibility of using an external
vendor on a more permanent basis, depending on the projected and real costs. No other
libraries in the Minuteman network uses an external IT vendor but most also do not have the
level of technological sophistication of WFPL.
HATCH Change in Hours
Trustees vote to accept proposed change to HATCH hours.
Burke Fund Allocations
Trustees vote to accept the proposed allocations for the Burke Fund.
FY19 Budget Update
Ms. Cole reports that the Town Manager presented FY19 budget to the Town Council. The two
requests for additional funding, for a part-time archivist and for the restoration of the 1856 Map,
are both included in his budget. At 6pm on May 15, Mr. Tracy and Ms. Cole will present a
detailed budget to the Council. On the first Tuesday in June, the Town Council will vote on the
FY19 budget.
MLS New Charges
The Massachusetts Library System (MLS) has proposed a $1,000 charge for the service of pre-
sorted bins of books delivered daily to the library. Ms. Cole plans to draft a letter on behalf of
the board to send to Reps. Hecht and Lawn, Sen. Brownsberger, and the Massachusetts Board of
Library Trustees, to object to the lack of transparency in MLS regarding this decision, and to
question whether this new fee is allowable under the organization's current structure. The
Board feels that this charge is not warranted, but that the service, free to the WFPL since 2010, is
now vital to library's efficient functioning.
Linehan Tree Memorial Marker
Ms. Cole informed the board that the Linehan memorial magnolia tree has a new marker,
replacing the previous one. The marker was paid for by the family.
WFPL Cafe 2018 RFP
Ms. Cole explained that the addition of vending services would make the RFP process quite
difficult. Mr. Ferguson advocated for the presence of cafe staff as a community -building benefit.
Mr. Pritchard inquired whether it makes sense to push the deadline back one month to
encourage more proposals. Ms. Cole noted that it would require a month -to -month continuance
of the current contract with Red Leaf Cafe. Ms. Cole requested suggestions for contacts with
whom the Town can share this RFP to find new leads.
Trustees vote to approve extension of RFP deadline to June 30.
New Business: Mr. Tracy asked whether the union had agreed to the new responsive feedback
model of staff feedback and evaluations. Ms. Cole confirmed that they had.
Requests for Information: No requests for information.
Next meeting: Monday, June 4, 2018, at 7:00 pm
Mr. Hanlon brought a motion to adjourn the meeting.
The board voted unanimously to accept.
###