Castleton Public Library, Board of Trustees
May 2017 Minutes
Monday, May 15, 2017
The meeting was called to order by President Karis-Nix at 7:07 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
Present: Olivia Karis-Nix, President; Nathan Hans, Treasurer; Maria Marcucci, Trustee; Zachary Goldstein, Trustee; Melissa Tacke, Library Director.
Excused: Mary Claire Aitken, Trustee; Ryan Mullahy, Vice President.
Absent: Sarah Niemitalo, Secretary.
Others in attendance:
Barb Kelp - Friends of Castleton Public Library
Castleton Village Deputy Mayor & Trustee Marianne Carner
Adoption of Agenda
Trustee Marcucci motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Treasurer Hans. Approved unanimously.
Public Comment: None.
President’s Report
President Karis-Nix went to the Friends meeting last month and thanks them for their support of the library.
President Karis-Nix reports that the August movie series at the Schodack Island State Park is ready to move forward. The State Park now has their own equipment which should alleviate some of the issues from the previous year. CPL needs to pick the movies and advertise. The movies will be every Saturday starting August 5th. Director Tacke will provide the Board a list of movies to choose from the meets the State Park’s public performance licensing requirements.
The Friends group is considering selling refreshments and having an outreach table at the movie events. The Friends have not decided yet what kind of refreshments they will be selling.
Secretary’s Report
Trustee Marcucci motioned to accept minutes from the April 17 meeting and Treasurer Hans seconded. Unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Hans reports that in addition to normal monthly expenses we made payments for UHLS and for the bike repair station.
Trustee Marcucci motioned to accept the check detail, President Karis-Nix seconded. Unanimously approved.
Trustee Marcucci asked for an update on the spending that was approved with last year’s revised budget. Director Tacke will include that going forward.
Director’s Report
Director Tacke reminds the board that UHLS dinner is June 14th at the Albany Country Club. Barb Kelp from the Friends is invited to the dinner as a guest of the Board. Ms. Kelp has a conflict but may extend the invitation to another member of the Friends.
Director Tacke has concluded her meetings with the East Greenbush director in regards to sharing a youth services librarian. The cost to CPL would be around $33,000/yr for half of their salary and benefits. The loss of flexibility with the employee and the cost does not make this plan reasonable for CPL or East Greenbush at this time. CPL currently pays our part time youth services librarian approximately $17,000/yr, with no benefits.
Director Tacke has reached out to Rensselaer, Nassau, & Sand Lake to discuss sharing a youth services librarian. Nassau and Rensselaer have responded that they aren’t interested at the time.
We are currently going to stay with the status quo of keeping a part time youth services librarian. President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke to check with UHLS if there might be other libraries interested in sharing a youth services librarian.
There was discussion about trying to split a youth services librarian by having the person work as a librarian at CPL but at a lower position in East Greenbush where compensation is higher than at CPL. Director Tacke thought it would be prohibitively difficult to implement and find a good candidate for that type of position.
President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke for ideas on how to retain a good youth services librarian. Director Tacke explained some of the difficulties in hiring and retaining part time librarians. Director Tacke would like to see a full time youth services librarian.
CPL will have a table at the Castleton Farmers’ and Artisan Market this season.
A knitting group is starting May 17th, and the Legal Clinic is starting back up this month with a new lawyer.
Fishing pole circulation has started as well as other specialty items that have been discussed at previous meetings.
Fishing poles were provided to CPL by DEC. CPL provides fishing license information at checkout but is not responsible for checking licenses or any other enforcement.
President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke about the wifi hotspot training the Director received at UHLS. Director Tacke explained some of the lending models that were discussed at the training. The Director would like to do more research before proposing a hotspot lending program. Trustee Marcucci asked what is driving libraries to expand wifi coverage in their community. Director Tacke explained that some areas are not served with high speed internet regardless of their access to income/credit.
Friends Report
Barb Kelp distributed the Friends’ new flyer/brochure. The Friends have set up a structure to let people become contributors without becoming members of the group.
Ms. Kelp is taking steps to bring the CPL Friends group into the larger Friends community. Ms. Kelp went to a large meeting of NYLA Friends groups and found it to be a productive meeting. The CPL Friends group will probably be attending the NYLA Conference in Saratoga in the fall.
The Friends’ pasta dinner is June 10th. The silent auction has been well supplied by the community. Ms. Kelp asks the Board to advertise the pasta dinner and to attend if possible.
Music at the town park starts on June 6th. The Friends will have a table with a bake sale and are looking for bakers to volunteer.
Trustee Marcucci asked Barb what are the best fundraisers for the Friends? Ms. Kelp said that this year has many fundraisers and would provide data to help weed out fundraisers for next year. Trustee Marcucci had some ideas for other fundraisers; dinner theater was discussed.
Committee Reports:
Finance: None
Administrative: None
Operations: None
Policy:
Director Tacke provided a draft of the CPL Disaster Plan. Director Tacke asked the Board to review their contact info in the protocol & contacts section. Trustee Marcucci had corrections. Disaster team member roles were assigned for the “Responsibilities During Disaster Response and Recovery” section: President Karis-Nix is the PR contact, Trustee Goldstein and Trustee Marcucci are team members. Director Tacke will update the Disaster Recovery Plan with these assignments and updated contact info. Director Tacke will provide a hard copy of the Disaster Recovery Plan to the disaster team members.
Trustee Goldstein moves to approve the plan after updates to contact info and disaster team members. Trustee Hans seconds. Unanimously approved.
Long Range Planning:
Trustee Goldstein reports that the first focus group held on May 8th. Director Tacke reported that the second focus group had successfully started this evening at the Castleton Fire House. UHLS will provide us their report from the two focus groups.
Director Tacke reports that surveys have mostly stopped coming in and results will be collated.
UHLS has a module on writing long range plans that can be presented to the Board. The Board agreed they do not want to do long range planning at a normal Board meeting. The Board does not have an August meeting so that might be an option. President Karis-Nix asked the committee to circulate the UHLS documentation on how to write a long range plan. Trustee Goldstein will contact UHLS to get materials and circulate them.
Old Business
Word of Mouth
Director Tacke asked the Board to advertise the Summer Reading Program and its Kickoff Party on June 23rd. There will be ice cream.
Trustee Program Attendance
Trustees expressed interest in the Summer Reading program and in the Mountain View Cemetery Tour June 3rd.
New Business
The Village Board has resolved that the space known as the library annex is primarily library space. This designation makes the space eligible for library construction grants. Director Tacke would like the Board to consider renovating the space and to look into construction grants for the renovation. Director Tacke will be attending a UHLS workshop on construction grants. Discussions about the goals of renovation: cleaner, more presentable for the public; improved furniture; provide safe and secure storage for the local history collection; better accommodate messy children’s activities. We are not looking to move walls or otherwise remodel in a way that would impact the rest of Village Hall.
Announcements
Friends group will not be at next month’s Board meeting. Trustee Marcucci will not be at next month’s meeting.
Public Comment
None
Executive Session
None
Treasurer Hans motioned to adjourn 8:12 pm. Trustee Marcucci seconded. Unanimously approved.
May 2017 Minutes
Monday, May 15, 2017
The meeting was called to order by President Karis-Nix at 7:07 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
Present: Olivia Karis-Nix, President; Nathan Hans, Treasurer; Maria Marcucci, Trustee; Zachary Goldstein, Trustee; Melissa Tacke, Library Director.
Excused: Mary Claire Aitken, Trustee; Ryan Mullahy, Vice President.
Absent: Sarah Niemitalo, Secretary.
Others in attendance:
Barb Kelp - Friends of Castleton Public Library
Castleton Village Deputy Mayor & Trustee Marianne Carner
Adoption of Agenda
Trustee Marcucci motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Treasurer Hans. Approved unanimously.
Public Comment: None.
President’s Report
President Karis-Nix went to the Friends meeting last month and thanks them for their support of the library.
President Karis-Nix reports that the August movie series at the Schodack Island State Park is ready to move forward. The State Park now has their own equipment which should alleviate some of the issues from the previous year. CPL needs to pick the movies and advertise. The movies will be every Saturday starting August 5th. Director Tacke will provide the Board a list of movies to choose from the meets the State Park’s public performance licensing requirements.
The Friends group is considering selling refreshments and having an outreach table at the movie events. The Friends have not decided yet what kind of refreshments they will be selling.
Secretary’s Report
Trustee Marcucci motioned to accept minutes from the April 17 meeting and Treasurer Hans seconded. Unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Hans reports that in addition to normal monthly expenses we made payments for UHLS and for the bike repair station.
Trustee Marcucci motioned to accept the check detail, President Karis-Nix seconded. Unanimously approved.
Trustee Marcucci asked for an update on the spending that was approved with last year’s revised budget. Director Tacke will include that going forward.
Director’s Report
Director Tacke reminds the board that UHLS dinner is June 14th at the Albany Country Club. Barb Kelp from the Friends is invited to the dinner as a guest of the Board. Ms. Kelp has a conflict but may extend the invitation to another member of the Friends.
Director Tacke has concluded her meetings with the East Greenbush director in regards to sharing a youth services librarian. The cost to CPL would be around $33,000/yr for half of their salary and benefits. The loss of flexibility with the employee and the cost does not make this plan reasonable for CPL or East Greenbush at this time. CPL currently pays our part time youth services librarian approximately $17,000/yr, with no benefits.
Director Tacke has reached out to Rensselaer, Nassau, & Sand Lake to discuss sharing a youth services librarian. Nassau and Rensselaer have responded that they aren’t interested at the time.
We are currently going to stay with the status quo of keeping a part time youth services librarian. President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke to check with UHLS if there might be other libraries interested in sharing a youth services librarian.
There was discussion about trying to split a youth services librarian by having the person work as a librarian at CPL but at a lower position in East Greenbush where compensation is higher than at CPL. Director Tacke thought it would be prohibitively difficult to implement and find a good candidate for that type of position.
President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke for ideas on how to retain a good youth services librarian. Director Tacke explained some of the difficulties in hiring and retaining part time librarians. Director Tacke would like to see a full time youth services librarian.
CPL will have a table at the Castleton Farmers’ and Artisan Market this season.
A knitting group is starting May 17th, and the Legal Clinic is starting back up this month with a new lawyer.
Fishing pole circulation has started as well as other specialty items that have been discussed at previous meetings.
Fishing poles were provided to CPL by DEC. CPL provides fishing license information at checkout but is not responsible for checking licenses or any other enforcement.
President Karis-Nix asked Director Tacke about the wifi hotspot training the Director received at UHLS. Director Tacke explained some of the lending models that were discussed at the training. The Director would like to do more research before proposing a hotspot lending program. Trustee Marcucci asked what is driving libraries to expand wifi coverage in their community. Director Tacke explained that some areas are not served with high speed internet regardless of their access to income/credit.
Friends Report
Barb Kelp distributed the Friends’ new flyer/brochure. The Friends have set up a structure to let people become contributors without becoming members of the group.
Ms. Kelp is taking steps to bring the CPL Friends group into the larger Friends community. Ms. Kelp went to a large meeting of NYLA Friends groups and found it to be a productive meeting. The CPL Friends group will probably be attending the NYLA Conference in Saratoga in the fall.
The Friends’ pasta dinner is June 10th. The silent auction has been well supplied by the community. Ms. Kelp asks the Board to advertise the pasta dinner and to attend if possible.
Music at the town park starts on June 6th. The Friends will have a table with a bake sale and are looking for bakers to volunteer.
Trustee Marcucci asked Barb what are the best fundraisers for the Friends? Ms. Kelp said that this year has many fundraisers and would provide data to help weed out fundraisers for next year. Trustee Marcucci had some ideas for other fundraisers; dinner theater was discussed.
Committee Reports:
Finance: None
Administrative: None
Operations: None
Policy:
Director Tacke provided a draft of the CPL Disaster Plan. Director Tacke asked the Board to review their contact info in the protocol & contacts section. Trustee Marcucci had corrections. Disaster team member roles were assigned for the “Responsibilities During Disaster Response and Recovery” section: President Karis-Nix is the PR contact, Trustee Goldstein and Trustee Marcucci are team members. Director Tacke will update the Disaster Recovery Plan with these assignments and updated contact info. Director Tacke will provide a hard copy of the Disaster Recovery Plan to the disaster team members.
Trustee Goldstein moves to approve the plan after updates to contact info and disaster team members. Trustee Hans seconds. Unanimously approved.
Long Range Planning:
Trustee Goldstein reports that the first focus group held on May 8th. Director Tacke reported that the second focus group had successfully started this evening at the Castleton Fire House. UHLS will provide us their report from the two focus groups.
Director Tacke reports that surveys have mostly stopped coming in and results will be collated.
UHLS has a module on writing long range plans that can be presented to the Board. The Board agreed they do not want to do long range planning at a normal Board meeting. The Board does not have an August meeting so that might be an option. President Karis-Nix asked the committee to circulate the UHLS documentation on how to write a long range plan. Trustee Goldstein will contact UHLS to get materials and circulate them.
Old Business
Word of Mouth
Director Tacke asked the Board to advertise the Summer Reading Program and its Kickoff Party on June 23rd. There will be ice cream.
Trustee Program Attendance
Trustees expressed interest in the Summer Reading program and in the Mountain View Cemetery Tour June 3rd.
New Business
The Village Board has resolved that the space known as the library annex is primarily library space. This designation makes the space eligible for library construction grants. Director Tacke would like the Board to consider renovating the space and to look into construction grants for the renovation. Director Tacke will be attending a UHLS workshop on construction grants. Discussions about the goals of renovation: cleaner, more presentable for the public; improved furniture; provide safe and secure storage for the local history collection; better accommodate messy children’s activities. We are not looking to move walls or otherwise remodel in a way that would impact the rest of Village Hall.
Announcements
Friends group will not be at next month’s Board meeting. Trustee Marcucci will not be at next month’s meeting.
Public Comment
None
Executive Session
None
Treasurer Hans motioned to adjourn 8:12 pm. Trustee Marcucci seconded. Unanimously approved.
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