Present were: Margo Callaghan (late), Elaine Dates, Robert Dilts, Lisa Perrault, Alice Winn, and Director Judah Hamer.

 

Meeting was called to order at 4:58 p.m.

 

Alice moved and Lisa seconded; that the secretary's report be accepted. The motion passed with no dissenting votes.

 

Lisa presented the treasurer's report. She heard from the Vermont Community Foundation: there is just a tad under $100,000 in our account. As of December 31st, 2005 there was $7,263.73 in our distribution account. The distribution for 2006 is $3,738.00, giving us a total of $10,991.73 in this account. The

Foundation would like us to remove these monies. The Board decided to transfer the money into its Money Market account so it can draw interest. Judah was asked to present to the Board at its next meeting a proposal on ways to spend this money. Lisa will ask the Foundation to make electronic transfers of the distribution funds into our Money Market account in future years.

 

Judah had presented his librarian's report to the Board earlier so he merely answered quest1ons on any part of it that we wanted explained. Elaine asked about the comp time confusion. Judah said he had spoken to Paul about the town's policy on comp time and explained this to the library staff, so that in the future their use of comp time would be in agreement with the town's practices.

Everyone seems to be content now.

 

Elaine asked about the wireless network. Lisa suggested that it might be cheaper to buy a new computer to handle the security system for this, rather than paying Frank Thornton to adapt an existing one.

 

At the moment Judah is focusing on projects to spend the residual $15,000 of the Freeman Foundation money. The state is pressuring him to spend it soon. He will use some of it on the Web catalogue. Judah will talk with Frank and Betty about the installation of the Web catalogue in terms of the existing network configuration to determine what hardware and software will be needed. A preliminary quote from Follett indicates the software for a new Web catalogue will cost three to four thousand dollars. While there is a slightly less expensive solution to creating a Web catalogue, it would not meet certain basic state requirements and, consequently, would no receive approval as a Freeman Foundation project. In addition, the less expensive solution would not provide

some key features that will improve the quality of the catalogue records and enable library staff to clean up existing catalogue records. If there still are funds remaining, Judah is considering purchasing new PC and a color laser printer.

 

Margo suggested that the Shelburne News print an article about the Friends and a second one about the library volunteers.

 

The Board finally started discussing its policies. Judah had read and annotated them with questions and comments, noting differences between policy and practices. Firstly, he raised the question of to whom Should a library card be issued. There are problems with non-residents wanting them and with them using resident's cards. The Board said that this latter practice should be stopped.

Judah proposed a business card to be used by people who work in Shelburne but live elsewhere. The business would be responsible for lost or damaged materials. The business would list on the card the names of the people permitted to use it.

 

Judah will draft an application form letter form for our approval.

 

The Board decided to meet at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 9th at the Methodist church in order to continue the discussion of reviewing its policies.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 6:44 p.m.

 

Respectfuily submitted,

Robert V. Dilts

Secretary