Minutes
Webster Free Public Library
Trustees Meeting by Zoom
Thursday, May 27, 2021
The Zoom meeting began at 3:07 p.m. Present were Cathryn Clark-Dawe, Director, Nancy Picthall-French, Chairperson, Marty Bender, Treasurer and Leslie Collins, Secretary. The Zoom meeting took place on the Library’s Zoom link.
The Secretary’s report for 4/22/2021 was reviewed and accepted.
The Treasurer’s report was reviewed and accepted. Marty commented on how user- friendly the Amazon website is and he likes that Amazon’s billing period is sixty days. Marty will write the town a check once he receives an updated bill. Nancy inquired about the $105.00 to the Treasurer of the State of NH and Marty explained that is the fee for the State Park Pass.
The Director’s report was reviewed and accepted.
Old Business
Marty will go to the bank and facilitate getting Cathryn a credit card.
Marty consulted Wendy Pinkham on purchasing the signs and posts for the two library signs. Wendy recommended getting in touch with Nathan, supervisor of the sign shop at the prison. Marty left him a voicemail on Monday and has not heard back. Marty said he would call back again.
In April, Nancy inquired how the Trustees could help at the Library with discarding books, shelving, etc. She asked Cathryn to develop a list of things we could do to help by the Trustee meeting in May. The Trustees will tackle the list while the library is closed. Cathryn agreed it would be helpful if the Trustees could finalize the check-in process and shelve the quarantined books. She said it would be ideal any time after 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The Trustees received an email from Cathryn on April 27, 2021 thanking us for the offer of help but she no longer required our help in this matter.
Cathryn has contacted all the volunteers and they are all willing to return to their specific Wednesdays and times. A unanimous decision was made to lift the quarantine on books and to lift the restrictions on social distancing. Starting in June, Wednesday hours will extend from 4-8 p.m. Leslie will speak to Karen about coverage. Cathryn will communicate the changes to the public with the Library sign, in the Grapevine, on Facebook, on the Library’s website and Nancy will contact the Town Crier. For the first three Wednesdays in June, volunteers do not need to start until 4:30 p.m.
Cathryn received an email from Dot Bourque asking if a there was a history of the Library. Cathryn responded there was not one. She said if she ever had the time, she would be happy to work on one.
Leslie spoke about the Plant Swap at Pillsbury Lake. She received three plants and have planted them in the Library’s gardens. She has placed larger rocks in the gap between the first set of steps and the first paved landing. Cathryn said she would contact Dana and ask if it could be paved once again. Nancy has spoken to the past Select Board about the crushed railing but since there is now a new Select Board, she said it should be addressed once again.
The three Trustees spoke about the NHLTA Conference. Leslie spoke about one library’s foresight for the future by making all the furniture mobile so the space could be easily accessed for other functions. She was disappointed in the reception she had during the Small Library Roundtable presentation. Nancy spoke about the NH Library Archives Collaborative by Bobbi Lee Slossar, Electronic & Technology Resources Librarian at NHSL. This newly launched project provides NH public libraries with a digital platform to host historical photographs, records and documents. Libraries can participate in an opportunity that combines librarianship, technology and local history. Nancy asked Cathryn if this free service is something we can utilize at our library.
New Business
Cathryn will be posing the question to the Book Group if they would prefer to meet in-person with masks. On Facebook Cathryn asked the parents of the Summer Reading Program if the program should be virtual or in-person with masks, and the majority of parents preferred meeting in-person. Cathryn will be running the Summer Reading program for five weeks this summer. The summer theme, Tails and Tales, lends itself nicely to the animal programs offered by Audubon. However, Audubon is restricting their presentations to outside venues. Cathryn does not feel the outside accommodations are adequate.
Leslie asked if she could purchase a new doormat for the Library entrance (received a unanimous yes). She also inquired if she could transplant the daffodils from under the Drop Box to another location. Cathryn suggested moving them further to the right in the same garden. Leslie asked what would be the best oil to condition the bench with and Marty suggested teak oil. Leslie will pick some up and condition the bench.
Nancy asked Cathryn how she felt about rewarding a student with a fire engine ride for the most minutes spent reading. Cathryn reviewed her past interactive experiences with the Fire and Police Departments and is in favor of involving as many students as possible rather than having a solitary winner. Nancy asked her to ponder creative ways of rewarding students for reading.
The Zoom Meeting ended at 4:00 p.m. If the State of Emergency is lifted, the next meeting will be held in the Meeting Hall on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 4:00. Otherwise, the next Zoom meeting will be held on Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Leslie Collins, Secretary
Summary of duties during June 2021:
*The Trustees and Cathryn will pick a date to meet and discuss the placement of two Library signs, followed by placing two stakes on the desired locations.
*Marty will contact Dig Safe and secure a date for them to check the locations for two library signs. He will contact Nathan, supervisor of the sign shop at the prison. He will reconnect with Emmett so Emmett can then contact the DOT.
*Marty will inform Julia that the Library will be extending its hours on Wednesdays to include volunteers. Her starting time for the second week and fifth week in June will be 4:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. respectively.
*Marty will contact the bank and facilitate getting a Library credit card for Cathryn.
*Cathryn will contact Dana Hadley and ask about repaving the top of the steps.
*Cathryn will consider if the free services available to the library through the NH Library Archive Collaborative is something our library can utilize.
*Cathryn will consider collective, interactive ways for rewarding students for reading.
*Cathryn will work on writing the history of the Library, if time allows.
*Cathryn will set up the next meeting for either June 23 or June 24 depending on if the Emergency Order is lifted or not.
*Cathryn and Nancy will invite the public to the Trustee Meeting in June on the town website and the Library’s Facebook page. Anyone interested in attending will contact Cathryn and she will send the Zoom link via email. Starting in June, Cathryn and Nancy will inform the public about extending our hours on Wednesdays from 4-8 p.m. in the Grapevine, on the Library’s website, on Facebook, with the Library sign and in the Town Crier.
*Leslie will monitor the need for Celebration Bags at the Food pantry. (Last contact was 5-27-21 (no reply))
*Leslie will monitor the front gardens and condition the bench with teak oil.
*Leslie will contact Karen King.
*Nancy/Cathryn will contact the Select Board about the railing on the steps leading up to the Library doorway.
*Nancy will be on call for cleaning services.
*Nancy will welcome new residents to Webster and the Library with the revised welcome letter.
All the decisions made take into consideration the health and safety of the staff/patrons and are subject to change. The Trustees and Director are meeting monthly and are making informed, cautious decisions.