Virginia Snopek - Trustee Chair Person
Dianne Barry
Carol Battersby
Linda Casey
Leah Condon
Nancy Evren
Gwen Morrissey
Bridget Roy
Renee Still

Trustee Meetings

Held in the lower level of the library.

The next meeting is set for Tuesday, February 7th. The group will be meeting promptly at 6:00 p.m.

PROPOSED LIBRARY

  • One story design with maximum accessibility
  • Central Reading Hall with clear views to all areas
  • Expanded book collection area, orderly, logical, clearly signed
  • Expanded Circulation Desk Area with sufficient room for patrons and staff
  • Expanded Children’s Library Area with Program Room
  • Young Adult Room
  • Reference Area with collection of both print and electronic reference sources with sufficient workspace
  • Group Study/Local
  • History/Genealogy Room
  • Periodical Reading Area with sufficient display areas and room for browsing
  •  Sufficient seating, computers, and work stations throughout
  • Multipurpose small Conference and quiet Study Room with seating for twelve
  • Audiovisual Area that can adjust to new technologies
  • Display Areas for new books
  • Self Checkout Bays
  • Small Area with comfortable seating for patrons to relax and access wireless internet with own devices
  • Display Cases for Community and Library postings
  • Multipurpose Meeting Room for 60 people, accessible after hours
  • Ample parking for patrons-40

PRESENT LIBRARY

  • No handicapped accessibility between floors
  • Crowded, with no clear views to all areas
  • 30,000 items crowded in space designed for 5000 items
  • Circulation Desk immediately adjacent to entrance;significant patron traffic flow issues
  • No separate Children’s Program Room
  • Young Adult section in hallway
  • Reference Area limited to a free standing bookcase, no usable table space; often unnoticed due to cramped quarters
  • Microfiche reader, most local history/genealogy in storage
  • One periodical rack with one chair adjacent to handicapped entrance door
  • Patron access computers share space with staff workspace
  • No Study/Conference Room;
  • Two tables serve for patron use ,programs, and meeting space
  • Cramped, separate Audiovisual Areas; no room for expansion
  • Very limited Display Area
  • No room for Self Checkout Bays
  •  No room for separate area with comfortable seating for patrons to access wireless internet with their own devices
  • Display Area limited to 1 small bulletin board and on Circ Desk
  • Children’s Room is closed whenever it is needed for Meeting Room
  • Limited parking – 12

Meeting Minutes and Documents

 

September 2008 Trustee Meeting Minutes
Posted on Nov 10 2008
Board of Trustees >>

Meeting Date:  Sept. 11, 2008 
 

      Present: Virginia Snopek, Nancy Evren, Dianne Barry, Leah Condon, Gwen Morrissey, Jennifer Crosby 
       

Absent: April Judicki, Amy Kimball, Bridget Roy, Renee Still 
 

Visitors: Marty Jewett, President, Friends of the Granby Public Library 
 

Minutes from our previous meeting dated August 4th, 2008 were read; Gwen made a motion to approve the minutes with corrections; Leah seconded this motion; all in favor.  
 

The meeting began with Marty Jewett announcing that the annual Friends of the Library membership drive is underway.  Sign up information was mailed out to existing members asking them to renew their membership, as well as a mass mailing included in this month’s Granby Telephone Company bill asking for new members.  Marty encouraged the Board to send out reminders to friends to enroll as “Friends”.  He stated that he would be at the Granby landfill this Saturday to recruit new Friends and asked for volunteers to help him at the landfill with the membership drive.  Also, he reminded the Trustees that volunteers were still needed at the annual Book and Bake sale on Saturday September 27th from 9 to 3. 
 

Regarding the library wish list items of task and side chairs, Nancy will contact Granby resident Jim Trompke, who is Assistant Vice President, Facilities Management at MassMutual, to see if MassMutual would donate these items to the library. 
 

Virginia updated us on the status of the pavilion sign.  She met with the Planning Board to discuss the town by laws and how they relate to the historical district.  After reading through the applicable sections and discussing the type of signage, the pavilion sign was approved.  Since then, Jenn has called Design Workshop, Inc. to order the sign. Half has been paid and the rest will be paid upon delivery of the sign. 
 

Police Chief Barry’s letter was read addressing safety and traffic concerns now that we have the pavilion.  His major concern is stopped cars on route 202 near the pavilion.  He is proposing a fence.  Virginia contacted the Historic Commission to see if installing a fence is allowed and if there were restrictions.  A four foot high fence is permissible.  Dianne made a motion that we contact fencing companies to secure the area. Gwen seconded the motion.  Trust fund monies will be used to pay for the fencing and installation.  Gwen and Virginia will meet with Chief Barry to clarify the area in question and will go fence shopping.  Jenn will go if necessary.  All in favor. 
 

An update on the surveillance system was next on the agenda.  Virginia presented a draft letter to the Board which is to be sent out for bid.  As a courtesy, this letter will also be shown to Chief Barry to insure no omissions in equipment ordering.  Chief Barry assisted the Granby School Department during the installation of its security system.  Three companies will be contacted to bid.  Gwen made a motion that we proceed with this plan; Dianne seconded this motion.  Jenn and Virginia will proceed with sending out bid letters after meeting with Chief Barry.  All in favor. 
 

Next item was an update on how the library should receive money as it relates to out of town users of the pavilion.  Checks should be made out to the Granby Public Library and all monies received should be entered into a general fund.   A warrant article will be submitted at the next town meeting to create a revolving fund. 
 

Virginia next discussed the library’s provisional grant award of $988,483.  Seventeen months remain (until December 31st, 2009) for the School Committee and the Public Library to get Town approval for the school campus project.  State Representative Ellen Story did attend the covenant meeting on September 9th.  Superintendent of Schools Pat Stevens explained at the meeting the Massachusetts School Building Authority has not looked at the feasibility study and that they (SBA) are behind schedule.  Pat continued to elaborate on what changes the SBA are planning, some of which threaten our campus design and library grant.  Rep. Story stated she would do her best to contact officials.  The School Building Committee will not move forward in hiring a lawyer, nor will the Library be able to move forward in the covenant agreement because of the latest developments on the part of the SBA. 
 

In light of this new development with the school campus project, it has been agreed that it is not worth attending the MBLC’s workshop on library security. 
 

Librarian’s Report:  Jenn noted that recently the library has had a significant increase in out of town patron circulation.  This could be in part due to the temporary closing of the Belchertown library and the summer reading program events.  There were 15,000 out of town library holds. 
 

Jenn will hold a staff meeting this week to recap the summer program and get back into the Fall schedule, including 2-week notices for time off.  Janice asked if the downstairs tables could be refinished and if the Friends could pay for this.  Nancy made a motion that Janice look into the cost of refinishing the tables and having them covered during programs/events.  Leah seconded the motion.  All in favor. 
 

A letter was presented to Jenn regarding allowing pets into the library during non-open hours.  The Board voted against allowing animals into the library regardless if the library is open or not.  Jenn will contact Town Administrator Chris Martin to see what the liabilities are if a patron brings in a pet for a program/event. 
 

Meanwhile, Melissa Aldrich has been working on a template for the library’s webpage.  Jenn is working with her to update pages on the web site. 
 

A request was made to rotate staff on Saturdays.  That request was rejected based on the fact that each staff members’ hours are specified in their job descriptions.  It was made apparent during the meeting that the job descriptions for the library staff have changed considerably technology-wise and that they have not been revised in over 4 years.  Board members agreed that a committee should be formed to revise all 3 job descriptions.  Virginia will contact Chris Martin for information and follow through with that. 
 

Leah presented a letter to the Board regarding processing books.  The Board discussed the problem of handling donated books; prioritizing new books over donated.  Jenn gave the Board an overview of the cataloguing process.  It was agreed to have the books that are under the upstairs tables sorted.  Donated books should be moved to the shed.  New books should be made the priority for cataloguing.  In an effort to jump start this plan, Jenn will discuss this as well as freeing up more time for cataloguing at the next staff meeting.  Teamwork will be stressed. 
 

Nancy brought up a suggestion of purchasing metal chair rolling racks for storing pavilion chairs.  It was thought that one of these racks would be more useful in the library.  Resin chairs were still seen as the best option for the pavilion.  No motions were made on this issue. 
 

The next Trustees meeting will be Monday, October 6th at 7 pm. 
 

Warrant items in the amount of $783.74; $1,040.39; and $841.71 were unanimously approved. 
 

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 pm. 
 

Respectfully Submitted, 
 

Nancy C. B. Evren

Secretary 
 
 

Attachments: Sept. 11 agenda

            Surveillance/security system draft bid letter

            Sept. 8 letter from Leah Condon re: organizing and processing of new/used books

            MBLC program flyers

            Police Chief Barry’s letter

Last changed: Nov 10 2008 at 11:15 AM

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