Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Trustees approved an additional $2,000 in the FY25 budget for library dues/training and unanimously selected Bruner Cott as the architectural firm for the library Facilities Master Plan; capital items discussed included copper gutter repair, a proposed back ramp (submitted to CDBG), window restoration, emergency lighting, and conservation estimates for the historic front doors and circulation desk.
The Board received budget, facilities, and director reports. In the FY25 budget review trustees approved an additional $2,000 for Library Dues and Membership and Library Training lines. The facilities discussion covered ongoing issues: water infiltration tied to copper gutters, a temporary rear ramp with a replacement submitted to the CDBG, remaining capital items (window restoration and emergency lighting), pest-control activity in the attic, an unresolved billing/account issue with the alarm vendor, and HVAC/humidity concerns in the Amesbury room and special-collections storage. Conservation estimates were reported for the historic front doors (approximately $10,000) and the circulation desk ($7,000–$9,000), with trust funds to be considered to cover those costs.
On the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) process, the selection committee presented three finalists (Oudens Ello, CBT, and Bruner Cott). After reviewing references, the Board unanimously voted to accept the committee's recommendation to move forward with Bruner Cott. The director highlighted staff milestones and programming updates — including new role-playing groups for youth, addition of Haitian Creole books to the children’s collection, a shift in busiest hours to Saturdays, and partnerships planned for Poetry Month — and noted issues being addressed such as teen vaping with local school/resource partners. The Board also confirmed Laurie will continue as Secretary with a review scheduled for January 2025.