Meeting Minutes – The Reading Public Library

Meeting Minutes, August 2021

Reading Public Library

Board of Trustees

Meeting Agenda and Minutes

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

In attendance – Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans, Bill Bakker

1. Call to order at 6:08

2. Approve minutes from last meeting – Motion made and seconded. Minutes approved

3. Public comments – None

4. Query for changes to the agenda – No changes

5. Secretary’s report – None

6. Treasurer’s report – Nothing noteworthy for this fiscal year yet. Expenses are on track as expected.

7. Librarian’s report

a. Elevator inspection has been completed and the lift has passes inspection

b. Phone and internet – We are not under contract with Consolidated Communications and can make changes to our phone service provider at any time. We are under contract with FirstLight through June, 2022.The board will discuss changes to internet service provider at a future meeting to evaluate if there are cost savings by switching to ECFiber

c. Hanging sign in the library’s yard will need to be replaced. Board members will evaluate vendors to make a new sign and discuss at a future meeting

d. Outdoor movie night with the Reading Recreation Commission was a success

e. Tony has been in contact with the school regarding a pumpkin carving program for this year. Details are still being developed

f. Make-a-Plate event is being planned. Details are still being developed, especially as it relates to COVID and proper public safety procedures

g. A second Storytime with Libbet program is being developed

8. Unfinished business

a. Maintenance – no projects currently happening

9. New business – None

10. Summary of Decisions

a. Board will contact sign vendors

b. Bill will explore the possible switch to ECFiber

11. Agenda items for next month

a. Annual appeal

12. Adjourn at 6:51

Meeting Minutes, July 2021

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

July 27, 2021

Call to order: 6:08 pm

Attendance: Esther Allen, Jim Bennett, Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm, Heather Evans, Bill Baker, Libbet Downs

Minutes approved from last meeting: Janet motioned, Bill seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

Secretary’s report: EC fiber opportunity brought up. Internet and phone for $100 a month since EC fiber gives public organizations a discount.

Treasurer’s report: We ended the year under budget $2.66. Current budget on track

Librarian’s report: Purchased 80 new books and they are on the shelves! Libbet and Tony are going to organize another story time in September. The rec and library are planning a movie showing. Tony has been in touch with Gerry about the podcast and Tony is waiting on Gerry’s schedule. Library passes have been going out regularly. Listen Up Vermont has had a lot of interest. Several donations for little free library. Heidi Fielder and Stephen Miller donated a portable presentation lectern and a large mat.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance – Talk about new sign next meeting

New Business: Esther would like a formal letter from the library requesting the historical artifact, Minnie Fay’s library cart, to be on loan from the historical society to the Reading library.

Summary of Decisions: A formal request for a historical artifact to be on loan from the historical society will be drafted in letter form and emailed to Esther Allen. To be sent prior to the next historical society meeting August 10.

Items for next month: EC fiber- Tony will gather info regarding what we are paying now for phone and internet and what the library contract with internet provider entails

Next meeting: Tuesday August 31, 2021

Adjourn: 7:03 pm

Respectfully submitted by: Janet Malcolm, secretary

Meeting Minutes, May 2021

Reading Public Library

meeting minutes

May 25th, 2021

Call to order: 6:12pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans,

Bill Bakker Absent: library chair Vanessa Maxham

Minutes approved from last meeting; Janet motioned, Libbet seconded, all in favor.

No changes to the current agenda.

Secretary’s Report: No new report

Treasurer’s Report: treasurer reported on the status of the budget for the current fiscal year

Librarian’s Report:

Herb garden is planted and doing great!

Libbet will water herb garden while Tony is on vacation.

The CDC guidelines are quickly changing, but we are going to keep things the way they are until after our June meeting. We will reassess then.

Unfinished Business:

Maintenance: part of the library’s (hours open) sign has come loose and needs to be fixed.

New Business: No new business

Summary of Decisions: Library will continue as is

Items for next month: Library re-opening

Adjourn: 6:43pm

Next meeting: June 29th

Respectfully submitted by Janet Malcolm, secretary

Meeting Minutes, April 2021

Reading Public Library

meeting minutes

April 27th, 2021

Call to order: 6:05pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans, Vanessa Maxham,

Bill Bakker Absent: library trustee Janet Malcolm

Minutes approved from last meeting; Bill motioned, Libbet seconded, all in favor.

No changes to the current agenda.

Secretary’s Report: Janet not present but she submitted information prior to the meeting that she has issued a thank you note to Jean Goldsborough for her technical assistance and to Scott Harkins for his help moving the butterfly bush out front of the library.

Treasurer’s Report: Budget is on track.

Librarian’s Report:

The seed library is going great.

The poetry stroll has been up and running-April is poetry month.

3 story-times with Libbet have taken place, with a rousing success. Libbet hopes to do more of these in July!

We are looking forward to more outdoor movies this spring/summer with a co-sponsorship from Reading Rec.

Gerry M will soon be coming to work with Tony to set up a podcasting area for constituents.

Tony is going to order plants from the Reading Greenhouse, for the herb garden this week.

Tony will be doing the pop-up computer station for folks who wish to use it outside this summer when weather permits.

The CDC guidelines have recently changed, but we are going to keep things the way they are until after our June meeting. We will reassess then.

Unfinished Business: Our neighbor removed plants from the small garden adjacent to the library-she cleaned it out to give the plants room to thrive/breathe. Heather talked about the cement walkway in front of the library needing to be fixed (again) and she mentioned it might be a good idea to ask Lisa Kaija about making a mosaic there. We will see if this can be done.

Maintenance: part of the library’s (hours open) sign has come loose and needs to be fixed.

Cyrus Harkins will begin mowing our lawn soon. Tony will talk to him to solidify plans.

New Business: Tony’s paid vacation will be from Saturday, May 29th and he will return on Saturday, June 19th.

Summary of Decisions: Tony to talk to Cyrus, Heather to speak with Lisa K.

Items for next month:

Adjourn: 6:37pm

Respectfully submitted by Vanessa Maxham, chair

Meeting Minutes, March 2021

Reading Public Library Board Meeting Minutes

March 30, 2021

Call to order: 6:05 pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm, Heather Evans, Bill Baker

Minutes approved from last meeting: Bill motioned, Heather seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

Secretary’s report: Thank you notes up to date.

Treasurer’s report: On track with budget.

Librarian’s report: Tony posted poems for poetry stroll and placed brochures in Little Free Library, Town Hall and Greenhouse.

Libbet and Tony will be hosting three Zoom story times

on Wednesdays at 7 pm on April 7, 14, 21.

Some seed donations received and some have already been checked out.

Tony purchased Mac Book Pro and AV cart expected in the next week or so and then Tony can contact Gerry about podcasting.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance – No new report

New Business: No new business

Summary of Decisions: No new decisions

Items for next month: Tony’s vacation for June

Next meeting: April 27 6pm via ZOOM

Adjourn: 6:28pm

Respectfully submitted by: Janet Malcolm, secretary

Meeting Minutes, February 2021

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

March 2, 2021

Call to order: 6:03 pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans, Bill Baker

Minutes approved from last meeting: Heather motioned, Libbet seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

Secretary’s report: Thank you notes up to date.

Treasurer’s report: On track with budget. New line item added under fees for $141 for workman’s comp for our librarian.

Librarian’s report: Thank you note needed for Jim and Sandy Peplau for hand sewn hearts placed around town.

There are a few programs in the works: Poetry month in April; collaboration with Mary Blood Library to create a poetry stroll. Locations around

Felchville and Brownsville where poems will be posted. Penny Bliss is drawing hand drawn maps with locations.

Seeking seed donations for seed library. There has been difficulty with donations due to COVID but the seed library will continue!

Libbet and Tony are planning virtual story time.

Gerry Marletta is helping Tony choose equipment for podcasting use. Also folks will be able to use equipment and facility in future for personal podcasting use.

Laptop is running much slower due to lots of patron use so Tony will purchase a Mac book pro 13 inch- about $1200. Also AV cart will be purchased.

Library will continue to be run as is and will reassess each month with COVID in mind.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance – No new report

New Business: No new business

Summary of Decisions: New laptop and AC cart to be purchased

Items for next month: Tony’s vacation for April, landscaping.

Next meeting: March 30 6pm via ZOOM

Adjourn: 6:50pm

Respectfully submitted by: Janet Malcolm, secretary

Meeting Minutes, January 2021

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

January 26, 2021

Call to order: 6:05 pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans

Minutes approved from last meeting: Janet motioned, Libbet seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

Secretary’s report: No new report

Treasurer’s report: No new report

Librarian’s report: Folks were grateful for thank you cards sent out. We still received unsolicited donations in total of $1,576, Tony turned checks over to Bill. Tony finished the annual report and turned into Calista that will go in town report for March.

Due to Covid numbers continuing to rise in VT and NH, no changes in procedures with library visits at this time. Will continue with Stage 2B

Virtual story telling a possibility Tony and Libbet are exploring. Any ideas for virtual programming is welcome.

April is poetry month. Tony talked with someone from Mary Blood library about doing a collaborative effort where folks travel around in cars and read poems posted around West Windsor and Reading.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance – No new report

New Business: No new business

Summary of Decisions: Continue with Stage 2B

Items for next month: Next meeting: February 23 6pm via ZOOM

Meeting Minutes, November 2020

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

November 24, 2020

Call to order: 6:06 pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Heather Evans, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm

Minutes approved from last meeting: Heather motioned, Vanessa seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

Secretary’s report: No new report

Treasurer’s report: No new report

Librarian’s report: Other libraries are going back to curbside service only, from Thanksgiving through January 15th. Tony would like to do this as well. Tony would like to be able to provide internet access to those who need it and proposed stage 2B. Stage 2B would be curbside service only, along with one hour appointments to use the computer in the building. Only one

person at a time and only for folks who have no internet service at home. This would be in effect from the Saturday after Thanksgiving through January during our next board meeting unless the state goes into total lockdown. Motion to approve stage 2B by Vanessa, Janet seconded, all in favor, approved. Notes of gratitude were placed in the mail.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance – Scott moved the butterfly bush in between the septic covers.

New Business: No new business

Summary of Decisions: Stage 2B will start Saturday after Thanksgiving

Items for next month: Next meeting: December 29 6pm via ZOOM

Adjourn: 6:40pm

Meeting Minutes, October 2020

Meeting Minutes, September 2020

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

September 29th, 2020

Call to order: 6:11pm

Virtual Attendance: Tony Pikramenos, Libbet Downs, Heather Evans, Bill Bakker, Vanessa Maxham

Absent: library trustee Janet Malcolm

Minutes approved from last meeting: Heather motioned, Bill seconded, all in favor, approved.

No changes to the current agenda

No Secretary’s report

Treasurer’s report: Bill reports that there is a new executor of the Davis Trust, which the library benefits from, and he is open to communicating with the board.

Librarian’s report:

We are so proud to announce that we now have a Little Free Library outside the library!

Mr. Karl Hanson built and installed it. Please visit, it is wonderful.

We have collaborated with the Rec Commission on an outdoor movie series. We’ve had 3 so far.

Halloween is approaching fast and Tony will once again do pumpkin carving with Lisa Kaija, which will happen at the elementary school. Tony will transfer pumpkins once complete.

Halloween night he will hand out individual candy to the children, so that many hands do not contaminate the candy/buckets.

The Rec Commission and the Library are already thinking about the upcoming Holidays. We plan on decorating the building to bring cheer.

Our reopening plan is going well. We are going to re-evaluate it for the colder months as we’ll be spending more time inside and depending on COVID results.

Unfinished Business: Maintenance-we passed our elevator inspection

New Business: We are continuing to discuss our letter of gratitude.

Summary of Decisions: Heather to send email to board with art decisions for letter; Vanessa to contact Calista for info on grand list for mailings/printings.

Items for next month: We will have Halloween programs to the extent that we can.

Next meeting: October 27th 6pm via ZOOM

Adjourn: 6:54pm

Respectfully submitted by: Vanessa Maxham, chair