Category: Meeting Minutes

Reading Public Library meeting minutes

August 25, 2020, Call to order 6:13pm

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

Absent: library trustee Janet Malcolm.

Minutes approved from last meeting (both July meeting and special meeting): Bill motions, Heather seconded, all in favor, approved.

No Secretary’s report.

Treasurer’s Report: Bill states that we are all good at the end of the fiscal year and he and Tony worked so hard to get us to balance on the penny.

Librarian’s Report: Cleaning has begun again by the cleaning person. 2 public movies have been co-sponsored with the REC; 1 more movie viewing to go. Tony brought up the idea of possibly skipping the fundraising letter for this year considering the pandemic and how stressful it has been for most families. Board discussed. Libbet motioned that we not send a letter this year. Heather seconded. All were in favor.

No Unfinished Business.

New Business: we talked about the proposed COVID-19 policy and looked at Stage 3. Tony has again worked hard to see all details and make the public safe as well as the library. Libbet motions to approve COVID partial re-opening policy, Heather seconds, all in favor, approved. Heather also motioned to approve September 1st for Stage 3 to be enacted, Bill seconded, all in favor, approved.

Summary of Decisions: There will be no fundraising letter this year. COVID partial re-opening policy approved.

Items for next month: letter of gratitude.

Adjourn 6:48pm.

Respectfully submitted by Vanessa Maxham, chair.

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

Date: May 14, 2020

Meeting commenced: 6:37 via ZOOM

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

Minutes from last meeting: Motion to approve by Bill, second by Janet.

Secretary’s report: No new report

Treasurer’s report: Estimated $3500 left for spending for the year; discussed securing COVID 19 supplies

Librarian’s report: Most libraries are now beginning to do curbside service. Tony has done a lot of research surrounding this and feels the library can safely begin curbside pick-up services and home delivery services. Tony has been working on getting information out to the public, securing COVID 19 supplies, establishing policies for safe handling of items, and taken a couple trainings regarding nonprofits during COVID 19.  Tony signed up for Zoom paid subscription on month to month basis $14.99/month. Herb garden cared for by Tony. Cyrus will continue to cut grass. Wipes and hand sanitizer are most needed at this time.

Unfinished business: None

New business: Curbside pick-up discussed; policy will be on the website and you can call library for details.  Discussed having a computer for  outdoor use as sanitary supplies are available. William motioned to approve plan for curbside pick-up and home delivery service, Libbet second and unanimous yes.

Heather brought question from green space committee if picnic tables can be put out for use. Heather will pass on to green space committee that as long as state guidelines are followed the tables can be put out.

Motion to add discussion of public comments policy to the next meeting agenda. Discussed including public comment at beginning of agenda for future meetings.

Summary of decisions: Library board agreed to subscribe to ZOOM for one year. Library board unanimous vote to begin curbside pickup and home delivery service. Board agreed to include public comment at the beginning of the agenda. 

Meeting Adjourned: 7:47

Date of next meeting: TBD

Reading Public Library

Board of Trustees meeting minutes

February 25, 2020

1. Call to order – 6.07 PM – Attendees: Vanessa Maxham, Heather Evans, Bill Bakker, Libbet Downs, Tony Pikramenos. Absent: Janet Malcolm
2. Approve minutes from last meeting – motion and seconded, minutes approved
3. Query for changes to the agenda – None suggested
4. Secretary’s report – all thank you notes for annual appeal donations have been sent
5. Treasurer’s report
   1. Budget on track for end of year
6. Annual appeal donations have been successful. Still a few coming in

6. Librarian’s report
   1. Courier service, in partnership with Hartland Library, will be paid in January and annually in January going forward. The cost is $260.00 per year
   2. Propane tank meters need some repairs, which will be done by Irving in the spring or early summer
   3. Hallowanukkah candle is still li and guesses continue to come in for the day it will stop “burning”
7. Unfinished business – maintenance – currently no outstanding maintenance projects
8. New business – programs
   1. Silent book club is planned for March 4, 18, and April 1
   2. Seed library is ready and we have received some seed donations, with more on the way
   3. Community Sing-along scheduled for March 27
   4. Tony is currently planning a screwball comedy film series for May with films fro the 40s or 50s
   5. A monthly series, titled “Twelve Ephemerals,” is being developed. This will be a series of short programs
9. Summary of decisions – board voted and agreed to annual payment for courier service
10. Items for next month – nothing new to add beyond what is typically discussed
11. Adjourn – 6:58 PM

Reading Library Board Meeting Minutes
January 28th, 2020
In attendance: Libbet Downs, Heather Evans, Vanessa Maxham, Tony Pikramenos
Absent: Janet Malcolm, Bill Bakker
Call to order: 6:04pm
Minutes approved from November meeting; Libbet motioned, Heather seconded, all in agreement.
No changes to agenda items
No secretary’s report-absent
No treasurer’s report-absent
Librarian’s report:
Appeal fundraiser finishing strong at $4,575.00
Christmas Tree program went very well, lots of people enjoyed the lighting and community gathering.
The Reading Elementary children involved in the after school program have been coming to the library on Thursday afternoons to craft, read, play games, etc.
Aging in Place has been meeting regularly at the library.
The new chairs (30) that were ordered for the library were delivered on Christmas Eve!
Magazine prices have sky-rocketed in the last few years and therefore Tony has chosen to decrease the amount of magazines we subscribe to. He has chosen to keep the ones that patrons read/check out most often: Yankee, Consumer Reports, Nat Geo, Kirkus Review, Sun, New Yorker, VT Standard, and a couple children’s magazines.
The library owns some typewriters and Tony has an idea forming to utilize them with patrons. . . stay tuned.
Unfinished Business: none
New Business: none
Summary of Decisions: nothing voted on
Items for next month: Programming to begin in March
Next meeting: February 25th, 2020
Adjourn: 6:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Vanessa Maxham, chair

Reading Public Library

Board Meeting Minutes

Date: November 19, 2019

Meeting commenced: 6:15 after signing appeal letters

Present: Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Janet Malcolm, Libbet Downs

Minutes from last meeting: Motion to approve by Janet, second by Libbet, all in agreement

Query for changes to agenda items: Libbet motions to add budget discussion for 2021 under new business, Vanessa seconds, all in favor.

Secretary’s report: Working on thank you notes for 2019 appeal letter

Treasurer’s report: Budget on track up to October 2019

Librarian’s report: Fundraising letter has been sent out and we are waiting on invoice from Quality mailing house. Make-a-plate orders have been sent in and should arrive mid December. Halloween pumpkin carving at the library was a great success with the RES students. Thank you to Lisa Kaija, Vanessa Maxham, and Libbet Downs for helping! On Halloween, Tony handed out candy and lit the pumpkins which was fun for the town. The town tree lighting ceremony will be on December 7^th at 6:30 pm. Reading Rec is co-sponsoring this event again with the library. The library trustees are donating cookies. 30 chairs have been ordered and are due to ship on November 22. Tony will be out of town and the library will be closed on December 26^th. The next board meeting will be January 28^th.

Unfinished business:

-maintenance: discussion regarding sidewalk repair was decided to be tabled until Bill is in attendance

New business: Janet makes a motion to request level funding for 2021, Libbet seconds, all in favor. Motion passed to request level funding for 2021.

Summary of decisions: Library will be closed December 26, the trustees will bake cookies for tree lighting ceremony, no board meeting in December, motion passed to request level funding for 2021.

Items for next month: No new items

Meeting Adjourned: 6:31

Date of next meeting: January 28^th

Reading Public Library
Board Meeting Minutes

Date: October 29, 2019
Meeting commenced: 6:15 after signing appeal letters
Present: Tony Pikramenos, Vanessa Maxham, Heather Evans, Janet Malcolm, Bill Bakker, Libbet Downs
Minutes from last meeting: Motion to approve by Bill, second by Heather, all in agreement
Secretary’s report: No new report
Treasurer’s report: Budget on track as of September 30th
Librarian’s report: Tony did some research on the stapler that has been at the library since he has been there and discovered this stapler was made between 1946-1956 and is in amazing condition!
Tony attended Catamount Consortium meeting in Rutland along with 19 other librarians. There are now 20 libraries in the consortium as opposed to 14 when our library joined.
Make-a-plate went well at the library and although less were in attendance this year as compared to other years, a few families reached out to make them at home and bring them back to library.
30 pumpkins for K-3 RES students were purchased for pumpkin carving taking place at the library on 10/31.
Tony presented option to order 30 new chairs from Mity-Lite for programming at the library considering the current chairs are very old , heavy and difficult to store and set up. Libbet made a motion to purchase 30 chairs from Mity-Lite for library programming. Bill seconds this motion and there was a unanimous yes. Tony will follow up with Mity-Lite to purchase these.
Unfinished business:
There was an issue with the propane fireplace insert and Irving came out and repaired it free of charge. They did mention in the future the insert may need to be replaced since it is 20 years old and the on/off switch can be temperamental.
New business: No new business
Summary of decisions: Tony will follow up with Mity-Lite regarding chair purchase. Pumpkin carving is this Thursday at the library with the K-3 RES students
Items for next month: No new items
Meeting Adjourned: 6:55
Date of next meeting: Meeting for next month will take plave on November 19, 2019 instead of November 26th.