Leach Library Trustees - Regular Meeting

We're going to call the meeting to order. Um we'll start with the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, just to let you know, I I've asked the uh vice chair to run the meeting today because I've been traveling. I I've been away for two weeks and I was up since 4 this morning, boats, planes, and trains. So, I've just asked her to to conduct the meeting for tonight. Okay.

Um public comment, whoever is first, grab the sheet. Would you like me to grab it for you? Okay. Um, Donovan, 45 Chase Road. Um,

so my public comment today, it really has to do with the personnel policy. Um, I made copies for you all, so if you wanted to take one and pass it around. Um, these are just some sections that I noted, um, and some corresponding documents that I had for my reasons for noting things. So, um I am concerned that this is a completely different document than was on the October um agenda uh on the attached documents. So, it seems like it was changed a lot. Um, so one of the things I just wanted to note was uh the definition for exempt employees, which I'm very excited to see it was there, but it does call us the administrative staff um highly compensated employees, which is an actual designation that we don't fit um under the Fair uh labor standards act. And if that were the case,

sorry,

you would have to increase the budget by over $228,000 just to make us highly compensated. So that it's just a word choice, but it is an actual um like designation. So I would just be cautious looking at this document. There was 105 instances of grammatic or format errors and some word choice. Another section was in the performance plan that um per state law and the administrative codes that you do need to have any performance plan and like payment and pay scale things um in writing. So you just don't have the percentages like when you have like the different levels of what each thing would be. So I just think that this is premature to bring tonight. Um and it should I honestly go back to subcommittee before being evaluated and I would appreciate the opportunity to have a staff member involved like it was in 2024. um just to have some of this open dialogue and then consider bringing it back to the lawyer before it comes before the board.

What page is it notated that you're highly compensated? What page? So, it's in the definitions um on page page four exempt employees. It says these highly compensated employees. I I would just that's either change the definition, but I just because there are some things that could be considered interpreted different ways that the lawyer should probably look at it again, but I do think there it is cause for going to subcommittee first. And could you tell me that the uh uh where you referenced the website that you referenced? Oh, sure. I actually gave you copies of it. Here it is. That's in the back of the packet. Okay.

In the packet. So that anything that I referenced, I did give you information, but it's either the wage and hour division or um direct RSAs. Um and I actually contacted the wage and hour division and have an email there with where they said to find some of the information. Thank you. Thank you.

Colleag staff, I'm coming to this board meeting concerned, frustrated, and stressed. First, I was upset with the way that Donna was treated at the October 8th meeting. Donna is the assistant director here and as a part of the bylaw discussion, the chair said the intent was to remove Donna from being a part of the meetings. When asked for reasoning, it was stated because of the budget. With all due respect, Donna is a valuable staff member, not a budget line item or a dollar amount. You desperately need her knowledge and expertise at this table and I believe removing Donna would be a huge mistake and a great liability to this current board. Second, the treasures report. A draft of the treasures report from April through June went in Jan's mailbox on July 16th, 16 weeks ago. Since then, the board has had eight scheduled meetings without the report even appearing once on the agenda. This is fiscally irresponsible. Also, a draft of the next report from July through September was placed in Jan's mailbox. That is six months worth of financial data from two separate fiscal years that has not been presented to the board. Because of the board's inaction, I have been delayed by months in preparing the annual report. Lastly, I'm very stressed because I'm no longer able to keep accurate financial records. The new book account was opened at TD Bank and 10,000 from the trustees account was used to open that account. We have asked for a deposit receipt or documentation so we can add it to the check register but none has been provided. Checks were ordered. However, we do not have any information to confirm the accuracy of the checks. I verified address information, looked up bank routing information, but cannot confirm the account number. Jan is now verifying and bringing deposits to the bank. When Jan verified the amounts and put the grand total on the cover sheet, it did not match the total on the deposit slips that I prepared or the amount on the cover sheet that Donna prepared. Jan requested the first half

of the book budget with Justin's help. However, had Jan asked library staff, she would have gotten a more accurate number. We would have given Jan the number that Justin gave, but also included everything that was currently in process. So in reality, that check should have been for a lesser amount due to items already in process. The book budget check was then deposited into the trustees account instead of the book account and then Jan wrote a check back to the book account. I know the board is trying to follow the RSAs in law. However, in an attempt to do so, the board has created disorder rather than order, created a difficult work environment rather than one of collaboration, and has greatly impacted the ability to effectively keep accurate financial records. And I would argue that this is not the intent of the law.

I'm sorry. Before we move to another person, Jan, I really need you to stop coming. They're talking to us. It's important and I'm taking notes and I can't I'm taking notes too, but you're humming through what they're saying. So, I don't know that you're taking notes on their words because I can't hear them. I am taking notes on the words. I'm sorry, ladies. Comment. Okay. So, let's let's comment. Okay. So many. Thank you. Next. We al no daughter. Okay.

Donna plant um assistant library director. I just wanted to speak on the personnel policy as well. Um that I'm really disappointed in the draft that was brought forward for this meeting. Um with no staff input, not even from Aaron. um it directly I don't know how many times I can say that it directly impacts staff and by doing it this way you are sh you're showing us that you don't care um which is a very hard thing to swallow as a as an employee um especially very loyal employees um so from my from what I gathered from the draft I I don't even know your intent in in the changes you've made But what I'm guessing is the intent is that you don't want to be liable monetarily for the benefits that you give to the staff including merit and cola. So if you have a bad budget year, I'm guessing you want to be able to have an out essentially that you don't have to provide those benefits. Again, this is my guess because no one has shared any intent regarding the changes in the policy. If that is in fact your intent, I would strongly suggest that instead of all the cuts you've made, you look at other libraries personnel policies because there is such a thing as a disclaimer that is in some other library policies. This is one from our consortium uh Gosstown Public Library. In their purpose statements, they spec they specifically say that the manual is intended to provide guidance on the policies and procedures that apply to all employees. It may be revised at any time by the library board of trustees. None of the benefits listed are contractual in nature and do not guarantee continuence of said benefits. I'm pretty sure if that is your intent that doing something as simple as adding that statement to our existing policy

without further changing it would be all you need to do. So I just want to share that. Thank you. Next.

All right. Uh Megan Thompson to Suffrage Drive. I saw that a discussion of staff gifts is on the agenda tonight. and I'm encouraging the trustees to give the staff the gift of respect this holiday season and respond to their vote of no confidence in this board. In their announcement of the no confidence vote, the library staff asked for eight steps toward reconciliation, including mediation, giving the staff the respect of responding to the no confidence letter, valuing their feedback, and making a public commitment to improving the board's stewardship of the library is an important staff gift. Any discussion about a staff gift tonight that does not reflect that reality is a misguided attempt at showing the staff appreciation for all that they have done for Londereerry over the past year. Staff members submitted their requests for improved actions by the board in good faith and they have not been met with that same respect and courtesy from this board. People in Londereerry, myself included, support the library staff. We all deserve to have a board of trustees that will listen to feedback and take it seriously. That level of respect is a gift the trustees could offer to the entire London community. Thank you.

Yep. Okay. All set. It was I'm sorry that was all that signed up, right? Yep. Yep. Okay. Great. Okay. Um we in the interest of some time we did decide to move our non-public session up this night this evening. So we're going to do that next. That's we're so that we're going to ask you guys all to leave unfortunately. But then we're going to have you guys come back. Um, so can I get a motion to go into non-public session? Yeah.

Um, you mad vice, I would make a motion that we move into non-public under RSA 91- A311 parentheses A and RSA 91- A311 parentheses B. Second second. Um, sorry. Um, so I I think we have to say it is 91- A 3 Roman numeral 2 or 2A, not 1 one. But um, would you like me to repeat that just for the record? Yeah,

actually, you know what? Why don't you go ahead and do it? All right. Um, well, actually Why are we changing the schedule? We just wanted to move up a review. Okay. Done towards the beginning of the meeting. All right. Um then I'll make a motion that we go into non-public under New Hampshire RSA 91- A 2A and 2B. A colon 3 2 A and 2 B. Second. Actually, I think it's three colon 3 to A and 2 B. Correct. That wasn't what you said. Okay, Nancy, I'll start at you instead. Roll call. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Okay. Liz Thomas. Yes.

Helen Palary. Yes. Marco. Yes. J Mofflin. Yes. Morin. Yes. Can I get a motion to seal the non-public minutes? Jan. Um, I make a motion to seal the minutes from the most recent meeting. Second. How would you like how long would you like to seal them for? Oh, I'd like to seal them for five years. Okay. Nancy Roll call. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Yes. Liz. Helen Halberry. Yes. Yes. Be Morocco. Jim Mclofflin. Yes. Mora Rain. Yes. Okay. So, we have a lot of meeting minutes to review. We got to go back into public.

Oh, didn't we already go back in public? Not technically, but Okay. I Okay, Beth. I'd like to make a motion to go into public. Go back into public. Second. Okay. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Liz Thomas. Yes. Helen Palm Mary. Yes. Beth Marco. Yes. Chair Mclofflin. Yes. Mora Rain. Yes. Now we have to So I'd like to make a motion to seal. I'm sorry. Just have to do it that order. Okay. I'd like to make a motion to seal the minutes for five for five years. Nancy, would you still second that one? Yes, I would. Okay. Nancy, yes. Nancy, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Mary. Yes. Yes. Jofflin. Yes. More Ryan. Yes.

Okay. Um we have a a slate of minutes and we had um met several times mentioned that we'd like to make sure they were reviewed ahead of time so if there's any issues or concerns that we can take care of them quickly. Um we have a lot of different styles in them. Um, but we are hopeful that we're moving to a more streamline amount of information being shared since we also have the recording as um the record. So, were there any concerns? Do we want to go date by date?

Yes, let's did anyone have any concerns for the May 7th minutes? Um, I'm asking that we defer that one because Christine stated that we needed to go into nonpublic that there was errors in so there's errors in the non-public correct. Yeah. Voting this is the public. Oh, okay. You Okay. We didn't There's no non-public ones on this one. So, this is just public minutes. Okay. Good. So, all right. Okay. Fine. Okay. Any concerns about May 7th? Yes, Laura.

Um, so this this particular set of minutes was done by the recording secretary and there were some issues with people who are identified. I know that was pointed out prior, but we didn't have a way of making corrections. So, how are we addressing that? We can add an addendum to the amendments. Okay. because there are a number of things like people being misidentified. Um, and I think I said something on line 119 was not correct and two 294, what resident was that? Um, and I think they misspelled Eric Lowi's name. So, there were a few corrections.

Why don't we go exactly through your corrections? Okay. And we will submit them to be ch to be corrected. There's no one to submit them to. So, I think we should ask Moira, would you be willing for this set to make the addendum that would go on to it? Yeah, I guess so. I think we're going to have to be flexible in order to get this done. Okay. And did anyone else Yes. Donna? Um, I just wanted to note that the word document was sent from the recording secretary to Aaron, me, and I think Liz. Um, so we have there is a word document to Okay, great. Yeah. So it can be revised. Okay. Yes, it can be. Yeah. Okay, that's good.

So I can send that we can someone can send that to Mora and she can make those updates. Great. Where would you would you do that one for this one? Thank you. Okay, Nancy. So in the May um 7th. Yes. In the May 7th meeting minutes on line 176, my name is Hrix and Hendrick's son. That's a lovely name. It's just not my name. Laura, what since you're making the corrections when you'll get the document, can you just correct her the name is the spelling? Yeah, I think she brought that up before as well. Okay, thank you. There's a couple other names, but I think you already know them, right? Other name Maria and South Maria.

All right. Anything else since we have a lot of minutes to go through? What were the other numbers that you said you had problems with? 119. Yep. 27 27. So the corrections will be made by MOA then forwarded to everyone and then we'll vote at the next meeting to accept them. Correct. Well, can't we just accept them? Can we as correctionally as correct with the correction? Yeah, we could with the instead of going for another vote for me. I agree. Yeah. Okay. J, you want to make a motion? I think there are you still checking the No, no, I'm You're all set. Okay.

I'd like to make a motion that um we approve the May 7th minutes with the corrections from Mora and from Nancy. Um second. Okay. Roll call. Roll call. Nancy Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Liz Thomas. Yes. Helen Pome. Yes. Mlin. Yes. Jofflin. Yes. Mora Ryan. No.

Okay. Motion passes. Okay. May 20th. So you had asked um does anybody recall which meeting it was that um oh gosh help me out our liaison Mr. Bousard was here and was correcting us that we had indicated that his wife works at the library but she does not and he rather indignantly suggested that we change that in the minutes. So I think that's a later one. Is that later? I think it's July but I'm not. All right. So it's not this one. Okay. Yep. I know what you're talking about. All right.

Um that was the only um I see a couple names that need to be fixed in this one. I could fix. Um, Azra, your name is spelled wrong, but I know I can spell I can spell your name. A C R A. Yeah. What number do you live at? 17. Okay. Just just so it's in the record.

These are the May 20th minutes. So, they're not anything else that were in the May 20th minutes. I think 102 is Dana Villain Noeva too with no last name. Yeah, I can check the video too. So Helen, I will fix this one. Okay. Do you need us to send you also if we have it? I might have. If not, I'll I'll reach out to you guys. Okay. Oh, in line 50 it says I didn't vote, but I actually abstained because I missed the first couple of minutes of the meeting. What's the line number? 50. Okay. And I'm sorry, say that again. You

I missed the first couple minutes of the meeting, so I abstained. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Okay. To vote to accept the 20th on the conditions of the of the names and things being fixed. So moved. Okay. Um second. Nance Nancy Nancy Hendricks yes Liz Thomas yes Helen Pal yes Jan Mclofflin yes more yes

okay and Helen will be making those changes okay June 4th okay on this one Okay. Um, I think we need to clarify line 169, the bylaws vote, because it doesn't make sense.

The way the title, the subtitle, like the way it's written, the way it was written, it's confusing because it's not clear what you're voting on. Are you looking at June 4? This is June 14th. Four. I understand.

So, do you want to like just make it like bylaws, not review and possible acceptance?

Um, well, if that's what the agenda said, I think that's what it has to say. Yeah, I also had line 137 status of spreadsheet for contracts. I think there I have here 186 176 change Hendricks into Hendricks again and 202 and 205 and I'm not sure what the issue is with those but 202 and 205. Well, it actually has the things that we just fixed the the May 20th, but that for whatever reason. Well, look at that. It says we already approved the 20th, you guys. Okay, never mind. Oh, I'm off the hook then. I don't have to fix anything.

Okay, so we're not making any changes. Well, no, because the June 4th one says we already voted on May 20th. I don't know why May 20th was looped into that for some reason. Oh, well then so we're resending that motion. So we don't have to we don't have to send that motion. No. Well, now this is June 4th. So

So we're all set. We don't that we already voted that one. But on the June 4th one must be checked. I think we talked about it.

Does anyone have any changes for June? Which one are you on at this point? I'm sorry. We're still on June 4th. Okay, we're June 4th. Yeah, my last name's wrong. Okay. Do you want us to fix it? Is anything else being changed on it? Where where are you on the website? It says Katie Holland. My last name is Collins. What line is that? 31. Can you just spell it for us, please? C O L L I N. Collins. Thank you. That's the only thing changing. I can pretend.

Okay. Thank you. We're a library. I want to get it right. This is also by the reporting secretary. So, we should have this document also, right? Um I'll fix this bylaws part um Moira so it looks better or makes more sense. I'll match it back up or I'll check the video. Is that okay? And then other than that, are we good with everything else? Um, I did also have line 137. I did have a a replicative Hendricks into Hendricks. Okay. What was in 137?

Um, 137. I have something about the a spreadsheet. It says director Matlin is compiling a spreadsheet of contracts and the renewal dates. That's what the not that's what the minutes say. Oh, okay. I think she gave a status or something like that and I think I said I think it has to be in there. Okay. So that princess okay Donna um it looks like my name was also okay to be corrected online 77 your alias okay thank you all right motion to accept June 4th with these fixes motion Jan second thank you

Nancy Hendricks yes Liz Thomas yes Mary Yes. J Mofflin. Yes. Uh Warra. Yes. All right. June 14th deal day. These minutes were done January by you. No, by me. By you. Okay. Thank you. I think you I think you do now by law have to put who did the minutes. Yeah, I gooped on that one.

That's okay. I guess you just put it I don't know if there's a put at the end, right?

Okay, that's an easy fix. Thank you, Eron. Okay. Any else on June 14th?

I just a quick There's a capital L on uh I don't know what page it is, but it's one uh the second page under town clerk where it says Sher Farrell. There's just a capital L, but that's no big deal. I didn't know how picky we were being with that stuff under town court. Well, where this time? So, she only has one. Oh, no. Yeah. Okay. June,

can we make a a motion to make the recordings, the video recordings, the official recording of the official they're not the minutes, but the official presentation of the meeting so that if anybody doesn't agree, they can go to the reporting of that day. Um, and because that'll be more accurate than summaries that we're supposed to have in our minutes. You know what I'm trying to say?

I do think we're doing double the work now because we and I do think it's something to consider. And I I was nervous tonight about going through all these things and nitpicking everything and spending this much time on it. So, I kind of agree, but I also understand that people want the record of this to show accuracy, right? Well, I'm with you. What they talked about originally was that we had way too long minutes, right?

And it's not just now. I mean, we've had them in the past, but we we still have too long a minutes, that there's supposed to be more summary, and um since we don't seem to get to that, um that maybe, you know, if there's something somebody's concerned about that they could go and listen to. There something in this set of minutes that concerns you? No, I'm just concerned about all the minutes that we that we have, you know, eight or nine pages sent.

I guess this is the set of minutes that was posted publicly and then was removed and then nobody could get a response as to why our chair had taken the minutes down. Um, so I was wondering if this particular set of minutes had a connection with that request. No, I think I think I think the point that everyone's saying is that you know if we say that the minutes the official minutes of the meeting is you know the recorded minutes.

No, I get that. It's just um many times um you know it was brought up by myself by the public. Um why was this particular draft put on the website and the links and then removed shortly after? and I never got a response from you about why you had asked to have that removed. Um, so I'm just wondering if any of that had to do with this request to go to video feed instead of recording minutes, but just just wondering about the coincidence. I think it might just be a coincidence. No, I don't think so. But okay, I apologize. Yeah. No, that's okay. I just don't know. I think there is a connection, but

I I I remember what she's talking about. Um it was I think it was because of um the you know like uh when Richard Bolinsky spoke he spoke for the whole five minutes or three minutes or whatever it was at that point and got two lines and then other people spoke for the same amount of time and got four or five lines. Yeah. No, but that wasn't the concern. The minutes were up and then they were pulled down which is not legal. And I've asked the chair many times, the public's asked the chair many times. Richard asked many times why did it get pulled off the the public access. So, just I wanted to attach that cuz that's a concern. But wait, the video got pulled off the public access. The actual minutes that were posted um were up and then pulled

after request. I do think moving forward and it was recommended to us. I'm not saying mine are great, but when we get to a when and hope we get to August 6, I streamline them a lot and using my method of just trying to keep track of what we voted on and very very limited amount of information just to keep things moving. Yep. And I I like to keep things moving too. I just want it on record, you know, on video record that minutes were put up and then taken down. But there there is there is a problem with the minutes as far as the the amount of summary that was done on some folks and and and not on others and politically they seem to be in in opposing people. Okay. I I don't I just wanted Do you want that changed or can Well, I'm just want that's the only comment that I have about that. Okay. Anything?

And again, I think now we've we've been advised that we should downsize the the comments basically give the name and the the general you know discussed you know the bylaws you know that something general about what it was you know what I mean as opposed to putting like someone's five minute statement and other people only get you know I don't think that was the problem but yeah okay I I'm sorry no that's okay Donna

yes Donna Um I just wanted to know if the board is going to entertain a um motion regarding making the reporting um the official minutes. Um I I would recommend checking the RSAs because I do believe there's a requirement that the text minutes I think it needs to be too required as your minutes. Yeah, I I believe that you still need, you know, a published text, you know, so I don't think that we could cut that out. We might cut the size of the text again. But yes, go ahead. Um, sorry, J. No, it was the same thing. It was it was, you know, I think we still have to have written minutes, but but if someone has a concern that they don't see the detail, they can go to the video. Yeah.

And we can put a statement like that at the end of the minutes. Okay. Maybe something to explore for the future. more. Well, how is how I haven't used the this particular AI, but I've used others. How is this AI working as far as doing meeting minutes? It first comes as as a summary and you have to say I want minutes and then you say I want minutes with the detail of the people that spoke and um what time it was. I mean, you have to you have to give it tell it what what you want and then it'll change it to that. Okay. So, um I couldn't figure out how to make it do that though. Um

the lines the lines, but um um so it it's pretty straightforward. However, the town um has uh chat GPT what chatt okay whatever it is. But um they will they said they would get us a license for that. So, because that's what they're all using, quote unquote, so I don't know. Okay. Um motion to accept the June 14th minutes. So moved. Second. Second. Or more discussion or

there was only one thing I had noted that on the bottom of page one um there was a misspelled name also. Oh, Dro. Is that the name? Doug. Yeah. Um, Nancy, roll call. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz, yes. Pal Mary, yes. America, yes. Jenna Mclofflin, yes. Mora Rain, yes.

Okay. Okay, the next set is done by um Christine and there's a a small addendum at the end that were done by me because some of you guys stepped out at part of the meeting so I did part of the um minutes. This is the one I think that um councelor Bushard was speaking about. I had written it down on something else and now I couldn't find it. I know that towards the end there is kind of an odd statement at the very end on line 407 it said that he Danar claims trustees are pointing out misinformation that seems a little scary to write um in minutes like that. So I don't know if we need to check video or what we need to do for that but um just I would um like to suggest that for that statement that we state that he uh dispute you know wanted to say that his wife does not work for the library. That's what he said.

Is that what it was? That's said he said that that makes me feel better Jan because the way it's written like found sounded like something else. He he said that his wife did not work at the library. Okay. So we can And she doesn't. So that makes sense. We might just change it to that. Yeah. Okay. It sounds less scary. Thank you. That's exactly what Nancy, you were talking about before. Um quite animated.

I don't remember if Christine has ever sent us the doc, but we can just send this to her the changes to her and she can completely update them. Um the on page one the the line nine the the subtitle to that says filling a vacant position on a library board. I wasn't quite it the way it kind of I think she's talking about you Beth changing being secretary but the way it I'm on at line nine I felt like it sounded a little bit more dramatic than it needed to. It's not what someone who's leaving the board al together. Yeah, I agree. Um,

so I don't know if you want to say library board I want to use but or the secretary feel it secretary role. Yeah. Yeah. Erin, um, can I just make a recommendation to the board, you can do what you want with it to anything like those headings should match the agenda. So when someone's reading the minutes, they're aware of what area they were speaking to. So if there is a heading like that, it should match a heading that's being spoken about on the agenda so that it goes together. Yeah. Thank you.

And then it's easy for someone to follow along if they want to watch the video and Nancy. So on line seven, my name needs to be corrected again. Okay. I tell you, I don't know why Hendricks is such a hard name. And then again on line 218, I'd like my name corrected again. There's no apostrophe in Hendendricks. Christmas card pet peeve. Yes. And that's all I found so far. All right, Erin. Um I believe I was at I found Oh, no. I was not at this meeting. I think it should be mentioned what staff was at this meeting. Okay, I agree.

Okay, so I'll add that to the top staff in attendance. It was Donna and me, right? Okay. Okay. And we might actually want to agree um go back to light ball where said trusting Morocco with me to continue the secretary and that was secretary you know it was like a it wasn't the recording secretary it was more like the official title right okay right official or secretary record or whatever Yeah,

Donna. Um, I just wanted to correct a staff member's name on line 186. Um, Kamar M a H. I got your name fixed on 2011 as well. Yeah, there were a couple times that you was with me. M A H E R. What? You get a spelling error on 265. It should be Y instead of way. And my name is misspelled in line six also.

And where's your name on this? Mine six. Oh, the first page. What was the other 269? Um 265. 265. Thank you. So that's the other thing I would say about not having every detail in here custom spelling Donna. Yes. Um 275 uh it mentions you by name Helen and I think usually we use last names right it says just Helen. So if you want to change that and then 276 um there's the word qualls which I think should be qualifications. Which line again please? 276.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Anything else?

I made a motion that uh we accept the minutes for July 9th with those changes as we have and we're going to ask Christine to do them since she wrote them and if that isn't possible maybe we can find out and figure out updating it. Yeah. Okay. Second. Okay. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Yes. Jam Laughlin, yes. Morine, yes. Do we need to vote on my separate piece? Um, they're posted together on the website. Um, I don't know if

I think it's just I think it's fine. I don't think that's good.

Um I would just like to have it state why we were star. So um that in the it my in particular was that um it was illegal for us to have the public meeting. So, it was not something within the RSAs for us to be doing an uh an employees um review in public. So, that's why I objected and and left the meeting. But then I was told I had to recuse myself. Okay. I updated that. Okay, we accept my additional minutes for July 9th. Donna,

um I just wanted to know and I don't know that you have the info to add at this point. I might if I look back at my notes, but um usually when trustees leave the meeting, the time has to be recorded. Um so I can look back at what I have too if you want. I probably don't and I've run into trouble when I'm trying to figure it out in the in the video. It hasn't worked as well for me that I um if you come across it. If not, okay,

Nancy, we'll call for this one. Or actually, I don't think we have a motion. Motion to accept my extra July 9th minutes. So moved. Okay, second. Thank you. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Thomas, yes. Helen Pelary, yes. M. Jamlin. Yes. Morion abstained because I wasn't there. Okay. Okay. 7:19. Jan, I think maybe you didn't these minutes. I don't think so. It says Janice volunteered to take the minutes. Did it?

I guess it was me then. It's a fun game. You can figure out which font it is and who it belongs to.

Along this was a non-public. So is it? This is 719. Yeah. So I would like staff names to be added. Great. I think it was me and Megan. I'm not 100% sure. No one was there. No one. No, no one was at this meeting. No staff was at this meeting. Was at this. It was a special meeting. That was the alternate one that no one was at. Oh, then don't have staff.

That was the alternate one that nobody was. Also, can I just There's added things for every name that Jan wrote a reason why they picked the name, but that didn't actually happen. You just submit a name. No, I thought you came to this one because you we we were asking Aaron if you were upstairs. That was on the Saturday. That's why teacher had a recording and Aaron did make herself available and came to the meeting because we had asked but no one else came. Yeah. Right. Yeah. No, no, that was that was the 614 meeting. Oh, that's 614. Oh, okay. This was a different one. We can check the video.

Yeah. And we can I can cross out the stuff is what you're saying. Yeah. Jan, do you mind just double checking the video? That's not a problem. Thank you.

So, Um, where we make our motion to go into non-public. My name is misspelled again. This one is good though. This is H N D R I. I'm not related to Jimmy Hendris. Wow. Cool. It could be. My computer just thought you were. Same last name, different talents. Donna,

the um when you go into non-public, the specific RSA was not cited. It just says under 91. Can we remove the fifth page that just says the meeting been being recorded pledge? I don't know why that's there. I didn't see that. That may being recorded pledge. That is weird. Sure.

Spelled right on the last page. I'm not even going to tell you that the many creative pulary spelling if you have it here, but it's my husband's last name. So, we'll just um motion. Any motion to accept these minutes? So moved. Second, second. Oh, go ahead, Beth. Yes, I should not be second. Beth Mer. Second. Nancy. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Liz Thomas. Yes. Helen Pal. Yes. Beth Mer. Yes. Jam Mclofflin. Yes.

Mora Rain. Yes. Okay. All right. We're getting there. I rewatched the 86 meeting on vacation in a hotel room. You will know. While my family was out enjoying, I rewatched it to make sure I did my notes correctly. So hopefully we don't find a lot of mistakes. Was this one that mid ended at midnight?

They all end at midnight. No. Maybe also when the revisions are made time that's not good. When the revisions are made, we have to remove the draft. Yeah. From them. Yeah. Just for anybody making revisions.

I bet this one did end at midnight because we went into nonpublic at 11:01. Sorry. Um, another time. So, I don't know if you have it, but there's no there's no adjourn time. I know.

I think that's the one I asked you, right? You mailed you guys and you said I don't think for some reason I didn't write it down that night. Uh, I was not present at this meeting. That was me. I'll go back and double check my notes. Well, there's a motion down here by Beth Morocco to leave non-public at 11:30. So, we must have gone into it before then. We did. We went into nonpublic at 11:01.

So, it was just it probably was close to midnight, my guess. But, we did have some public comment. So, I'm going to bet it's closer here. I can double up that too. Is that it? Hallelujah. Okay. Motion to accept the 86 minutes.

So moved. Second. Nancy. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Lucas. Yes. Helen Pal. Yes. Yes. J Mofflin. Yes. Mora Rain. Yes. Okay. Done. I would ask that any changes to these minutes please be sent to both Donna and I so they can be put on the website and not as drafts, please. Thank you. Thank you. Request. All right, Erin, we have some contract rules that need to be done.

Uh, yes. Hold on. Uh so there's I don't know if the board wants to approve them as a whole or each individual should be approved separately.

Okay, that's fine. Um so I'll do the first one. Um this is the renewal contract for um well actually the next two are for the same Park Street Foundation. Um the first one is movie licensing. So this is a license that we use. Um it's through Swank movie licensing. It's a license that gives us the ability to um show our library after dark mostly when we do it. Um meeting uh movies, not meeting minutes, sorry. Um movies um you can't just show movies, you have to have a license in order to do it. So um this gives us that ability to do that. Um so for $389 we get several units. we can the the um amount of movies that we can watch are

quite extensive and they range from children's to adult. So it really gives us a wide range of being able to either you know at the last minute or whatever it is to provide a movie um for the public to you and it's excuse me it's quite popular. I was going to make a motion are you done? Yes. I didn't want to cut you off. No it's fine. I'm I'm I'm happy to go quickly. Madam Chair, I make a motion that we accept the Park Street Foundation contract for $389. Second. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Jen Mclofflin, yes. I think

Morine, yes. The second one's a big one. Um, the next one is also called through the Park Street Park Street Foundation. Um, this is for New Hampshire Downloadable Books Consortium. And I'm going to have Donna speak to this one. Um, yeah. I just wanted to note what the Park Street Foundation is. It's the state library, but they use a foundation in order to receive payments from libraries.

Just so this is the Libby stuff. This is Libby in over or overdrive, however you want to or New Hampshire downloadable consortium goes by many names. Um this is our annual fee to contribute to the statewide collection that is available to our patrons. um it did increase by 17% this year compared to last year. And that is because the um formula they use to determine what we pay is based on our users and our circulation and our users went up by 8 and a half% in one year. Um which is good. Um but unfortunately comes with a cost. 8 and a half% you said?

Yeah, the users were up 8 and a half%. Um, I believe that that is attributed to the fact that you can actually search what's in this collection now in our catalog because we've joined Gmails and they have that technology. So my question is this in addition to the Gmail's annual amount that we pay, we pay an additional $16,151. This was in Yes. This was in place prior part of No, this was this was in place prior to Gmails. Yes. Yeah. And it's been in place. Yeah.

Yeah. A long time. Okay. Um so the payment is not due until September 30th, 2026. Correct. They um they issue this and get because not all libraries are on a fiscal year. They're sometimes on a calendar year, so they give us the whole year. Um, which is very generous, but we do we do usually try to pay it as soon as we get it.

Traditionally, that's how we've done it. Yes, Madam Chair, I make a motion that we accept the Park Street Foundation contract for the New Hampshire downloadable Books Consortium 2026 annual fee for $16,151. Second, Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Um, question. Okay. Well, you're the chair. Yes. No, I just Sorry, there's no more questions.

No. Okay, forget it. Go ahead. Move on. No, I'm verifying that this is our downloadable uh this is the cost for our annual downloadable library of books for for all of our users. Correct. So we have we offer three digital collections. This is one of the three. Okay. So we actually have all of our d loadables is a combination of this plus the two others. Okay. Well, when I and I would never suggest not having that available. I just wanted to verify that thing, too. So, we Yes. Finish your thought. Go ahead. Finish your thought. I'm sorry. What? Finish your thought. I just

No. No. That's it. I just wanted to I wanted My thought was I want to know how much in total we pay for downloadables. Not that I would ever suggest not having downloadables. I think it's just good business to know, you know, total in total approximately how much of our budget is downloadable. Does that make sense? Right. Which I think you're moving towards in having that separate line item. Yes. Yeah. You'll be able to see that. And so in the future because of what the separable the se it's not effective this year though, right? Right. It's not effective for FY2. It's going to be put there but but empty and then next year we're going to add to it.

We're going to fill it up. Okay. Well, um yeah. Okay. Yeah. I just again Yes. My understanding is that actually the lines can be filled out for this for 27. Um so we don't we don't risk losing the funds if it has to be if it has to be the other budget. That's my understanding. The reason we said we won't fill it because we're afraid of losing the funds and they said it's not going to happen that that's not the way it happens. Correct. So we can actually fill those lines up for 27. We don't have to wait till 28. Exactly. Okay. Good. I just want to make sure every Yes.

Uh just just a quick question. What's the reason for paying this now if it's due September 26? mainly to well Erin you can agree or not agree with this but I think to make sure the funding is out of the is accounted for in the budget um because then you like Aaron in keeping track of the budget can keep track of the fact that it's already been spent easier than if she's hanging on to it for another and then we risk of not having money in the budget to pay for it

when we're responsible to pay for it. So my my thought is to pay it, get it checked off the list so that we don't run into the risk of coming toward the end of the year, the fiscal year, not having enough money.

I'll add to that the state library, I mean, you can see it right on here, um, really encourages people to pay as soon as they can because it goes straight into what's being spent on weekly purchases for the collection. So, there's a librarian in charge of adding to this database. And the sooner we pay it, there's a more of a comfort level for them to be able to use that money to continue to add to that p uh that those items. And then obviously our patrons, which we can obviously tell it's gone up um will have access to those items immediately, whatever they purchase them. Jim, as treasurer, do you have any comment on that? You're comfortable with that? I'm fine with us when whenever tomorrow you did you

I guess my only concern is that this is an appropriation for a different fiscal year. We would be paying this in July. July is a different we would this is for the current fiscal year. This is the the it is for the current fiscal year for September 26. It's for this. It's for this year even though it's got that date on it because we would be using the funds. We would be using they would be using these funds to purchase items in this fiscal year. So it's for FY26. It's just confusing the way they've got it in the budget. Yes. I mean although you need

I think if you think about it, if we waited until September, there'd be a year where you spent nothing on AHDB and then the following year you'd end up being pay either paying twice or having to wait again. And um right. You think that since they know how cities and towns well towns anyway run on what fiscal year we want? Not every not everyone. Yeah. Even the state library doesn't run on the fiscal year. Bless you. I believe the due date has more to do with the state library

in their time frame than is a reflection of you know our budget cycle. Is this consistent with the way we have been doing business? So, right now, the way we've been drawing from our budget, this is a consistent thing as opposed to changing. Yes. It usually comes out October or November. Yep. We already have a motion. We can just vote. Yep. Nancy H. Yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Jan Mclofflin, yes. Math, yes. More rain. Yes.

Okay. Um the next one is the renewal contract for Gmail subscription to OLC web dewy. I'm going to let Donna speak to this because it has to do with technical services. Mhm. Um

um so WebDwy is the staff only database that we use to um assign Dewey decimal numbers to non-fiction materials. Um it used to come in like a volume set of books and now they've moved everything to be a database. Um so what's really great is that Gmail subscribes to this themselves and everyone splits the cost. Um whereas before we were um originally we were we had our own subscription then we moved to the state library subscription which was a whole mess. Um essentially from last year to this year with Gmails we're saving over 30%.

Would you like a motion? Yep. Madam Chair, I would make a motion that we accept the contract um for the OLC web dewy for $1,782. No, it's 300. Am I on the wrong page? $6.65. I'm sorry. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Beth Franklin, yes. Jam Mclofflin, yes. more Ryan. Yes,

thank you. Um the next one is a renewal contract for transparent language database. Um this is a database that's available to our patrons. Prior to this we had Mango languages. Um this database um was is like I believe this is our second year with this database and it was we explored this for I believe it was two reasons cost but mainly because this one um offered sign language um where the Mango database did not and this actually came in cheaper than the Mango database and I believe Donna has some stats to speak to.

Yep. So, I compared um our last year of Mango to our first year of Transparent in terms of usage and we had a 46% increase in usage um which I think is a great sign. I also really like that um Transparent's actually local. They are out of Nashville. Um so, we can just call a local number to talk to them and it's great. It's um and I also wanted to mention that there was no increase in the cost this year. They continue to give us a 10% discount which gets across the sample. They win the prize. Hugely rare. I'd like to make a motion for the contract renewal of transparent language online for a sum of $1,782.

Second Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Liz Thomas. Yes. Helen Pal. Yes. Beth Michael. Yes. Jan Mclofflin. Yes.

Mora Rain. Yes. Um the next one is a renewal contract for Hoopla. Hoopla is the one of the three databases that we have that are the downloadable. Um we spoke to the um downloadable folks with Libby, Overdrive, whatever you want to call it before. Um Hoopla is one that we personally subscribe to. It is not through any sort of state or um additional contract with Gmail or state. It's one that we subscribe and pay for. It is available to our patrons. Each individual library would have to pay for their own subscription. Um I can let Donna speak to this as well with stats.

Yes. So um Hoopla is the one that's really difficult to budget for because the model of it is a cost per circulation. So we pay for every item that's checked out and every item that's checked out is not the same cost. Um so that's why it's difficult to budget. Um this agreement um does not actually come with a dollar amount that you have to spend in a year. Um Hoopla works like we have we have control over the service level that we offer. Um so the service level that we offer right now is four checkouts per month. Um that's the limit and we also set a limit this past June um on the cost per item. So that because we were noticing that the the cost just was not going to be sustainable budget-wise um come the end of last fiscal year. So we set the item cap for the budget to be $2.50. Um that did remove over 270,000 items from the available collection. Um we did have some comments from patrons that were upset that some of the things they wanted to check out had disappeared on them. Um which I understand. Um

but just to give you an example of budget-wise, um at the end of last fiscal year, we had spent over 26,000 on Hoopla. Um with this change we've made since then in the first four months of this fiscal year. Um we've saved 38% compared to what we spent last year just from making that putting that cap on the per item cost.

Nice. Um the so far this year the average cost per circulation is $138. So even though our max is 250, we're actually spending around $138. Um which I feel like is a comfortable spot to be. Um considering that a lot of the titles available on Hoopla are things that um a lot of the time I don't think would necessarily be worth us adding to the collection like in physical form. um it wouldn't they wouldn't return the the circulation. Um and another um thing is that it offers such a broad range of materials. It's not just ebooks and audiobooks. It's TV and um movies and music um which we don't have another downloadable service that does those other options at all. Um so what you're really um deciding on tonight is to go another year with Hoopla. Um, but throughout that year, we could still make changes to the service level if we are concerned about how much is being spent.

So, I will speak to this original service level change. Um, Donna had come to me um asking me about it and I decided to go with that that I'll take full responsibility that I went with that service level change. Um, and again, my goal was always looking at the budget and making sure that it was covered by the budget. So, I did make those changes. um in order to be fiscally responsible and mindful of our budget. Um I do have concerns with Hoopla as much as it's a service I use and love and there's quite a few people that do use it and love it even on staff and patrons. Um I have concerns with Hoopla because its unpredictableness regarding our budget. Um I I do think that if the board was I would like the board to vote on this obviously with the understanding that um this does present some risks with budget-wise and to um either stay at the what the cap we have now um and go forward with that unknown with knowing that it could present some financial challenges but also I could if the board would allow me to reach out to the board to to spend out of their account to support this budget to support this database because it is so popular. I would entertain that as well. I'm not asking for it now. I'm just asking for the future of that possibility.

So, I understand that we're that we're being asked to to approve this open-ended.

Is there can we limit the amount of total amount we're talking about? So, there is another option that we don't currently use that limits the spending per month. Um, the the real thing I the problem I have with it is that it's not a great service model because as soon as you hit that budget cap, the service isn't turns off for everybody. So Nasha actually uses it that way and people like scramble to get stuff at like midnight and then when they've spent their money in the next day or so it's gone. Like that's it. Everybody's out for the month. Um and I I really don't think that would be a good service model for our patrons.

It has a very greedy feel to it that makes makes us both uncomfortable. Yeah. No, I'm just I'm just trying to say is there, you know, is there a maximum for the year or a maximum for six months or any of those things that we're talking about? No, I mean, we're just saying, oh, it could be openended. It could be a,000, it could be 5,000 this month.

What we could do if you want is you could decide a time frame when you want to revisit how much has been spent this year and then you could decide if you want to make any changes to the service level um because of how much has been spent. That would be my suggestion. Um my other suggestion is that if you're really concerned and are really strongly thinking about doing away with the service um would be I would say to make it last one more year and we can communicate throughout the year that it's going to be going away as of whatever date so that it's not like a shut off that it's not an immediate shut off where people are going to get very upset. They can almost like plan ahead for it. Um, so those would be my

and I do believe Hoopla does have in the contract that we have to give them a certain timeframe notice. Um, so if the board is going to decide to cut the service, we do have to give a certain time to Hoopla to do that. So if the board was going to entertain something like losing the service, again, this that would need to I would almost encourage the board to communicate that before January so that we can make sure to communicate that to our patrons. um so that um they are not left without going what happened and I believe the um in in order to cancel it for this year um I think we would have to give them notice by early December.

Is there a current contract other than this one from 22? No, this contract actually it's not like we sign it every year. So this covered we when we signed this we agreed to have it for at least 24 months. After that time it would continue to renew every year until we write to them to cancel. So if you decide to continue there's really nothing that we would have to do. We we just let it renew on its own um and continue obviously paying the bills. But I I have a personal concern. I don't think that we should commit trustee fund money

a limited type of thing where there's no set cap or anything. I'm not I'm not asking for I'm asking for the the just the consideration that as we move forward if the board is okay with renewing this contract and as we move forward that there may be a possibility if our bud if something happens with our budget where we have to a big repair or whatever it is that the board will continue to support this database if needed until we have the right time in order to cancel. That's all I'm I'm not asking for money right now. I'm just asking for that cuz that's what that money is for um in reality. So, do we pay this monthly? Okay. And what is your average monthly cost?

Sure. So, I can tell you the first four months of this year if you want. Um July, we spent $13.95. August we spent $12.81.83. September we spent $12.914. October we spent 123859. So, it's right around the 12 to 13 range on average a month. And why would we not budget that into the the annual budget? We do budget it. We do budget. So, when for the But you're saying if

for the 20 for the FY27 budget, I took the us the growth of the usage and projected a an amount that I think would cover Hoopla. Um, which Aaron included in her her presentation to you. Um what we're saying is there's a lot of um like my my number is a projection based on what we're doing and usage right now, but if usage like went up a crazy amount and we weren't expecting it, um it's going to change how much we're paying. Um so that's what Erin is saying that it's not a reliable it's not like a 100% reliable number. So, how much did we budget for 26?

For 26. I don't know the number for 26. Okay. How about for 27? I don't have the number for 27. I want to say it was very similar. Well, well, it's included combined in other combined with other things. I believe the number was around 18 to 19,000 which is not horrible, which is very similar to where Libby is. Yeah. So, right now, I don't like the thought of cutting services. However, you know, we do have to be mindful of costs.

So, I would think that it might be prudent to revisit this in 6 months to see if if we're kind of on on target with with what you're I'm going to average this and say we're spending about 1,300 a month. Would that be reasonable? Yes. you know, and if it looks like it has spiked or doubled or tripled, then we can talk about it and and if need be, you know, and we take away all the points. And what kind of how many days notice do you have to give to this service?

Um, so we I believe it's 90. I'd have to find it in here, but I did I figured out what day it was. I believe it's early December. So, um, you would have to decide tonight or or at the December meeting to continue for another year, but you don't have to decide like what level of service you're going to offer. So, we can leave it as is for now. See how the spending is in six months as Nancy said and um revisit if you want to change like how many checkouts per month everyone has or if you want to change the per item budget or if you do want to go with the maximum budget per month idea. Um that's fine.

I mean we if by NY's suggestion of revisiting in six months, we would have another six months of numbers to see where that we're on track with that similar amount. And if it looks like it's exploding, then we can exactly different decision. I'm still very uncomfortable using a very finite number of dollars that we have and we have no income coming in whatsoever from for you know into the uh into our trust funds. Go ahead. Well, I I don't I don't think this is even the trust fund discussion, though. This is about the money from the the budget that we currently have, the fiscal year 26 budget. We're talking about those funds. Yeah.

Um my concern more is the um you know, how much was budgeted to how much out of the fiscal year 26 budget was actually budgeted? Are we on track for that part for Hoopla? You know, that's the only thing. And my my guess is that as we go forward, we should expect there's going to be more use of electronic means as we go forward. So it's going to be an everinccreasing number. So, um, when they ask those questions on the 10th, like, well, gee, what are the areas that you, you know, you're concerned about or you would like to make sure there's more money for? I would think that things we should say is, uh, electronic because the electronic stuff is going to be more and more important, I think.

Yeah. Okay. And again, though, wasn't Erin's suggestion that we go forward with this and if we run out of money, then we have to use trust. No, she was just I want to clarify that it's not trust funds. These are the the money in the trustee account

and that money you do have funds coming into that money. It's not much. I mean into that account it's not much. I do think that the board needs to recognize that that money does belong to the people and does belong to the library and should be used accordingly when needed. I'm not asking I want to clarify again. I am not saying up for a certain amount. All I'm saying because of this the way this database works and also the popularity of this database, I would ask the board to please consider if there was a need to please use those funds accordingly and for the library. I don't think it's I don't think it's um fiscally responsible and I don't think it's fair to the people for us to hoard that money for whatever purpose we're I don't even know why we're hoarding it. we should use that money for the library. And I and I've asked a number of times for the board to use that money for specific things and they've been denied. I understand that. That's the board's decision. But recognize that this is the moment where we can say, "Okay, we maybe don't have enough money in our our our town budget. That's okay. We're going to we're going to cover this for the rest of the year or whatever that looks like." I don't know. I don't I can't predict what that's going to look like, but I do think that all I'm asking is that the board consider that in case that need arises. That's all.

I would agree. Okay. But we're not going to know right what that figure is because this is so volatile. So that's why I'm saying let's look at this again in six months and if we're still on target for this 1300 12 $1,300 a month. If it quadruples, well, that's a problem,

you know, and then we can talk about it. And if it's it's sustainable, you know, to take some of that money out of the trust fund, we can talk about that then. I'm not suggesting that we're not going to use that money for that. I would agree with you that money is for the library. I'm just saying let's look at this y and then make a decision in six months. And I think we'll also have a a good look at where our budget is also at that time where we may not need to ask for money from the board. But we're we're trying to be transparent in how this database works and what that cost looks like so that the board can be prepared in case that arises.

That's right. I I gotcha. Is there some other service out there that would provide um a similar um connectivity for our um uh patrons um without the open-endedness of this Hoopla contract? Um I would say Hoopla is the biggest when it comes to what what Hoopla offers is an instant download whereas um the model that like Libby and Cloud Library have is very similar to the traditional library where you only have so many copies so people there's long wait lists for popular stuff.

Um whereas Hoopla they offer everything on the spot. So go in, you download what you want when you want it. Um I would say the closest and it doesn't offer the same range of materials, but we have looked at comics plus which um does again what was that name? Comics Plus. Comics Plus. So that is specific only to the comics portion of Hoopla. Um it wouldn't do the audio, the video, the music. Um and that is more of like a flat fee that you pay annually. Um but again only for comics.

Yeah, there are libraries that have both because they cover different things. So

um I don't I wouldn't look at that in my opinion as a replacement of Hoopla. Um, I think I think Donna is right that Hoopla offers something that other databases do not. And that instant download is why a lot of people prefer Hoopla over the others. Um, it's kind of like when you look at like the big box stores, Costco, BJs, and Sam's Club all carry different things. So, you want memberships to all of them, right? Ideally, um, and then similar to this, Cloud Library, Libby, and Hoopla all carry different things. Um there is some overlap here and there but a majority is there are things you cannot find on Libyan cloud library that's on Hoopla and vice versa. So that's why there is this challenge that yes Hoopla is fantastic um but it again it comes at a cost and it comes at a service um but that service is a huge benefit to our patrons um that I think needs to be considered.

I just wanted to add sorry two more things to to answer Jan's question. The other ones I'm familiar with are there's one owned by Overdrive called Canopy that focuses on video a video collection. Um that one is cost per circ just like Hoopla. However, the cost is generally what I've seen trend-wise is that it's not as high as Hoopla because it's just video. Um and there are some they have different um ways you can limit what you're spending too. Um that's the last time I looked at that one. And then the other one I had off the top of my head was actually a something we can do with overdrive. Um we are able to or what's called an advantage library. So if you put any money towards advantage, it's like you are managing your own parts of the collection. So, for example, a good way to use it would be to look at um what has high holds on Libby right now in our in the state collection and we could buy our own license for the most popular that has high holds and that license will only be available to our patrons. Um, so it's not quite the instant model, but it is like a way to get patrons what they want faster. Um, so if you don't have Hoopla, you could consider putting some money towards that service instead. And you can budget like say like for ex example if we don't have hoopa you can say all right we're going to put five grand toward advantage this year and then space that out. So and then there is no like that's our decision that's the five grand it's not going to go up and down that's our decision unless the board decides to add to that which you can always add. You can always ask for I think it's an invoice or something of that nature and say we'd like an invoice for an additional three grand and then you know build that up if we want if for some reason we get a donation too and we want to do that um that we can do that um but again it offers different things and than hoopla but certainly it's an option.

So does it make sense to start I'm actually out on the canopy website right now they look interesting. Um, so does it make sense to start exploring some other? You can we've already explored comics plus most recently. Um, that was actually presented as part of the budget, the FY27 budget. Y

um, but if you'd like, we can definitely we I looked at Canopy maybe I'm totally guessing on this, but maybe four years ago. Um, so I could definitely look at what's changed. No, I'm just saying that, you know, again, maybe in in 6 months we talk in addition to talking about whether or not we're going to keep and if the costs quadruple, then you can say, but however, we've looked into some of these things and the these might be a good replacement and then we can have a discussion about that. We can come back in the six months with those options with more detail if if that's something that the board would like us to do.

I would like to ch change the the timeline on that. Okay. I think that it's a product that we're using. We're comfortable. patrons are comfortable and it's really been a very effective product for this you know for the library. Um what I would suggest is you know is that we actually in three months start a three-month cycle of watching for the 12 months of the budget watching and if because you have to give a threemon um you know you have to give them three months you know to cancel. So if we're talking if we look at it as 6 months then we're required to pay through nine months. This way if we're looking at three at three months, we see how much of that year's budget has been spent in the first three months,

you know, and and I think that's the only thing. My only problem is the liability. Yeah. Okay. Of the of the of And so therefore, I'm not saying I don't want to spend the money. I'm saying the liability. Okay. So that if we do it in in three months, then you know we've we've we probably have enough in the budget to cover the first six months anyway. And realistically, we probably will won't cancel it, but I just feel more comfortable giving a shorter period of time before we review. Would that give you all enough time to look at some other options that we could talk about? Yeah. Would that So for three more months of data, would that be your February meeting? Would you agree with that?

Yeah. Yeah. I don't even know how to make either. Basically, you you just tell us, you know, oh, exponentially now we're spending $2,500 a month as opposed to 1300. So, we're going to run out of money by by March or something. That's the type of thing that, you know, I the overview that we're looking at. I think the motion that you might be looking for is just for us to a agree to this contract right now, which is what we have to do with the caveat that at the February meeting, we would come back with some more statistics, the budget that's been spent, and look at other options. Is that acceptable? Yes. Yeah.

I don't know if that's an official note. I can't make the motion, but I just clarify what I was saying. I'd like to make a motion that we um approve um uh going forward with hoopla for the next three months at the current rate and that we revisit this in February with more data um with an idea of looking at possible other options or continuing um at a different amount. Second. Nancy. Nancy Hendricks. Yes. Liz Thomas. Yes. Helen Pary. Yes. Beth Mlin. Yes. J Mlofflin. Yes. Morin. Yes. All right. That was easy. Thank you. And that's the last contract, right?

Nope. Um well, we have an agreement with the Ingram Library Services. Um that's a new vendor due to the based um to the fact that Baker and Taylor has shut down. That's our um vendor that we use now. Um that vendor is where we get all 90% of our books. um and also with some processing. So, Donna has looked into Ingram um as every library is um so somehow she got through and got some information um from Ingram. And do you want to speak to that Donna?

Yes. So, um what I'd learned from Ingram is it they have a little bit of a different um way of doing business than Baker and Taylor. So with Baker and Taylor, we or the library paid an annual fee that would cover our access to their online catalog that gives us ability to order online. And then um it also would include shipping. So we wouldn't pay shipping for anything that was shipped. Ingram does not do that. Um the Oh, bad. We're not done yet. The positive is darn that for us to become a customer of Ingram, there is no fee we have to pay upfront. However, we do have to pay shipping on everything that ships.

You know, you're killing us. I know. Um, from what I've learned, pay me later. From what I've learned, it's like I believe the maximum is 2250 per like shipment. $250. No, no, no. $2.50.

Sorry. It should have been more specific. Um, but another another thing that we kind of have to work with with Ingram is that um there's a minimum number of items that have to be ready before something ships, which I think is how they manage the the cost for shipping. It's not like they're shipping one book at a time generally. Um, so there are there have to be 10 items coming from a particular warehouse before that order will ship for us. Um or I think the other caveat is like if it's there for I don't remember the days 45 or 60 days that it will ship individually at that point. So things could be sitting there for a bit. Um they have four warehouses and that minimum does apply to every warehouse. We um would be assigned one primary and one secondary. Um, if items ship from the secondary, from what I've learned, it does come with a higher shipping cost because it's further away. Um, they do it based on location. Um, but like I said, the good news is that there's nothing to pay upfront. Um, and we can also have with Baker and Taylor, we were limited to a certain number of users because we were paying per account and we don't do that with them. We can have as many login as we need. I would also like to point out that this is it. There are no other met

you kind of have to you kind of have to approve it because there's no other options. We do use Amazon at times. Um and we have been using Amazon in in kind of in our flux right now. Um and we have used um Gibson's bookstore that's up in conquered um to purchase books as well. but they don't have every book obviously and there's you know pluses and minuses to everything. So um we need a real I guess a a larger vendor to accommodate the need of our the the our level of ordering um and and processing and processing. So, so this is the only auction really. This is

right now. This is the only I have a feeling that something will come out of the woodwork to replace Baker and Taylor and to be a competitor with Ingram. I just don't see that right now. Um talking about a year is this is um is this is this open-ended or is this a one-year contract we read here? So, this is open-ended my understanding. There are two there are two terms of agreement in here. One is just to cost, right?

It's okay. There's two terms of agreement. There's the terms of sale and then there's the user agreement for iPage. iPage is their digital catalog, database, whatever you want to call it. Um they there isn't a cost associated with accepting these um the way there would be with Baker and Taylor. Um, instead what you're really agreeing to is for us to open a line of credit with them because that would allow us to pay our shipments by invoice through them instead of having to pay like credit card every time. Um, so that is really what you're agreeing to is to become a customer with them to agree to these terms and to open a line of credit.

Does that make more sense? Sort of. What are the terms? Okay, so there's one. This starts with this page. Yeah, I got that. Okay. And then the second page, that one's like three or four pages. And then the next one.

Yes, you do. Yep. Where? that 30.

Any guess as to how much it'll cost? I mean, this is within our budget. It's within the So, this will just be for the book stuff. It's for the book line. So, the selectors will spend within their budget. we will now have to account for like I'll need to tell them to account for shipping um which should be $2 and whatever they charge per order. I'm going to write that down. Um, the only thing that's kind of variable is if it ends up shipping from not our primary, which we don't know. We won't be able sending it to us from Australia, it might be a little lessensive.

I mean, what we can do what we can do that will be kind of different for us, but we will get the hang of it. Is that we have to be more mindful of the So, what's really good about them is that they have very accurate stock when we go to order. So we can see what warehouse has has what number of copies.

Um so if our primary warehouse has zero, it might be more beneficial for us to order that from Amazon or Gibson's or another or B bookery or whatever bookstore. Um depending on th those well Amazon's pretty um competitive with their library pricing. Um local bookstores are are harder because they can only give you certain discount but they do give us a discount. So, I think we're just going to be more strate more strategic in how in who we're ordering from instead of the way we were doing it before where we were just like everything from Baker and Taylor. Yeah.

Um it's going to be more like is it better if we order from them or from somewhere else? Um with Baker and Taylor, you did some processing. I assume this is this doesn't have processing. They will do processing. Um I've been quoted that it's going because of the volume of libraries that are trying to get set up with them that the processing um setup would take many months before we can even get set up. Um but yes, the processing will come with its like own set of costs and if you prefer when I get to that stage we I can bring that to you before we sign up for

we did it with Baker and Taylor and then we would get separate invoices for processing. So, we had an idea of what that would cost, but because we don't exactly know with Ingram um and that number could change because as they take on more clients, we don't know what that looks like, but

um the idea is just to get us going where we can start ordering materials for our patrons and there's no delay in the holds or their other services to them. So, I make a motion that we approve a contract with Ingram to set up a line of credit and um to engage with iPage or whatever we have to do in order to be able to effectively use the system um and that we monitor this over the course of the next six months for the expansion that we need to do or contraction to fit within the budget. It's a really long motion, but I think I'm going to second it.

So, you know, I just I mean, we could say for the whole year, but it's just like we don't know how it's going to be in six months, you'll have an idea of are they actually delivering? Um, my only question is do you when we get to the processing stage, do you want me to bring those numbers to you before we commit to signing up or using the service? I I think I think you'll have to kind of make that decision because you're making that decision versus processing it in house, I'm assuming. Yes. like to see that happen though. You would like to see? Yes. Yeah. Anything that alters what we vote on for finance finances should we should be aware of the of the

probably particularly since there aren't any hard numbers here. That's probably a good thing. Yeah. So the motion is to engage with these folks for books and iPage and more details for processing to come as you as you know what it is. Second roll call. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pome, yes. Beth, yes. J Mclofflin, yes. Morang, yes.

All right. Um, thank you. The last one is actually the last page in your um packet because we did not have it at the time that this was posted. So, it's called a to a TOZ database subscription agreement. It's at the top there. comment that says that. Um, well, if everybody's I'll wait till I'll wait a minute for everybody to find it. It's the last page in your at should be at the bottom of your packet. I don't have this online. It looks like this. It's not at the Yeah, the bottom is is personal policy.

No, it should be. It's after that. There's a lot more after that. You might have flipped it.

Today is what is it in the um the paper clipped items? Okay. Look at the last paper clipped items. It might be in there. Nope. Uh, maybe not. Nope. Yes. Thank you. It's in there. It's in the paper. Halfway through paper. Okay. It's after the department notes.

Sorry, mine was on the bottom. Yeah. to it. Yeah. So, this is a database. Um, I'm g I'm gonna let Donna speak to this because she kind of manages a lot of the databases, so she has numbers.

Yes. So, um, A Toz, this is a really tough one. Um, Aaron and I, our initial recommendation was going to be to cancel this subscription. Um, I'm really on the fence because the the usage I will say is is low. Um, it did increase compared to last year, it actually increased a lot, 74%. But when you do the math out for like how much we're paying per search, um, it's over 250, $2.50, which is high. um my hesitation in wanting to cancel. Um I totally agree if you want to cancel because of the cost, but what's hard is that this is really the only database we have that's um really a really great reference tool. So, in a sense, it really replaces like the phone book because it's a it's a very um like verified source for um searching people, searching businesses, um searching job openings. Um it does a little bit of um like providing templates for resumes and cover letters that people can can work off of. Um, so I think for what it offers, it's hard to not have that going forward, even though the usage is low, if that makes sense. So, um, but obviously I leave it in your hands. Um, somewhat, I say somewhat of a unique database in what it offers. So, um, I don't believe there's others out there that I think if there wasn't, it'd be more expensive. Um,

yeah, it is a very I looked at others. I looked at other GMOs libraries and it's very common for all of them to subscribe to agency. Um I think um it would be great to increase the use of this too if we could do like a highlight every month or something of you know we do a great job of like identifying for folks like the library of things but like every month to have like even if it's like a a wall display or um a Facebook page or something to kind of just create dialogue because I think a lot of people wouldn't know I'm here all the time and I didn't know about this. So it's just kind of cool. I'm like, "Oh, what could I have used that for?"

So we have talked about that um just in general our databases um especially like you know we have US major dailies and things like that. I think a lot in consumer reports I think um we can definitely um that's something we can work on and okay highlighting them either doing a Facebook post or even doing a an a program where one of the staff members kind of does a little you know

how to use this database kind of a thing u which we did have at the time when we had a reference I think Matt did a catalog even um kind of program so that's definitely something that we can work on and I agree with you I think all of our databases because they cost money should be highlighted so that we can really get the full use out of them. Um recognize though when that use goes up and then we decide to take it away, it could other problems. I think if we're going to But I agree with you, we should talk about you know getting people to use it. Yeah. No, I want to tag on to Erin that um we do already like Becca already highlights in the adult newsletter um a database every month. Um but

if you did if you were interested in keeping this because of what it offers. Yeah. um we could do more of a like every month we look at something different this offers right within the database instead of just the database itself. So, oh, okay.

Sorry. I was just going to say it would be nice if there was like a a short video clip that we could put on the website that people could, you know, um find out the basics of each of the databases maybe or, you know, do so that I mean, you wouldn't have to make them all at once, but you'd start putting them up. um it wouldn't have to be long but kind of following the same format each time so that people get kind of a flow as to how it would be because for a lot of folks they're not really even know what a database is. So um and is this a fixed cost? It looks like

it is and you can choose what terms you agree to. Um obviously if you choose a longer term you get a better rate. Um, but that's up to you if you'd rather pay more for the one year so we can see if we can. My comment is that looking at it there's not that much great savings to do the three years and we're looking at, you know, the cost per year. It would match our budget. It's an annual cost that we put into our budget as opposed to now spending two more year three years in advance that we haven't budgeted for.

So I feel more comfortable with going with the one year. I do too. I would agree. You know, fiscally it makes more sense because when you look at the costs it looks like, oh well, you save this much dollars, but with the inflation it's not that much. You know what I mean? the difference is not that much. So Laura, you can finish your thought. I just want to ask a question now. That's okay. Um, how many users does this database actually have? So you this is tough. It has So I have a number of login, a number of searches, number of pages viewed. I have a lot of numbers. So which okay which one would you prefer? Let's do login.

Logins. So this past year there were 152. Okay. Um, I kind of think your first instinct was correct because I think a lot of this stuff is available through other means. Um, but 152, so that's good to know. And I I've been coming here forever and I didn't even realize we had the service. So, I think just creating more awareness, you'll get more use. I think you're going to hit you're going to have a lot more usage if you do create awareness. That's a great idea, Beth. The other thing is I think that that that 152 is that mean that there's

that there's 152 people that have a login in this you know library but it they might be using it multiple times. So it's it might not be the number of hits to this program. So it's the number of times someone entered a library card number to get access. So so it's it's so it's the hits. Yeah. Yeah. So it's So there's 152 times it was used.

Yeah, that was used. You know what my suggestion is? Let's go with it for a year. Let's build up the, you know, the you the uh advertisement and the education of what we have. If it's something that stays stagnant, maybe we don't continue it next year, but at least if it's something that now people realize, wow, this is great, and they start using it more, then we'll we'll definitely want to continue it. That would be my suggestion. Go ahead, Jim.

Well, with the number of user or the number of login that we've had, um, it's like $1753 per login. That's pretty expensive when we're considering limiting the hoopla things to less than $2.50. I mean, you know, we're limiting we're limiting one service in order to provide this other service for I'm not saying it's not worth it for those people, but um I I worry about the how it's not worth it for it just seems like we're stretching and are those other things available? I don't know. I would say we we do a year and evaluate it and see what happens. You'd like to do the one year?

Yep. Don't you think a year and done? Um I just wanted to add to I mean you may have read it on the the agreement, but um it does have some really great tools for small businesses to help with marketing. Um I actually have tried to reach out to the Chamber of Commerce to let them know we have this and what it does. um because I I do think people could use it to kind of find their target audience uh for customers. So, if if any of you happen to have any connections to the chamber um and want to work with me on that, I'd be happy to. Or try it again. Or Rotary. Rotary would be a good one, too. Yeah.

So, does this starts in March? So, we currently have it through March, correct? Nancy. Madam Chair, I would make a motion that we accept the A Toz databases subscription agreement for one year at the cost of $2,665. Second roll call. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Help, yes. Jan Mclofflin, yes.

Moran, no. Kevin pass. So yes. the circulation policy update. Uh yes. All right. This is so that's all the back. Thank you. Um all right. Sorry point of information. Um, in the future, could we get back to putting the um, old business first and then new business second because that's the way it should be because what happens is we spend all of our time on new business and we still don't get ever to the old business.

I was cautiously optimistic we might get through some of this stuff quickly tonight. And if we start with old business, we'd never get past it. Okay. I didn't know if there's more. Okay. Um, so, um, as I've mentioned in a director's report, but never got a chance to speak of, um, there is a new law that will take effect January 1st. Um, it is in your packet. Just trying to find mine. Sorry. that um it's in with the circulation policy. If you go to the end, you will see it. Um at the top, it says chapters 273, House Bill 273, final version.

Um and then there's a back to that as well with the same it's completed the same bill. So, this bill takes effect January 1st. Um it is a um and I'll let me just find it for the people in the audience. all this stuff. Okay. So, this is the I'll read the back.

Um, so this is um this bill states that all library records related to minor's current borrowing of printed library materials and audiovisisual materials such as DVDs and CDs shall be available to either parent or legal guardian of the minor when requested by either parent or the legal guardian of the minor or the parent or legal guard guardian of the minor whose address matches that on the library account or who is listed on the library account. um effective date January 1st, 2026, 1925. But so um with that there a lot of libraries at least every library has to update probably their circulation policy if they have one and create a procedure around this. Um we have been working with um not only GMLs but with other libraries in the state um obviously about this bill and how to handle it and how to go forward with it. Um there's a lot of things in this bill that are not clear. Um, we do think that going forward this bill could be potentially updated or removed or whatever that looks like, but in the meantime, we need to create policy and procedure for it. So, um, Megan, who is my head of circulation, um, and Donna and I have all worked together and Jen who's sitting right there, um, have all worked together on kind of creating this updating the policy and creating a form around this. Um we we think the overall general everyday patron will this will not be an issue. The where this becomes probably an issue is for the parents that are potentially separated and the um the uh relationship is a little is a little um concerning or whatever have you. Anyway, we still need to create a procedure and policy around it. So Megan um took the liberty as it's her area to update our circulation policy. Um, and you'll see in section A under uh section under section three p uh letter A, I'm going to go back up so that our patrons can see that there's a few areas where this has been updated. Um, you'll see

under eligibility, um, we had to add minor ages 11. Minor aged 11 to 17 must sign an authorization card listing at least one parent or legal guardian at the line of at the time of registration. Um, this allows I don't Megan, I mean, do you want to speak to this or do you would you rather just continue? If the chair would entertain Megan to come up and speak to this. Um, I can we can continue to have like an open conversation if that's okay. I nodded. Sorry, I'm going to murder this so I can It's not in that one. Do you want mine? Yes, please. Okay.

There's a multitude of pages that require updating. So, hold on to all of them. there. Sorry. No worries.

So, um, what that basically just list is they will have to put somebody on as an authorized user that is a parent or legal guardian. Um, we determined that generally speaking in New Hampshire, it's recognized that anyone under 18 is considered a minor. So that's why we got where we got that information. Page three, there's another section under borrowing. Oh no, that's right. Ignore that for a second because that's going to come at the second part. There's two there's two renew there's two updates in this policy. So continuing with the circulation with my fault is on page six under user library user records

um we would like to at the very bottom it's highlighted um to add for adults and that's pretty much the same as what it is currently. Um and then the second um section for minors and it says beginning January 1st in accordance with New Hampshire RSA 202- D col 11, Roman numeral 2- A, a parent or legal guardian may request records of their minor child's library account for all printed and audiovisisual materials currently checked out to that minor child. of parent or legal guardian requesting access to their minor child's library account must present a governmentissued identification at the time of the request to verify that they are currently authorized on the child's on the library account. If the parent or legal guardian is not authorized on the minor child's account, then they must provide proof of relationship to the minor, such as a governmentissued identification with the same address as the minor child, a birth certificate with both the name of the child and the parent listed or court order establishing guardianship. All requests must be made in person by completing the Leech Library request of minor records form. And this was to treat everybody the same and do our best to get all of the information um to comply with the law. So our very best.

So there is a form also in your packet and that is also a draft. That's the form that would be expected to be filled out if a parent or guardian is requesting this information. Um and then um you'll see that library staff only on the second page there is a process that we would go through in order to provide that information. So, it's it's basically a checklist to make sure everybody's following the same process. And it would have just this document we took um Manchester

Manchester and recommendations um that were made from Primex to another library, but Primex is ours as well. Um and kind of combine them to fit our library. Manchester is very extensive, but it basically gets all of the information. Um, and this would be something when you're looking at it is something like if they want to come in and get a receipt for what's checked out or if they're checking something out and their child's not with them, we'd go through the same process for everyone. So, we're keeping everybody the same and put this out. And this protects both staff and patrons. So, I would like to point out that the um the language here in this um request form was mostly taken by Manchester and Manchester did have so we didn't have to pay for it. They did um a lawyer look at their policy in this form and um review it. Thank you, Megan. Um review it so that making sure that we were following to the law. Um so that's where we got this information. I feel confident that what Megan, Donna, and Jen and I have done um is following the law. Um again, it's hard when something new comes out like this that's very um in a way kind of vague. Um we do our best to follow that law. Um and then um there's something else I was going to say and I forgot what it was. Uh I think that's it. Did you have anything to add? Oh.

Um, sorry. I'm sorry, Jen. Can I just get my mic off? Um, the other thing that we're going to do is create um almost like a a bookmark with an updated um login information so that to to avoid this completely, the parent can log in to their child's account just like any of us can and see what's checked out um if they have their barcode and pin number. So this that is also something that we're going to train our patrons to do that because that's good for anybody. I mean that's good whether this law exists or not. Um that's good for anybody to have. So that's going to be something that we're going to do to maybe try to avoid because the less that we kind of get involved in this process the better. But knowing that this process does have is happening um we can give the parents the tools to do it on their own. Um so that it's not because this does feel like an inconvenience certainly. Um, and so this way they can do that at home. They can be at midnight going, "What does my kid have checked out?" Blah, blah, blah. And do it on their own. Um, but we do feel that at this time we have the procedure and policies and and everything in place to accommodate and follow the law.

I'm sorry, D. Go ahead. Oh, no. just um uh the only thing I was was wondering if there would be some way to like write down the I don't know the driver's license number or whatever it is that however it is that they have produced to uh show that they're related to the child. It would be good if there was some record of what that was. Um so um I think it would be the staff section. I mean we didn't we didn't leave a space for like a license. Okay. But it does check off whether they show identification and if we needed um to look for a court order or birth ship instead of

the other thing is to keep in mind is that um what we've been told by not only lawyers but also other libraries are doing is don't do more than what the law is asking you because it gets you into trouble. The more information that we gather that is unnecessary the more it could create problems for us and patron privacy. So, we are really just creating a situation where we're following the letter of the law and that's it. Um, if that law obviously is changed, updated or whatever have you, certainly we would adop update our policies and procedures to match that. Um, but we want to be careful on how much we're gathering so that we don't get ourselves in a position where it's unnecessary and invasive. Yeah, I think it's really important that you stress to the patrons that they really this is they have the ability to do this themselves and if they are in tr truly you know

and you know responsible for that person of the child they should have that that child's information. So in this way it removes as much liability from the library and as much work from the librarians as possible. I mean it might be that you know sometime someone just doesn't know how to do it. Okay, you explain the process to them. Explain. Okay, now you know find if you're not the primary person that the child is under for the then you need to get from the other spouse or whatever that information you know and but again I think that any you follow the letter of the law and you encourage the individual to conduct that study on their day. We always will give anybody who wants um a lesson on how to log into their account or what that or how to use the catalog any part of that we will always give that option to teach them. Um I think it's important that they have that access so that they can do what is nec you know renew books whatever on their own if they want to or now in this case see what's being checked out or what's out um so that they take responsibility because really the ownership of that card is responsible for what's on that card and so that that help leads to that as well

and again they should be you know it gives them more privacy to what they're doing because and and they can now um so they always can have access to the history like check off the history of what they've checked out. But on our end, we don't see that. So if they want to see that, they have to log into their account to see it, which is totally fine. We don't want to know what you have checked out. It's none of our beeswax. And you know, that's totally fine. Um and now it gives that it continues to give that power to the patron.

What is the um plan for keeping these records secure? So um we will be anytime something is filled out um per request it will come to uh department head or go to Aaron and they can then be put into a locked file so that they are kept secure. Um they wouldn't be kept electronically at all. Um but we would Yep. I have I have um there are file cabinets in my office that I keep locked that um are locked and I have the key and the key is locked. So you have triple locked.

Yes. Because I I I mean I have payroll records and stuff like that that I keep locked that I only have access to the key. It would be the same process because I assume that there could be a situation where you have a non-custodial parent saying, "Gee, did this get requested by the other person?" And then, you know,

so that's why that's why that form exists is because there there we we pretty much as a library and not just our library, but as library people have talked about this will go to the court. There will be a situation where someone will go to the court. And so we that form essentially says this person came in to collect those material, you know, collect that information and then we would be able obviously with proper legal matter be able to present that. Um that's essentially what that form does. And Megan is the plan that you would attach whatever it was you sent out to you would attach a copy of it here or not? Um not at this time.

It was not because the law doesn't say that we need to keep a copy of the record. It just says that they had access to it. Okay. That we gave access on a specific day on a specific day. We don't keep track of the patron history like Yeah. Because we don't have access to that. We have only what you currently have checked out. Um we this would just be giving more information because we don't track that. And even when you're looking at like statistics on use and stuff, it's like very hard to figure things out. But for what we give out, we would just say that we it was requested and we gave it to them, but not what the item is because that

we don't have to provide that information that we gave this that and the other thing. Um so this is just that we gave the information out.

My concern would be again if some if there was a a legal case or whatever, we don't have any way to reconstruct whatever it was she gave out. So the information that they would be receiving is very specific to the items that are checked out. So they would not have any access to um the child's contact information, right? It would only be like books and materials um that are currently checked out on physically on their card. Um, so that would be what we would have. And if there was somebody said, "Did someone access my child's card? Was the my spouse or we actually can't give them that information without a court order?" Because that is not covered in the law.

It's just saying that they ex the the parent or guardian came in and requested the information and we provided the information. So that's what we're following. And keep in mind when you come in, you can come in on Monday and request that information by Wednesday. that that what's checked out could absolutely change. Absolutely. So providing them with that information doesn't really do much six. We don't want to give more than what is necessary. So it's not historical data. No, it's it's current. So you come in today and want what's checked on your child. That's what I'm going to give you. I'm not going to give you you have to come in and request it again.

Okay. this particular form was this um developed I'm sorry you probably said that I didn't catch um basically obviously at some point in time this form is going to be brought to a court case obviously somewhere not that form but that form could be used for information gather that's what I mean and that form was looked out by the Manchester Public Library hired a lawyer to to We essentially stole some information from it because with permission

with permission. Denise the the director of the Manchester library specifically gave out her policy procedures to share because when you think about it there are very small libraries in this state that are going to have to accommodate this law that do not have the funding to create something to protect themselves. And that's she is extremely generous in her knowledge and sharing. And so we took advantage of that and every every library is looking at this and and how you know how do we how do we do this you know based on their community and stuff and how they handle it and so um it it it's a challenge because we're very much here at at our library and I can speak to other libraries because I've worked in few that you know you create relationships with your patrons and um this is this unfortunately this bill is going to create some issues where those relationships will change because we have to follow this law and it's unfortunate that your local community library and the person you see every day almost um now has to follow a law that feels very restrictive and very awkward and invasive.

Yeah. So, it's it's a I my personal feelings don't really come into play here, but we are following the law. We're we don't want to do more than what is necessary. That's protection of my staff and us and the board obviously because the board will probably have to answer to anything that happens. Um, but we're going to do our best to to follow that letter and and I believe what we've created and what Megan and everybody's worked on had does that. Okay. Is it perfect? I don't know yet. We all can't be perfect. Just most of us. I just wanted to add one quick comment that um because of these changes in December, we will also bring you an updated retention

policy because we have to spell out that those these forms will be probably forever. Um so that will be forthcoming. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I was going to make a motion that we accept the changes. So if you could make a motion that accepts the changes related to this bill because in the circulation policy is also other changes not related to this bill. make a motion to accept the changes that to the policy that are related to this bill. Does that work? Yep. Okay. And in the form for in the form. Jy Hendricks. No.

Starting off. So, okay. Can before we continue voting, can we ask because you might have insight that we don't that could affect you. You know, I just fundamentally disagree to the whole thing. So, okay. I I understand you're disagreeing really with the law. Yes, I am. Yes, I am. The word the word that you just used is absolutely correct. It's very invasive. It it is invasive. I know the challenge is is that we have to have something. So, whether like I I agree with you. I don't necessarily agree with the law either, but there is a law that we have to follow and to avoid being accused of not following laws, we've created this

platform. NY's expressed I totally understand what every you know what every trustee has the ability to do and should do on every because I realize that the constraints placed on the library Thomas. Yes. Right. Help Mary. Yes. Yes. Um Jan Mclofflin, yes. Mora, no. Vote pass. Okay. Thank you. Unfortunately, it's needed to pass. Yeah. I didn't we this took a lot of time and it was time unfortunately for us that

we need to do this. Okay. So the second part of that um uh circulation policy update is on page three where under uh borrowing there's a loan periods um section A loan periods um so this is related to a vote that was taken through Gilks um which a lot of libraries already participate I think we there was only excuse me two libraries that had not participated in the auto renewal um so this um these changes and they're on pages pages three and I believe going into four I believe that's all the two pages but if you want to take a look at it all but they essentially um we're changing our loan period for our items to three weeks for every um for all Gmails libraries are doing this so it's going to be three weeks and then you will have one auto renewal um the only exceptions for us are our collections are reference and historical reference and museum passes and interl loans um and so the the mindset behind this is what I understand is one that Gmail has trying to do this for a long time and they finally are moving forward with it. Um, so it's not just because we have been added. It's not just anything related to us. It's just something that's been in their um kind of to-do list. Um, and the 3 weeks does seem like a long time, but there are libraries that have been doing this process for already for a while. Um, there were just like I said two hanging libraries that and the reason we were hanging was because it was something which which we hadn't had an opportunity to talk about yet. We being so young. Um, but it does the auto renewal. Um, there, you know, there's always pluses and minuses to anything. In my opinion, the auto renewal, um, is a good thing. It saves our patrons from having to do it themselves. Um, and certainly after that, if they were able to renew it again, we would offer that, um, to them, depending on if it's popular or not, you know, all that jazz. Um, but we do think this is a nice consistent message across Gynotes libraries that does clarify some things and make it less confusing for

our patrons that were all following this kind of similar process. Um, so again, these changes are reflective in the circulation policy here. So, we're just um asking for the approval of these changes in order to do this as of January 1st as well. So, I have a question about the Library of Things. Uh, currently do we loan our library of things items to Gmail's other Gmails people? No. So if we don't then why do we change that? So we we don't send them on the van but if like a Windom patron came in here um it would be at our discretion if we were willing to lend them the library of things item. Okay. But they'd have to return it here.

They'd return it here. They wouldn't be able to return it. I my concern is, you know, I think about like the telescopes and stuff like that and it's, you know, it already is tight sometimes to have um the telescopes, you know, if there's a lot of stuff going on and people are reporting stuff.

So, we could decline their checkout um if it's another patron from the library. No, no. What I'm saying is this 3-week period that seems like it's it's it's a you know that maybe for the Library of Things I could if it's some since the Library of Things tends to be stuff that we're restricting to our own me our own folks that I don't see that I don't think it makes sense to change it except we're saying that we're making it all that way. Um but if it's just for our own folks um and it's the Library of Things, I would think that we would because some of those things are either harder to replace or, you know, cost more or whatever.

That's fine. If the board is in agreement, we can add it to our exceptions. I kind of I personally I agree with Jen. I I felt when I read that I thought well that's good for books but I wouldn't do it for other things that we have on our shelves that you know we've acquired and we lend out to people because you so I think I I fully agree that I think that's a great idea for the books you know for three weeks and then and then you know automatically renewing it for another three weeks now that we have the ability through Gmails to move you know to get access to more books and stuff,

you know, it's less important that we get the books back on the shelf immediately. So, I I like that part of it. I just don't I don't like the part that it's not just the books. Okay. So, we can certainly add Library of Things to that list of um kind of restricted items and then um do that. That's fine. Any thoughts, ladies? Yeah. if you want to make a motion for that.

I I'd like to make a motion that we u make the changes um for the the 3 weeks um uh for the renewing of materials um but uh to restrict the library of things to the current twoe period. I would second that. Yes. I just have clarification. Sorry. Um do you want to So something we struck out was that library of things materials are not renewable. Do you want that to return so they're not renewable or would you I would I would think they shouldn't be renewable. Okay. So return it to the way it was.

Okay. And then the second question or second clarification is um if you wouldn't mind adding the autorenewal piece to your motion. Okay. So that uh and further more move that uh um they automatically renew once um for a 3-week period. I still second the motion. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pel, yes. Bethley, yes. J Mofflin, yes. Morin, yes. Vote pass unanimously.

And I just have a question now that we've finished that part, but um so can people still take out 50 things at one time? So potentially you could have somebody have a month and a half of 50 things. So we we already they it was already a month and a half, so we had a two week loan, but they could renew it up to three times. Okay. So, all right. It's really the same time period. All right. Okay. Do you want me to move on to the next item? Okay. Did we within that? Did we approve? We approved everything. We're good.

Yep. So, the circulation policy will be updated and I will have a copy in your mailboxes to add to your binder when once we get to that point. Um um so the unanticipated funds so can you move through these couple things pretty quickly so we can get to old business yeah the unanticipated shouldn't be a I don't think there's going to be a problem this one oh that's number six that's museums that's museum I know but I'm just asking that's under other okay that's another that's after the staff I thought that was oh I'm sorry that's after the staff give holiday. Yeah, I thought that was a a contract that you just not a contract.

Okay. Um, so the ant accept I'm sorry, acceptance of unanticipated funds. Um, I will I can certainly send this list to whoever is taking minutes and if it's easier. Um, so we have a number of things for the board to approve. Um, these are this this list I'm going to give you right now is all under the friends. So the friends have u made donations to the library. Um, and I'll list them. they've made a thousand dollar donation to purchase books for circulation and they're going the books that they are purchasing will have minimal processing um after they are so these are books that are um we're purchasing second copies of that are popular have a long wait list they'll be processed minimally minimally so that when the book is no longer super weight listed or popular we will take it out of circulation and give it to the friends so that they can maybe resell use it in a raffle or whatever it is that they want to do, they belong to that. Um, so that's what that donation is. Um, we've been purchasing currently using that money to purchase books from Gibson's bookstore. Um, so um, which has been really nice. They've been a great bookstore to work with, by the way. Um,

they my friends have been paying Gibson's directly. Yes. So they pay them directly and they will have a stamp um, like a sticker of some kind. No, a stamp that says friends of the of Leech Library so that we know that those books belong to them. Um so that's that's the first one. Then um $275 for an annual pass to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum. Um this was also paid directly to the museum. Another donation that they gave us was $200 that sponsored a second Scarecrow craft workshop um by Ava Lin Lane. Um she was the presenter. This was paid directly to the presenter

and that was how much? 200 even. There was also $400 that the friends paid to sponsor the Granite State Ringers. Um they are coming in December. Um December, Friday, December. We can look it up for you.

Um they are coming um to do and they also will pay the direct the presenter directly. That's $400 to them. And then they also paid for $400 to sponsor a a program called encouraging concepts birth order program. Um that was also paid directly to the presenter. So all those donations were given by the friends um and would have been added to the ant unanticipated funds list Friday December 12th. Thank you Beth. Thank you. Thank you.

Um then there we also had an additional donation by a um patron by the name of Betsy McKini. Excuse me. She donated um we are we had a need for an an additional Nintendo Switch two. The number two, not two switches, it's just number two. Um and because of the weight list on that, she purchased that for the library with a case for um with a case so that we can circulate to our patrons. I believe that cost was So the Switch 2 is a new model entirely. So it's not a wait list. It's a Oh, I apologize. An updated version of the console. There will be a weight list by the way. There will be um patron interest in it.

Yes. That's why. Yeah. And I'm sorry, did I miss what was the cost? Um I think that was cuz she ordered it she ordered it from Amazon and sent it to us. So I don't know if we know the exact cost, but I believe it was uh $449.99 for the switch and I think it was 30 and change for the case. Okay, thank you. Yeah, she ordered it from Amazon, sent it to us. We didn't even And then she called me and said, "It's on its way. I'll be there tomorrow." And I was like, "What are you talking about?" Um, so um, do we have a a policy? Will she be getting a thank you note or anything?

So, yes, we do have, um, we do have a procedure for that. So, I just wanted to to point out. So, that's all the ant unanticipated fun. Do you want to take a vote on that and then discuss? Yes. Um, I make a motion that we accept all the unanticipated funds under whatever RSA thing that they go under. Um, more question. You have a question? Yeah. What was the uh payment to the birth order? Um, speaker, that was $400. And is that that workshop happened? I believe it already has happened. Yes.

I I have another question. Was there any So the friends group I know they tra they they sometimes pay some of the presenters themselves and stuff and I'm seeing here that they're doing a lot of this direct payment. So I guess my question is why are we being asked to approve it? Number one. And number two, did anybody look into whether or not we can do something where we accept the payment for books and we give the books to the friends? If the friends are buying them on their own, it's they belong to them. So then why are we approving the funding?

So you what you're I'm just keeping you aware of the donations that have come in to purchase these items or pay for these programs. If the board is not interested in knowing what the friends are purchasing, that's fine. Um but to cover other situations, I thought it would be necessary to bring I didn't want to be accused of doing things behind the board's back. So I'm trying to be transparent. Yeah. And I think we in order to to be able to somehow equal out the stuff eventually about the number of programs we've had and the amount of money that's been spent. That's the that's the, you know, the the meat and potatoes that has to happen here. It's just weird to be able to be doing it this way. That's

Yeah, we should continue getting an accounting of all the things that they're donating to us, you know. Okay. So, am am I being directed to do something differently? No. Okay. just it just does seem to you know it seems just a little odd that's because it's not stuff that we actually had our hands in. No, but it's a program that did happen here. Right. There there are things that are affect the library services. Mhm. Do you want to vote on it or do you not want to vote? One more question. Yeah, of course. Okay. I just am a little confused on what I'm supposed to be doing.

No, I know. No, that's fair. We're just about there. My only question is the that first group. Okay. So they donate money to buy books and then it gets stamps saying it came from the friends. So rather than if people now you know it it doesn't go in the bookstore. It it goes okay it'll go back to the friends. So the book will be processed and being able to be checked out like normal from our patrons. That's not that's not going to change. Once that weight list or that popularity of that book

comes down and the two copies say or maybe even three copies, we don't know, are no longer needed. Those books that they purchased will go back to them. Makes sense. And allow them to use them as they wish. Yeah. Whether what that is, I don't know. That's going to be up to the friends. Okay. I just had thoughts. But yeah, I just wanted to to clarify that. Okay. Helen made a motion to accept the unanticipated funs. I don't know if anybody seconded it. I think so. I'll second it. Okay. Nancy Hendricks, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Mer, yes. Jamlin, no. More Ryan abstain.

Okay. The vote cares. Thank you. You want me to move on to the next thing?

Yeah. So, um there was a discussion and I've shared with the um members of the board that um I was asked and I apologize again for this. Um I know I was asked months ago to put this together. However, as I stated in that email that this was a much larger project than I anticipated due to the fact that there was no um digital or online documentation of any of this. Um so it took me a while to put it together and I apologize for that. Um, but I think going forward we have a really great process in place, I think, and um I think it'll be much easier to provide information when needed. Um, so I put together um binders. In these binders, they're broken up by fiscal year, and they will have a copy of the thank you letters that have been sent to the patrons um that have donated. Um and then there will be a tracking sheet, which you all got. Um not all of you. Yours is up here, Liz.

Oh, thank Um, I I gave it to Jan and Liz and anybody who wanted a copy, I would certainly share it with them. Um, but I did send it all digitally to everybody. Um, and these are basically going to be the tracking sheets. So, in these tracking sheets, it's going to list the date that we received the donation, the amount of money, whether it was cash or check, and then what it was used for or what it needs to be used for. And then, um, patron information. So, it was name and address. Um, and then when it was approved by the board, so that we knew that that money the board was aware of it. Um, and if that money was move needed to be moved to the book account based on what it was earmarked for and then um, anything else added to it. For example, when the friends send a check, it says, you know, friends paid directly to museum or presenter, things like that. And then there's another column that says if I sent if a thank you note was sent to them. So, we make sure that we follow up with all those things. Um I had sent an email in the past um for uh G when I shared this list to Liz and um uh Jan um there I went back the number of years I went back was four years for myself in my time here to do the tracking um and that was just because I don't know what happened prior to me with some of this stuff and it was not all documented. So, I do have the letters that were sent to these patrons, but I don't know all aside from taking years to look through all the meeting minutes, which I don't think anybody wants me to waste my time doing. Um, I just did the four years. So, in these binders, there is the, for example, the list of donors and unanticipated funds. There's also I attach um included the any um the trustee um financial reports to go along with that fiscal year so that anything is not it's all noted on those uh trustee reports uh excuse me the treasurer reports and then all the

letters are with it. So hopefully if there is information that's needed to be looking it's all in one place. Um, in doing that I was able to discover that there was no money moved from the trustees account into the book account related to funds that were given by patrons for specific use of books or materials. Um, and so I will be I am asking the board to please move that amount of money from the trustee account into the book account so that it could be used to spend what these patrons and donors expected it to be paid uh spent on. So, um, if anybody has any questions, I'm certainly able to do that. And I'm,

um, I did email the board and I don't remember the amount. I apologize. Let me see if I can find it real quick, guys. I'm sorry. I think I have it. Um, I think it was over $3,000. When did you which which day? Uh, I don't know the day. Um, I can't help you. Sorry. I apologize. I did not bring that down. Erin, yes.

I I don't think I would ask you to send that that one report and the total amount that that the that we should be putting into, you know, back into the book. Okay. I would just like all of the trustees to get that. I thought I sent I thought I sent that piece too. They did every does it have the detail that you just you're you're just saying that it's going to be in the new the reporting cuz the part that we got didn't have that detail. It gave gave a name. It might have given a name but it doesn't necessarily the the the report that you just showed. Yes. It has every everything that I gave you is exactly what's in here

for um unanticipated. No, for for the for the donations. What? So, um, when you said it was it was a book thing, it here's the date it was. Here's the Yeah, it's on these sheets that I sent you and they're in your mailbox. No, I I I have I have what you sent. I just don't feel that it's got the same kind of information. You've you've highlighted and said it was for books, but I don't have anything that said, you know, that said, oh, going back four years, this was for books.

Yeah. Well, if you look in, for example, FY24, um, November 2023, there was $200 given to the library. Um, I unfortunately did not have the check number, but it does say library programming, and it was bought from a patron. So, that's programming,

right? Um, there's also um, go to a second that one, but all the sheets that are in here are exactly what I gave you guys and sent you guys. So, it has all the same information. I did not redact anything. Um, that one doesn't have any books that were donated. Let me find one that does because there was one that does. Um, for let's see. So, just for example, July of 2025, $300 was given to the library to purchase circulating materials on outdoorsmanship and environmental education for youth and families. That was actually given by Debbie, who's here right now. And that was deposited directly with the town. It was deposited into the trustes account.

No, it was deposited directly into the town. No, this was not. We do not deposit that was deposited to the town was the charitable foundation that was for the summer programming which is actually on this list as well. It was deposited with the town. I It was okay. We have the data. It was a huge amount of work to and I appreciate that. Okay. I think what we should do is review the data and at the next meeting ex accept the amount that's going to be transferred. Okay. Okay. I can certainly send that email again to that way we all have a chance to look at this. I can certainly send that information again to the board.

Yes. So, I did read the the uh information and one of the things was that Justin sent out in July of 2025 that there was 4,800 roughly dollars that went over to him and was put in the budget line and I don't have a breakdown of all of that information, but one of them was that $300 for the outdoorsman. No, that was not it. It it is in his email. No, we have not brought any checks that patrons have given us over to finance.

I can follow up with ask Justin what that means, but in July of 2025, we've received $2,500 for a summer reading that was given by an anonymous donor from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation that the board approved at the July 9th meeting and that was added to the town budget as deferred revenue. Yes, because he quoted 4,800 plus. So, I think we do need to ask him that. I'm I'm more than happy to follow up on him on that. Yeah, because that was for summer programming. That was what it was supposed to be. EMF for summer programming because the deposits into the trustee account um from July 1 until um the 1024 was the 15 um69 and that was in all in cash. There was no check.

No, there were um I believe the payment that we're referring to I deposited before I went out on leave in early July. Okay. So, it would have been the last deposit that was done prior to moving to bank accounts. Okay. I think we need to work together to verify where the money came from, where it went, and then vote on it. Now, when we have all the information, you know what else this speaks to, Madam Chair? This speaks to how imperative it is that we have current, consistent, accurate financial information. So are so I guess can we just repeat what what you need from us in order to move forward. Okay. You you provided all the information. Okay.

Yeah. So I can send those sheets out again. I sent them out as an email. Well, everyone has these unless everybody has them, but I'm happy to attach them again. Okay. And then with the amount that is expect with the amount that I'm asking to be moved into. Okay. and just highlight, you know, highlight somewhere like a big red, you know, star at the beginning. This is one that's unaccounted for that we're asking you to account for. Okay? Because all of these they are they're all all the ones in orange is what I that's the budget. Those larger sheets, all the ones in orange are the money that needs to be moved into the book.

All Yep. Thank you for doing that. I'm sorry that yesterday your time was spent looking for money that you needed. Um so um it does not account for any money that was spent like the 17,000 whatever that was spent for GM milks nor any programs that were spent out of the trustee account. Nope. Okay. I'm going to go home and take a pill. I'm sorry. I'm going to go home and take a pill. I'm leaving. I'm sorry. No, that's okay. Thank you. Okay.

Okay. Do you um Okay. So, we're going to review this. Okay. So, you want that for the next meeting? Yeah, we're going to defer this. Sound good, Jen? Mhm. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Um do you want me to continue to move forward or Yes. Yes.

Um Okay. So the next thing on the list I think is the staff gift for the holidays. Um so um normally around this time we ask if the board would like to um make a purchase of or in some way to give to the staff for the holidays. In the past uh last year for example each of the staff received a $25 gift card um that I purchased and was reimbursed by the board to purchase those. Um I believe that came out to about $400. Um prior to that, the board has also um provided lunch for the staff um where I was again purchased it and obviously showed proof of payment and reimbured. Um that budget I think was around up to $500. Um because of we don't the cost of food has gone up since that's happened. Yes.

Um so we're just asking if the board would like to do anything for the staff for the holidays and what that would look like so that we can plan accordingly. Well, I personally want to do something and um I'm thinking something, you know, a gift certificate is not a bad idea because then they get what they want and you know I mean during the year you know for special things we've been supplied like a lunchon or something. You know what I mean? Couple of times I think we did didn't did we not? Okay. Well, I guess

so. Just so you know, for last year when I did the gift cards, I gave each staff a choice of three different gift cards that they could choose from. I think it was Amazon, a grocery store, and then Target. Target. Um, just to give them options of where that need for them would be most helpful. Um, I think that if you're going to do the gift card, I think that's a nice offer again because some people may need that market basket gift card, especially at this time right now um to to for their for their families or for whatever. So, um, if the gift card, I would like to then offer them those options again. But that's certainly a board decision.

The other thing is I'd like to provide like a lunchon or something, but how do you do it for everyone because they don't all work the same days and stuff, you know? So we what we've done in the past is we've purchased the lunch on like I think it's a Thursday where there's the most people here and then if anybody was not here that day they would enjoy it the next day if they were like not scheduled that day we would still purchase it for them and include them and then they would have it the next day. Okay when they worked. So, um, and then we would choose a location. I think procco brush proc. I know. I know that's not right. That's not the right word. You're buying them wine.

Whoops. No, I did not buy them wine. It's on the record. I did not buy one. But we've done like Janies, we've done um Rap City, those kind of things so that people can choose what is comfortable. Some, you know, if people have allergies and things like that, we want them to be able to choose. So, we've done things like that as well. So it'll be

um so uh I think this is kind of a um a an odd thing to be discussing because you know a month ago um we were given a vote of no confidence so we're turning around and saying you know oh um we voted no confidence to you folks and all these things and yet we still want you to give a uh gift. Um, but that that being aside, I would like to do something like maybe polo shirts for for the library or something so that it's a, you know, personal gift that could be used to do state, you know, do something here. Library leash library, not t-shirt, polo shirt.

You guys have the vests. You did the vests a couple years ago. And I do the only I mean I'm not trying to be nitpicky, but I think at this time of year with what's going on with everything with regarding um food and everything like that, I do think a gift that can be used for what's best for the person would be more helpful. But

and I'd like to remind the board that a gift is a thank you for their effort, not a reflection of our bad performance as a board, which was the reason for the no confidence. Um, those are very separate things. These folks have worked diligently. Um, they do things like catch mistakes and provide budgets and provide documentation. Um, I'd like to say that Donna has been again so helpful throughout this entire process today. Um, but we won't be seeing her up here at the next meeting because the board has declared her services no longer. No, officially. Oh, well, yeah.

Yeah, they're working on that. So, I think we just need to start separating apples and oranges. We're talking about a gift to thank our dedicated team. Let's thank them. And not with a shirt that says I work here, but with food. I'm sorry. You said not with the shirts. Yeah, I did. Which had And did you say but with food? But with like a gift certificate food like both. Oh, it meets a need. Okay. Okay. I like Yeah. And I I still say it's not diff it's not se it's not a separate thing. It's still a um a communication issue and it's an issue that we have not yet addressed.

Uh correct. Um but that's because it's not appropriate to address it because it's not even a thing that was anyway. But anyway, so it's you know just like I just don't go on Facebook and put the stuff out there. Can we table this and maybe um think about if there are any other ideas we might want to bring forward? That's not my choice. But I don't think that a 30 that like a one month delay would because that would bring us into October. We still have plenty that would bring us into November. We're in November. That would bring us to December.

No, we got to decide now. I'm sorry. Thank you. I've been away a while. I'm fine. I like I like the idea of the gift cards and give people a choice. I think it just makes the most sense. So, I would make a motion that we um give Aaron $25 per employee and allow her to choose cards for certain places that they can choose from. If you would if what you did last year, just to make it easier, you did up to a certain amount. Um, not that that would change anything, but it would just put the dollar amount on the total. And if that's helpful for the board, that would be helpful.

So, if I think it was up to what did we say? 400 cuz it was uh 25 16 400 400. Okay. I I make a motion that we provide Aaron up to $400 to buy gift cards for the staff for the holidays. Second. Roll call. Uh, let's start a little more. Um, is 400 enough? That's $25 time 16 employees, isn't it? 19. We don't have 19 employees. We We have positions for 18, but we don't have two people right now. The page and the children's librarian are not filled. Yes.

Can we bump that up a little bit to $30? Because $25 last Yes. last year is probably more than $30 this year. You know, a happy meal. What does everyone What do you guys think about that? I would support that. I'm fine with that, too. Okay. Can we um That would be 480 total or 80. So, what do we say? 480 total. I'll amend my motion then for up to $500. Beth, do you still second it? I do. Okay. Okay. Roll call more. Yes. Jofflin, no. Beth Marco, yes. Helen Pelary, yes.

Liz Thomas, yes. So, is it acceptable for the board that I purchase those and then I will give Jan the receipt? The receipt? Oh, it is. Thank you very much for that generous offer. Pass. Yeah. Do you want to I've been doing a lot of talking? You can. Um,

so we last year implemented a what we called a rotating museum pass or limited time museum pass so that we could offer more experiential learning opportunities um yeartoyear by having one that changes every year. Um, so last year we or actually this year I guess we offered um Strawberry Bank um in Portsouth and um I think people really enjoyed having that opportunity. We spent $300 on that pass. Um so we looked at a range of about 300 for another pass this coming year um which hopefully would start in January. Um the when we actually looked at um options, we found that price-wise we could actually potentially get two. Um and the two that we're suggesting are the Springfield Museum's pass, which would cover five museums actually, and there are pictures of them on one of your sheets. Um so it covers the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, which was the main thing that we were looking for to be honest. um the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, the Springfield Science Museum, the Deore Museum of Fine Arts, and the Lyman and Mary Wood Museum of Springfield History. So, patrons could choose whichever one they want to go to with their pass. Um the discount that's given is uh buy one full admission and get and receive the second admission at at 50% discount. Um, and the pass can be used for up to six people um, during the visit. And then this the second museum is the Eric Carl Museum of Picture Book Art. Um, and I will say that we looked up the distance between these museums and it is about 30 minutes. So someone could potentially take both passes for a day trip. Um, and

they're I think both very well themed for kids and families. Um, the Eric Carl Museum pass is $150. So, in total, the two passes will be 325. Um, and the art Eric Carl Museum gives a um, free admission for up to two adults and four children. So, that is our I have a question. Yes. Um, these are the museums you're talking about, right? So, that's one plus Eric Carl. Okay. And are they are they in New Hampshire? No, they're both in Massachusetts. They're in Mass. Yeah.

Um although a lot of our passes are in Massachusetts. Um like a lot of Boston area attractions. Um so and we frequently get requests for passes even further than like we've gotten requests for Connecticut places to be honest. Crazy. Um so I don't think and our patrons honestly love to travel. Um so I really don't see be attracted to these. There's a lot out there, too. There's a lot. There's the basketball hall of fame there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They could really make Six Flags is out there. You know, also Dr. Sus and Eric Caro are both children's authors. So, I think this speaks to a literature themed museum experience.

Well, it sounds I mean, I like the idea of the museum passes, you know, and I think it's really important that libraries participate in programs like that. I think it's good to see if people are interested too if they take advantage of it. Um, what did you say the dollar amount was going to be again? So, in total, both of them is 325. I make a motion that we um spend the $325 to get those two passes. Anyone want to second it? Second. Sorry. Okay. More. Yes.

Chair McGufflin. Yes. Beth, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. Okay. So, um, traditionally we'll fill out the application and, um, Jan, well, we're requesting checks for those two museums. Okay. Or no, I'm sorry. Was the intention for it to be paid out of the trustes account? No. Okay. Sorry, I'm mixing up my be paid out of the the town's budget. Sorry. My apologies. Um, it's back to us now. I think is it I was just

Yeah. So, if you go to bylaws, I went through after we did our last 17th time that we went through it and I think I made every change that we talked about so that we are ready and we kind of conditionally agreed that we were good to go on it after our last meeting. Am I recalling this correctly? Okay. Yeah, we do. So, we should be ready to vote and accept this. Um, and if you find any errors in it later, let me know and we can always fix it, right? But it would just be good to move this along. Donna,

um, so I just want to be clear because Beth brought it up earlier that approving this tonight does mean that as of your next meeting, I would not be attending as a paid staff member. If you approve it the way it is right now, I don't know if you want to take make a motion then discussion or if you're willing to accept discussion. Go ahead. Yeah.

Okay. So, I would advocate again for Donna to be at the meetings or another staff member at the meetings. I would speak to the fact that the town manager and what I've been told by the town manager is that him and I are on that same level, right? He answers to the town council. I answer to the board of trustees. The town manager doesn't know everything that's happening in each of his departments. So, he has a head of department public works, Dave Wallally, who will come to those meetings and speak to projects that are working on or speak to things. He has a chief of police who does the same thing. Fire department does the same thing. Library does the same thing. I think it's I think by not having Donna here to to kind of speak on certain things or to assist me would slow processes and and procedures and even votes down. Um I think having Donna here is very important and I do believe that if Donna can't attend to have another department head to assist me in running the meeting and planning the meeting. This is a big job. This takes this is a full when I come in on a on a board day it is all board. It is all all of that preparing making sure we have notes making sure we have information in order to provide to you guys in order to make the decisions you need to make. And I think having an additional person here would be helpful. So I would please advocate again to please remove that piece from this bylaws so that I can have an additional staff member here. This is not an unusual situation. I've spoken to many libraries both in Massachusetts and here in New Hampshire. This is a normal process for for boards to have addition for have directors to have additional staff with that is my request and plea discussion anything questions we make change we have to wait another 10 days.

No. Yep. has to be 10 days.

I I personally don't want to defer this anymore. Oh, I'd rather have Donna here. I'd rather wait 100 days. So, we're actually waiting 30 more days to get this in. You have a meeting scheduled on the 19th. I'm sorry. That's a meeting with the attorney. It might not be. Yeah, that would be more. That was discussed in Yeah, that's not that's not open session. It was just on the calendar. Thank you. No, I thank you. Yeah, I would I I don't my my struggle with this is just because it it looks like the board wants to approve it or it feels like the board wants to approve it as is so that it's it's less inconvenient for them.

Y

and I don't agree with that. I think if you want to do something right and you wanna and and you agree with the processes, you should wait the time and do it right. But I I don't think it's fair. It's just because we don't want to wait. We'll just agree with it and then I I think I think there'll be um situations where it will be a you know a delay in many things by not having Donna here or another staff member here. I feel like the board already put so much strain on you um in so many ways and now to suggest that you have to now be the keeper of all the information and have it at the ready in your brain um for meetings that run from 700 p.m. to midnight potentially.

Um I I think that is quite unfair of us. I do I also think that it it is as I've I've felt with many things that this is setting me up to fail. Yeah. Um, I there will be a moment where I will not have the information, not based on not being prepared, but just based on that's maybe Donna's expertise or Megan's expertise or Jen's expertise. And because I don't have that information or answer a question that I wasn't expected to answer, it'll be a mark against me and then I have failed. That's what it, if I'm going to be honest, that's what it feels like.

I I think And this is only my opinion that for now we should remove that statement. We can put it in at any time. I would like it to We have two board members missing now. I would like to see a full board here voting on something like that. So what I'm suggesting is, you know, remove that one caveat, you know, and vote this in. get. We've been working on this since January. Okay, it's now November. I just think we need to get it in and it's a living document and it's going to continue to be a living document and at any other time we can bring it up again and let's get a whole board at that time getting involved with that. But that's only my suggestion. Okay. Anyone want to make a motion? I'd like to make a motion that we table this bylaw's approval for the next meeting with a discussion around removing the clause to discontinue Donna's participation in board meetings. Okay. which is not so it's it's it's opposite of what I said. Okay,

that's fine. You made a motion. Do we have a second on that? Yeah, I was just going to read to you what we had. Can I read what it actually says in here now? Just so we're all clear. Yeah. All right. So I if I'm in the right part right in the um regular meeting section um number 1.3 the library director may attend except during non-public sessions when it would be inappropriate. Other library staff may attend when invited to do so by the chairperson for a specific reason. That's how it's that's how it was decided. By the chairperson or what? For a specific reason. Oh for a specific reason. That's the current the June 6

or is that that was from what we decided at the Yeah. Yeah. And that's the one that is asking move that one last slide I guess there was an well it was a directive that the board had put on Donna to revise her job description. Um so that where she doesn't attend the meeting. Yeah. It originally because it originally I if I went back around the verdant it originally said the assistant director would have said that's what we're discussing. Yeah. So I think we run the risk of at the you know invitation of the chair run the risk of Donna and not being invited.

Okay. Well, you can make a motion which is that we that we would that we table this for I second I second pass motion. Liz Thomas, no. Um, Helen Pelary, yes. Beth Morocco, yes. J Mclofflin, yes. Um, Mora Ryan, no. And Jen, you said yes. Yes, she did. Okay. This is now put to bed for another 30 days.

Okay. Jan, do you have some financial documents you would like to share with us? going to mention all the other stuff on top of the Jan. May I mention just before you start that if I go back to the July 9th meeting, it was discussed I think that was the one Aaron wasn't here for, right? line and originally you and I and Megan and Donna were going to sit and kind of go through some of these things. got sidelined by other things including the job descriptions for

hiring the open positions and then Donna was out and things got shifted but there originally was an attempt I think to talk out amongst us what was already in place but I know that you're you know have feelings very strongly about making sure we are doing certain things so that's all I just want to say

um so I put items on your um beside your packets. Um the first one is the treasures report from July 1st to October 30th. This uh looks like this with it's a two-page document on yours. Mine has two separate pages. Um but um that's what it looks like the two pages.

So is this an actual report or is this just a draft like of what it would potentially look like? It's an actual report. If you need more information, these are you let me know. But that's the information what's in each of the two accounts and how much is in all of the accounts. Yep. Um why is the address for town hall and it's not the correct address for town hall? Okay. It's 268 ft. But why wouldn't it be for the library? I I just copied it down because we we had it sent there. We talked about that in a meeting.

What's what's being sent there? The the um financials from the from the bank. The bank statements are being sent. The bank statements bank statements are being in their in the town hall in the the trustees box. Okay. So, because we're not getting them, we are not going to be putting together the trust report. Is that my understanding? That's going to be something Jan's going to be doing. Sure. Sure. Or yes. Yes. Okay. Yep. Um I do believe so. What's on the agenda is financial procedures. This is not on the agenda. So I believe this needs to be posted again.

No, I'm sorry. This is a financial procedure. This is a report. This has not been posted to the public. This is a report that has not been shared with the public. This was not on the agenda. Unfortunately, Jan didn't share these things with us ahead of time. They didn't This is the first time we're seeing all of these documents. So, there's been no I'm sorry, J.

I said it's not all of them because you've seen the donation ones since um February, which is why the the document you now have that lists some of the donations um actually has the different forms that it has because that was the what we gave you in February. That was what was verbally recommended to me. But these documents, to be honest, aside from the treasures report, I would have appreciated sitting down and going over with them because we have our own procedures and policies that we follow or not procedures and policy, but procedures that we follow that some of this could is kind of redundant and we could have had a conversation about it completely. I just I it for me it's just frustrating that you're creating stuff around you don't even know what our actual procedures are yet. So, okay. So, the donation ones we've been talking about since February.

The first time I don't think it was the first time was proposed, but it's been written out since February. So, um the board did not approve it that nothing was approved by the none of the documents that you've been sharing have been approved by the board. I understand that. So this was the opportunity was to go through the policies and not the procedures and to to establish the procedures as um a procedure. So that was the reason for the

again I want to interrupt here because my understanding is that you guys decided you don't have to follow the what the treasurer asked you to do for accounting. Okay. And because it wasn't voted on by the board. Okay. There's two things here. We have policies and we have procedures. Okay. If it's a policy, it needs to be voted by the whole board. If it's a procedure that the that the trustee who's the treasurer needs information from you guys and you refuse to supply it and we assumed you were following the process, but then we she was told

the board has not voted on it, so we're not doing it. Okay, that's where I have an objection. That is not a policy. It's a procedure. It's a procedure. She needed to do her job and she wasn't able to do it because you refused to provide her the information. Yes. May I speak to that? Yes.

So I you're right. I didn't do any of the things that Jan has asked us to do because none of this in my opinion even the procedures should be brought to the board so that they're aware of what we're doing here with these documents. If this is the first time you have all seen these documents, how how this is the first time I'm seeing the documents, how am I supposed to know how to follow these? She I I I personally this is this is where I think my frustrations come from is that at no point when she created these did she ask me how it's done already? How do you do this already? What what are you doing? You know, what are you doing with this? What are you doing with that? At no point did she give me the opportunity to sit down with her and go over these. I could have worked together with her on these so that we could create a document that's both useful for her for me and follows the law and f and for my staff. At no point have I given the opportunity to even train my staff on these documents because I don't know how to how to fill them out or when to hand them in or who to hand them in. Do I scan them? Do I do I submit this to town hall to the fin? Do I submit it to J? I don't know any of that. There's been no procedure around it. It's not that I don't want to follow it. It's just I want to be involved in the process so that I can explain that to my staff. These documents do not give me the opportunity to do that. I don't know why I was not included in that process when I my staff and I do these things or would like to do these things and I was not included when you have someone who has who who's created documents and I speak to any of the board members who have no idea how we do the things here who have no idea how we collect donations or how we collect money at the desk or when we when we hand that over or when we take it out of the desk put it in the um the lock box. None of that none of that was asked of me or none of that. And again, this has happened a number of times where things were assumed that no one could someone would just come to me and ask me. I

would have been happy to have that conversation. I would have been happy to sit down with you and go over how we do things. What how do we how did how did we get the t-shirt sales? When did that come up? That was a friend. That's a friend's thing. That has nothing to do with the board. That's friends. The money goes into the board into the into the library. So, it goes into the li I understand. But the money is comes into the library. What money? What money? So that again these are whatever the sales whatever the sales happen there's money that that goes into um the library. How it it it needs to be kept separate. That's important that it needs to be

which it is. And then the board accepts it under unanticipated funds like we did this year. All I'm all I'm all I'm saying is that all it would have been nice to be included in a conversation and a discussion to work together to create these forms and procedures. I understand that why I would not since February we've been discussing that. Let's use the donation policy as an example. You said your people are too busy to record the donations and to collect the information and to write that down that way that we requested it back in February as we requested because that's what we were told to request or what we needed to have for the secretary of states for the charitable fund folks. So we needed to have the background information that supported what goes on the summary fund for um the donations. and you said, "They're too busy. We can't do that." And then you said, "I'm going to be working on it. I'll start working on it." Well, that was in February. And now, um, you know, uh, fast forward to now. And now, uh, we have the book and you're doing some of them. Of course, we're not still not doing the physical things like books that don't get donated, the boxes, books, or whatever, but at least part of it's being done, which is great. Um, but we did discuss it because you said at a board meeting that you would not do it or that you're you're just too busy to your staff is too busy to do that. Same thing about counting the money about counting the money. The money should be counted at each place should be counted at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day because that's what you do with money. You count it at the beginning and the end. You shouldn't have a jug of money sitting there. I understand it's friends money, but it's still a jug of money that's sitting there open and it shouldn't be sitting there open um because that's just uh

asking for trouble either for someone to decide that they've got a lunch that they forgot money for or for somebody to knock it over or something. So, um I have no problem if you want to discuss these, but um very few of these things are new. We have discussed these things ad nauseium and the board has said this is just overkill or it's duplication. The board has not said that. We have absolutely absolutely said that the board has not said that.

You have said overmanagement a million times. The board as a whole is so silly. Like we have real things to do and we're worried about a giant jug that weighs like 50 pounds with an opening big enough for a quarter. We're worried that someone's taking money out of it. Like this is just that may not be your concern. The money that goes in and out of the library. It's my concern. None of these documents were made available ahead of time. We'll have to post them the right way. And we had these these documents have been they were just some of Wait a second. Some of the suggestions some of the contracts were given as procedures

in February in January and February and they have not been follow some of the contracts we got today we got today. So we didn't repost those we made a decision on them. So um I don't see that there's a big difference. I have no problem if you want to just push push it off another month. But don't be saying don't be saying that there hasn't been Jan hasn't done any new work. You have not provided any treasury reports from you. We've had Colleen taken care of us because she has has had hand she has had the total response of of all that.

We have she has she has you Beth are not the one you are the one who's posting stuff. Oh, all these things bothers you. But it does because you're you're talking crap. I'm talking crap as crap. I'm sorry. Right. Let's interrupt. You're not going to be, you know, this is not new. This is something that's been going on for months. We've been We've been passing these down. No one has I'm sorry. May I continue?

You had an objection to counting the to accounting for the books that were donated. Okay. and we worked with you on that and we said you don't have to have the titles and stuff. You need to have a total amount of books that were donated during a certain time. Can I can I speak to that?

Go ahead. I I I will follow what the board wants me to do, but I would ask that these be reviewed with me so that I can come to the meeting and say, "Yep, Jan and I worked on these documents. this is going to work for my staff procedural wise, we'll be able to do this or maybe come up with a different way. When it came to the donations, I reached out to the attorney general's office. I have the email that says that she does not want that information. So, I'm sharing that information with you because just so you know that they don't they don't want that information. Now, if you want me to do it anyways as a board, that's fine. But as an attorney general, so I have the email that speaks to that. They she specifically said cuz I asked her, "Do I need to count every book that comes into the library as a donation and she said no, she does not want that information.

She does not need that information." So, we need that information. So, that's why I don't I think you need to clarify that it's not I don't think it's law. It's more of information that you want, which is different than what you've been saying all this time. So, it's fine if the board wants that information, but and and keep in mind I do I I will say it again. My staff does not have time to count every book that comes into the library. And what happens to the books that go into the Excuse me. I I wasn't saying count every book, but go ahead.

But see, that's the that's the problem. The I don't I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing with these documents. I don't know. And so, you're handing to me and maybe it's not the first time, and that's fine, but you're handing them to me, and I didn't know back then what I was supposed to do with these documents. I I would like more clarity on the expectation of what needs to be done so that I can do it correctly because again I feel like I'm being set up to fail where I've been giving documents I'm supposed to follow with no guidance or procedure with no discussion. Why wasn't I included in the discussion in these documents when they were first created or when they were created again? Why wasn't I? Because we haven't had the time to do that.

Well, but now you're going to approve them with for a minute. Can I interject for a minute? So, respectfully, if I go back in time, one of the issues was when we first brought them up, they were like, "Oh, we have some of these procedures already in place, right?" And and there was a little bit of push back about, well, we kind of already do these things this way. And and that would have been the time to have the conversation about it.

And in the summer, and everything gets pushed off every time, we attempted to do that and then it got blown up again. So, we're back here again. Can we can we agree to a comfortable place where we're going to work together on it? Because if we're going to say it has to be done a certain way, then that has to be communicated in a timely manner. So, if they ask for information, we have to get it to them. If we can't do it, you, me, whoever, we have to let them do it then because that's they're the ones doing it here every day. And I really think that's important. when we gave out these procedures. Okay, if you didn't understand the or I want to know how you know what what our expectations were, you should have asked us rather than just blowing it off and say, "Oh, yeah. The board as a whole didn't vote on it, so we're not going to follow."

She never gave these up. They were talked about in vague measures.

No, no, they've been in We had pages for each thing. But they showed up at a meeting which again not posted. They showed up again just like they did tonight on the table. All I'm asking is for me to be involved in the in these kind of things so that I can inform inform my staff. I'm going to go to the staff. If this was approved tonight, I show up tomorrow with these things and I'm going to have a million questions from my staff that I will not be able to answer. And we're supposed to start this tomorrow. I don't think that's fair. I all I'm asking is to be involved in the conversation when procedures and policies are created that I'm expected to follow and my staff is expected to follow. That's all I'm asking. And I was not involved in any of this. I was not asked of it. I was not asked of how they're done now. Nothing. Why? I'm just asking why wasn't I included in the conversation of these documents? Do you value her input? Well, first of all, let's let's let's talk about fairy. Okay, let's talk about one thing. The books. Okay, we said we needed an accounting of the books that were donated. You do realize that when books are donated, it belongs to the board, not to the library, not to the friends. It when they're donated, they belong to the board. Okay. one our only we have very few sources of money to keep the board money running. Okay. One of the sources of money is books that are donated and sold a dollar a hard copy 50 cents of a uh so you know a paperback out of the library case you know the bookstore. So you said I can't account we're not going to count for all of you know the titles and everything. And I said fine give us a total of how

many books show you know are donated on a monthly basis. Okay. We have never seen that. What we have seen and what we've been told from a friends the friends of the library who run the bookstore is that cases of books that belong to us have been given away by Aaron Mhm. to her friend John who sells them on eBay. All right. Did anybody I'm sorry. Did anybody ask me about that? I absolutely did ask when did you ask me in that meeting in that meeting where Jan was present and we were discussing

I was yes Megan was present that's the first time it was brought up to me when you listened to someone who I don't even know who it was who told you that instead of right after that person told you that why didn't you reach out to me and ask me about it

I didn't you said you do it you said but I'm not the only one who does it there's other li there's several libraries in the area so I explain to you. Yes, that I do it. In fact, I got that name from at the time it was the Dair Public Library director because we are inundated with donations and a majority of our donations are not acceptable to be put on the shelves and sold to our patrons. And so, what do we have? What do we what are our options to do with it when the two dumpsters out back are full? What do we do with it? We get in trouble for having it stacked up next in our library because it's unsafe. So, what do I do with it? What are my options? That was not that was I I should tell me what the options the options not to throw away our property.

So what do I do with them? So what do I do with it? I'm not allowed to put them in the dumpster because they're not allowed. They don't want us to fill up the recycling bins with the books. What do I do with the boxes of donations that are literally garbage? What do I do with them? In your opinion, they're garbage. Liz, you can come here every day and fill up your car with the books and then it it's on you. So, do I wait for a board member to come in and review those books to whether they're acceptable or not, or am I allowed to do that or is my staff allowed to do that? Well, obviously they're not garbage cuz John makes money on it. He said he sells them on eBay, so garbage. Who spoke to John? A person, a friend of the library, Maria,

and you already have admitted that yes, they go out to John. Yeah, he takes them. I don't know what he does with them, but he does. That way, I don't have to deal with them. But what do I do with them if I'm not giving them to John and they're piling up in my library where it's unsafe for my staff to walk around? What do I do with them? Well, first of all, it's not your library. It's the town's library. Oh my goodness. Okay. Okay. I apologize. I misspoke. What do I do with them in this town's library where my staff work?

Have you ever come to us and said, "I have these library books and and what can we do with them?" Have you ever even Have we even seen them? I thought it would be acceptable for me as a director to be able to make the decision on how to move forward with these books. I've never had this. Never in my life have I had to ask the board, what do I do with donations? Never in my life. I was I'm sorry. You sit down. We're not having public comment. Okay. You're not running the meeting. Helen's running the meeting. So, I was just going to ask her if I have direct input on this because I've been in charge of donations for the last 20 years. If you have a care to ask right now, I'm sorry. This is a board discussion right now. You don't have authority over this because Helen is running the meeting.

Jen, um I think things have gotten a little too heated tonight and I would like to um uh take a um trustees whatever it is exemption or whatever and move this to next the next meeting. the next meeting in December and uh between then and now I will try and um communicate those items that we've already communicated but I'll try and communicate them again to find out the other process. Can we please call this meeting?

Can we please Well, we have more to discuss and I think we should hear what Donna has to say if that's acceptable by the the Helen. Yeah, we have and we just have a couple of other loops. I want to make sure we tie up questions. Okay. So, the your gift policy, your gift policy that you adopted and accepted specifically states that you've given the power to the director to decide what to do with discarded materials. So, you have already given her the power to make decisions. So, if you want to take that back, you need to revise that policy. But she has done nothing wrong because you have already given her the okay.

I didn't say that she did anything wrong. I just said we did discuss we did discuss it at we did have discussed it at a meeting and we have discussed it at a meeting with Aaron but that's beside the point. I would like to do a trustees exemption or whatever and move it to the next meeting. I was not finished. I was asking that I'm I'm asking you Jan. You said you're going to give us communication, but I don't want an email with your instructions. I want to have a sitdown meeting with you where you have scheduled a time with me because you show that you respect my time or errands and you actually review those documents with us and we live. I'm not done yet.

I'm not done yet. And I've been recognized by the chair. I want a appointment scheduled where we actually review those documents and you hear us out as to what's already being done so that the forms are not duplicative of our work because that is what was asked of you and Helen as of the July 9th meeting that has not happened. That is my request. Great. I would second that. I'm here on Friday mornings and I will be happy to discuss it on Friday mornings. That doesn't mean I am not available on Friday.

I am not a full-time employment employee. In fact, I'm not an employee at all and um I am spending more and more time doing one minute.

No, I'm spending more and more time doing trusty crap and then being blamed for not excuse me. that I'm being blamed for not doing those things. And um uh so I'm just saying we've been discussing them. I don't we can put them off. We can have a discussion. I'm here Friday mornings. If Friday this Friday morning doesn't work, we can do it the next Friday morning. But Friday mornings is the time I've designated to come to the library to do uh to get things to deposit in the bank and to discuss any other things with people in the library.

So we can email you a specific time on a Friday morning. Yes. And make that an appointment. Yes. Okay. Thanks. Let's move on.

Okay. Um Erin, what were the other two things that we said were going to be under other? Um apologize. I can't remember. I have them written down right here. Um, here they are. Um, so the first thing is we have had a request from a patron. In fact, this came twice. The first time it was emailed to the board on March, I'm sorry, excuse me. that was emailed to the board on June 2nd um by a patron who was asking the Leech Library if they would um and we've gotten these requests before, but this is the one that I've seen in writing. Actually, there's two in writing. Um asking the board if they This person was inquiring if they can use the free book vouchers that we give out that the board has approved that we are allowed to give out at like summer reading and things of that nature. um they use those book vouchers um that um if they could they wanted to be able to purchase in this case in June they wanted to be able to purchase 13 of them to give to teachers and bus drivers as part of an endofear gift. Um when this person emailed Liz respond to not only myself, Donna, and the whole board and to this patron saying, "Hi, I will get you an answer to your question as soon as possible and respond with you in a few days." I don't know if that ever happened. Um and so but then we recently got a new request. Um this was sent in October and actually Megan fielded this request um because the patron I believe came in if I'm correct but she emailed me to remind me if I could bring this to the board. We have another patron who has asked if she could purchase again those book sale vouchers to give to her daughter's birthday goodie bag. She would like she would need them on November 8th and could the board if they would be interested in doing this. She want me to ask the board if they'd be interested in doing this and also if there's a possibility if that's something that we can offer going forward without the board approval. I think this is a great idea. This is a great way for patrons to come into our library and use the library and and and

get those free books at the book sale. Um but again, it's up to the board. I love that idea. I hate that idea. We just discussed our only thing of interest. People are buying them. She said purchase. Can I purchase? willing to purchase them. No, I'm sorry. You need to sit down. Okay. Um, I sit down. Maybe we misunderstand totally. Gift certificate that's purchased so that you would get the revenue from it. Yeah. The board would get the revenue. So, it's like you're purchasing a gift certificate to the bookstore. That's fine.

That somebody would buy it from here and give it to somebody else and then they could get the book. Okay. I will admit I totally misunderstood. I thought they wanted us to give them a voucher for, you know, 10 books from the bookstore and then let's stop doing that regularly. No. Okay. That's not what I said. Okay. So, I apologize and I agree that that, you know, that is a viable thing. Either way, it moves the books and plus gives us some income. So, I don't I think that's a great idea. Okay. So, I would like to officially vote on it. Yeah. No, I think it's

I make a motion to make book vouchers available for purchase. I The only question I have is um yeah, how much? But also, um how are you going to make them? So, they're just not, you know, I can go copy more. They could anyway. I know, but I'm just I know, but you just have to, you know. So basically they would buy a 10 a $ five dollar gift.

Megan we could we could have a staff member for example Megan since she's in charge of circulation initial those book vouchers so if they come in as a photo copy maybe that would be a little more obvious we can or punch a hole in them. I don't know we could figure out a way to to make that so that they can't make photo copies of them so easily. Right. I'll second that. Do we have a the only discussion would be for c what what is the charge for a book voucher? The most expensive item in the book sale, correct me if I'm wrong, is $1. So if we charge a dollar each for each book voucher, so they just they wouldn't be able to be used for the sets that are in they are not available now to be used for the special sale. Okay. So they cannot use the book vouchers in any way on the special sale anyway.

So people can buy them for a dollar each. Okay. If that's approved, if that's approved by the board, is it better doing it that way or having a certificate for $5 worth of books. No, they were talking about giving one about what? My understanding was they were talking about giving, you know, one per person or, you know, this this particular person wants to include them in a goodie bag at her daughter's birthday party. So, I think just having the simple ones, I mean, we can even create different ones that are specific for ones that are purchased, right? so that it's separated from the Why don't we see how this goes and then we could

re-evaluate tweaking it in the future. So Beth has a motion. I seconded. How I'm sorry, what is what was to sell the to sell for a dollar each. Um and that Megan would help us come up with a system so we can track them so we would know that people were just using them once. Okay. And then if they want to hot book, they get one. If they want soft back, they get two. Right. No, the the book voucher is only good for one. It's good for one. Whether it's hard, they're only they're only paying the highest amount, which is a hard cover. Okay. All right. That's okay. I'm also that I'm sorry. Okay. Yeah. Um,

do you want to put a time limit on your motion? Um, time limit tonight. To re Yeah. To reevaluate. Sure. Whether or not we want to continue. It's free money. Well, I think just in case we wanted to tweak, um, how about till February? Okay. Okay. Would you like to vote? Yes. Yes. Okay. Jamlin, yes. Yes. Helen Pal. Yes. And just before I I We're doing a trial period. Yes. Okay. Yes. Okay. Liz Thomas. Yes. Okay.

Thank you. Um, I have one more thing under other. Um, I had emailed the board. I only got one response, so I'm hoping you all saw the email. Um, I'm asking the board, um, it's in your packet. Um, for I've included a proposal. It's in the packet. This from the paper clip that was on your table today. Um, in the packet is a proposal for to um, put in a food pantry down here in the lower level. Um, so in my proposal, and I'm hoping you all read it so I don't have to read the whole thing. Um, during this time when people SNAP benefits are um deal people dealing with food insecurity are are being uh not being able to purchase items that are needed. Um, I'm hoping that we as a library and the community can come together and provide them with a space where we can have a small food pantry where things can we would be donated to the library and we would um kind of oversee. Um, the positives of this is that from what I understand there's only one food pantry officially here in London. Um, and that is I believe down the street. We are open more hours. Um,

I'm sorry. St. There's St. shoots as well as uh the Methodist Church. Oh, so there's two. Um we would be open more hours than some of those locations um allowing for more convenient access for people. Um we would provide almost as as much as a private space as we can for those families to access. And um the parameters around this is that the food collection would only be non-p perishable food only with the addition of like hygiene products such as shampoo, toothpaste and and feminine products of that nature. Um, we would be I mean I would take this responsibility on myself and certainly I'm sure I would have staff that would step up and help because that's the kind of staff I have is that we would be monitoring it. Um, so moni monitoring

monitoring

watching over who is accessing the kind of just kind of you know not see noticing people going downstairs is something that we automatically do anyways. Um, and that we I would make sure I'm sure along with my staff would help keep it neat and clean. Um, and then we would collect those food donations and bring them down to the to the shelving unit that I'm going to be asking for to um kind of meet and tidy. Um, or down the line as once we get this in a more kind of organized fashion, we can create a volunteer um kind of list and and have people volunteer to assist in that process and then would take it away from my staff, which is fine. Um, in my proposal, I also asked for some supplies that would be needed. Um, I would be asking for two shelving units that I could get off Amazon. Um, those shelving units are um, I did look up specifically for like food storage. Um, they're very sturdy, so like canned goods and stuff would be um, acceptable as far as weight on there. Um, we would also be getting, we get a lot of these donations anyways. These are Hannifford to-go bags, which people can use to take some items home with them. And then um obviously I would need to have food to put into the pantry at some point. So um some things to consider, how long would this be happening? So I gave you a few uh three options. One, to only have the pantry go from now till after the holidays, and we could set a date on when that would end. Two, to only have the pantry go from now till summer. Again, we could set a date. Or three, have no end date on it now. And we could just base it off the need of the community. Um, it would start as soon as possible or as soon as I can get the supplies. And future ideas that we could use for this space could also be adding school supplies or pet supplies. Um, and really make it a community kind of area. Um, I know other libraries that already do this um, and it's very successful and it's very um, well received by the community. Um, I do think this would be a great opportunity for the Leech Library to offer something that is not

offered by any other town department. With that said, um Donna and I have a meeting with the town manager that we were invited to um related to kind of these needs along with many others of to see how the community can come together to provide some of these resources. Um and um we would be on I think we're on a Zoom call with um other organizations in town and other people. So um just to give you some stats, London 2.20% of Londereerry is enrolled in the SNAP program. That's about over 580 people. Uh dairy is double that. They have 4.4%. That's about over 1500 people. Um I I I think this personally I think this would be a very good thing for the library to do and to support. Um yes, there are many places in town like New Hampshire Food Bank and things like that. But when you're talking about a a person who maybe can't go that distance or go to those locations, this is a local stop for them. Um, we do have the local, it's not hard, it's

cart cart. I always do that. Um, bus that stops here. So, making it a convenient location. Um, so I'm asking the board tonight with my proposal. I'm asking the board for $300. That would be to purchase the shelving, which is $76.99, which is included in my proposal. um along with um if if if the board would allow for me to purchase items um to start the pantry and I would I'm talking canned goods, mac and cheese and things like that. Um, so in that in that folder also we created a flyer and I think Kelly who's in the audience who created this flyer to kind of share with patrons if um if the board approved and due the generosity of um the person who created our original logo, they also created a logo for the food pantry so we can really make it something that is a stop for um our patrons that need it. So, I'm asking for the board to approve the food pantry and the um finances to go along with it.

Um where would you set the pantry? So, it would be down at the bottom of these stairs here. Um we would move the some of the seating away from that area and put up the shelving down in this area. Okay. So, it would this room is still available. Absolutely 100%. And it's on tile floor. So, if there happens to be a spill or a mist or something like easy clean up, which I don't anticipate happening. I think it would be a very there we wouldn't we would ask for no glass jars things of that nature to keep it as safe as possible. I'd like to make a motion to accept the proposal. Oh, sorry. Jer

um so uh before I think it was last meeting or the meeting before we discussed about uh there was a problem with rodents and um so um my concern would be this might be something that could increase that um issue. So, we still have the service with pet um my blinking pest control. Um and there have been as according to them, there have been no sightings of the traps um that are in the library. That's an issue. And because this would be on top um I'm hoping well I guess the shelving they could still climb on, but um we haven't had any sightings that I'm aware of in the library of rodents, but we have food in here all the time based on programming or kind of snacks and treats that we have upstairs and I haven't seen anything. But that doesn't mean it can't happen certainly. But it would be something that we can keep an eye on.

Um I I think it's a great idea. I think we should do a pilot. And so I would say through the holidays, now is the time we need to really press to get a food in and food out to people who need it for the holidays. So I would suggest that we at least do a three-month pilot. Okay. The other thing is I would like to include the friends of the library to help run the food pantry. Yes.

So I've already talked to the friends about this and they are willing to contribute um some funds to assist in setting it up or stocking it. Um I don't know if I haven't approached the idea of them assisting with it, but I think that could go along with um volunteers. I feel right now I'd like to just set it up just with myself and any staff who is willing to assist. Um, and then as we find it to be after that pilot, we can explore the idea of volunteers. I don't want to set up volunteers for something that could end. I'd rather wait to see if it's going to continue and then we can set up we can do a call out for volunteers specifically for that need because there may be people who want to specifically help with that with that option. So if it's okay if we if the board approves the trial run for the through the holidays and we can put a date on that at that point if they continue if they'd like it to continue then we can reach out to volunteers that will specifically start running that.

Will this be available only certain hours of the of it would be available anytime the library is open. Okay. And you feel like you do you have the staff right now that someone can go downstairs and I feel that this is so important right now that I would make myself available to do it if my staff could not. I feel very strongly about this project and I feel that it could be a great help to the community and those in need and I will dedicate my time to make sure that it is it takes place along with my other duties. And specifically, what exactly other than the permission to do that, what exactly financially do you need to?

So, as I had said, I'm asking for the board for essentially two votes. One, to allow me to set up the food pantry and allow us to have it here. And then two, the $300 that will fund the shelving that I need for the pantry, which are two large shelves, and as well as um maybe stocking it with some beginner just starter food and items. Um, and I would use the difference of that, the $300 um, for after buying the shelves to purchase those items. Okay. Discussion, questions.

I just wanted to make a motion to accept the proposal for the library food pantry um, and the allocation of $300 from the trustee funds um, and for it to um, pilot this program through the end of Should we say January or February? That would be fine. I mean, because if we if I'm able to start it, I mean, it's only going to be two months at that point. So, if that's an acceptable, we can say January 31st. I'll second it. Mo, yes. Yes.

Jofflin, yes. Beth, yes. Helen Pal, yes. Liz Thomas, yes. So, you can get the go as soon as possible. Thank you very much. I have a question. Will you have some area upstairs where people can donate? Yes. So, we will be accepting donations and then um staff can I mean staff, excuse me, patrons can donate to. So, this will be communicated out to patrons obviously, but if anybody wants to make a donation to the um food pantry by food wise um or supplies um I would take that and then I would again if if my staff members does want to help um we would stock the shelves. So, we would bring it down for that patron share that out to the schools too if they want.

Yes, I'd be happy to do that. Yep. Awesome. Yep. And we would and we could even put out, you know, a box or something to collect as needed. But Awesome. So I will so just so you know since this has been approved I will be sharing this with our meeting with the town managers so that to let them know that we'll be another location that um people can come to. Thank you very much for putting the time into this. This is very important.

Thank you for your support. Uh and again I want to thank you. You guys have, you know, you put a lot of thought, Donna, you've put a lot of thought in into programs that, you know, and what cost for the different programs and stuff, which I appreciate. Erin, you've you've shown that you are looking at each individual employee and judging their strengths and stuff and you're working and trying to build the strength of your librarians. Okay. which I appreciate.

I have an I have an amazing staff and each of them have amazing qualities and things to bring to this library and I I hope I'm I appreciate that you see that and I hope others can see that as well. Um they are extremely valuable and important and I and I I I I will value any time and opportunity I can to to speak to that. And last I want to say that you're bringing forward this idea. This is an innovative thing as the director. you're showing how we can serve the community which is very important and so you had the vision to do this and I want to recognize that. Thank you. I appreciate that. Okay.

Okay. When it comes to the personnel policy, I think we need to get together with our staff and talk about um that. So, I think we need to pull a little subcommittee together with our staff, make a few um discussion points before we can close that out. But I think that so we've deferred the personnel policy and the bylaws. Yep. I'll reach out. Hopefully we've we've we'll get that groundwork all done this month and then hopefully for Christmas we can have you know have a new policies and our next official meeting as of right now is December the 3. There is

yes some other things we're working on. So, do you want me to take because I think we put on the calendar as Megan had mentioned um kind of like a hold on that room for on this room for the 19th. Do you mind if we just check in with that other person and we'll get back to you? If you could just let me know as soon as possible so that we can make sure that room if it's not being used, it's available for anybody else who wants to. Yeah. Plus, we have a second day a third day. We have a third date now, right? Yeah. We have to look at that over. Yeah. So, we have Yeah. two more dates besides the meeting date that we'll get to you as soon as possible. Okay. Jan,

um, one of the other items that or not other items, but one of the other things in the community to um, is they're doing the 68 hours of hunger to um, to work um, to be able to send backpacks home with the kids on Fridays so the kids can have food available for them for the weekend. So, um that's kind of another area that maybe it doesn't come as part of the food pantry, but um uh we do have kids in our schools that are going hungry on weekends because they don't have food provided.

So, um just a thought. It's kind just, you know, maybe there's some link that could be done with that. So, to my knowledge, um, and I'll find out more on Friday, I believe Cheerston over at town hall is working on a, um, area on the town website that will have links to locations and and, um, options for people to to look for, um, resources whether I think it might include more than just food. It might be heat or and things of that nature. So, once that live, we'll certainly share that as well. Are the folks still doing a meal here once a week or

the heaven's kitchen? To my knowledge, yes. and they update us um as those dates change or adjust. They do update, send us flyers and I make sure that we have copies printed um out in the community area. Um but that's certainly something that we can certainly add to the food pantry, informative information like that. Okay, I'm going to entertain a motion to adjurnn. Second. Wait, before we do close out, I just had a question. Yeah. Um I noticed on the schedule that um for Thanksgiving week you have the library set to close early at 5 on Wednesday and I just wanted to um bring that forward so we could vote on it.

Um we've never so in the past we've never voted on that before. That was set in place by different boards. So, um, we generally, um, that day and then the, so the Friday after Thanksgiving, we've always been closed and the day before Thanksgiving and New Year's and Christmas. Megan, do you want to speak to that? You've been here the longest,

if I may. Um, so it's not a day that we've ever had like it's not technically a holiday. There's no holiday pay for that. It's just closing early at 5:00 um because it's the day that so people can travel to Thanksgiving places and things like that. that was the intent and it's been in that way since I started. So I for that um in the holiday list um the day before Christmas and um New Year's it's a half day. So we're open half of our hours that day. Um and then the day after Thanksgiving was added in the 2012 um based on the holidays of the once the union dissolved and we went with the non-representative policy. For the most part, it followed those holidays from the towns were um copying them. So that's the history.

All those dates have already are in the personnel file, but not the not the Thanksgiving, the day before Thanksgiving. Um we've traditionally closed out five, but it's not um considered a holiday. So it's not something that is there. It's just something that we've traditionally done for at least the last 20 years. I don't know where if there was an official ruling anywhere. It's not really written down, but it was the idea was so that people could do travel if they needed for um the holiday. And I would like to note that no staff is it's staff schedules are adjusted for these dates. Yeah. Um so anything like that. There's not additional pay. There's not additional comp time. There's not additional anything. Staff schedules are adjusted.

But if the board wants to vote on it now, I don't know what that looks like because it's already on the schedule. But it might be something to bring up to maybe add to the personnel policy maybe or add as a vote. That's certainly up to the board. Can we review that and then um when we do the personnel policy next month? I think it would be a good idea to vote on that because it's not in the personnel the Wednesday at 5 is not in the personnel policy. I understand it's on the schedule, but I think those issues need to be communicated to the board and I think we need to vote on them.

Okay. I actually that one I think we should vote on because um you know that way because then if we introduce something new next month we're going to say oh well it can't go into effect yet because you know type of you know it hasn't been you know published for 10 days or whatever. So let's that day is just a couple of weeks away and those schedules have already been made. So I think if we want to talk about it, it would be for the next calendar year. I I don't I mean they're already so short staffed as it is and we're talking about revising their staffing schedules. Like don't we have a better use of their time? Who's coming to the library?

I'm not suggesting that we're going to make the change. We just want to open the conversation. Yeah. I just I think it applies to the next calendar year because already written, but some some folks may need to come may want to come to the library on Wednesday because they're they don't have the option to come on Thursday or Friday, but we are open till 5 that day. Yeah. So, it's not we're not closing that day. We're just open till 5. And I and I would like to say that this is not

I don't I don't think it's fair that this is been classified as like a situation. This is something that's been in place for over 20 years that I don't think, you know, it's it's coming up as it's if it's I've done again I've done something against the board without asking the board. This is something that's been in place for a long time. So I I'm I'm fine if the board wants to discuss it and going forward maybe having more of a set understanding. That's totally fine with me and so that the the conversation is done and then we know that that's what happened year after year. Um, but I don't think it's fair that this is something that's feels again that I've done something behind the board's back. This is something that's been in place way before me. It wasn't an issue last year.

No, I I think it's too late to adjust it now. I think I think we should do an official vote to So, we're going to we're all going to support it though. 5:00 is good. Yeah, because as long as we're just going to make sure. So, she wants a confirmation. I'll make a motion that we make sure that the that it's all clear that the library is closing at 5:00 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Second. Okay. I Liz Thomas I Helen Hary. Yes. Beth Jim of Ia Rain. Okay. Thanks. And just make sure you post it, you know, in advance so people know. It's already been posted. Good. Great. Yeah. Um and I made a motion to adjurnn and seconded,

I think. I Liz Thomas. I Helen Pome. Yes, Beth. Hi, Jan. I Mara Rain. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much everyone. Thank you.