Fitzwilliam Town Library Board of Trustees
7 December 2020
Present: Robin Marra, Dick Goettle, Beth Lorenz, Tricia Toomey, Brian Doerpholz, Matt Buonomano and Library Director Kate Thomas.
Robin Marra called the meeting to order at 5:47 pm in the Quick Meeting Room of the Library, with Dick Goettle, Robin Marra and Kate Thomas in attendance at the library and Beth Lorenz, Brian Doerpholz, Tricia Toomey and Matt Buonomano present via Zoom. The first order of business was to thank Meredith Fournier for her service as the Assistant Librarian and present a card wishing her well in her next endeavor.
The November 2, 2020, minutes were reviewed and no changes were necessary. A motion to approve the corrected minutes was made by Dick Goettle and seconded by Brian Doerpholz. The motion was approved by all Trustees.
The Trustees reviewed and, those present, signed the Library Manifest and Spending-to-Date Expense Report with Beth Lorenz signing in person the following week.
Kate Thomas presented her monthly report; circulation for November was up 6% from last year even with building attendance being down. There were 8 adult programs and 11 children’s programs, with total attendance of 91. With Meredith’s notice and departure, there are very few applicants. There will be more focus on finding a suitable candidate through advertisements. In the meantime, Julia Baab has been hired part-time and Lucy Humphrey has volunteered for shelving. Efforts will be made to continue programming for December with on-hand staff, but not guaranteed.
Due to the rising number of COVID cases in NH and county, there was discussion on keeping the library open and it was determined the library would remain open until the last kids’ programs were complete.
The proposed 2021 budget was reviewed and discussed by the Trustees. After discussion, it was determined ready to present to the CIP committee as well as the Budget Committee on December 10, 2020.
The Locke Collection was revisited. It was determined that we will need to consult with an expert in artifact preservation and presentation prior to implementation. Tricia Toomey and Beth Lorenz will continue to head the Locke committee to find a suitable candidate.
The Meeting Room policy was reviewed by the Trustees. Dick Goettle made a motion, seconded by Brian Doerpholz, to approve the policy as presented. The motion was approved by all Trustees.
No other business or announcements were brought forth for discussion.
The next Trustee meeting has been scheduled for Monday, January 4, 2020, at 5:45 p.m.
Dick Goettle put forth a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:43 p.m. Tricia Toomey seconded, and all Trustees approved the motion to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Lorenz
Vice Chair