Friends of the Library

Minutes

Monday, Jan. 25, 2016

Library Community Room

Mary Ann O’Neil called the meeting to order at 3:30p.m.

Present: Mary Ann O’Neil, Mary Ann Melgey, Elaine Leon, Mary Jo Nugent, Ann Legler, Toi Willson, Marie Perrin, Linda Christensen, Pat Berthiaume, Gladys Kimmel, Joanne Eisenhard, Susan Brosnan

Minutes from Last Meeting:The reading of the minutes from Sept. 28thwas waived. The minutes were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report: Mary Ann Melgey reported the balance for FOL is $8720.05. She reported $989.75 from the October book sale. A motion was made and seconded to accept the treasurer’s report. Motion carried.

Director’s Report:Susan Brosnan reported that the state interlibrary loan system is still a work in progress. She also reported that the state C-car service is being revamped; hopefully back to entirely state run. There were state budget cuts that affect many areas of the state library. On local level there are cuts to our c-card (reimbursement for out-of-town users) and state grant funding.

She also presented information on the cost for purchasing an associate membership pass for the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research. There are 2 levels of membership. Susan recommended option 2, $200. The pass does not allow free entrance to the museum but gives the users a discount on entrance fees.

Susan also asked if the Friends would be supporting the Summer Reading Program again this year. The program will be called “On your mark, get set, read”.

She also asked if the Friends were interested in again sponsoring an author and program for the Connecticut Authors Trail this summer. The kickoff will be July 7th at Janet C. Calvert Library in Franklin. The author is Adam VonGoodkin, author of Living Proof: Onyx Moonshine’s Journey to Revive the American Spirit. Linda Christensen and Mary Jo Nugent agreed to be co-chairs for Preston. Susan will provide them with a list of potential authors to invite to speak at Preston Public Library.

Library Board: Ann Legler reported that the annual budget will be presented to the Board of Selectman in February.

Committee Reports:

Book Sale Committee: Marie Perrin reported that Boy Scout Troop 75 from Preston was very helpful in moving the books to and from the fire house. Each of the scouts was allowed to select a book or books as a thank you.

The next book sale will be on April 8th (9a.m. – 7 p.m.) & April 9th (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) at the Poquetanuck Fire House. Buyers on April 9th will be able to fill a bag for $3. Set up will be on Wednesday, April 6th. Pat Berthiaume is coordinating the volunteer schedule for set up and to work at the sale. Marie is waiting to hear from Troop 75 about helping to move books again. Marie will also find out from the leaders of the troop about making a donation for the troop.

Program Committee: Mary Jo Nugent reported:

The program by Reverend Cannon on Martin Luther King Day was very well attended and probably should have been held at a facility larger than the library community room.
Upcoming program on bobcats in Connecticut by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is scheduled for the end of March.

Why Go Organic?, a program by Fiddleheads Food Coop will be in April. (Currently planned for April 26th but as that is primary day in Connecticut, it may be rescheduled.)
Conquer Your Clutter, a program planned for May will be presented by a professional in the field. There is a cost of $200. The by-laws require that any expenditure over $100 be approved in advance. After discussion on the cost of the program, a motion was made by Marie Perrin and seconded by Linda Christensen to approve the expenditure of $200 to the presenter provided she is not going to sell her goods at the program. The motion passed.

Old Business:

Basket Raffle:The Winter Basket Raffle basket made $54. The spring/summer basket will be prepared by Ann Legler.
DVD Purchases:Mary Ann O’Neil brought in a list of PBS documentary DVDs that she recommends for purchase by the library. The list was given to Susan Brosnan. The Friends voted at the Sept. 28th meeting to appropriate $500 to purchase DVDs and Audio books.
Scholarship Proposal:Ann Legler was asked for more information on her suggestion at the last meeting that the Friends and the Library Board jointly sponsor a scholarship for a Preston resident pursuing a library science degree. Ann did not have any further information at this time.
Picnic Table and Bike Rack: Susan brought in a catalog with the picnic table and bike rack she recommends for purchase by the Friends. It was decided to table decision until the March meeting. Linda Christensen volunteered to help Susan to look into other options for retailers (local and mail order).

New Business:

Pequot Museum Pass: After discussion, the members decided there was not enough benefit to be derived for library patrons from the purchase of a Pequot Museum pass for $200.
Summer Reading Program: a motion was made, seconded and was passed to allocate up to $500 for the 2016 summer reading program.
New Shed for Library: Ann Legler explained that Nathan Cyr, a Preston resident and boy scout, has proposed building a new storage shed for the Friends of the Library as his eagle scout project. He would like to finish the project by July and wants to start in April or May. The new shed would be for the Friends to store book sale books and the existing shed would be for the Library’s use. Nathan would be responsible for raising the money for all materials needed and for obtaining all permissions and permits for the project. He was unable to attend today’s meeting due to other commitments.

Meeting was adjourned at 4:25 pm.

Respectfully submitted: Elaine Leon, Secretary

Next Meeting: Monday, March 21, 2016,3:30 p.m. in the Library Meeting Room

FOL Minutes Jan. 25, 2016Page 1 of 2