TOWN OF SPRINGFIELD

LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

6:30 pm at the Library

  AGENDA

1.   Call to order

2.   Additions/ subtractions to the Agenda

3.   Public comments

4.   Review and approve minutes from the June meeting

5.   FOSTL liaison report; Apple Festival book sale, October 9

6.   Director’s report, updates, strategic planning

7.   Policies and policy issues:   Behavior Guidelines and Policy on Children, final review (posted online at trustees.springfieldtownlibrary.org); lost material retrieval methods; Collection Development Policy

9.   Executive session if needed

10.  Next meeting date and adjournment

Springfield Town Library Policy on Children  

The Library welcomes and encourages all children to use and enjoy its facilities, programs and services.  Sharing this environment with other people requires that everyone follow the posted Guidelines for Library Behavior.  Library staff members do not serve in the place of parents for children in the Library, and parents should not view the Library as an alternative to childcare. 

All children under 8 years of age must be accompanied and directly supervised by a parent or responsible caregiver who assumes full accountability for the child’s safety and behavior while in the Library.  “Directly supervised” means the child and caregiver must be able to observe one another at all times, except when a child is participating in a Library program.   However, the caregiver is expected to remain in the building and rejoin the child immediately following the program.

If a child under 8 years of age appears to be unattended or unsupervised, Library staff will attempt to locate the parent/caregiver, advise them of this policy and have them return to their child.  If a child is left unattended or unsupervised on multiple occasions, the Library will contact the police or Vermont Department of Children & Families.

Children 8 years of age and older are welcome to use the Library unattended as long as their behavior is in accordance with the posted Guidelines for Library Behavior.  As with adults, children who fail to behave appropriately may be asked to leave the Library.  Parents, please remember that even in your absence you are still responsible for the actions and safety of your minor children. For the safety of any children left waiting at the Library after closing time, police will be notified.

The Children’s Room is reserved for use by children, their parents or caregivers, and adults using the children’s collection. Library staff may ask adults unaccompanied by a child to move to other parts of the library once their selection has been made. The computers in the Children’s Room are solely for use by children.

Rev. & Adopted  9/6/2011, 8/8/2017

GUIDELINES FOR LIBRARY BEHAVIOR   

Welcome!

The Springfield Town Library establishes the following guidelines for library behavior to ensure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all Library patrons and materials.

1.      Respect other people’s privacy

2.      Be considerate of other people using the library; no disruptive or boisterous behavior

3.      Check out all library materials before taking them out of the building; treat materials with care

4.      Don’t smoke or bring alcohol into the Library

5.      Remember service animals only, not pets, are allowed in the Library

6.      Wear shoes and shirts

7.      Parents or legal guardians are responsible for the well-being and safety of their children

8.      Children aged 8 and up are allowed to use the Library alone

9.      No one except law enforcement officials may carry weapons of any kind in the Library

10.  Use the Library phone for emergencies or parental contact only

When individuals disobey the guidelines for behavior, library staff will request they leave the premises. The staff may involve the Springfield Police Department and issue a No Trespassing Notice.

Adopted 5/6/1992; Rev. 10/8/1997, 5/10/2010, 2/11/2013, 8/8/17

 Director’s Report    Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Staff Updates

·         Staff nametag initiative: chocolate cake

·         Ponnie Derby starts as Adult Services Coordinator August 14; 25 hours/week; MLS; curiosity, hard worker and a Texas accent; ideas for attracting younger working adults

·         Sue Ellen Morin, materials handler; Molly McAllister, summer substitute; Jessica Supry

·         Michelle Stinson has completed her first year;  plans for hours, FY18-19

·         Brief training session with Patrick Call, Springfield Police Department, 7/29; need to revise and practice emergency response plan

·         Diversity Summit at Hadley Farms, 7/26

·         Local training for Adversarial Childhood Experiences, ACES, planned; front line staff

·         Michelle to Mental Health First Aid trainings on teens experiencing mental health crisis, 9/12 and 9/19, with other VT youth services librarians

·         CPR and AED training

·         NELA, management team, October 22 – 24

·         Catamount Library Network update, Amy nominated to CLN board

·         Union negotiations planned for the fall

New services

·         Online access to Rutland Herald (starts 9/30/99) and Springfield Reporter (2016)

·         Traction with Recorded Books/Digital, downloadable audio and ebook

·         CLOVER interlibrary loan system, across Vermont; email and control implications

Programs

·         Adult summer reading program ends August 19. Weekly raffle, thanks to FOSTL

·         Children’s summer reading, Library, Common, Police & Fire & school bus & teachers & Community Service Club (teen volunteers working around Springfield)

·         Paul Ippolito 8/1 and Summer Encore Theater, 7/20; Nature Museum presentations

·         Family build nights, advertised as STEM; also outreach to Summer Daze

·         Summer Lunch pick up site

·         Awake: a Dream from Standing Rock, 6pm. Movie and panel on protest against oil pipe line with Riverside teacher Becca Polk

Building issues

·         Still in the running for the Promise Community Grant, services birth to 6

·         Children’s room carpet, rolling stacks, private meeting space

·         Library as a hub for community and area experiences

·         Ceiling tile repair in children’s room planned; hoping to coordinate with other projects

·         Elevator work proceeding; fire alarm and wet pit work

·         Library closed for Labor Day, September 2 – 4

  

Budget update

·         June 30, 2017, end of FY 2016-2017 budget

·         Underspent: office equipment (not reflecting materials ordered in June); utilities; postage; electronic (orders in June); books; heating fuel; building maintenance; capital budget

·         Bottom line healthy

·         3 new desktops for children’s room; 2 new for replacement public access; touch screens; launchpads with controlled content for children’s room

·         Capital budget underspent, re-allocated to building projects in FY 17-18

Trustee Information

·         Barbara Ball confirmed by select board for 8 month term; elections in March

·         Trustee terms expiring in 2018: Sandra Richardson, Josephine Hingston; term limits?

·         LibTrust listserv for Friends and trustees, self-selecting; write to Lara.Keenan@vermont.gov

·         Report on survey for trustees

·         Save the date: Saturday, November 4, location to be named; registrations paid. Rent van?

Strategic planning

·         Took a back seat to building and hiring

·         Need a small steering committee to meet every 2 weeks

·         Need to build invitational group for 2, 30 – 40 person meetings

·         Thoughts on timing? September – October; spring

·         Facilitator and budget

Town of Springfield
Library Board of Trustees
Tuesday, August 8, 2017

1. The meeting was called to order at 6:27PM.

Present: Josephine Hingston, Sandra Richardson, Amy Howlett (director), Sarah Druen, Barbara Ball.

Absent:  Matthew Pincus, Richard Cofrancesco

2.   Additions/ subtractions to the Agenda    N/A

3.   Public comments   None.

4.   Review and approve minutes from the June meeting.

The minutes from our June meeting were approved as written. (Sandy moved, Barbara second.)

5.   FOSTL liaison report

Amy reported that FOSTL had a successful book sale. They cleared $6,391 July 14-15. The remaining books will be offered at the Apple Festival book sale on Saturday, October 7. Josie thanked all book sorting volunteers.

6.   Director’s report

Herb requested that interlibrary loan staff supply progress reports after a request is made. Amy reminded trustees to bring comments about staff to her directly. Amy mentioned the LibTrust listserv for Vermont board members; she can resend directions on joining.

Strategic Planning

The library will go through the strategic planning process this fall. Barbara Ball agreed to serve on the steering committee, the small group to help process the information. The steering committee will probably meet twice.

Motion passed to appoint Barbara to sit on the strategic planning steering committee. (Sandy motioned, Sarah second.)

Amy asked for board member input in thinking about who in Springfield has “an intimate knowledge of how power flows through Springfield.” Also, looking for someone with marketing knowledge.

The strategic planning process should have participants of all ages. Board members had suggestions; more can be emailed to Amy,

7. Policy and Policy Issues

The Guidelines for Library Behavior policy was reviewed as well as sample guidelines from other libraries. Amy had drafted a revision of this policy. Additions to this revision include:

-          Beginning with “Welcome!”

-          “to ensure the safety, comfort and enjoyment…”

-          Carrying weapons of any type on library property is not permissible except by law enforcement officers.” (Amy will re-write this statement to keep the style similar to the rest of the document.)

-          Check out all library materials before taking them out of the building…

Amy will make these revisions and bring the document back to the next meeting. She will ask the town whether the town attorney needs to review revised policies.

The Guidelines are posted in the Library and on the website. People evicted for cause review the Guidelines with the director when their no trespass order elapses and they are ready to return to the Library.

Lost Materials Retrieval Methods

This will be discussed at September meeting when Tammy is present.

Collection Development Policy

This discussion will take place at September meeting. Discussion from June’s meeting on this topic included:

- Membership in Catamount Library System should possibly be added.

- Also, we may want to add something re e-books and self-publishing?

Springfield Town Library Policy on Children

Group reviewed an addition to this policy emphasizing that children are the primary audience for the Children’s Room. Adults without children accompanying them may be asked to move to another area. The computers in the children’s room will be for children’s use only. Motion to include this addition in the new policy passed. (Josey motioned, Sandy second.) Suggestion to change “in loco parentis' to “in the place of” on this policy for easier comprehension.

Exhibits of Items or services…

Discussion of the composting workshop and under what circumstances items may be sold. The group felt that this paragraph was fine and added educators to writers, artists and craftspeople.  

Motion to add “educators” to the policy passed. (Josey motioned, Sarah second.)

8. Executive Session N/A

9. Next meeting date and adjournment: Tuesday, September 12, 6:30pm.

Motion to adjourn passed (Barbara motioned, Sarah second.) Meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.

TOWN OF SPRINGFIELD

LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

6:30 pm at the Library

  AGENDA

1.   Call to order

2.   Additions/ subtractions to the Agenda

3.   Public comments

4.   Review and approve minutes from the June meeting

5.   FOSTL liaison report; Apple Festival book sale, October 9

6.   Director’s report

7.   Policies and policy issues:  Behavior Guidelines, lost material retrieval methods, Collection Development Policy. Safe Child/ unaccompanied adult/ unattended child. Materials for sale by nonprofit during programs.

9.   Executive session if needed

10.  Next meeting date and adjournment