Hooksett Public Library
Board of Trustees
September 8, 2005 10:45AM
Minutes

Present: Mary Farwell, Chairperson; Mary Leger, Secretary; Heather Shumway, Director.

Secretary's Report: Minutes from the August 9th, 2005 meeting were approved and filed.

Treasurer's Report:

  • Programs and Services
    • HS to check Kiwanis reimbursement for summer reading program
  • Bookeeping Time Card
    • Alice needs to detail dates and times she is working at the Library. We would like to know the time of day Alice will be coming in to do her bookkeeping work so, if trustees need to meet with her, we will know when she will be in the library. HS to discuss this with her.
  • Monthly Fines Dollars
    • Average of $500 per month is collected. $325 spent since mid July for patron request books. HS will write amended acquisition policy.

Director's Report: Attached.

  • At trustees request, we will try to add a column to the Circulation Report that compares last year's figures with this years stats, minus the present Thursday hours, to get a true picture of how our circulation is doing compared to last year.

Unfinished Business:

  • HVAC
    • Tentative date for John to walk through is September 29, 2005 at 11:00AM.
  • Shelving
    • Waiting for breakdown of details.
  • Carpeting
    • A&E Carpeting has not showed up for the estimate. HS to call him back.
    • HS will speak to Dave Jodoin about setting up capital reserve improvement fund for building upgrades.
  • Technical Equipment Forecast
    • If we are to regularly ask the taxpayers for computer upgrades and replacements, we need to be able to demonstrate that the computers are heavily utilized. Therefore, we need to measure our current usage and use external marketing to let patrons know what programs and online databases we have available for their use at the library.
    • HS will do comparisons between buying and leasing new copiers and report back to trustees.
  • Payroll Issues
    • We need to spend the remaining small amount in the Gates Account for a computer related purpose.
    • MF will go to the bank and change the purpose and name of the present Gates Account, for which we have no ongoing need to the Vacation/Sick time Accrual Acct. MF will get paperwork from bank, detailing this change and have it available for the auditors.
  • Contract for Tracy
    • A contract needs to be signed by Tracy. HS to look into it.
  • Electrical Fire
    • HS reported that the bill was $4000. HS to submit bill and accompanying letter of explanation to Diane Savoie who will forward it to the insurance carrier.
  • Follow Up on Boundary Walkthrough
    • The town has no way to compel the new owners to give us an easement, since no conditions were included by the Planning Board. Plans do say "proposed easement" but it is unclear whether the 50' easement has been taken off.
  • Fire Inspection
    • HS to see if Hooksett Fire Dept. can do annual inspection. HS to check in files for paperwork regarding previous inspection done by private company.
  • Wal-Mart Grant
    • Should be completed by end of next week per HS. MF will deliver Grant Application to the Community Service Representative at Wal-Mart
  • Book Sale
    • HS to organize flyers to ask for used books for classrooms, and to publicize our Book Sale in October. MF to check ASAP with PTA spokesperson procedure for including something in weekly PTA envelope and add items of interest to PTA Calendar.
  • CIP Phase II HVAC
    • MF advised John we need paperwork by September 19th, 2005.
  • Volunteers
    • HS presented an overview of the definition and procedures followed by volunteers. Trustees voted to require a criminal background check for volunteers. More information about a formal policy to follow.
  • Rejuvenation of Friends Program
    • Meeting moved to the third Wednesday. MF will try to get info on Target grant prior to that meeting to HS can share details of the grant with the Friends.

New Business:

  • Check Return and Insufficient Funds Policy
    • HS has a policy typed up. $15 return check fee. Trustees voted to accept.
  • Faxes
    • All faxes are to be sent by a staff member while the patron waits at the desk. The charge is $2 for up to 5 pages, fifty cents per page thereafter. Receiving a fax is $1 per page. Trustees voted to accept this policy.
  • Handicap Safety Walkway Issues
    • There is a need for ongoing maintenance in the washed out area of the parking lot to assure safe walking for patrons. HS will see that a staff member attends to this. HS will speak to Dale Hemeon, head of the Highway Department, to see if they can permanently fix this problem.
  • Wireless Internet policy
    • HS passed out a draft of a wireless internet policy to be reviewed by trustees prior to the next meeting.
  • Newsletter for Town Council
    • Deadline set for October 2005. Will have it ready to approve by next meeting.

Items We Are Tracking:

  • MF checking on insurance for Library contents.
  • Measurement tool for staff and Library Director's reviews.

 

Next Trustees Meeting: Wednesday, October 5, 2005, 9:00 am

 

Director's Report September 8, 2005

Circulation:

Circulation statistics continue to rise in comparison with 2004. Of particular note in the statistics is the increase in common borrower card usage. A common borrower is a patron who is a member of a GMILCS library, who uses their library card at the Hooksett Library. The number of common borrower transactions increased from 553 in August 2004 to 843 in August 2005.
In response to the devastation and great need brought by Hurricane Katrina, the library is conducting a Red Cross Donations for Fines campaign. Each patron is asked if they would like to make a donation to the Red Cross to benefit the hurricane victims and the library will waive the patron's fines for the equivalent amount. The response has been very positive and all feel we are donating where there is great need.

 

Children's Department:

The 2005 Summer Reading Program, Camp Wannaread enjoyed tremendous success! This year participants tracked their reading by hours rather than books or pages. All together participants read over 1000 hours during July and August! The two top readers read 90 hours each. Participants enjoyed a fun evening of campfire cookout and were entertained my storyteller Mike Sullivan of Tales Told Tall, who captivated the audience. Local boy scouts helped maintain a live campfire and participants were able to cook marshmallows on the open flame. A great time was had by all, and a great thank you to all of the parent and student volunteers who helped this summer. Thank you gifts have been given to the five student volunteers who helped Miss Vickie this summer.
Storytime registrations have occurred and story time will begin with Miss Vickie the week of September 12th. There will be five storytimes held each week.

 

Building Maintenance:

An invoice has been received from John Gimas of Gimas Electric and will be forwarded to Diane Savoie, Finance Director to pursue our claim with our insurance company.
In addition, work continues to bring repair the library's emergency lighting and replace all out of date fire extinguishers.

 

Staff News:

The staff has begun using a portion of each weekly staff meeting time to learn and practice the online databases the library subscribes to. Noteworthy sites include firstgov.gov and learnatest.com. Firstgov provides links and information covering a large span of topics including renewing passports, the best gas prices for each area, information for renewing passports. Learn-a-test will be handy as students are gearing up for SAT's this fall as it provides practice exams for everything from SATs to real estate exams to nursing and teaching praxis exams.

 

Respectfully submitted,
Heather Shumway
September 8, 2005