Friday, August 5, 2016

Library Trustee Minutes 7.26.16



Hancock Library Trustees Minutes, July 26, 2016

Present: Library Director Amy Markus; Trustees Lexy Heatley, Jane Eklund, and Nancy Daniels; Selectmen’s Representative John Jordan.

Chair Lexy Heatley called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.


June 16, 2016 Minutes

Jane moved that the minutes from the previous meeting be accepted as written. Nancy seconded. The motion was unanimously approved.

Treasurer’s Report

The board looked over the May and June statements of assets and fund balance. Everything is on track. Amy noted that the Friends of the Library paid for some of the adult programming and for half of the ping-pong table. A patron paid for the remaining half of the ping pong table. Lexy moved to accept the treasurer’s report as written. Jane seconded. The motion was approved unanimously.

Director's Report

Carpet update: Amy sent in a deposit for the new carpet purchase and installation. The Friends of the Library will pay for half of the costs. The carpet will be installed in the Daniels Room September 2, after the annual book sale.

Shed tour: The shed tour was a huge success, with people coming from Hancock and many other area towns after two local papers wrote advance features. An estimated 90 people were in the Daniels Room for Howard Mansfield’s shed talk at the beginning of the tour. The library ran out of Sheds books and maps. Copies of the book will be provided this week to those who did not receive them. The event grossed $2,200, and the library should net about $1,500 after Bauhan Publishing is paid for the cost of the books above the donated 30. “It was an amazing community event,” Amy reported.

Accounting: $15,000 from the trust fund the town manages and other money coming from the town, which Amy will collect in September, will cover library expenses through the year.

Oil prebuy: The cost of buying oil in advance for the coming winter is $1.99.9 We considered prebuying vs paying as we go. John noted that the select board has decided not to prebuy oil this year and said that predictions are that the prices will continue to be low. We decided to buy as we go. .

Volunteer luncheon: Amy is planning the annual luncheon to thank library volunteers. Last year the Friends of the Library paid for the event, which is typically held at the Harris Center on a Friday in late September. Kin Shilling will put together a lunch of soup and sandwiches. Amy will ask the Harris Center if the lunch can be held there again this year, and will line up entertainment. 

August events: On August 15, Martha Yates will talk about Pueblo Indian dances. Martha, an an archaeologist, is a niece of Elizabeth Yates McGreal. On August 23, at 7 p.m. in the vestry, the library will host a speaker on presidential homes. The annual book sale begins with an early bird sale Friday, August 19, from 5-8, continues Saturday from 9-4 and Sunday from 11-3, and is then open during library hours for the next week. A group called Rolling Thunder will pick up the unsold books.

Timeline: The select board begins preliminary budget talks by September. Amy will have a draft budget prepared for the trustees’ Sept. 27 meeting. She will have the library director job description prepared by then as well.

The Library Trustees will not meet in August; the next meeting will be September 27.

Future discussions will include talking about ways to promote the library in estate giving via a brochure, thanking the Walter Clark Fund at events, etc.

Meeting adjourned at 5:47 p.m..

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