GREENWICH FREE LIBRARY
BOARD MEETING MINUTES WED. SEPT. 20, 2017
Meeting opened at 7 PM. Present: Annie Miller, Jim Nolan, Walter Grom, Claudia Blackler, Paul Thurston, Chris Ruland, Teri Pendergrass, Audrey Fisher, Cliff Oliver, Sandy McReynolds, Deb Sgambelluri.
Deb gave a report on Outreach Services. She is working with the food pantry in Greenwich and in Cossayuna reading and providing free books for children and adults. She is making plans to expand library services at both locations. She worked with Head Start during the summer in Cambridge and will begin again in October. She provided us with a Memorandum of Understanding between the Greenwich Free Library, Comfort Food Community and St. Joseph Parish that she developed. The board thanked her for all the work she did in the community promoting the services of the library.
Claudia recruited Shirley Murphy to work with the Friends of the Library to provide books for the senior apartments. Shirley comes to the library weekly with a list of requests from the residents. The Friends have given her permission to take books from the sale shelves as well as the discarded books at no charge. None of these books are to be returned to the library. Claudia will get a photo of this group for our fundraising letter.
FUNDRAISING:
The annual appeal letter will be sent out before Thanksgiving. Jim wasn’t able to connect with John Hedbring about being an honorary board member but will try before the next meeting.
EVENTS:
John Kirk and Trish Miller concert is scheduled for Oct. 21st. Posters are being made and distributed. This is a free event but donations accepted. Water and soda are left from the last concert. Baked goods will be needed to sell. It was mentioned that we might inquire if they would mind if the event was taped…then we could find out if students would be interested in doing the taping.
We were asked by the Chamber if they can set up a food truck in our entrance drive way during the tractor parade. It was agreed if it is just food and then we would look into selling drinks. Annie will ask about getting a donation from the vendor.
The Eclipse program was a huge success and Annie will send a thank you to the Fair.
Annie, Marge and KC worked the Lions booth at the fair…
GILL ROOM:
Volunteers worked 99 hours during the month. They are preparing for the History Fair on Sept. 30th at the Hartford school. Sandy has requested an increase in funding for the Gill Room as archival materials are needed and presently our budget is $200.00. Sandy will present us with a figure.
FRIENDS:
$200.00 was made at the last book sale.
BUILDING:
We are waiting for the new book drop, bike rack and benches for the rear of the library.
There is some trouble with the AC but it is being worked on. The LED lighting is not free but the school’s was so Annie will check on this. The fencing and gates are installed. Still need gutters, door and windows.
The 2017/18 SALS grant which requires a 75% match. The Friends are committed to $5,000.00. SALS has accepted us for this grant as they had more requests than money.
Jim gave Comfortex Annie’s phone number to set up an appointment to measure the windows in the community room for drapes. The present drapes will be used in the library for the front windows.
MISC:
Oct. 26th BRIDGES IN WASHINGTON CO. – poverty simulation -8:30 – 12 noon at the Washington Co. bldg in Fort Edward.
Naomi and Annie are working on the LARAC grant – Free Speech and Banned Books
Neil Fryer has been been working with Marge and Paul and they are pleased with the progress in simplifying the records.
Discussion of free speech and library use by controversial groups.
Submitted by Claudia Blackler, Secretary