Otis Library & Museum December Minutes*
Thursday, December 9, 2021, 6:00 PM
* Meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law
Members present – Diane Dyer, Chair, James Adams (Zoom) Kathy Bort, Sue Brofman, Lois Hall, Gloria Mamokhin (Zoom) Donna Rich, and Susan Ebitz
Chair Diane Dyer called the meeting to order at 6:11 PM.
Sue made a motion. B, seconded by Donna to accept the November Annual Meeting Minutes. The minutes were unanimously approved.
Treasurer’s reports: Sue noted that the application for the Small Libraries Pilot Project had generated extra hours: Kathy (134 hrs.), Lois (99 hrs.), Kerry (12 hrs.), and Kyle (5 hrs.) A motion was made by Susan, seconded by Gloria to accept the November Treasurer’s Report. The treasurer’s report was unanimously approved.
Director’s Report: * (Unedited)
ATTENDANCE approximately fifteen people per day
ACQUISITIONS 50 books, 1 Audiobook, 25 DVD’s
SMALL LIBRARY PILOT PROJECT
- application submitted December 1 email; signed signatures & original documents mailed December 1, 2021
- Small Library Pilot Project Building Plan & Charts submitted December 6, 2021
- Notification of acceptance, now M BLC team reviews and evaluates and recommends changes.
- Second interview of municipal and library personnel will be late January, early February.
- Documents are here to review / draft documents, not official, not for release
TELEPHONE SYSTEM
Training December 14, library is closed but Lois and I will come in for this.
Implementation December 15
No word on FAX line
No word on connection upstairs
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE: Closed 12/24 & 12/25, Open 12/31 11:00 – 3:00 & closed 1/1/2022
ALA GRANT: Over 51 books for FRRS children/staff, more being ordered, seven books backordered
30 Adult Books for Community Read, An American Marriage, five books, audiobook, you will Never Believe What Happened to Lacey
Susan made a motion, seconded by Sue B. to accept the Director’s Report as written. It was unanimously approved.
Unfinished Business:
- Annual Appeal: Letters have gone out according to Lois and funds have come in.
- Donna and Susan gave an update on the StoryWalk. Currently, borrowing laminated books from the Berkshire Atheneum is working out very well. The December Offering, The Mitten by local author Jan Brett, will be featured “live” on Saturday, December 4th and Sunday, December 11th, and will be able to be viewed for the entire month. Donna will share teachings and materials related to Native life and our connections to the natural world. Susan will provide music and a drum-making “take home” activity.
- Sue B. announced that Diverse Otis had chosen a book for the community read that will be funded by the Diversity Otis Grant. A copy of the book, “An American Marriage” will be given to anyone who would like to have a copy. The Book Club will meet on Zoom on January 20th.
New Business:
- Diane reported that she, Sue B., and Susan E. had met with Tom Burke, to discuss the possibility of forming “A Friends of the Otis Library “Group. Many libraries have “Friends of the Library” Groups that assist with fundraising for special programs, materials, or events. If the Otis Library is the recipient of The Small Library Pilot Project, a “Friends” group could be invaluable to the project. The Trustees agreed that this was a promising idea and Sue B. made a motion, seconded by Susan E. that the Otis Library explore the possibility of establishing a “Friends of the Library” Group and Diane be the designated Trustee to serve as liaison to this group. It was unanimously approved.
- Susan shared an email from Jeanne Randorf, Chair, Otis Cultural Council, requesting more information about the laminator needed to protect books for the StoryWalk. Susan had asked for $750 to go towards the laminator, but Jeanne reported the Cultural Council might completely fund the project after hearing more specifics from the library. Kathy, Lois, and Susan will meet to discuss this further.
- It was agreed to continue to host ZOOM meetings in January and February so that the library could continue to meet despite the weather.
The motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Sue and seconded by Gloria at 7:25 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Ebitz, Recording Secretary
Next Meeting: January 13, 2022,
Future Meetings: February 10, 2022, March 10, 2022, April 14,
2022, May12, 2022, June 9, 2022