martha canfield library

PO Box 267 • 528 East Arlington Road, Arlington, VT • 05250
802.375.6153 • martha_canfield_lib@hotmail.com

  • Tuesday — 9:00AM – 8:00PM
  • Wednesday — 9:00AM – 5:00PM
  • Thursday — 9:00AM – 8:00PM
  • Friday — 2:00PM – 6:00PM
  • Saturday — 10:00AM – 3:00PM

Russell Collection

Open 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Tuesdays or by appointment

MARTHA CANFIELD MEMORIAL LIBRARY
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
September 13, 2021

**Minutes are in DRAFT form until approved at the next scheduled meeting**

The Board meeting was held at the library and via video conference.
Board Members In attendance: Sheila Kearns, Brian Allen, Denise Koller, Alyson Grzyb, Betsy Habberfield Laura Crosslin, Dave Van De Water, Judy Steron
Staff: Phyllis Skidmore (Librarian), Bill Budde (Russell Collection)
Guests: none
Board Members Absent: John Spencer, Carol Farley, Don Trachte

Additions to the agenda:
● Dave’s idea of holding information sessions for new residents
● Does the Board need to decide new policies, especially in regard to requiring masks?

Minutes from August meeting:
● No corrections.
● Betsy motioned to approve the August minutes, Denise seconded. The motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report:
● Written report submitted. No news. Endowment doing well.
● Regarding question at last meeting about taking money out of endowment: It is not required.
● Denise looked at the past 10 years of activity--she is only treasurer to have deposited money. She won’t deposit any more so we won’t have to withdraw.
● We are in great shape if we need to spend money, such as on the garden. The only large expenses were the boiler and some other items.
● Phyllis: We’ll have an assessment for replacing the roof in next 3 years. Brian--would be good for a fundraiser. Denise--best to keep money at Kraus; easily liquidated when needed.
● Garden/grounds: Phyllis hasn’t heard back from anyone about the grounds. Brian volunteered to call people to make sure this gets done. Brian and Don had weeded. Maybe do a good fall clean up and deal with it in spring.
   ○ Put it on our calendar, make time and and money for it, perhaps create a new subcommittee.
   ○ Do we need a landscaper? Everyone is busy now. Denise will reach out to Dottie Sundquist to ask for ideas, see if she know anyone.
   ○ Sheila: Get a committed line item. Make sure we make it happen.
● Need to start thinking about if we will ask for an increase from the town. Brian talked to Todd (to feel out whether they’d be amenable.) Ask for maybe 3%.
   ○ Question of need for signatures/petition. Sunderland does if there’s a change, Arlington does, if change. Sandgate will likely approve if not
outrageous. Shaftsbury likely needs a petition. Sheila will locate this info and give access to Laura. Laura will pull all this together (e.g. dates) for
the October meeting.

Librarian’s Report:
● Written report submitted.
● Opened book sale, finally! Three volunteers organizing and filling shelves. Made over $200 each weekend.
● Submitted (arthur?) grant. Approval seems likely, based on conversation with Dept. of Libraries.
● Summer reading did well--statistics in Librarian’s Report.
● Advocates met, held a donations-only “tag” sale in front of the book sale. If anyone has items to donate to tag sale, drop off at Community House on Tues. 2-6:00 pm. Nothing is priced--requesting donations. No clothing
● Letter from advocates about basket raffle. Will begin Nov. 26 with 15-20 baskets. Board agrees to do another basket--Chocolate lovers, same as last year.

Russell Collection Report:
● Written report submitted--nothing new since then. Holly family reunion coming up, lots of requests for info. Requests from people interested injoining DAR and Mayflower Society to document their applications.
● Last week, request for a letter of support for Arlington Common from local citizens of the town, to renovate the Watkins House next to Catholic
church--meeting space, storage for artifacts, which is very much needed. Bill drafted letter--should it come from Russell Collection or him as a curator? Some discussion--Russell Collection letterhead is appropriate. Carol Farley is the president of the Arlington Common group.

Updates from other committees

a. Gallery--Dave
● Newcomers Informational Series--could be good way to get people into the library, and great way for organizations to recruit new volunteers. Possible organizations: Fire/rescue squad, library, Russell Collection, Happy Days, school. Other organizations could come tell their story.
● Gallery Opening--terrific, lots of people. Sold 3-4 paintings--better than last exhibit. Artists interested in doing again next year. Dave will do another email blast and do some Facebook posting so people know exhibit is still up. Have another artist showing first Sunday in Oct.: Adriana Manakia--painter of the river, fly fishing, boats on river. Exhibited in fly fishing exhibit of a few years ago. Will be bringing cards, postcards, books to sell. After that--holiday craft sale in gallery. He has 4-5 people who have asked him about gallery, so will start to put together schedule for 2022 of artists/solo shows. Denise--maybe have plein air artists paint places where people get married, like West Mt. Inn. Dave--maybe exhibit of places that are landmarks

b. Adult Programming
Phyllis--Carol scheduled a program on Mindfulness in Nov. Working on scheduling program about Lucy Terry Prince. Trying to do more programs on the theme of wellness during the winter, maybe chair massage. Laura--this ties into newcomers piece--ways we take care of ourselves, including being part of our community.

New Business:
a. Lending policy for tablets (which we have)
  ● Phyllis--Holly put original draft together. Denise sent out further wording. Need to have in place procedures of what happens when they are returned, maybe a “factory reset” because we’ll get tablets back with people’s email and other personal information. Library will clear tablets when returned, but it is not library’s responsibility if info is left on them. Denise will work with Phyllis and Holly tomorrow to finalize the wording.
   ● Sheila made motion: Phyllis will be charged with updating the tablet use policy in accordance with concerns that have been expressed. She will distribute it to the Board as a whole and it will be assumed to be approved if no Board members make objections to any specific elements of the policy. Brian seconded. Passed unanimously.
b. Denise: Recommend switch to ACH deposit to pay Bookkeeper, Cindy Herrmann
  ● To address bookkeeper’s mail problems. Denise will approve each invoice before bookkeeper is paid. Does anyone on the Board have a problem with this? No one does.
c. Does the Board need to decide new policies, especially in regard to requiring masks?
   ● Sheila looked through minutes regarding the library’s mask policy. Last time we voted, it was only on Phyllis’s proposed reopening plan. Nothing on what to change or how to change it. Relevant section is the end of Phase 2/Phase 3 expanded hours--to go with universal guidelines which were encouraged but not mandatory. Also, we will be prepared to take a step back if the governor’s office issued guidelines.
   ● Board never defined a Phase 4 for after July 4. Sheila proposes we define a Phase 4 and include: “On an emergency basis for a short term, the library director can institute mandatory restrictions, such as masking. However, anything that is necessary for more than several days will need an emergency meeting of the Board for approval.”
   ● We can use the language of Phase 2, which allows for closing if necessary, and include masking. Brian disagrees, feeling that closing the library should be the option, and instituting mandates on the public should only be subject to Board approval. Sheila points out that in an emergency situation, if Phyllis does not have the authority to institute a mask mandate, she will have no choice but to close the library. Question of whether the town hall has a mask policy. Much discussion.
   ● Proposed: Phyllis will define a Phase 4, which can include giving her and Holly the authority to close the library or take other measures on a short term emergency basis, such as if they are sick or are identified as close contacts as part of contact tracing. The Board will discuss this at the October meeting and then vote. Brian states he is against masking/mandates, but is deferring to Phyllis until the Board determines the policy.
   ● Phyllis would like approval to continue the library’s mask mandate while Covid numbers are high. The Board will defer to the decision we’ve made--Phyllis will institute a mask mandate now, based on the Covid numbers, and the Board will vote on Phase 4 at the next meeting. Brian states he doesn’t think the numbers justify the imposition of a mandate.

Old Business: None

Alyson moved to adjourn. Brian seconded. The vote passed unanimously.

Next Meeting: Monday, October 4, 2021 at 7:00 pm. Will continue to be hybrid.
The meeting ended at 8:20 PM

New Books

for all ages

clean-up

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