Author: blaisdellml

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

February 11, 2013

Present: Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Sara Wotton, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 5:45 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task: Rhoda shared samples of other libraries’ Social Media policies. After reviewing others’ work it was determined that our own policy should aim to be as clear and uncluttered as possible and that it should contain the elements recommended by the School Library Journal. The policy will need to be modified as changes evolve in social media and issues arise as a result of patron usage.  Rhoda will compose a draft to present at the next meeting.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the January meeting were read. Laurie moved to accept the report with the corrected spelling of a proper name. Pat seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: The final copy of the 2012 financial figures were reviewed. No questions or issues were raised. Laurie moved to file the report. Kathleen seconded. All voted in favor.

Library Director’s Report:  Rhoda reported that January was an exceptionally busy month. The circulation numbers were more than double those from ten years ago in January 2003. The Humanities Council program about Dinah Whipple was very well-attended, including by a number of people from distant towns. Rhoda noted that ours was one of only two libraries in the state to offer a program on African-Americans during Black History Month. The high attendance, however, raised questions about the building’s capacity and the need for an alternative venue for programs set during the normal evening hours. The next program being offered, “The Moose Man,” was to occur soon but has been postponed by the presenter until April. The Weekend Story Hour program for working parents has begun and shows potential for growth. Plans are being developed for February’s school vacation that may include programs by the UNH Chess Club and a literature-related miniature golf tournament put on by the Teen Advisors group. A current program for 5th & 6th-graders based on the book, The Westing Game, is going well.  Rhoda hopes to an in-memorial donation to purchase two comfortable chairs to be placed next to the back window on the Main Floor.

Committee Report: Kathleen reported on the recent meeting of the Landscape Committee. The first draft of the fundraising business plan was shared and a number of question about decision-making processes were asked and answered. In addition to developing a comprehensive business plan and preparing a formal public launch of the fundraising campaign this spring, the committee has also made it a priority to develop a well-researched eradication for coping with the native and non-native invasive plants, particularly poison ivy and bittersweet, that are creating considerable landscape and land use problems.

Old Business: The revised Holiday Policy was approved and is being sent to the Town Office. The issue of requiring Rhoda to explicitly track her hours has finally been resolved.  The Library Director should use the same log book as other staff but add the word “Exempt.” Candidates for Alternate Trustee are still being considered. Discussion was held on the topic of having the staff write anonymous appraisals of the Library Director as part of the latter’s annual review. Sara will review what other libraries are doing and present samples at the next meeting.

New Business: A regional meeting of library trustees is being hosted in Barrington on March 14th. Sara expects to attend; Kathleen will try to as well. The Monthly Tasks were reviewed with compliments expressed to Rhoda for a well-written article for the Annual Town Report. Laurie moved to accept all donations. Pat seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:  March 11, 2013 at 5:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

January 14, 2013

Present: Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 5:33 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task: The primary topic of discussion was a review of the 2012 year-end financial information provided by Janet. Rhoda provided insight regarding particular expenditures in lines that appeared to have overages. Comparisons were made between amounts spent in 2012 and projected costs/budget request for 2013. Questions were raised about an existing savings account as well as the balance in the landscape fund, which appears to be much too low. Kathleen will contact Sara, as treasurer, to get more specific information and to request that she make inquiries at the bank about the savings account. The public hearing for our proposed 2013 budget is scheduled for February 12th.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the December meeting were read. There was no discussion. Pat moved to accept the report. Laurie seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: The monthly budget figures were reviewed as part of the larger discussion about finances. Laurie moved to file the report. Pat seconded. All voted in favor.

Library Director’s Report: Rhoda reported a record-breaking total circulation for 2012 was. She was pleased to see that her effort to attain better balance in making purchases for the adult and juvenile collections was well-reflected in the circulation data. The Friends of the Library purchased a changing table that has been installed in the upstairs bathroom; a sign will be posted in the downstairs restroom to indicate the table’s location. Rhoda designed and purchased online two colorful new ceiling banners to designate the Young Adult and Children’s Room areas. The Barrington and Madbury libraries have invited area trustees to a regional gathering of trustees they’re sponsoring on March 14th. Rhoda will send the specifics to each board member. Upcoming library programs include: A presentation on Dinah Whipple, a Portsmouth slave, sponsored by the NH Humanities Council and a possible presentation/workshop by the UNH Chess Club during February vacation. Registration for the new weekend StoryHour is open. Chelsea Bell, the current intern, is in the process of developing a book discussion group for 4th-5th Graders.

Committee Report: Kathleen reported that the newly-formed Landscape Committee had its first meeting December 12th. The committee has: begun the process of forming a business plan for the “Following Nature’s Lead” fundraising campaign; is researching ways to ecologically eradicate poison ivy and bittersweet; and is seeking human and other resources to support the next phases of work to be done as part of the restoration project. The committee would prefer to do a formal, public launch of the fundraising campaign later in the spring, perhaps in conjunction with a tour of local gardens and a day of garden-related workshops. One or two small fundraising events may also be planned for late winter/early spring.

Old Business: Laurie reported on her conversation with Charlie Brown, the town administrator, regarding the recording of hours for the library director’s work schedule. Laurie felt the message was mixed: on one hand, in a salaried position the library director needn’t be overly-concerned about this; however she still needs to record the 40-hour work week. Rhoda reiterated her concerns about the complexity in doing so, particularly in regards to short weeks. The fact that the library is closed on Fridays complicates matters.  The concept of flexible hours was discussed at length but the board may need to take formal action in order for this to become possible. It was suggested that for one month Rhoda record her work hours in detail so the board will have better information upon which to base any decision.

New Business: Laurie will be stepping-down from her trustee position when her term expires this year.  Susan has chosen to seek the trustee position in the upcoming election. This will leave a vacancy for Alternate Trustee. Though not required, it has proven beneficial to have an alternate trustee who is wellinformed about the library so Rhoda will create a short-list of individuals who might be willing to serve in this role. Rhoda posed a question to the board about the selling of produce that had been raised by a market vendor. The concept of developing a social media policy was revisited with the result that Rhoda will begin gathering resources and information for future discussions on the topic. The board unanimously voted to change the language pertaining to the scheduled holiday the day after Thanksgiving to read “ten days and a floater” since the library is never open on Fridays. Rhoda took responsibility for making that change and sending it to the Town Office. Laurie took care of the CD renewal at the bank; she will also send the required report to the state. The letter requesting the current disbursement has been sent. Rhoda will soon begin drafting her annual report for the town. In February, we’ll need to prepare for the auditor. The discussion about the potential for composing a staff appraisal of the library director as part of the director’s annual evaluation will be considered at a future meeting. Rhoda reported that a significant donation has been given to the library for the purchase of books on CD and that two donations were made toward the landscape project fund. Laurie moved to accept all donations. Pat seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:Monday, February 11th at 5:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

October 21, 2013

Present:  Rhoda Capron, Susan Medeiros, Pat Vachon, Melanie Metz, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task: A number of patrons have requested a lengthier time for borrowing books.  Rhoda recommended the Circulation Policy be changed so that patrons may borrow printed materials for three weeks rather than two weeks, with two exceptions: DVD’s and New Books, both of which will still only circulate for two weeks. It was also decided to limit New Books to two per person so that more people have an opportunity to have access to these books. Susan moved to accept the policy as amended.  Melanie seconded. All voted in favor. Discussion of the Internet Policy was tabled until a later date. Staff appraisals of the Library Director will be discussed at a closed meeting on Monday, November 4th at 6:15.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the September meeting were read. Susan moved to accept the report. Rhoda seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: The budget report for September was reviewed within the context of budget-crafting process for 2014. Rhoda noted that the Movies and DVD’s lines still have not been consolidated. She will speak to Janet again. Susan moved to file the report. Pat seconded. All voted in favor.

Library Director’s Report: September was another record-breaking month for Circulation with more than double the number of books borrowed compared to 2002. The furnace has been cleaned and filters replaced in the humidifier. The first meeting of the new day-time book discussion group went well. The Teen Advisory Group is being reorganized with the intention of recruiting new, younger members. The annual Autumn Friends of the Library Book Sale will be November 9th. Rhoda has scheduled a program for mid-November by a gentleman who climbed Mount Everest. Staff evaluations have been completed.

Committee Report: Kathleen reported that the committee has elected not to do the town-wide mailing this fall due to the expense. Instead, the committee’s will focus on obtaining a professional design for the front of the building, developing signage for the landscape, and funding the purchase of plants to install in the front, including those needed to replace existing invasive species.

Old Business: Susan shared information from the state-sponsored library trustees workshop that she recently attended. The general theme was libraries as community centers. Susan described a number of ways in which town libraries were expanding their roles as community centers, some of which already occur in our library and others which were discussed as possibilities for the future. Rhoda shared insights from her recent attendance at a conference with the same theme. Work commenced on the 2014 Budget with a line-by-line review of current spending and the decision to keep most lines at 2013 levels. Rhoda will contact the Town Office about the possibility of presenting the proposed budget to the Selectmen on

November 18th.

New Business: Rhoda shared the job description she has written for the new part-time Children’s Librarian position being proposed for 2014. No further discussion was needed regarding the Capital Improvement Plan. The annual Volunteer Appreciation Pie Social will be Sunday, November 17th. Due to time constraints further discussion about Hiring Guidelines and Trustees Annual Goals were tabled until the budget is finalized. All Monthly Tasks have been completed or are in the process of being done. Susan moved to accept all donations. Kathleen seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:  Monday, November 18th at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, November 4th the board will meet in closed session to discuss staff evaluations.

Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

March 11, 2013

Present: Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Sara Wotton, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 6:15 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task:

Rhoda shared the draft of a Social Media policy which she adapted from on-line sources and guidelines. The policy was accepted with several minor language changes. The development of a staff appraisal of the library director was discussed again. Susan shared an example of a policy she had researched. Sara will make inquiries about the evaluations that area libraries are using when she attends the regional trustees meeting in Madbury later this month. Research and discussion on this topic will be on-going.

Secretary’s Report:

The minutes of February’s meeting were read. Rhoda moved to accept the report.

Laurie seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: T

he February budget shows zero because the new budget will not be approved until Town Meeting at the end of this week. Rhoda provided clarifications on a few items, including the furniture line, and reported that she has created Excel spreadsheets to keep better track of expenditures.  These will also allow easier comparisons to the monthly reports so that discrepancies can be quickly noted. Laurie moved to file the report. Pat seconded. All voted in favor.

Library Director’s Report:

Rhoda noted that there was a slight drop in circulation in February due to snowstorms and the absence of Story Hour, but the actual level and complexity of circulation activity was higher.  There was a significant increase in Downloads, for example. The town will be offering a CPR program for the staff. The luncheon-and-movie program held for senior citizens was a great success.  Rhoda expects the program to become a popular annual event and will include mention of it in the quarterly letter to the Selectmen. The miniature golf event planned by the Teen Group did not garner any teen-aged attention on its original date so the event has been opened to the whole community and is rescheduled for this Friday. Rhoda shared images of the soft chairs she intends to purchase for the back window area and described her concerns about the need for additional shelving space in the nonfiction section. The final Winter Farmer’s Market had to be canceled due to a lack of vendors with fresh produce. Brieghan Gardner, the market-master, is ready to send out flyers with the new guidelines to vendors.  Discussion was held about establishing a separate Farmers’ Market account.

Dick Blouin has volunteered his time and expertise to clean, update, and add memory to the public computers. Kathleen will send him a thank-you note. The annual NH Library Trustees Association conference will be held on Monday, May 20th this year.

Committee Report:

The “Seeds to Sow/Plants to Grow” fundraising program is going well. Kathleen reported on the landscape committee’s recent meetings in which their work has centered on: defining and refining project and fundraising goals, generating printed materials, and planning for the fundraising campaign’s official launch on May 18th. Discussion was held about ways to raise the funds needed this spring in order to complete the work on the ramp garden. A suggestion was made to develop an “Adopt-A-Shrub” program. Kathleen will discuss this with the committee.

Old Business:

The regional meeting of library trustees is being held in Madbury on March 14th. Sara will attend. The role of Alternate Trustee will be addressed after the town election when the position is officially open.

New Business: Rhoda completed the Annual Report required by the State Library. She has developed an Excel spreadsheet to help keep track of programs and events so that the report will be easier to complete each year. The Monthly Tasks were reviewed. Sara will send a written request to the town regarding pay increases. Rhoda will contact the lift inspectors to find out when they’ll be doing the inspection.

Discussion about setting this year’s Annual Goals for Trustees was tabled until the next meeting. Laurie moved to accept all donations. Sara seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Tonight’s meeting was the last for Laurie, who has graciously served on the Blaisdell Memorial Library

Board of Trustees for more than a dozen years, many of these as its chair. Our deepest gratitude and best wishes were expressed in a final tribute to her generous spirit and fine leadership. Her presence on the board will be missed.

Next Meeting:

Monday, April 8th at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 7:14 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

April 8, 2013

Present: Rhoda Capron, Susan Medeiros, Sara Wotton, Pat Vachon, Melanie Metz, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 5:31 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task:  Susan joined the board as its recently-elected member and agreed to assume the role of Chair. Sara will continue to serve as Treasurer. Kathleen will remain Secretary. Rhoda introduced Melanie Metz, who has agreed to serve as Alternate Trustee. Discussion ensued about who should be responsible for signing checks, including questions about expediency, conflict of interest, and the need for a checkbook to be available at the library. Susan and Sara will sign checks. Rhoda distributed copies of the new Social Media Policy.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the March meeting were read. A correction was made to the time for the next meeting. Pat moved to accept the report with this correction. Sara seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: No report was available from Janet;she may not have been informed of tonight’s meeting due to the shift in board positions. Sara will be certain to contact Janet well ahead of each month’s meeting so that she will have ample time to submit a monthly report.

Library Director’s Report:

Rhoda gave Susan, as new Chair, the list of volunteers to be kept up to date for this calendar year. March was another strong month in regards to circulation statistics. Rhoda was pleased to see high borrowing trends for both the Adult and Juvenile books and noted that again this month the Downloadable Books were quite popular. This fact may account for the slight drop in the use of Books on CD but Rhoda expects borrowing to pick up in this column now that Pat has assumed responsibility for purchasing CD’s and is doing so more frequently. Rhoda requested a board member replace Laurie as the alternate contact in our Disaster Plan. Sara volunteered. When the lift was inspected recently it was discovered that the closing mechanism, which has been troublesome in the past, is not working properly. The inspectors were able to fix it temporarily but said it needs to be permanently replaced and should be included in next year’s budget. The estimated cost will be $700.00 plus labor.

Rhoda reported that during the last snowstorm the library lot was only plowed once –– at 8:30 a.m. ––even though the library remained open during the storm. The deep snow in the parking lot was difficult to negotiate and the height of the snowbanks created by the state plow made it hazardous to pull out of the lot onto Rte. 152. Susan will speak to Charlie Brown about this on-going problem and will ask for a phone number the library staff can call if the lot is not adequately plowed in future storms. A staff meeting was held yesterday after Sunday library hours were concluded. The Friends of the Library book sale will be May 20th. On April 21st the Friends are also sponsoring an evening program, “The Moose Man.”

During April’s school vacation week a selection of movies will be shown and in June, the end of the Story

Hour program will be marked with a puppet show.

Committee Report:

Kathleen reported that the “Seeds to Sow/Plants to Grow” fundraiser has been quite successful. The Landscape Committee has been focused on defining and refining the goals of the landscape project with an eye toward creating several specific tools for heightening community awareness as it prepares to formally launch the “Following Nature’s Lead” fundraising campaign on May 18th. This kick-off event will include plant sales, refreshments, raffles, book displays, tours of the library grounds, and informative talks by two experts on sustainable land care. There will be two other professional presentations on the following Wednesdays, May 22nd and May 29th. Kathleen gave a brief review of the information and estimate provided by the Rockingham County Conservation District representative regarding the eradication of poison ivy and bittersweet. By law, any chemicals used on library land (or any public property) must be applied by a certified professional; the library will also need to obtain a special permit due to its proximity to wetlands. The permit costs $200.00 per year and is only good for one year;eradication of the invasive plants is expected to take several years. More information on these issues will be discussed at next month’s meeting. The planting of shrubs along the ramp garden area should occur within the next month. Kathleen mentioned the need to schedule our annual clean-up day and suggested it be done as soon as possible and definitely before May 18th. Sara volunteered to remove the old plastic play structures at the back of the building and volunteered her husband to cut and dispose of fallen trees along the trail.

Old Business:

Susan will send a letter to the Selectmen nominating Melanie as the new Alternate Trustee.  Susan reviewed the list of information proposed for the upcoming quarterly letter to the Selectmen. A few additions and deletions were made to the list. Susan will send the letter as amended. Sara reported on last month’s regional library trustees meeting in Madbury. She also volunteered our library to serve as the host for the next meeting which will occur in mid-June.

New Business:

The Monthly Tasks were reviewed. Nearly all have been completed. Al Vachon will change the furnace filters. Rhoda will make certain the alarm system is cleaned. Susan moved to accept all donations. Pat seconded the motion. All voted in favor.
Next Meeting:

Tuesday, May 21st at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

Start reading ebooks on your ipad!  You will first need to have an existing Amazon account and the Kindle App (which is free to install under Applications).

1.  Open the Safari web browser
2. Go to New Hampshire Downloadables
3. Click “Log in” to your account
4. Select Nottingham – Blaisdell Memorial Library
5. Enter the prefix given to you by the library and your library card # minus the “p” (leave no spaces in between)
6. Browse for ebooks
7. Browse for Kindle books
8. Find a Kindle compatible ebook and add to cart
9. Proceed to check out
10. Confirm Checkout
11. Click “Get Book” for Kindle
12. A new tab (page) will open up to Amazon and will ask you to sign into your account
13. On the left side of the screen, Select Deliver to: ipad and click “Get Library Book”
14. Go to Kindle App to start reading
15. loan period for ebooks are 14 days

To see a step by step picture guide and more details of these steps click here.

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

October 15, 2012

Present : Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 6:38 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task: Teresa Troy and Kathleen presented proposals for the creation of a landscape committee that would fulfill the following specific functions: compose a mission statement; establish short and long-term goals for the restoration and revitalization of the landscape; develop policy and decision-making guidelines for current and future landscape work; and, create and carry-out a campaign to raise funds to undertake necessary landscape work. Laurie moved to create the recommended committee; Rhoda seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Kathleen, as chair, will report on the committee’s activities and developments at each month’s meeting. Work began on the 2013 budget.

Rhoda shared a letter from the Selectmen which requested that all town budgets be presented in the same format. Concerns were raised about whether or not the library’s line items would be presented in this same format in the annual town report. Laurie will check with the town office about this specific issue. Discussions were held about which lines could be reduced, which needed to be increased, and which could remain the same as 2012. Additional information and clarifications need to be obtained from the book-keeper so budget work will continue next month. Laurie and Rhoda will try to find out the specific dates for presenting the proposed budget to the Selectmen and the Budget Committee. Rhoda will bedoing staff evaluations soon.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the September meeting were read and copy-editing changes made.  Pat moved to accept the report as amended. Laurie seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report: September’s budget was discussed within the context of the new budget proposal. Laurie moved to file the report. Pat seconded. All voted in favor.

Library Director’s Report:  September’s circulation figures continued to show strong interest in and use of the library by both adults and children, particularly in comparison to previous years. Rhoda reported that the recent musical performance by Gary and Jackie was well-received. As part of this year’s

NH READS

focus on Edgar Allen Poe, our library is doing a joint film with Northwood Library and will be hosting a mystery dinner featuring “mystery dishes and ingredients.”

Old Business: Rhoda reported that the state has changed the policy regarding the Homesteading License it required of food-sellers at the farmers’ markets. The change is a bit confusing because sellers still need to follow state guidelines from the Division of Public Health. The Winter Farmers’ Market will begin next month. Currently, there are 15 -16 vendors including five crafters. Kathleen presented a draft for the Sexual Harassment policy and raised several questions about specific language issues. Decisions were made about which terms to use and Laurie moved to accept the policy as amended. Pat seconded. All voted in favor. Kathleen has not yet completed the draft for the letter to the town about spraying poison ivy. Laurie talked to Charlie Brown about the snowplowing problem. Henry Irons has volunteered to fix the downstairs door. Gunnar is pleased to speak to the individuals involved with long-overdue library materials. Laurie raised the question of making quarterly reports to the Selectmen about the library in order to keep them informed. We’ll revisit this proposal at a future meeting. The November 18th Pie Social for volunteers will be discussed in greater detail at next month’s meeting. Laurie discussed the Calendar Fundraiser and gave out forms for board members to distribute.

New Business: The Monthly Tasks were reviewed and all have either been completed or, as with the “Typical Week Survey”, are being done now. The cleaning of the gutters has been postponed until all the leaves are off the trees. Laurie suggested that, in January, we address the completion of a “Trustees Time-Table.” Laurie moved to accept all donations. Pat seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:

November 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Meeting adjourned at 9:27 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

MINUTES OF BLAISDELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY TRUSTEES MEETING

September 17, 2012

Present : Rhoda Capron, Laurie Legard, Susan Medeiros, Sara Wotton, Pat Vachon, Kathleen Matthews

Meeting was called to order at 6:39 p.m.

Policy Update/Current Task : Brieghan Gardner provided an update on the 2012 Nottingham Farmers’ Markets and raised several issues pertaining to current policies, including a proposal to charge a vendor fee. Currently, Nottingham is the only market in the area that does not charge a fee; the majority of vendors who consistently attend the market believe it would be beneficial to include a booth fee. After lengthy discussion and a review of the existing market guidelines, it was decided to implement a vendor fee for 2013, beginning with the trial amount of $50.00 for a full season. Related decisions included the following: Vendors who set up periodically will be charged a day fee of $7.50 for each market they attend. There will be no fee for this year’s winter markets, although consideration will be given to doing so for the 2013-2014 season. Requests for non-profit status (i.e., fee waiver) must be submitted in writing to the Board of Trustees. The monies earned from the fees will be used solely for the benefit of the market, e.g., hiring musicians to perform on special market days. The board unanimously voted to waive Brieghan’s fee in exchange for the responsibilities she undertakes as Market-Master; a stipend for the market-master will be considered in the future. Sara will look into establishing a nonprofit bank account dedicated to the Farmers’ Market to accommodate vendor checks/fees and will talk to Janet about the inclusion of a line item in the budget. Any vendor selling home-made foods will be required to present a copy of a current Homesteaders’ License as part of their annual application to the market. Issues pertaining to the inclusion of crafts, especially during the winter markets were also discussed with these results: Juried crafts will be included in the Opening Day and Mid-Summer markets as well as the November & December markets. Crafts must pertain to the market’s emphasis on forestry and agriculture and will be judged for quality (without crafters names attached to their work) by a jury comprised of three trustees and two farmers. Brieghan will contact this season’s vendors to seek the two farmer judges; Susan, Laurie, and Kathleen volunteered to serve as jurors for the board. This year’s first Winter Market will be November 11th.

Secretary’s Report : The minutes of the August meeting were read. Laurie moved to accept the report.

Sara seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Treasurer’s Report : No report was available for the month of August. Sara will contact Janet regarding the status of recent reports.

Library Director’s Report:

The over-all statistics for August look good and Rhoda noted that in both 2011 and 2012 the July and August numbers were nearly the same. For quite some time the circulation of CD’s has been doing much better than books on tape; Rhoda decided to eliminate the latter to make more room for the former. Rhoda raised concerns about how to address the issue of certified letters not being picked up at the post office by patrons who have over-due books. It was decided to check on the legality of asking the police to intervene, as stated in our Over-dues Policy. Sunday, November 18th was chosen as the date for the annual Volunteer Appreciation event, which, again this year, will be a pie party. Laurie will send out invitations asking our volunteers to join us at 4:30. Pat’s new computer continues to have issues. The rugs have been cleaned. The recommendation to purchase a “water-hog” mat to cover the worn area in front of the circulation desk was approved. The downstairs back door still needs to be removed, repaired, and reinstalled. Rhoda reported there are two library science students currently serving as interns at the library. Story Hour begins this week with the 3-5 year-olds program showing full enrollment.

Old Business: Pat completed the final revision of the Meeting Room Policy. Rhoda reported that the 108-page Disaster Plan is finished. Copies will be given to Laurie, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, Rhoda as Library Director, and the town’s Code Enforcement and Fire Departments. Laurie reported on her conversation with the bank regarding our nonprofit status and the mistaken fees charged to the library’s account. Rhoda will contact Teresa Troy to inquire about her interest in assisting Kathleen with the creation of a pamphlet about the landscape fund and fundraising. Kathleen is still working on the Sexual Harassment Policy revisions and is drafting a letter to the town regarding our problems with the eradication of bittersweet and poison ivy. Discussion about and work on succession planning for staff retirements and turn-over will be addressed at a future time.

New Business: Work on the 2013 budget will begin next month at the October meeting. Rhoda and Sara will prepare the items needed to get us started on the process. Kathleen reported on the landscape work that has been done and presented GardenWorks’ design plans and estimates for proposed installations of the Butterfly/Bird Garden outside of the Children’s Room this fall and the installation of native NH flowering shrubs in the East Garden next spring. A day’s worth of tree and shrub-pruning at the front of the building is also proposed for November. Kathleen will look into the cost of having the back area brush-hogged and will contact stone-masons to get estimates for hard-scape work that needs to be done.

Rhoda shared Paul Colby’s perspective on the retaining wall/drainage issues outside the lower side door.  The issue of raising money to replenish the existing Landscape Fund was discussed. Laurie’s proposal of selling calendars from the NH Fish & Game Department was approved. The Monthly Tasks for September were reviewed. All items have been or are being addressed. Laurie moved to accept all donations. Rhoda seconded the motion. All voted in favor.

Next Meeting:

Monday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. The November meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, November 12th with an optional date of Tuesday, November 13th. The final date will be determined at next month’s meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Matthews

Here are the recipes I have received so far:

Fruit Curry

1.       Peel and cut into pieces onions, tomatoes, orange and banana.  Chop green pepper

2.       Melt butter in frying pan.
Add onions and pepper and stir until soft.  Add tomatoes, orange, banana, sunflower seeds, raisins, salt and curry powder.
Cook, stirring for 5 minutes

3.       Stir in cooked rice and simmer 5 minutes, stirring
constantly.

Town Meeting, the play, will be performed as scheduled this evening, Friday, February 25.  Both performances are sold out, so there will be no tickets available at the door.