Cambridge Public Library

Board of Library Trustees Minutes

A regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees was held on Monday, May 4 1998 at 7:30 in the Director's Office of the Main Library. The following members of the board of Library Trustees were present:

• Ms. Janet Axelrod
• Mr. John Good
• Mr. Andre Mayer
• Mr. James Roosevelt
• also present:
• Susan M. Flannery, Director of Libraries
• Marian Hampton, Assistant Director
• Marilyn Gagalis, Administrative Assistant
• Eric Graham, Information Systems Specialist
• Daryl Mark, Associate Librarian for Children's Services
• Elizabeth Dickinson, Associate Librarian/Reference Department

A motion to accept the minutes of the April 1998 meeting was passed. On a motion made and duly seconded, Andre Mayer was appointed Chairperson pro tem. Board members were provided a copy of a letter from the City Manager commending library employee Ruth Dillon for being chosen to receive an Outstanding City Employee Award. Her commitment and devotion to the library for the past 22 years has been recognized and appreciated by both the library and the City. Board members requested that Ms. Flannery send a letter on behalf of the Library Trustees commending Mrs. Dillon for her outstanding service to the Cambridge Public Library.

Ms. Flannery reported that the library's budget was passed by the City Council on April 29, 1998. The Board voted to approve the agreement with the Cambridge Community Foundation. Janet Axelrod and James Roosevelt, Jr. abstained.

A discussion concerning Library 21 resulted in a request by the Board for Ms. Flannery to draft a letter to the City Manger recommending that a public opinion survey be mailed to all residents concerning their preferences for a new Main Library site.

Eric Graham provided an interactive demonstration of the Children's Room Web Page. This site has been updated and revised by staff members Pam McCuen and Diana McFarland under the guidance of Eric Graham. The new links provide children the opportunity to visit other web sites specifically reviewed and selected by children's librarians. Another new link, designed by Eric Graham, takes children to NASA and various other space related sites to expand upon the Summer Reading Program's theme; "Starship Read." Board members were given the opportunity to explore the new children's web site on their own.

The Trustees continued their discussion about the Internet and supported Ms. Flannery's request to begin public access in all seven libraries in accordance with the principles outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. However, the Board agreed that this discussion should be revisited in 6 months and that the Trustees should continue to review this subject on a regular basis.