Cambridge Public Library
Board of Library Trustees Minutes
A regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees was held on Wednesday, March 15, 2000 in the Director’s Office of the Main Library. The following members of the Board of Library Trustees were present:
also present:
Library patron Ms. Beth Lesley petitioned the Board to address the issue of integrating several political biographies that she had donated into the Reference collection. The Board welcomed Ms. Lesley and granted her request to speak. She explained that she had already spoken to the Reference Department in regards to her request that every interested voter have the opportunity to learn about the candidates before casting a vote. This could be accomplished if these books were added to the Reference collection and did not circulate. All Board members listened to Ms. Lesley’s petition and her suggestion to make these books "speed reads" that would allow maximum circulation during a time sensitive period (the primary season.) Ms. Flannery accepted this solution and accepted the donated books. Board member Andre Mayer congratulated Ms. Lesley on her sense of civic awareness and dedication to promoting a fair election by educated voters.
Board members welcomed newly appointed Trustee William Barry. Mr. Barry expressed his gratitude for being appointed to this board and offered his support to Director of Libraries Susan Flannery as well as his fellow trustees.
Correspondence from the Sabre Foundation and Judith A. Muzzioli was acknowledged.
The goal to update the library’s strategic plan was established by the Board. All members agreed that they should invite facilitator Steve Miller back to participate in the conclusion of this process. In addition, Board members asked Ms. Flannery to prepare report that would include the "visions" of both the Trustees and the Library staff as determined during previous vision meetings with Mr. Miller. Nancy Woods requested that this list be put on the Web page when complete.
A date of May 20, 2000 has been set by City Council for the dedication of "John & Edna Good Square" in the area of St. Peter’s Church. This ceremony will be followed by a second ceremony at the library dedicating the Main Library Children’s Room in memory of John Good. Ms. Flannery asked the Trustees for appropriate names to add to the guest list.
Board members discussed the upcoming City Council meeting on April 5th to review the new Main Library site. Nancy Woods requested that Ms. Flannery contact City Councillors and offer tours and information about the library before this meeting. Janet Axelrod requested that Ms. Flannery provide the new Councillors with a copy of the library’s public survey results. Board members also requested that Ms. Flannery determine if the Chairperson of the Trustees would be eligible to attend the Executive session following this meeting.
Trustees continued to discuss their plans to raise public awareness of both the library’s future and the April 5th City Council meeting. They discussed how they should participate in the meeting. It was agreed that Mr. Roosevelt would speak for the Board reiterating their position but stressing the importance of making a site selection soon, even if it is not the Board’s favorite site. It was also agreed that Ms. Axelrod would draft a letter, to be edited by Mr. Roosevelt, which would be sent to the City Council. A similar letter would also be sent to the Friends notifying them of the hearing and urging them to contact the City Council and stress the need for a decision on the library site. Susan Flannery will inform the Friends of the Library of these plans and asked for their support at their next meeting.
The next meeting of the Board of Library Trustees will be on Monday, April 10, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. in the Director’s Office of the Main Library.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:45p.m.
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Andre Mayer, Secretary