Friends of the Library, Minutes of April 25, 2005 Meeting.
Meeting was convened at 7:15 at the Town Hall
Attending: Marge Bryce, Debbie Carpenter, Tom Copadis, Pia Sunderland, Roberta Walmsley, Don Johnson, Jean Johnson. Trustees: Kathy Luger and Judy Wood. Absent: Susan Bartlett, Cynthia Ward, , Kathy Lassey, Alice Keach, Patricia Bevans.
Jean Johnson convened the meeting in the room that has been designated for the Library in the Town Hall and passed out the agenda and list of Friends of the Library members. We welcomed new members Marge Bryce and Debbie Carpenter.
Before items on the agenda were addressed Roberta Walmsley asked, “What is our purpose?” Other members referred to our purpose as described in the draft mission statement. Tom Copadis is working on a final draft of this statement. Discussion ensued on whether the Friends should follow a formal or informal structure. Mention was made of last summer’s discussion on mission statement and by-laws, which Kathy Lassey has referred to John Lassey for review.
After further discussion the group seemed to agree that the Friends should:
· Help trustees in anyway that was asked
· Support the trustees’ efforts to expand library services
· Raise funds for the library or special projects as needed
· Suggest books to add to the collection
· Donate books to library
· Actively support the library by taking out books
· Publicize and attend library events
· Hold book discussions and other programs
The group asked the trustees present to make suggestions on worthwhile activities for the Friends. Kathy and Judy agreed that Friends should take out books from library and encourage others to take out books. They also agreed with the list of objectives above.
At this point the agenda was taken up.
1. Mission Statement – Tom Copadis is working on final revision and will bring it to the next meeting.
2. Officers – Since no one volunteered to act as chair, members agreed to rotate chairs and secretaries. A new office of “convener” was established to schedule and call meetings. Debbie Carpenter agreed to serve as convener. Roberta Walmsley will chair the next meeting.
3. Trustees Report:
A) Book Sale is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th. Friends were asked if they were willing to help move and unload books at the town hall on Friday, June 3rd from 3-7.. Tom Copadis and Jean Johnson volunteered to help on Thursday if books can be put in the Town Hall then. Others will come on Friday if they can. Members agreed to bake items to be sold at the book sale. Pastries and sandwiches were recommended. Don will make coffee. Members are encouraged to donate books and solicit books for the sale. Tom Copadis is willing to pick up donated books. Please call Tom 529 2441 if you have books to donate or bring them directly to the town hall on June 3rd.
B) Judy Wood reported on grants that library has received and invited Friends to the Children’s Literacy Foundation presentation on June 2nd at the HD Elementary School. Friends congratulated trustees on active grant applications and for the award they won.
C) The Library hours for the summer are Tuesdays, 10 – 12, Wednesdays, 10 – 12, Thursdays, 3 – 7 and Saturdays, 10 –12
D) A long discussion ensued on how the old library and the new Library room in the town hall would be used during the summer. Judy Wood suggested that part of the collection would remain in the old library (referred to as the “Little Library,”) and the rest would be moved to the town hall. The logistical problems of maintaining two separate venues for the library raised concerns. Some members suggested that the “Little Library” be used for the children’s’ collection and for local and New Hampshire history and culture. The trustees are to formulate a plan on what they plan to do to make the best use of the two locations and report to the Friends at a May meeting.
E) Discussion led to the long-standing proposal to move the “Little Library” next to the Town Hall on the town common. Several points were made. 1) The selectmen have the responsibility for fixing the foundation of the “Little Library;” 2) therefore the cost of building new foundation on the common would be no more expensive that creating such a foundation at the library’s present site; 3) the trustees have discussed this move among themselves and with citizens who support the move; 4) In the November Friends meeting, it was agreed in principle to submit a warrant article on the move at the 2005 town meeting, but this was not done; 5) Tom Copadis has asked Ray Daniels about the practicality of the move and was told it could be done for approximately $5,000 - $7,000. He
quoted Ray as saying it would be fairly easy to move the library and that the building could withstand the move; 6) The presence of the library on the common would make access much more feasible, provide a safer environment and would greatly enhance the aesthetic beauty of the town square.
In further discussion of the library move members suggested that as the room in the town hall becomes more used that the little library (on the common) could continue to house the children’s’ collection and gradually shift to function as a museum and could house the town records, pictures, and documents, all of which could be systematically classified and made available to citizens. Tom Copadis graciously volunteered to donate much of his own collection of town historical materials to such a project.
The Friends resolved to offer strong support to the trustees for the library move and offered to help raise funds for the project and help bring the move about in any way we can.
4) The possibility of holding book discussions, discussed at the November, 2004 meeting, and of rejuvenating the Visits on the Porch, last held in 2003, were discussed. Both proposals were tabled because, as one member stated, “We have too much on our plate now.”
5) The members discussed at length the layout of the new library room in the town hall. The members encouraged the trustees to speak to the selectmen as soon as possible and to reiterate the understanding that the walls would be used for bookcases. As a last resort the Friends would work to raise funds to build additional bookcases if the town refuses to build them.
As soon as the trustees have talked with the Selectmen about the book case space that will be available at the town hall library and explored the sentiments of the selectmen on moving the little library to the town common, they will contact Debbie Carpenter (flwerladydeb@aol.com tel: 529 7903) who will then schedule a May meeting and inform all the Friends members.
Submitted by:
Don Johnson 4/27/05
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