Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text

Jan 14 2019

Library · Source meeting date: 2019-01-14 · Record 65103

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Canton Library Board of Trustees 
Minutes of January 14, 2019 
 
Attendees: Chris Untersee, George Comeau, Bernie Mendillo, Joan Schottenfeld, Emily Prigot, Susan 
Cogliano, Mike Sundin, Dorothy Shea & Peg Mead. 
 
The meeting was called to order at 7:32 pm. 
 
Minutes: 
A motion was made and seconded to table the approval of the minutes until the February meeting since the 
trustees did not have time to review. The minutes of November, December, December Executive session and 
January will be reviewed at the February meeting. 
 
Director’s Report: 
 The New Year brings with it the start of the budget cycle in earnest. We have received word from the 
Finance Director that two of our three capital projects have made it past the first round of discussions 
and will proceed to the Fin Com for consideration and defense. The project that has been removed from 
consideration was the request for funds to identify the coolant leak in our non-operational condenser. 
The roughly $6,000.00 cost of this project will need to be absorbed in our expense line or through an 
alternate source of funding. We will see where the budget stands closer to July prior to moving forward 
with this work. Our two additional requests appear to be moving forward. 
 After meeting with the library trustees in December, I submitted a budget request for FY2020 in the 
amount of $1,428,444.00 to the Finance Director and the Town Administrator. This request includes the 
addition of a new full-time custodial position as well as funding to support the additional opening of 10 
Saturdays throughout the summer. On 1/10 I attended a meeting with Charlie Aspinwall and Jodi 
Middleton to discuss the custodial position the library is requesting. Charlie outlined some of the budget 
considerations facing the town and how the library might meet the custodial and maintenance needs of 
the library in a variety of ways. A meeting with Finance Director Jim Murgia and is scheduled to discuss 
the library budget request in more detail on 1/15/19. 
 Janitorial staffing levels at the library continue to be affected by the absence of a full-time custodian. 
Hopefully this situation is close to a resolution and I may have more information on our next steps in the 
next few days. 
 The library has received our first of two installment payments from our State Aid to Public Libraries 
award. The payment of $14,067.00 was received by the town on 12/27/2018. 
 After school library usage by youth has begun to outpace the capacity of our current YA department. I 
have reached out to Lauren Stara from the MBLC and look forward to hearing more about her 
recommendations regarding the repurposing of our current physical space throughout the library. Now 
that strong headway has been made in the weeding of our physical collection a true re-imagining of the 
library interior is in order. 
 With regular attendance of more than 40 tweens and teens in the 2-5 PM hours (and later!) comes some 
disruption to the rest of the library and our other patrons. This is of upmost concern to the library staff 
and to myself, as no one group’s use of the library should interfere with the use of the space for the rest 
of the public. On 1/11/19 a staff meeting was held to review our current behavioral code of conduct with 
the staff and to introduce procedures for curtailing boisterous and inappropriate behaviors. More training 
on de-escalation and working specifically with teenagers is forthcoming. A meeting with Lt. Rae from

the Canton Police Department was also held and his feedback and assistance is greatly appreciated. We 
will have a School Resource Officer make both random and pre-scheduled visits to the library. Steps we 
have taken to ameliorate the issue are: 
o Signing in to all YA programs and events, with contact information for parents. 
o Clearly providing teens with our conduct and behavior policy, in terms they can understand. 
o Requiring the MakerSpace to be locked when not staffed and booked by appointment. This 
solution may be temporary, until the spring. 
o Standardizing our disciplinary procedures as a staff and requiring those who are not adhering to 
our guidelines to leave the facility, and notifying parents/guardians when this occurs. 
o Planning programs during peak teen usage hours. 
 Over the past month I have been working to upgrade our existing video surveillance system with Town 
IT Administrator, Louis Juntras. Working with our existing system we have been able to reposition 
cameras to achieve some vital coverage enhancements, however Louis and I have identified 
approximately 19 new locations for security coverage. This will constitute a large capital expenditure 
and since the cycle has already passed for FY20 requests, I will consult with the town on the best ways 
to fund this project. 
 There has been a request from the staff to add additional language to our patron behavior and 
conduct policy. Our current policy regarding unattended youth reads as follows: 
No person shall leave children under the age of ten unattended for any period of time on 
library premises. 
 The proposed addition to our policy would read as follows: 
Children aged 10 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver, aged 16 or 
older, while at the library. 
I recommend that the Trustees review the attached Conduct and Behavior Policy, as well as samples 
from neighboring communities and take up this matter at our February meeting. 
 
 George Comeau made a motion that the policy regarding unattended youth be changed to: 
 Children aged 10 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver, aged 16 or 
older, while at the library. 
 Susan Cogliano made a revision to the wording: 
 Children aged 10 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver over the age 
of 16 while at the library. 
 The amended motion was unanimously approved. 
 A study group was formed to bring a review of policy changes regarding Conduct & Behavior to 
the trustees at the February meeting. The group includes Emily Prigot, Chris Untersee, Bernie 
Mendillo and Susan Cogliano. They will include staff members as well. 
 
Building Projects: 
 On 1/7/19 the carpet tiles in the community room were professionally reinstalled. The carpet will be 
professionally cleaned to remove residual water stains from the leak. The walls have been skim-coated 
and patched and will be painted by our custodian in the next week. Both entrances in the community 
room are now operational and only cosmetic work remains. 
 On 12/27/18 there was a sewage back-up in both Junior Room bathrooms. It was discovered that the 
main sewage ejector pump, as well as a secondary pump, had both failed. Canton Plumbing was able to 
get one pump operational but our main ejector pump needs to be replaced. Canton Plumbing will return

to the library to open the main ejector and determine which parts need to be replaced so that we can 
secure quotes for the project. While we are able to use the two Junior Room Bathrooms at this time, we 
need to complete the repairs to the ejector pump as soon as possible. Of note, I reached out to Mark 
about this. He stated that the last issue we had with the ejector pump was caused when a child flushed 
one of our pig puppets down the drain. He hopes this time a cow or other barnyard friend was not the 
culprit. 
 Work on the roof above the art and music area will begin as soon as the weather is forecasted to remain 
above 40 degrees for four consecutive days. 
Friends Report: 
 The Friends are planning a Friend of the Year Celebration for Maeve Moore on March 2, 2019. This will 
be a pizza party and more details will follow. 
 The Friends want to host a “Come Play With Us” fundraiser to showcase the technology in the 
MakerSpace. Matt Amory is meeting with the Friends to go over the technology and help to plan the 
event. 
 Love Your Library Membership Drive! The Friends would like to have a table at each adult event in 
February with a trustee and a friend at each event. A sign up will go out. 
 The Friends generously distributed gift cards to the library staff in December. 
 
 
Meeting Room Applications: 
 Nothing to report at this time. 
Strategic Plan Review: 
 The review of 2018/2019 Action Items was tabled until the February meeting. 
 
Upcoming Programs and Events: 
 
 We are hosting our second Culinary Readers Cookbook Club meeting on Tuesday, January 29 
2019. Every other month we make a recipe from a selected cookbook or theme and then bring it to share 
at a potluck feast. We will be meeting to discuss Weeknight Wonders: Delicious Healthy 
Dinners by Ellie Krieger. Participants will register via Event keeper. 
 
 Join clinical psychologist and author, Dr. Beth Kurland, at the Library on Tuesday, January 15 at 
6:30 p.m. as she shares strategies from her new book Dancing on the Tightrope: Transcending the 
Habits of Your Mind and Awakening to Your Fullest Life. Jump start your new year as Beth offers 
meditation tools and tips to help people reduce stress and create well being in their daily lives. 
 
 A Perfect Pairing: Tea and Chocolate 
Tea specialist Lisa Tavakoli hosts a workshop about the benefits, traditions, and history of tea and 
chocolate. Reservations are required. We will have a fun and delicious afternoon of tea and 
chocolate. This special event will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 2pm in the community room. 
Registration will be limited to 40 people. 
 
 The Historical Society would like to have the Cranes Guard flag displayed in the library for 6 months. 
George Comeau will work with Director Capone to find an appropriate place. There will be an 
unveiling at the library on Feb. 10.

Future meeting dates: 
February 11 
March 18 
 
 
 
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m. 
 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
Peg Mead, Clerk