2020 April Librarian’s Report

Personnel – At this time Michael and I are working from home with brief visits into the building to empty the book return, water the plants, check on the building, and do any other essential tasks that can’t be done from home.  We have been advised not to spend large amounts of time in the building as per the governor’s pandemic orders so we have put aside plans to do collection weeding and cleaning of work areas.  Our volunteer is not working while the public is not allowed in the building. Sorting for the book sale is suspended at this time.  I have sent in the paperwork for the Summer Worker Program.

1st Quarter programs – Story Time, Board Games – many thanks to CCS and Mrs. Shippee at the Elementary School for their help in bussing students here for game days, Science Mondays, Take Your Child to the Library Day, jigsaw puzzles, Youth Craft kits. We held 18 programs with total attendance of 189.  The decision was made to cancel or suspend all programs as of March 13.

Upcoming programs – All programs are currently cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SALS & Directors’ Council – SALS annual meeting has been cancelled. 

Joint Automation Council / computers – We have ordered two new computers as we do every year.  This year JA is going away from PCs and so we will be getting mini-computers.  They will fulfil the same functions and have the same software but are quite a bit smaller.  This will help to save space in the public computer area.  The annual Joint Automation Agreement needed to be signed before April 1; Felicia did that so it could be sent in on time.  The board needs to make a motion to approve our continuing approval of the JA agreement.  Our copy of the agreement is at the library.  There will be a 3% increase in JA fees for 2021. 

Friends – Hopefully the 2020 Book & Bake Sale will be on July 25.  Please mark your calendars.

Maintenance – The windows will be washed on May 4.  We have not set up carpet cleaning yet and will put off doing so until there is an end in sight for mass public quarantining.

Other – CCS vote with our proposition is set for May 19. There is a possibility that the current crisis may postpone or cancel the CCS budget vote.

            NYS Annual report was submitted on time.  Annual brochure is submitted to the board at this time.  Copies of this will be distributed to town and village officials as soon as we are able to do so.  Jack at SALS made an infographic with some of our report numbers that we have posted on the bulletin board and on our website.

Meetings attended in first quarter 2017:

  • 1/13                 Healthy Corinth @ Firehouse
  • 2/12                 LEAP Training via GoToMeeting
  • 3/5                   Youth Services meeting @ SALS – Michael
  • 3/6                   Webinar – collection development
  • 3/9                   Healthy Corinth @ Firehouse
  • 3/10                 Farm2Library via GoToMeeting
  • 3/13                 Directors’ Council via GoToMeeting
  • 3/25                 Directors’ Council via GoToMeeting

Old Business: 

NYLA – No activity to report.

Census – Due to the library’s closure we are limited to on-line help and encouragement of our citizens to fill out their census questionnaire.

Farm2Library – This was expected to start in late May or June.  I have heard nothing recently but hope we will be able to stay on track.

Harriet Hawley Miller Trust – We have received word that this trust is now ready to be settled.  The library will be receiving 1/3 of the remainder of the trust.  We received a packet that needs signatures and directives regarding to what bank account the money should go.  In addition, we need to send a copy of a corporate resolution on behalf of the signor of the agreement.  The board needs a resolution designating who will sign the forms.

New business:

Pandemic Policy – this was sent to you all via email.  There have been a few additions to the policy that reflect our current reality.  Should there be additions or other changes?  The board needs to officially adopt the policy.

By-Laws amendment – Our by-laws include a range of 5-9 for the number of board members that we can have, as was recommended by the state library.  In our annual report to the NYS we must provide the number of voting members on our board.  I have been told that for this to be correct legally we must state a specific number.  As our number of board members does fluctuate I have been advised of the best way of doing this to insure that all current board members are voting members.  (Unfortunately we can’t just say “All current board members are voting board members.”)  Therefore we need to add that the number of voting positions on the board is 9.  If we state it as less than that then only the number stated will be legally allowed to vote at board meetings no matter how many are on the board.  This also means that our number for a quorum will be 5.  This gives us a good incentive to have more than 5 board members to ensure that we have a quorum even with absences.  You should all have a copy of the by-laws, but they are also posted on our website (on the bottom right-hand side.)  Below is the section needing change with the proposed change highlighted.  This will need to be voted on.

Management:

The business and affairs of the Board of Trustees of the Corinth Free Library shall be managed and conducted by a board consisting of not less than 5 nor more than 9 members. The number of voting members of the board shall be 9.  No paid employee of the library may be a member of the Board of Trustees. A majority of the trustees shall be residents of the chartered service area. Vacancies on the board are filled at the annual meeting by vote of all members present. 

Meetings:

4. A majority of the voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

Overdrive – As a response to the pandemic, a feature has been added to our system-wide Overdrive website that allows people to create a card using their phone number.  This is to help people who don’t have a library card or, at this time, a way to get one.  This new virtual card allows them access only to the Overdrive ebooks and eaudiobooks and will not be valid as a regular card for in-house use once the library is open again. Though once we are open again we will be able to help those people get a full library card.  Our usage in our virtual services (Overdrive & Kanopy) seems to be about the same as last year so far.  I’d like the board to approve allowing me to reallocate some budget funds from books to virtual services or ask the Friends to donate money to increase our virtual services funds if we see a large surge in usage.