Category Archives: LIBRARY TRUSTEES

Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes – 11/12/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 11/17/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

November 12, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Erin Bowen, Jana Sellarole, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Bill Ranauro, Sarah Mann 

Amy Howard called the meeting to order at 4:38 p.m. in the Community Room of the Main Branch.

Approval of Minutes: Gail made a motion to accept the October 2025 minutes as written. Erin seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy emailed the Treasurer’s Report to the board prior to the meeting. She reported that the Library Trust Fund with investments and interest is $4500 ahead of what we budgeted.  With this extra money and the money from the Friends and with expenses as they are, we are in good shape.

Bills:  Jane sent a copy of the bills to the trustees prior to the meeting. She reported that she is still ordering books from Amazon while she works out “the bugs” with Ingram. She said we will still receive a few bills from Baker and Taylor because they are selling off their remaining stock at 50% off and there are some titles she wants to purchase.

Amy made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Gail seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion passed.

Old Business

Long Range Planning:  Jane reminded the board to review the draft of the proposed Strategic Plan and email comments to her.  She will resend the document so everyone has a new copy.

Employee Appreciation: There was a brief discussion about the appreciation reception, which is scheduled for January 16 from 5-7 p.m. Kathy will buy gift certificates closer to the event.  We will make final plans at our January 13th board meeting.

New Business

Circulation Policy:  Jane distributed draft copies of a new circulation policy for the board to review and edit. She said she would make suggested corrections to the document and send it to the trustees for approval.  Upon approval she will ask the town attorney to review it.  All must be done before January 1st when RSA 201-D:11 takes effect.

Holiday Hours:  The board approved closing the library at 3:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Board Renewal:  Susan reported that she, Erin, and Kathy are up for board renewal in March. They need to sign up in January to have their names put on the ballot.

Operations:  

Mold/Mildew in the Foyer:  Jane described the mold/mildew smell in the foyer and said she discussed it with Brad.  She is thinking of trying Damp Rid to mitigate.

Patron Request:  A patron has asked that the handrail be extended at the end of the ramp.  Jane will make inquiries about doing this.

Technology:  Michael Nerrie sent Jane information about the purchase of a Smart TV for the library.  She will continue researching this.  She is interested in a tv that will be loud enough so that she will not need to use speakers.

Friends of the Library:  The Friends have a meeting next week where they will discuss the results of the book fair.

With no further business to discuss, Gail made a motion to adjourn; Erin seconded the motion.  Amy adjourned the meeting at 5:08 p.m. 

The next trustees meeting will be Tuesday, January 13, at 4:00 p.m. in the main branch of the library.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the January 13, 2026 meeting. 

Walpole Town Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes – 10/14/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 10/22/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

October 14, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Jana Sellarole, Sarah Mann, Bill Ranauro, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Erin Bowen

Amy Howard called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. in the North Walpole branch.

Approval of Minutes: Gail made a motion to accept the September 2025 minutes as written.  Kathy seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy emailed the Treasurer’s Report to the board prior to the meeting. She reported that we are right on track with income and expenses.

Bills:  Jane sent a copy of the bills to the trustees prior to the meeting. There were no questions or comments.  Amy made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Gail seconded and all voted to accept; motion carried.

Old Business

Long Range Planning:  Jane distributed copies of a draft of the new Strategic Plan. Trustees were asked to read it and be prepared for a discussion at the November meeting.

2026 Budget:  Jane made a few changes to the budget she presented last month.  She has taken some money out of magazines and moved it to technology, explaining that we need to replace some Chrome Books.  

Jane also suggested that we look into buying a Smart TV for the Community Room in an effort to upgrade equipment for presentations and movie viewing. Kathy said her husband did extensive research into smart televisions and will have him send Jane information that he gathered. 

Committee Assignments

New board committee assignments are as follows:

  • Buildings and Grounds – Kathy, Amy
  • Technology – Amy
  • Personnel – Susan, Jana, Sarah
  • Scholarship – Bill, Gail

New Business

Staff Appreciation:  The trustees have set a tentative date of January 16, 2026 for a cocktail party at the library to honor staff, volunteers, and Friends of the Library.  Each of the trustees will contribute appetizers and Kathy will purchase beverages and paper goods for the event. 

Operations:  Jane emailed her monthly report to the board prior to this meeting. At the meeting she explained that Baker and Taylor, the wholesale book vendor that our library uses, is shutting down operations.  Jane is now looking for a new vendor and has an appointment with Ingram, another company that offers similar services to Baker and Taylor. In the meantime she will order books from Amazon and wait to hear what will happen with backorders from Baker and Taylor.

Jane announced that on October 21, Julie Rios will present “North Walpole History in Pictures” at the North Walpole Library. This is an encore presentation of the popular program she presented at the Walpole Historical Society.

Jane attended a meeting led by the Asst. State Librarian, where they discussed the new law granting parents/guardians access to their children’s library records. State librarians were advised to have town attorneys sign off on any new policies pertaining to library cards.  Jane asked that we have a more detailed discussion on this topic to make sure we have all bases covered. It was agreed that we would discuss this at our November meeting.  We have until January to make changes.  

Buildings and Grounds:  Don Sellarole examined the column on the right corner of the library and felt that it looks stable and the foundation is okay.  He does not feel that anything needs to be done at this time.

Technology:  Jane and Julie tested Mango and determined that demand at our library does not justify the price of the program.  

Friends of the Library:  Jane reported that the Friends are getting ready for their book sale and have stated they no longer want any book donations at the reuse center.  They have as many as they can handle at this time.

Gail made a motion to adjourn;  Susan seconded the motion.  Amy adjourned the meeting at 5:31 p.m. 

Note that the next trustees meeting will be Wednesday, November 12, at 4:30 p.m. in the main branch of the library.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the November 12, 2025 meeting. 

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 9/9/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 09/14/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

September 9, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Jana Sellarole, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Bill Ranauro

Amy Howard called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m. in the Main Library Community Room.

Approval of Minutes: Gail made a motion to accept the June minutes as written.  Erin seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy emailed the Treasurer’s Report to the board prior to the meeting. The report shows income is $13,000 more than we budgeted, which was from the Friends. They gave us an additional $5,000 during the summer. We also received more fees and donations than were budgeted.  Amy reminded us that the fees and donation money would be used for our scholarship. 

Bills:  Jane said the tops for the shelves came in. She received a bill for $2,755.72 for the shelves, which does not appear on the Bills Report. She will pay it out of the money from the Friends and will revise the Bills Report to reflect this payment. Gail made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills, including the bill for shelving. Sarah seconded and all voted in favor. Motion carried.

Old Business

Long Range Planning: Jane distributed copies of the last Strategic Plan on which she noted what has been accomplished, what is in progress, and what still needs to be done. There was a brief discussion about programming. Jane explained the children’s movies have been discontinued due to low turnout.  Bimonthly adult movies will continue, at least until December.

The Ken Burns display needs to be updated and publicized once again.  Jane will contact Florentine Films;  Sarah suggested asking for materials they may have celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary.

Jane wanted to discuss the Mango language program that our library previously offered.  Usage was low, so she discontinued the program due to its $1000/year price.  Since that time, some patrons have asked for a program that offers sign language and Mango now does. Jane said she would send more information about this program to board members, give them a chance to sample a trial run, then make a decision about reordering it. With the addition of sign language, the price would be $1260. Kathy suggested that we issue patrons a small slip of paper or bookmark asking if they would be interested in using Mango. We could collect their answers as they check out their books.                                  

In our survey conducted last spring, some patrons wrote that they would like to see more books and programs for adults. Jane said that having the extra money from the Friends has enabled her to offer more programs for adults.  She tries to do this on a monthly basis. She reported that the recent chocolate presentation was excellent and well-attended. Sarah suggested that we could offer programs conducted by community members. She and a few others have already successfully done so.  It was decided that in our weekly newsletter we would invite people to contact the library if they have a program they would like to lead. 

It is Jane’s goal to reach out to families to find out what resources they would like to see in the library.  For example, the library is going to sponsor a mothers’ group after Story Time to give mothers an opportunity to discuss issues important to them.  

The next step for a new Strategic Plan is to first, identify our goals. Jane said when we establish goals, they need to be measurable. Three goals she has identified are:

1.  Increase the adult collection.

2.  Increase adult programming.

3.  Update the Ken Burns display and establish a timeline for changing displays.

Jane offered to write up a new preliminary Strategic Plan and distribute it to board members for comments and suggestions.  

New Business

Circulation Policy:  Jane distributed the Circulation Policy with suggestions for change.  In regard to Confidentiality, she suggests stating:  ”The Walpole Town Library adheres to NH RSA 201-D:11 and NH  RSA 91-A:5 regarding user record, confidentiality, and privacy.”

Erin stated that the first paragraph of the policy be changed since there is no North Walpole branch librarian. It will be changed to “Library Director.”

2026 Budget:  Jane had to submit her preliminary 2026 town budget by September 8.  She distributed her budget worksheet to the board and explained that this year departments were not level-funded. She was able to increase line items such as electric and heating oil to reflect price increases. The building maintenance  line is questionable because the library is facing a major repair, and we don’t know yet if the work will require a warrant article. 

Jane reviewed the worksheet with the board and said she would meet with the select board in December to finalize the budget. At that time the decision about a warrant article for repairs to the building will be made.

Jane then reviewed the library budget with the board. 

Alarm system:  The alarm in the morning keeps going off. The alarm company came once and mistakenly thought they repaired the problem. It continues. There is a work order to repair it.

Tea Dishes:  Dishes from the Renovation Project High Tea are being stored in Peggy Pschirrer’s basement and it was decided that it is time to remove them from her home.  The board is not interested in keeping them and suggested selling them at the book sale or on Facebook Marketplace.  Jane is going to check to see if the Friends are interested in selling them.  No other decision was made and this will be discussed at a future meeting. 

Operations:  Jane sent her report to the board prior to this meeting. 

Buildings and Grounds:  Jane will show board members the foundation problem on the front of the building after the meeting.

Other Business:  Gail suggested reviewing library committee assignments for possible changes.  Amy told the board to think about what committee they may want to chair. It will be discussed at the next meeting.

Adjournment:  Gail made a motion to adjourn. Sarah seconded.  Amy adjourned the meeting at 5:23 p.m.

The next meeting will be October 14, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. in North Walpole.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the October 14, 2025 meeting. 

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 6/10/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 06/18/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

June 10, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, 

Susan Johnson, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jana Sellarole, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Gail Lahaise

Visitor:  Eryn Sellarole

Call to Order:  Amy called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. in the Hubbard Community Room.

Approval of Minutes:  Amy moved to approve the May 13, 2025 meeting minutes.  Erin seconded and all voted in favor;  motion carried.

Introduction of Eryn Sellarole:  Amy welcomed Eryn Sellarole to the meeting.  Eryn introduced herself as the new Chair of the Friends of the Library, working along with Gretchen Fowler in this role.  Eryn provided an update on their activities. The Friends board approved an additional $5,000 to the library for programming and newspapers.  The annual book sale is on again for the end of October. Every Wednesday during the summer from 9:30-10:30 at the Coop, the Friends will  sort books and accept donations for the book sale. They prefer that donations be dropped off here but will still accept books at the reuse center. They also welcome volunteers to help with the sorting process.  

Treasurer’s Report:  Kathy reported that last month we received a quarterly check from the Library Trust Fund for $5,000. It was more than expected but it was based on interest that they make. The library also received a large amount of donations in memory of Gary Rhodes.

Bills:  The biggest expense last month was renewal of Library Aware software.  Jane said she is considering changing to a less expensive software, but Julie finds it useful when sending out the newsletter each month.  They will continue to look for a less expensive option. Amy moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Erin seconded and all voted in favor; motion carried. 

Old Business

Old Home Days:  Jane reported that preparations for the march are underway and six staff members will participate.  Bill had the bookmarks printed and Sarah will order the temporary tattoos.

Library Scholarship: Amy delivered a letter and check to the high school prior to Awards Night.  Analiese Kenyon received the scholarship.  Susan suggested putting an announcement of this award in the Clarion. 

Bill suggested possibly refining the scholarship guidelines, but this could be done at a future meeting.

Long Range Planning:  Jane will send copies of the 2018 Five-Year-Plan to the trustees to review during the summer in preparation for writing the new long range plan.    

New Business

Policy Review:  Jane recommended reviewing one policy per meeting, as suggested at a recent regional trustees meeting. Trustees agreed it is a good idea.

At this board meeting Jane presented her ideas for our display policy, referring to the Nashua Public Library policy as an example.  Bulletin board and rack displays were discussed.  Kathy suggested rack displays follow bulletin board guidelines.  Susan recommended formalizing each policy by stating the policy has been approved by the Board of Trustees. It was also suggested that a statement saying all policies apply to both the main and North Walpole branches of the library appear at the beginning of the policy handbook. Jane said we can also make that statement on our website link to library policies. Jane will revise our display policy this summer and send it to the board for approval.

Operations:  Jane sent her operations report to the trustees for review prior to this meeting. She noted at the meeting that the Savings Bank of Walpole presented the library with a $200 grant, which Jane said would be used for the Walpole Reads program in the fall. The SBW will be listed as a co-sponsor of the event.

Jane said with increased funding from the Friends, she can plan some additional adult programs. She is currently working on one with a chocolate theme for late August or early September.

The frustration over the router continues.  No progress has been made.  Jane will contact Sarah Downing or Carolyn Vose to see if the Town can contact Consolidated on behalf of the library. In the meantime, it was suggested that staff give patrons who want to print the password for the other router.   

Adjournment: With no further discussion, Erin moved to adjourn the meeting. Sarah seconded and all voted in favor.  Amy adjourned the meeting at 4:55 p.m.

The next meeting will be September 9, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the Main Library.

Respectfully Submitted,  

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the September 9, 2025 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 5/13/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 05/21/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

May 13, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, 

Bill Ranauro, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director), 

Absent:  Jana Sellarole

Amy called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the main library.

Approval of Minutes:  Gail made a motion to accept the April, 2025 minutes as written.  Erin seconded the motion and all voted to approve. 

Treasurer’s Report: The trustees decided it would be more appropriate to change the name of the line item “Volunteer Dinner” to “Staff Appreciation” in the budget. This could then include dinners or other tokens of appreciation and avoid confusion.

Bills:  Jane discussed the library passes, which appeared in the bills.  She stated we will no longer purchase passes to the Currier Museum because they are seldom used.  She has added the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough.  With no further discussion, Amy moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Gail seconded, and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Old Business

Survey Results:  There were 102 responses to the survey.  Sarah compiled results and shared them with Jane, who highlighted the most frequently mentioned comments with the board. Results include the following:

  1. 89.6% of respondents feel the library is meeting its mission while 10.4% feel it is somewhat meeting its mission.
  2. The library needs more adult programming, including more intellectual programming (history, science, etc.).
  3. Many feel the library should engage more with the school and community.
  4. Roughly 52% of respondents come to the library once/week, 17% more than once/week, and 17% once/month. 90% come to the library to borrow books, 87% attend programs. Many use the library for the downloadables.
  5. Expand the collection to include more fiction in addition to best sellers.
  6. Several patrons expressed frustration using the moveable stacks; however, due to limited space in the library, the board feels it is the practical solution for meeting our collection goals.

Patrons were asked how they learn of announcements and events at the library and they replied:

  1. Library newsletter and emails
  2. Walpole Clarion
  3. Library website
  4. Sandwich board outside the library
  5. Library staff

Patrons feel the following are the strengths of our library:

  1. The staff 
  2. Children’s programming
  3. Large number of books
  4. Lovely space
  5. Customer services
  6. Inter-Library Loan
  7. Safe and inclusive
  8. Great for all ages

After looking at the survey results, it was decided that the 5-year planning should address:

  1. More resources for students and families
  2. More programs
  3. Opportunities for volunteers to participate in the library
  4. Increased resources for seniors
  5. Promotion of community partnerships

It was also decided that the library needs to do more self-promotion.  It was clear from the survey that many people are not aware of many services the library and its staff already provide.  

Next step is to set a time to do the long-range planning, which will include the entire board and some staff members.

Old Home Days

The musician is scheduled for the afternoon program at the library.  The parade was discussed. The staff felt that the idea proposed at last month’s board meeting focused too much on children;  the theme should include both adults and children.  The new and final idea was presented and Jane invited board members to participate, either by marching and/or doing the needed artwork. 

Bill presented his idea for the bookmark and asked for board input.  After a short discussion, decisions were made and Bill said he would take care of getting them made. 

Operations

Porch Lights:  Jane reported that Houghton came and adjusted the new lighting;  neighbors are satisfied with the adjustment.

State Budget:  Jane stated that monies are still available for libraries, so none of the services, ILL, Libby, and talking books, are threatened at this time. She has heard nothing new about the progress with the state budget but will keep the board informed of any news from Concord.

Circulation:  Libby and Hoopla continue to be very popular services, with Hoopla the most widely used.  Sarah asked Jane to explain the differences between the two.  Hoopla does not necessarily have all the latest best sellers that Libby does and it never requires a hold.  Holds on books in Libby can last several weeks.  Hoopla also has audio books (as does Libby) and videos.

Printer Problems:  Jane said Sarah’s husband came to the library to try to solve the printer problem but was unable to do so. Jane has been in contact with Consolidated again, and is waiting to hear when they can come to the library. Bjorn will meet with them when they come.

Buildings and Grounds:  Jane reported that the bark on one side of the new tree was scraped by machinery being used for roof repair next door. 

Friends of the Library:  The Friends have told Jane they want to give more money to the library.  Jane suggested the money be used for programming because she is unsure if grant money will be available for that.  The Friends also mentioned paying for newspapers and magazines.

Adjournment:  With no further business to discuss, Gail made a motion to adjourn;  Erin seconded. Amy adjourned the meeting at 5:08 p.m.

The next meeting will be June 10, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the Main Library.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the June 10, 2025 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 4/8/25

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 04/15/2025 Leave a comment

Walpole Town Library

Board of Trustees Meeting

April 8, 2025

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, Jana Sellarole, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Visitors:  Bevin Mitchell, Gretchen Fowler

Call to Order:  Amy called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. at the North Walpole Library. She welcomed Bevin Mitchell and Gretchen Fowler to the meeting and welcomed Jana Sellarole to the library Board of Trustees.

Recognition of Visitors:  Amy recognized Bevin and Gretchen, who came to give an update from the Friends of the Library.  Bevin reported that the book sale was very successful and the Friends were able to donate $17,000 to the library.  She said the Friends have made $3500 from book sales at the Reuse Center and offered a short history of the book area at the center. The 2026 book sale will take place October 25th and 26th, no Friday night.  She said it was difficult to coordinate that with the school.

Bevin stated that volunteers and board members are welcome to help sort books starting Wednesday, June 11th (and Wednesdays thereafter) at 9:30.  She also invited board members to join the Friends for their working meetings this summer on the third Thursday of the month from 5-6 at the coop. They discuss business as they sort and move books and pallets. Gretchen stated that they need more banana boxes. There has been a shortage but Kathy said she believes that is over.  Amy thanked Bevin and Gretchen for the update; they left the meeting at 4:38.

Elections:  After discussing the roles of Chair and Treasurer, Amy was reelected to the position of Chair of the Board of Trustees; Kathy was reelected as Treasurer and Jean as Secretary. 

Approval of Minutes:  Amy made a motion to accept the March minutes as written. Gail seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.  

Treasurer’s Report:  Kathy reported that our CD came due and was automatically renewed.  

Bills:  Jane reported that magazine subscriptions are ordered once a year through one company and that explains the high bill reflected in the report. She also said she bought a $20 library ad for the FMRHS playbill.  Susan thanked Jane for the new Mahjong cards. Sarah moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Erin seconded and all voted in favor. Motion carried. 

Old Business

Old Home Days:  Sarah found a musician, “Mr. Aaron”, to perform in the library after the parade. Time of the performance will be determined after the Old Home Day Committee has their next meeting.

There was a discussion about the parade: who would march, what they would do, what they would offer parade-goers. It was decided that bookmarks, rather than candy would be offered. Bill volunteered to make those; Sarah offered to help him. Gail and Erin suggested using the bubble machine and dancing to the accompanying song, encouraging children along the parade route to join in. Plans will be finalized via email;  Amy, Bill, Sarah, and Jane will serve as organizers.

Scholarship: Kathy reported that the scholarship can be funded by fees and donations. As a reminder, this scholarship is needs-based, merit-based, and the recipient must be civic-minded (school and community). The recipient will be chosen at the high school.  Bill will find out the name of the recipient and Amy will write a letter of congratulations to accompany the check. This individual will also be invited to a trustees meeting to be photographed with Shirley Capron. 

New Business

Impact of Funding Changes: Jane reported that the state is working on the state budget now;  there will likely be library cuts because the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has been told to make cuts. Jane said she met with the Alstead Library Director and they felt Inter Library Loan (ILL) would be the service most impacted by cuts in IMLS funding. They discussed the possibility of a mini consortium of local libraries but driving is a primary concern due to insurance and sorting and paperwork would need to be organized. Jane said she thinks Libby would continue but it would cost more and talking books are at risk. NH Humanities was cut, so grants will not be available. Everything is up in the air right now.  The trustees discussed ways they could lobby against these cuts; Sarah offered to draft a letter of support for state libraries on behalf of our Board of Trustees and will email it to members of the board for approval before sending it to local and state officials. Such a letter from the trustees supporting the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) can also be sent to our senators and representatives in Washington D.C.

Policy Changes:  Jane will clarify the policy regarding meetings and events in the Community Room to read:  “All meetings, programs, and events utilizing the library” must be open to the public.

Jane suggested changing the policy on library cards to say that a parent must sign for a library card along with their child, assuming responsibility for the materials the child checks out.

Buildings and Grounds: Jane reports that neighbors have complained the new lights on the porch are too bright.  She will talk to Brad about this;  perhaps there are warmer bulbs to use or the lights can be tilted differently. She will discuss this with Brad.

Technology:  Because Jane cannot get the router password from Consolidated, the printer manager suggested paying Consolidated $58/month for a new router and service. We cannot change providers;  we are part of a town contract with Consolidated and manage our own internet. Jane said we have enough money in the technology budget to pay for this. Amy suggested buying a new router elsewhere and finding someone to install it. Sarah suggested that Jane write a list of everything that needs to be done once we have a new router, and we will look for someone who is capable of doing all these tasks.  Trustees had a few names of people to contact. Sarah said she would have her husband send his recommendation for a router.  She asked Jane to take a picture of the existing router so he could find something comparable.

Friends:  After Amy, Sarah, and Jane met with various members of the Friends of the Library, they felt all outstanding matters of concern have been addressed and need not be discussed further.  

Adjournment: Gail moved to adjourn the meeting; Erin seconded, and all voted in favor. Amy adjourned the meeting at 6:10 p.m.

The next meeting will be May 13, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Main Library.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the May 13, 2025 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 6/11/24

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 06/16/2024 Leave a comment

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Tim Lester

Approval of Minutes: Amy moved to accept the May, 2024 minutes as written.  Susan seconded and all voted to approve.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy and Jane sent out copies of the Treasurer’s Report and Bills prior to the meeting for the Board to review.  There were no questions or comments.  Amy moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Gail seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Old Business:  Don Newcombe is repairing the grouting on the building today. Adam Vose reported that he is behind schedule but sent Jane photos of what he has done so far on the Community Room cabinets.  Jane said Rich Anderson is fine with planting a new tree on the side lawn. 

Amy will contact Tim about taking care of the new tree.  It was suggested that he go to either Maple Hill Nursery or Allen Brothers to look at and price trees.  They can deliver and plant for us. Since the Board will not meet in the summer, Amy said we could communicate via email to make a decision about a tree.

New Business:  Jane showed the Board pictures of the choices for the new North Walpole book drop.  One was on casters and one was not.  After weighing the pros and cons of both, the Board and Jane decided the book drop without casters would be safer and more secure.  Amy said we have money from the Friends to cover the cost of the book drop, freight, and lift fee so Sarah moved we buy the book drop without casters.  Amy seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Sarah has been thinking about doing a community survey as a check on how the library is doing in terms of meeting community needs and our stated goals and mission. She also said that in doing this, it might be time to revisit and update the long-range plan from the library since it was last done before the renovation. She discussed this with Jane, who approved of the idea.  Sarah said she and Jane can work on the bones of the survey this summer and have it ready to present to the Board at the September meeting. Amy offered to help. Amy suggested this could be something we do every two years, keeping the bulk of the questions the same.  Jane said this survey needs to include North Walpole and staff input.

Jean asked to whom the survey would be given and how it would be distributed.  Sarah said it could be published on Facebook and in the Walpolean and Clarion.  Sarah suggested possibly taking out a full-page ad containing the survey in the Clarion. It could then be cut out and  returned to the library.  Gail suggested putting boxes around town as a drop off for those who prefer to fill out a hard copy rather than complete the survey online.    

Operations:  Jane reported that the library received a donation of a Kilowatt Meter to circulate as a kit for adults.  She said it has already been in circulation.

The library has received several hundred dollars in donations in memory of Grace Chandler.

Friends of the Library: Drop off of donated books for the book sale begins next week.

Other Business:  Jane distributed revised copies of challenge policies.  They were changed to state that challenges can be made by patrons who are residents of Walpole. 

Adjournment:  Gail made a motion to adjourn.  Erin seconded and all voted in favor. Amy adjourned the meeting at 4:50 p.m.

The next meeting will be September 10, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the September 10, 2024 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 3/12/24

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 03/18/2024 Leave a comment

Present:  Amy Howard (Chair), Susan Johnson, Tim Lester, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director)

Absent:  Gail LaHaise, Bill Ranauro, Kathy Nerrie

Approval of Minutes:  Amy moved to accept the February minutes as written.  Susan seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:  Kathy emailed the report to the trustees prior to the meeting. 

Bills:  We have not yet received an invoice for the shelves.  

Amy moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Sarah seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Old Business

Building Projects:  Adam Vose will begin work on the Community Room shelves as soon as he receives the deposit from Kathy.

Shelves for the Children’s Room:  The shelves are in and everyone is very pleased.  Jane recognized Sarah’s husband Bjorn and Kai Crouse and sent our thanks for removing and moving shelves in the main library and North Walpole so the new shelves could be installed.

Substitute Librarian:  Pam Rohdenburg was hired as our new substitute.  She also plans to continue volunteering one day a week.

Antique Chairs:  Jane contacted Christi Winmill about the antique chairs in the Community Room.

New Business:  Amy announced that we will elect officers at next month’s meeting.  Those trustees who were just elected were reminded to take the oath of office in Town Hall before the April meeting, if they don’t do it at Town Meeting. 

Operations:

Tech Talks:  Due to low turnout, Jane will discontinue this service and encourage patrons with technology questions to make an appointment with her or Julie Rios.

Eclipse Program: On Saturday, March 23, at 10 a.m. there will be a program about the upcoming April 8 eclipse. Solar viewing glasses will be distributed to all.

Policies:  Jane distributed the updated library policies to the trustees prior to the meeting.  She reported the new non-resident policy is working well.

Collection:  Julie applied for and received grant funding from both the Keene Rotary and Children’s Literacy Foundation for new toddler and preschool literacy kits.

FBI Program:  29 people attended the program on March 9.  On behalf of RVSAH Jean thanked Jane and the library staff for setting up the Community Room for the program.

Buildings and Grounds: 

Grouting Work:  Jane will notify the contractor whose bid for the grouting work on the side of the library was accepted.  Work will be done this summer.  Amy suggested that we put the contractor on a rotation to repair one remaining side each year.

Other Business:  Jane stated she has a collection of old paintings stacked in her office.  Amy said we should look at and appropriately distribute them so that we can free the space in the office.

Adjournment:  With no further business to discuss, Tim made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Sarah seconded and all voted in favor.  Amy adjourned the meeting at 4:32 p.m.

The next meeting will be April 9, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. in North Walpole.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the April 9, 2024 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 2/13/24

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 02/22/2024 Leave a comment

Present: Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director), Peggy Pschirrer (Selectboard Liaison)

Absent:  Amy Howard, Tim Lester

Susan called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Main Library Community Room.  This meeting was recorded.

Approval of Minutes:  Two dates in the January, 2024 minutes were incorrect. The public budget hearing is February 8, not January 8, as written. The next board meeting should have read February 13, not February 12.  With these  corrections, Gail made a motion to approve the January minutes;  Bill seconded the motion, and all voted in favor.  Motion carried. 

Treasurer’s Report:  Kathy emailed the Treasurer’s Report to the Board prior to the meeting for review.  She pointed out that money for the new Children’s Room bookshelves is available from existing accounts and will be paid upon receipt of the invoice. 

Bills:  Jane emailed the list of bills to the Board for review prior to the meeting.  There were no questions so Gail moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills.  Kathy seconded and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Old Business

Cabinets in the Community Room:  Amy talked to Adam Vose about cabinetry for the Community Room, requesting the style discussed at last month’s meeting.  He gave her an estimate for the cabinets and installation, which she sent to the Trustees.  Gail moved to accept Adam Vose’s bid for cabinets and installation and Susan seconded the motion.  All voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Circulation Policy:  Jane revamped the library’s Circulation Policy and sent a copy to Board members prior to the meeting.  It spells out the new cost of library cards to non-residents.  Jane learned that Langdon gives money each year to Alstead to issue cards to to Langdon residents (Langdon has no library of its own.), so it is not necessary for Walpole to continue issuing free cards to Langdon residents, as we have been doing. It was decided to grandfather current cardholders into the old policy and charge Langdon residents who want a Walpole card moving forward.  Jane also stated a change in card renewal policy.  From now on patrons will need to renew in person (with an exception for those who cannot physically come to the library).  Susan moved to accept the updated Circulation Policy; Erin seconded, and all voted in favor. Motion carried.

Jane said she would email a new Policy Handbook to all the Trustees since so many policies have been updated.  Peggy asked her to send one to Sarah Downing as well.

Shelves for the Children’s Room:  Jane reported that the shelves should ship on the 16th.  Gail asked who will do the installation.  Jane said the company shipping the shelves will install;  she just has to work out a date with them.  Current shelving will be shipped to North Walpole.  The shelves in North Walpole will be sent to the Reuse Center.  Jane said we need to find someone with a truck to help transport the shelves.  Sarah offered to do that. 

Sarah asked if children’s programs would be moved to the Community Room during installation so they wouldn’t have to be cancelled.  Jane said they could do that or  possibly have some of the work done on the weekend when the library is closed.

New Business

Library Substitutes:  Jane asked for board approval to hire a new substitute for the library, and the board agreed .

Front Step Repair:  Jane passed around John Willette’s estimate for front step repairs.  The estimate covers removal of broken concrete and repouring of new concrete. He said it would require the library to close for one day.  Gail moved to accept John Willette’s estimate; Erin seconded, and all voted in favor.  Motion carried. 

Antique Chairs in Community Room:  Gail asked why the antique chairs (which display a sign requesting that patrons avoid sitting on them) are in the library if they can’t be used.  They were brought to the library from the Historical Society because they were once housed in the library. Jane will ask Christi Winmill if they can be returned to the Historical Society. 

Operations: Jane sent the Operations Report to the Board prior to this meeting.  Circulation and visitation are down slightly in North Walpole but have increased in the Main Library.

Mrs. Aube’s class from North Walpole visited the North Walpole Library.

Buildings and Grounds:  Jane ask Brad to remove the blank sign from the front yard of the library.

Friends of the Library:  Jane said the Friends have designated someone to pick up checks more frequently.

Other Business:  Gail recognized Peggy Pschirrer for serving as liaison to the library from the Selectboard.  Today is her last meeting because she is stepping off the Selectboard.  The Trustees thanked her for her long association with the library.

Adjournment:  With no further business Gail moved to adjourn the meeting;  Erin seconded.  Susan adjourned the meeting at 4:31 p.m.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. in the Main Library.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the March 12, 2024 meeting.

Library Trustees Meeting Minutes – 1/9/24

LIBRARY TRUSTEES 01/16/2024 Leave a comment

Present :  Amy Howard (Chair), Kathy Nerrie (Treasurer), Gail LaHaise, Susan Johnson, Bill Ranauro, Sarah Mann, Erin Bowen, Jean Kobeski (Recording Secretary), Jane Malmberg (Library Director), Peggy Pschirrer (Selectboard Liaison)

Approval of Minutes:  Gail moved to accept the November 14, 2023 minutes. Susan seconded, and all voted in favor.  Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Kathy emailed the Treasurer’s report to the board prior to this meeting.  She reported that she moved money from the checking account previously discussed to a 12-month CD at 5% interest.  

Kathy said we received more money than expected, due to the Friends.  Expenses were right on except that we expected to spend money on bookshelves for the Children’s Room, and we haven’t done that yet. Most of the landscaping bill was related to the tree removal.

Bills:  Jane sent a list of bills to the board for review prior to the meeting.  The only change is that we are now paying for the Downloadables from the library budget rather than the town budget.

Sarah asked if Jane had thought of any “Wish List” items like we discussed in November.  Jane said she and Amy discussed this. Amy introduced the idea of getting oak cabinets for the Community Room to replace the open, shallow shelving that is in there now. They would have closed cabinets on the top, a work surface, and drawers on the bottom for files and storage.  They would increase storage capacity and be more in keeping with the design of the room.  Susan asked where they would come from. Amy said we could work with companies like LaValley who could  create and install them. She said she and Jane could create a rendering and present it to the board for approval. 

Amy moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report and Bills. Gail seconded, and all voted in favor. Motion carried. 

Old Business

Town Budget:  Jane reported that repairs to the north side of the building will be added to the town budget rather than create a warrant article for them.  Repair of the steps was not included in that budget, however.  Amy said we probably have enough money in the library budget to cover that expense. Jane has not received an estimate for that work yet, but she will contact the contractor once again.

Budget Hearing:  Peggy announced that there will be a public budget hearing on January 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Town Hall.  She encouraged everyone to attend.

Status of Office Repairs:  Jane reported that repairs are done; the ceiling is painted, and she is very pleased.  There is no further leakage. 

Election Nominations:  Board members wishing to have their names put on the town ballot for reelection may do so during the last week of January.

New Business

New Meeting Time:  Board members decided to change the meeting time of the Library Board of Trustees to 4:00 p.m.  The only exception will be in April and October when they meet in North Walpole.  That start time will be 4:30 p.m.

Naloxone Kit/Training:  The idea of having a Narcan kit at the library was discussed and board members felt that it is unnecessary.  We are close to the clinic, the staff is trained in CPR, and our EMTs respond quickly.

Non-Resident Library Card Policy:  Jane said that all state libraries are being advised to take a look at their non-resident usage policies.  The use of streamable materials is increasing a great deal as are the costs of these materials. The cost to each library is based on usage and Jane provided data to show how Walpole’s usage has increased both for Libby as well as Hoopla.  In order to control the number of holds and check-outs, the state suggested we look at possibly changing our rules for non-residents. 

The Board discussed pros and cons of several possible actions and it was decided that Jane would draft a Non-Resident Library Card Policy for the Board to review at the February meeting. 

Operations: Jane said the library is trying out a new program.  Every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m., the library is sponsoring a brown bag lunch and a movie.  Patrons bring their own lunch and watch a movie free of charge.  Jane is trying to find movies that people may not have already seen, and she is looking for films that are 2 hours or less in length.  The first movie is this Thursday, January 11th:  The Station Agent.

Tech Talks, MahJong, Knitting continue to do well.  

There will be an Alzheimers/Dementia program February 1.

Friends:  Jane said there are four new board members.

Adjournment: With no further business to discuss, Gail moved to adjourn the meeting.  Erin seconded, and Amy adjourned the meeting at 4:46 p.m.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 12, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jean Kobeski, Recording Secretary

** These minutes are in draft form until approved at the February 12, 2024 meeting.