BPL - Trustees January 16, 2007 Meeting

1. Chairman’s Report

Mr. Jeffrey B. Rudman

2. Welcome and Introduction of Grove Hall Branch Library Staff and presentation on the Resources and Services of the Grove Hall Branch Library by Mr. Richard Kort, Grove Hall Branch Librarian. Welcome and Introduction of Ms. Patricia Carrington, President, Friends of the Grove Hall Branch Library.

Mr. Jeffrey B. Rudman

3. Approval of Minutes for the Trustees’ Meetings of the Corporation and Administrative Agency held on November 14, 2006

Mr. Jeffrey B. Rudman

4. Update on the Boston Public Library Heritage Center project

Mr. James Carroll

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

5. Update on the Trustees’ Collections Committee

“VOTED: to approve and adopt the Charter and Guidelines for Endowment of the Boston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committee.”

Chairman William O. Taylor

6. President’s Report

General Review

· Review of proposed Establishment of the Charles J. Wilkins Trust Fund

“VOTED: that Bernard A. Margolis, President of the Public Library of the City of Boston, or his designee, be and hereby is authorized to accept a gift in the amount of $500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Dollars and No Cents) as the Charles J. Wilkins Trust Fund and to use the proceeds from the fund to support the use, care and conservation of the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library. The funds are to be used primarily for this purpose but are not intended to limit the Library’s need to expand this scope if, in the judgment of the Trustees and President of the Library, the need should arise. This restriction may be modified or eliminated despite further contributions to this fund or reliance by any outside party on the original vote.”

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

7. Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee Report

· Modification of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund

The Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee met on January 8, 2007 and voted to recommend a modification of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund (noted below) at the request of the donors to dissolve the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Endowment so that the principal can be spent as approved in the second resolution noted below:

· Establishment of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Fund on May 17, 2005

“VOTED: that Bernard A. Margolis, President of the Public Library of the City of Boston, or his designee, be and hereby is authorized to accept a gift in the amount of $100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Dollars and No Cents) earmarked for the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Fund and to use the proceeds from the fund to support the enhancement of the Library’s Port of Boston Maritime industrial history collections. The funds are to be used primarily for this purpose but are not intended to limit the Library’s need to expand this scope if, in the judgment of the President of the Library, the need should arise. This restriction may be modified or eliminated despite further contributions to this fund or reliance by any outside party on the original vote.”

· Modification of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Fund

“VOTED: to authorize Library President Bernard A. Margolis, or his designee, to implement a modification of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund at the request of the donors and to dissolve the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Endowment so that the principal can be spent according to the Trust Fund resolution.”

Honorable William M. Bulger

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

· Adoption of the Revised Boston Public Library Room Use Policy

The Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee met on January 8, 2007 and reviewed and recommended for approval to the full Board the following resolution pertaining to the Revised Boston Public Library Central Library Space Use Policy, Procedures, and Fee Schedule:

“VOTED: to approve and adopt the Revised Boston Public Library Central Library Space Use Policy, Procedures and Fee Schedule”

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

Ms. Ruth Kowal

8. The Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee met on January 8, 2007 and voted to recommend to the full Board approval of the following Room Use Request from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library

““VOTED: to approve the request from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library for use of space at the Hyde Park Branch Library on March 3, 2007 for the Annual Bookmark Ball. The Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library will pay for security and all other logistical costs associated with the Event.

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

Ms. Ruth Kowal

9. Review of proposed Award of Contracts

The Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee on January 8, 2007 reviewed and recommended for approval to the full Board the following award of contract for supplying Periodicals and Serials and the award of contract for the acquisition of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials:

NON-ADVERTISED CONTRACT FOR SUPPLYING PERIODICALS AND SERIALS FOR THE PERIOD COMMENCING JANUARY 1, 2007 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007 AND SERVICING THE SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS tHROUGHOUT THE YEAR

“VOTED: that without public advertising, there be entered into with the EBSCO Subscription Services, 1163 Shrewsbury Avenue, Suite E, Shrewsbury, New Jersey 07702-4321 a contract for (1) supplying periodicals and serials for the period commencing January 1, 2007 and ending December 31, 2007 and (2) servicing the subscriptions for the individual items throughout the year as specified in the Specifications, and subject to the terms, agreements, and conditions set forth in said contract, at a total cost not to exceed one hundred sixty one thousand one hundred forty eight dollars and no cents ($161,148.00).”

Contract amounts for prior years are as follows:

2006 - $161,148.00

2005 - $161,148.00

2004 - $161,148.00

2003 - $330,331.00 (3 year non-advertised contract)

CONTRACT INCREASE FOR THE PURCHASE OF BOOKS AND CERTAIN OTHER LIBRARY BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ACQUISITIONS MATERIALS

“VOTED: that the non-advertised contract with Midwest Tape, LLC, authorized under G.L., c30-B, Section 7 (a), referred to as “Procurement of Library Books”, between the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston (a Corporation under Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1878), and Regent Books, for the acquisitions of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials, be increased in an amount not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars and no cents ($500,000.00), during the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.”

Honorable William M. Bulger

Mr. Bernard A. Margolis

10. Update on the Trustees’ Capital Project Committee

Honorable Angelo M. Scaccia

11. Update on the Trustees’ Technology Task Force

Ms. Zamawa Arenas

12. Update on the Trustees’ Neighborhood Services Committee

Mr. James Carroll

13. Update on the Trustees’ Marketing and Fundraising Task Force

Ms. Karyn M. Wilson

14. Adjournment

Mr. Jeffrey B. Rudman

Minutes of Meeting Corporation and Administrative Agency
Grove Hall Branch Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston as a Corporation and as an Administrative Agency was held at the Grove Hall Branch Library, 5 Crawford Street, Roxbury, MA at 3:00 p.m.

Present at the meeting were: Trustees Zamawa Arenas, William M. Bulger, James Carroll, Berthé M. Gaines, Jeffrey B. Rudman, Angelo M. Scaccia, and Karyn M. Wilson, and former Chairman of the Board William O. Taylor.

Also present at the meeting were: Library President Bernard A. Margolis; Alice Hennessey; P.A. d’Arbeloff; Helen Dajer; Alyce Lee; Mary Frances O’Brien; Jean Capizzi; P.A. d’Arbeloff; Rubi Simon; Dr. Frances Burke; Robin Hadley; Maribeth Cusick; David Vieira; Sarah-Ann Shaw; Mimi Jones; Inez Foster; Carol Mahoney; Ruth Kowal; Edward Maheigan; Richard Kort; Patricia Carrington; and Jamie McGlone, Clerk to the Trustees.

Chairman Jeffrey B. Rudman presided.

Chairman Jeffrey B. Rudman welcomed the Stakeholders, Friends and Associates of the Public Library of the City of Boston and introduced Mr. Richard Kort, Grove Hall Branch Librarian. Mr. Kort welcomed the Trustees and attendees to the Grove Hall Branch Library and provided an overview on the Branch Library resources and services provided to the community.

Mr. Kort introduced the staff of the Grove Hall Branch Library and Ms. Patricia Carrington, President, Friends of the Grove Hall Branch Library. Ms. Carrington welcomed the Trustees and thanked the Board for holding its meeting at the Grove Hall Branch.

Chairman Rudman noted that his report to the Library Stakeholders entitled 2006: The Year in Review was distributed electronically today which lists the extensive achievements of the Boston Public Library and its support organizations in calendar year 2006.

The Chairman reported that a delegation will be traveling to Paris later this month to celebrate the opening of the international exhibition of the “Voyager and Visionary ALEXANDRE VATTEMARE (1796-1864) and the Origins of International Cultural Exchange Exhibit”. This international exhibition was conceived and co-produced by the Biblioth èque Administrative de la Ville de Paris and the Boston Public Library and is slated to open in Paris January 2007 and then at the Boston Public Library in mid-June 2007.

The next item on the order of business was the approval of Minutes for the Trustees’ Meetings of the Corporation and Administrative Agency held on November 14, 2006.

In a meeting of the Corporation, on a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Trustees’ Meetings of the Corporation held on November 14, 2006 were approved. In a separate meeting of the Administrative Agency, on a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Trustees’ Meetings as an Administrative Agency held on November 14, 2006 were approved.

Trustee James Carroll provided an update on the Boston Public Library Heritage project pertaining to the pending sale of the Charlestown Service building. Trustee Carroll spoke with Boston Redevelopment Director Tom Miller to convey the Trustees’ strong desire and concern for the pending sale of the remote storage facility to be brought to a final resolution in a timely fashion.

Trustees’ Collections Committee William O. Taylor provided an update on the activities of the Collections Committee which met on January 8, 2007 and unanimously recommended approval to the full Board adoption of the Trustees’ Collections Committee Charter and Guidelines for Endowment of the Boston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committee.

Chairman William O. Taylor reviewed the proposed Charter of theBoston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committeewhich was distributed to the Board in advance of the Trustees’ Meeting as follows:

Boston Public Library Board of Trustees
Collections Committee Charter

Purpose: The purpose of the Trustees Collections Committee is to assist the Library in decision making regarding rare and special materials acquisition, access, conservation and preservation. The Committee is intended to bring broader input and expertise to the process of building and maintaining the Boston Public Library’s rich, remarkable and unique collections of research and cultural materials. The Committee is also encouraged to explore ways the collections can further the library system’s commitment to research, public outreach and education in Boston ’s diverse and vibrant neighborhood communities.

Composition : The Collections Committee shall include no fewer than two members of the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, the Library President, the head of Public Services of the Boston Public Library, the Collection Development Manager, key senior staff, as well as special collections curators and keepers representing various relevant specialties and collection-based interests. Individuals from the community at large will also serve on the Collections Committee consistent with our goal of increasing governance transparency and the breadth of citizen input, as well as the building of constituencies focused on maximizing public service.

Areas of Focus:

Conservation and Preservation: Ensure that over time all items in the BPL special collections are maintained, repaired, restored, conserved and preserved properly.
Acquisition: Continue to augment the collection’s core strengths and address significant gaps through selective purchases and the solicitation of contributions of special materials through new and existing endowments, gifts and purchases.
Access: Promote new, creative and compelling approaches to sharing the BPL collections across the Boston community, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the wider world.
Coordination: Explore ways to support and leverage system-wide initiatives being pursued throughout the BPL where appropriate and strategically advantageous.

Process: Sub-committees dedicated to each of the focus areas above will be established. These groups will develop proposals related to strategy, priorities, goals and implementation planning that will be presented to the full Committee for review and evaluation on a quarterly basis.

The Committee shall report at least once annually to the full Board of Trustees on its activities.

The Committee’s process is not intended to affect the regular ongoing development and management of the Library’s collection, and is intended to complement and coordinate with the ongoing operations of the Library and its branch system.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of Chairman William O. Taylor and the members of the Trustees’ Collections Committee, it was

“VOTED: to approve and adopt the Charter of the Boston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committee.”

Chairman William O. Taylor provided background information on and reviewed the proposed Guidelines for Endowmentof theBoston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committeewhich was unanimously recommended for approval to the full Board for adoption in a Trustees’ Collections Committee meeting on January 8, 2007.

Chairman William O. Taylor reviewed the proposed Guidelines for Endowmentof theBoston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committeewhich was distributed to the Board in advance of the Trustees’ Meeting as follows:

Collections Committee of the
Boston Public Library
Guidelines for Endowment

The Boston Public Library regularly receives gifts of personal property which contribute to the Library’s mission. Experience demonstrates that there is a financial cost incurred by the Library associated with the care and preservation of these gifts to insure that the gifts may serve that mission and fulfill the intention of the donor. Consequently, in most instances, although not all, the Library will request from the donor an appropriate financial contribution to endow the care and preservation of the gift, subject to the guidelines set forth below.

Trustee Karyn M. Wilson recommended consideration of a Sixth Guideline pertaining to the acceptance of gifts supported by cash donations which are not in the form of an endowment.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of Chairman William O. Taylor and the members of the Trustees’ Collections Committee, and subject to the inclusion of a Sixth Guideline as recommended by Trustee Karyn M. Wilson pertaining to Gifts supported by cash donations to be used outright and not in the form of endowment may also be considered, it was unanimously

“VOTED: to approve and adopt the Guidelines for Endowmentof theBoston Public Library Trustees’ Collections Committee.”

President Bernard A. Margolis, in his report to the Trustees, reviewed a wide array of ongoing Library initiatives, programs, services and usages. On the human resources front, President Margolis reported that collective bargaining discussions with the Library’s two unions are continuing and remain productive.

The President reported that five BPL staff members have been selected for the State’s Annual Leadership Institute including Elizabeth Smith, Christine Schonhart, Jennifer Koerber, Danielle Dreger, and Stephanie Lewis.

On the legislative front, Governor Mitt Romney as one of his last legislative actions signed into law Senate Bill No. 2484 under Massachusetts Chapter 340 lifting the cap on the real and personal property held by the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston which previously was capped at $50 million.

Meanwhile, a bill in the General Court has been introduced and is pending to rename the Copley Square T Station to Copley Square/Boston Public Library which was endorsed by the Honorable Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

The President noted that he has been serving on a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners State Aid Committee charged with rewriting the State Aid to Libraries provisions in the law. Currently, $9.3 million is appropriated by the Legislature for State Aid to Libraries and the State Aid Committee decided at its last meeting to target an annual State Aid to Libraries appropriation of $40 million as the desired level of support.

On the digitization front, President Margolis reported that the City approved the Library’s request to proceed with the posting of two Digital Services positions which have been posted and the Library is proceeding with the hiring process for these two critical jobs. Additionally, the President noted that the BPL was awarded $50,000 to begin the digitization of children’s books in collaboration with the University of Maryland and the BPL has been awarded a grant to begin digitizing musical scores in collaboration with the Boston Athenaeum.

Further, the President reported that the Sloan Foundation in late December 2006 approved a $1 million grant to the Open Content Alliance to digitize collections in five major libraries including the Boston Public Library which will be earmarked for the John Adams Library. The Sloan Foundation has also agreed to sponsor a summit on digitization with the Boston Library Consortium at the Boston Public Library this spring.

On the legal front, the President noted that two more maps believed stolen by Mr. E. Forbes Smiley have been recovered and the Library is expecting their return while two early baseball photographs stolen from the Library over twenty years ago have also been returned subsequent to an investigation of a fraudulent auction.

On the exhibitions front, the President reported that the “John Adams Unbound: Featuring the personal library of President John Adams” on display in the McKim building remains incredibly popular and has been reviewed as one of the most spectacular exhibits in the history of the Boston Public Library since its founding in 1848.

On the branch libraries front, the President noted that the branches continue to be very bustling neighborhood resources throughout the City and reported on several significant branch staffing changes: Ms. Catherine Clancy has been appointed the Roslindale Branch Librarian; Ms. Alice Roberts has been appointed Dudley Branch Librarian; Mr. Jim Morgan has been appointed Jamaica Plain Branch Librarian; and Ms. Sara Slymon has been appointed Mattapan Branch Librarian.

On the programming front, the President reported that the Honorable William M. Bulger will be moderating a debate he will be participating in with Mr. Richard Wendorf, Director of the Boston Athenaeum, on Thursday, January 18, 2007 in the Rabb Lecture Hall of the Boston Public Library.

The debate addresses the question of “Why the Boston Athenaeum should become part of the Boston Public Library” which was a debate instilled by Alexandre Vattemare when he suggested that the new Boston Public Library should take over the Boston Athenaeum and expand it with the addition of the Mercantile Library and other libraries in the City and become the Public Library of the City of Boston.

Trustee Berthé M. Gaines inquired about the length of the Children’s Librarian vacancy at the Dudley Branch Library and what other branches remain without a Children’s Librarian. Ms. Carol A. Mahoney, Neighborhood Services Manager, reported that Children’s Librarian positions remain vacant at the Grove Hall, Mattapan, and Dudley Branch Libraries which has been particularly difficult to fill in light of no internal candidates and despite ongoing national recruiting efforts.

President Bernard A. Margolis provided background information on the proposed Establishment of the Charles J. Wilkins Trust Fund noting that the Boston Public Library received a bequest from the estate of Charles J. Wilkins totaling $500,000.00 and recommended to the Board the Establishment of the Charles J. Wilkins Trust Fund and to use the proceeds from the fund to support the use, care and conservation of the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of President Bernard A. Margolis, the resolution for the Establishment of the Charles J. Wilkins Trust Fund to be earmarked to support the use, care and conservation of the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library was unanimously approved as follows:

The Honorable William M. Bulger, Chairman of the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee, and President Bernard A. Margolis reviewed background information on the Committee’s recommendation to the full Board in a meeting held on January 8, 2007 pertaining to a modification of the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund (noted below) at the request of the donors to dissolve the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Endowment so that the principal can be spent as approved in the second resolution noted below.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee, the resolution for a modification to the Arthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund was unanimously approved as follows:

“VOTED: to authorize Library President Bernard A. Margolis, or his designee, to implement a modification of theArthur Lane/Jane Mead Trust Fund at the request of the donors and to dissolve theArthur Lane/Jane Mead Endowmentso that the principal can be spent according to the Trust Fund resolution.”

President Margolis and Deputy Director Ruth Kowal provided background information on the proposed adoption of the Revised Boston Public Library Room Use Policy which the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee reviewed and recommended for approval to the full Board in a meeting on January 8, 2007.

Following extensive discussion on the modifications to the guidelines on approving religious ceremonies held only in junction with wedding receptions, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committees, the resolution pertaining to the adoption of the Revised Boston Public Library Room Use Policy was approved as follows with Trustee Berth è M. Gaines abstaining:

“VOTED: to approve and adopt the Revised Boston Public Library Central Library Space Use Policy, Procedures and Fee Schedule.”

President Margolis provided background information on the proposed approval of a request from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library for use of space at the Hyde Park Branch Library on March 3, 2007 for the Annual Bookmark Ball which the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee recommended for approval to the full Board in a meeting on January 8, 2007.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee the resolution pertaining to the Room Use Request from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library was unanimously approved as follows:

“VOTED: to approve the request from the Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library for use of space at the Hyde Park Branch Library on March 3, 2007 for the Annual Bookmark Ball. The Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library will pay for security and all other logistical costs associated with the Event.”

President Bernard A. Margolis provided background information on the proposed award of two contracts which the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee reviewed and recommended for approval to the full Board in a meeting on January 8, 2007 for supplying Periodicals and Serials and for the acquisition of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials.

Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committee the proposed award of two contracts for supplying Periodicals and Serials and for the acquisition of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials were unanimously approved as follows:

2006 - $161,148.00
2005 - $161,148.00
2004 - $161,148.00
2003 - $330,331.00 (3 year non-advertised contract)

“VOTED:that the non-advertised contract with Midwest Tape, LLC, authorized under G.L., c30-B, Section 7 (a), referred to as “Procurement of Library Books”, between the Trustees of the Public Library of theCity of Boston (a Corporation under Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1878), and Regent Books, for the acquisition of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisition materials, be increased in an amount not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars and no cents ($500,000.00), during the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007.”

The Honorable Angelo M. Scaccia, Chairman of the Trustees’ Capital Projects Committee, reported on the highlights of the Trustees’ Capital Projects Committee meeting held on January 10, 2007.

The Chairman reviewed the outstanding progress of seven significant capital projects and improvements including: McKim Restoration Project, Phase IID; Sargent Gallery Supplemental Lighting project; Boston Public Library Heritage Center project; capital renovations and repairs to the Grove Hall Branch; construction of a new Mattapan Branch Library; a new Boston Public Library at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School; and replacement of the Johnson building Hot Water Heater system.

The Chairman reported that the McKim Restoration project, Phase IICis completed and the City Treasurer has granted permission for the Library to begin the architect designer selection process for McKim Phase IIDutilizing the $1 million in funds carried over from McKim Phase IIC. To further that end, a Request for Designer Qualifications to perform a programming study was issued on January 2, 2007 with qualification statements due on January 18, 2007.

Subsequent to the designer selection process, a contract will be issued to perform the architectural and programming study that will form the basis of McKim Phase IID. The study will be coordinated with the Master Plan for the Central Library and is slated to be completed within one year after the contract is executed.

Meanwhile, the McKim Restoration project, Phase IIDpreliminary planning efforts have begun with a focus on the project scope, which will include the renovation of five primary public spaces, including the Print Gallery, Music and Fine Arts Departments,Rare Books and the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center on the McKim third floor.

Additionally, the Library will be exploring potential spaces to separately accommodate the John Adams Library currently on exhibit in the McKim Building’s Changing Exhibits Room in response to the public’s desire to have enhanced access to the collection.

The Chairman reported that the Sargent Gallery Supplemental Lighting Project was successfully bid and the contract is in process and expected to be executed by the end of January 2007. Work is slated to begin early February 2007 in anticipation of a completion date by summer 2007. The design for the Sargent Gallery Supplemental Lighting Project is being done as a continuation of Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson & Abbott, Inc. McKim Phase IICdesign contract.

The McKim Phase IID project schedule and financing will be driven in part by fundraising efforts and in conjunction with the architect designer selection process. Funding for McKim Phase IIDwill have a heavy reliance on potential individual donors and federal and state sources estimated at a total project budget of $25 million.

The Chairman was delighted to report that the City of Boston has significantly increased the capital construction budget for the Boston Public Library Heritage Centerproject from $8 million to $12.5 million to cover costs associated with the complete replacement and installation of a HVAC climate control system and the purchase and installation of high density shelving and an archival retrieval system.

Meanwhile, the firm of Fletcher Harkness Cohen Moneyhun, (FHCM) Architects has been actively working on the design development of the Boston Public Library Heritage Center since last spring.

The Chairman acknowledged the strong advocacy of Trustee Berthé M. Gaines successfully resulting in many Grove Hall Branch Library capital improvements and repairs that were completed over the last two years which include: the installation of a new HVAC system; new roof system complete with roof covering, drains and flashing; two large trees removed and the rest trimmed and pruned; reconstruction and paving of the parking lot area; rewiring and replacement of lighting fixtures over the Crawford Street entrance ramp; specifications for the replacement of a new front door; repairs to the parking lot lights; painting of the Lecture Hall; repairs to the broken sections of the fence; and the installation of a new security lock.

Through the outstanding persistent efforts of Capital Projects Officer Joseph Hogan, the Chairman reported that excellent progress is being achieved toward the development of a new Mattapan Branch Librarylocated at the corner of Blue Hill Avenue and Babson Street. The construction design review documents have been completed and were submitted to the Public Facilities Department on December 19, 2006 including the essential technology enhancements for the branch.

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners approved a construction grant application for the new Mattapan Branch Librarytotaling $4.5 million in anticipation of a construction starting date in the spring of 2007. President Margolis walked the Library Stakeholders through the construction model of the new Mattapan Branch Library which was on display in the meeting room.

Ground breaking ceremonies for incorporating a Boston Public Library Branch in the Jeremiah E. Burke High Schoolwere held on December 7, 2006 with a project completion date slated for August 2008. W.T. Rich, Co. has been selected as the contractor for the project and issues of security, fire control, information technology, and public access to the Library are being addressed in collaboration with the Boston Public Schools and will be vetted with the Friends of the Grove Hall Branch.

The Johnson building hot water heater system which supplies hot water to all staff and public restrooms in the entire Johnson building was recently replaced and installed. The unit was 38 years old and served well beyond its life cycle and was installed before and after service hours without any interruption to public service operations.

Chairman Scaccia reported that Critical Repair Fund projectstotaling $216,663 are complete or are in process for FY 2007 earmarked for capital projects not exceeding $100,000. The Budget Office had allowed the Library to carryover $101,727 from FY 2006 reflecting a total budget of $351,727 available for FY 2007. Included among the projects are: mold remediation; HVAC system repairs; water damage repair work; electrical upgrades in the Branches; roof and bathroom repairs, skylight repairs, air quality assessment services, and environmental testing.

Chair Zamawa Arenas reported on the initiatives of the Trustees’ Technology Task Force which met on November 14, 2006 at the North End Branch Library immediately following the Trustees’ Meeting and was preceded by an outstanding presentation by Ms. Maura Marx, Digital Services Manager, on the emerging Boston Public Library Digital Services program.

Chair Arenas noted that the Trustees’ Technology Task Force reviewed and discussed at length the details of the Boston Public Library Digital Services program including an ongoing exploration of two mass Book Digitization Programs for bringing the BPL’s digital program to a leading national model: Google Book Search and the Open Content Alliance.

Chair Arenas noted further that the Task Force is undertaking a thorough review of the similarities and differences of the two mass Book Digitization Programs in anticipation of a recommendation to the full Board of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston for bringing the Boston Public Library Digital Services program to fruition.

Chairman James Carroll reported on initiatives of the Trustees’ Neighborhood Services Committee which met immediately preceding the Trustees’ Meeting at the Grove Hall Branch Library and whose mission is to assist the Trustees and the Library administration by providing advice for decision making regarding the scope of services rendered to the various neighborhoods of the City of Boston.

Chairman Carroll reported that the unanimous consensus of the Trustees’ Neighborhood Services Committee at its previous meeting on November 30, 2006 was to establish the Sub-Committee charged with drafting a set of service standards by which to evaluate the quality of services the Boston Public Library is delivering to the Neighborhood Branches.

Subsequently, the Sub-Committee of the Boston Public Library Trustees’ Neighborhood Services Committee met on December 11, 2006 and deliberated on a process and brainstormed on its ongoing quest to set criteria and a set of standards with which to evaluate the quality of services being delivered to the Neighborhood Libraries.

The Chairman reported that Ms. Alyce Lee provided an outstanding comprehensive review of the Sub-Committeemeeting held on December 11, 2006 to the full Committee and highlighted five categories and a related set of questions developed by the members to be considered by the full Committee for evaluating the quality of services being delivered to the Neighborhood Libraries as follows:

Meanwhile, Chairman Carroll noted the next steps include a refinement of the draft set of criteria and standards which will be brought back to the full Committee at its next meeting along with the development of a survey questionnairewith a list ofassessment questions that will be asked of each branch library to determine how services are being delivered.

Additionally, Chairman Carroll reported that representatives from the Boston Redevelopment Authority will be invited to a Committee meeting on May 8, 2007 for a presentation on the Neighborhood Master Planning Initiative and an overview of the City process as it relates to the current Branch Library facilities to enlighten the Committee on how the City planning process affects the neighborhood libraries.

Trustee Berth è M. Gaines noted that past Trustees’ Examining Committee Reports would also prove very useful to the work of the Neighborhood Services Committee.

Chair Karyn M. Wilson reported on the initiatives of the Trustees’ Marketing & Fundraising Task Force which met on November 30, 2006 and whose Charge is to raise the positive visibility of the Boston Public Library in order to continue to enhance the environment for fundraising.

To further those ends, Chair Wilson reported that the Task Force is working diligently to explore the development of an integrated marketing and advertising campaign for the Boston Public Library.

The Task Force brainstormed on developing an umbrella positioning statement focused on key words or phases the BPL’s primary users would associate with the BPL since current marketing theorists suggest an institution has to own one word associated with the institution. The suggested key words or phases the BPL’s primary users would associate with the BPL by the Task Force members included: Knowledge; Discover; Exploration; and Connections.

Chair Wilson noted that the goal of the Task Force is to eventually put the Action Plan out to bid through an RFP process which in some cases one firm might wish to handle some or all the marketing aspects of the plan including coining a word or phrase that the public associates with the Boston Public Library.

Additionally, the Task Force emphasized that the work of the group would also be enhanced greatly if an agency could be retained preferably on a pro bono basis to begin to bring the Action Plan to fruition ideally by mid-January 2007 which is being pursued by several Task Force members.

Trustee Berth è M. Gaines requested and the Chairman agreed that the minutes reflect the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston are grateful that former Board Chairman William O. Taylor has agreed to Chair the Trustees Collections Committee in light of his prior expertise and familiarity with the collections, having served as Chair of the Collections Committee since 1996, and his extraordinary contribution to the BPL as former Chairman of the Board and Trustee since 1990.

There being no further business, the Meeting of the Corporation and Administrative Agency adjourned at 5:00 p.m.