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Boston Public Library Meetings Board of Trustees |
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November 19, 2002 A Regular Meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 at 3:00 p.m., at the Roslindale Branch, 4238 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131. Respectfully submitted, Jamie McGlone Order
of Business for a Regular Meeting as a Corporation and Administrative
Agency on 1. Executive Session Mr. William O. Taylor 2. Presentation on Roslindale Branch Library and Introductions of Branch Library Staff by Mr. Jim McConnell, Roslindale Branch Librarian Mr. William O. Taylor 3. Presentation by Mr. Gregory Tobin, President, Friends of the Roslindale Branch Library Mr. William O. Taylor 4. Approval of Minutes for the Regular Meetings of September 17, 2002 Mr. William O. Taylor 5. Approval of Revised Room Use Request
Mr. Bernard A. Margolis 6. Trustees' Finance Committee Report The Trustees' Finance Committee has reviewed and recommends to the full Board of Trustees approval of the following addition to the existing Trust Fund in the General Investment Account "VOTED: that the sum of $5,400.00 representing miscellaneous gifts be added to the Irwin D. Hoffman Fund in the General Investment Account as required by the authorizing vote."
Mr. William O. Taylor 7. Award of Contract The Trustees' Finance Committee has reviewed and recommends to the full Board approval of the following award of contract
Mr. William O. Taylor 8. Award of Grant: Save America's Treasures The Trustees' Finance Committee has reviewed and recommends to the full Board approval of the following award of grant
Mr. William O. Taylor 9. Approval of Druker Lecture Trust Fund expenditure The Trustees' Finance Committee has reviewed and recommends to the full Board approval of the following Trust Fund expenditure:
Mr. Bernard A. Margolis 10. Trustees' Collections Committee Report Mr. William O. Taylor 11. Trustees' Capital Projects Committee Report Hon. Angelo M. Scaccia 12. Trustees' Education Committee Report Ms. Pamela Seigle 13. President's Report
Mr. Bernard A. Margolis 14. The Boston Public Library Foundation Ms. Marie Pettibone 15. The City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library
Mr. William O. Taylor 16. Other Business Mr. William O. Taylor 17. Adjournment Mr. William O. Taylor Minutes
of Meeting In Board of Trustees A Regular Meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston as a Corporation was held at the Roslindale Branch Library, 4238 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA at 3:00 p.m. Present at the meeting were: Trustees William M. Bulger, James Carroll, V. Paul Deare, Donna M. DePrisco, Berthé M. Gaines, Joseph E. Mullaney, Angelo M. Scaccia, Pamela Seigle, and William O. Taylor. Also present were:
Library President Bernard A. Margolis; Mark Sweeney, First Assistant,
Corporation Counsel, City of Boston; Jim McConnell, Roslindale Branch
Librarian; Gregory Tobin, President, Friends of the Roslindale Branch
Library; Chairman William O. Taylor presiding. The first item on the order of business was a meeting of the Board in Executive Session. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Trustees voted to go into a meeting of the Board in Executive Session at 3:05 p.m. and returned to the meeting of the Corporation at 3:35 p.m. Library President Bernard A. Margolis introduced Mr. Jim McConnell, as the newly appointed Roslindale Branch Librarian, to share his observations about the Roslindale Branch Library. Mr. McConnell welcomed everyone to the Branch and paid tribute to Ms. Dorothy Martin, who retired as Roslindale Branch Librarian on October 31, 2002 after 32 years of service to the Boston Public Library, and extended an invitation to a reception in Ms. Martin's honor tomorrow evening hosted by the Friends of the Library. Mr. McConnell presented an overview on the history, resources and services of the Roslindale Branch Library which has provided continuous Library services to the community since 1878 in a variety of locations, including the present Branch location which opened to the public in 1961. Among the special unique features of the branch, Mr. McConnell noted that there is a completely separate Young Adults collection which is used heavily by students from eight neighborhood schools and a very strong English-as-a-Second Language and literacy collection. The Staff of the
Branch were introduced to the Trustees, including Children's Librarian
Ms. Paula Wiktorowicz, who was recently honored by the Board at
the 19th Annual Trustees' Reception and Recognition Ceremony for
Library Staff on October 17, 2002 for twenty-five years of dedicated
service to the Boston Public Library. Mr. Tobin reported that the primary mission of the Friends' Group, whose membership totals 250 people, is fundraising for the Branch through annual book sales coupled with fostering special programs for the Library, including the very popular ESL conversation groups held weekly at the Branch. Ms. Katherine McCloskey, Assistant Director, Belfast Public Library, Northern Ireland reported on the successful collaborative efforts taking place as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Belfast Education and Library Board and the Boston Public Library which the Board of Trustees adopted on March 13, 2001. Ms. McCloskey paid tribute to Ms. Katherine Dibble and the staff of the BPL for the success of the partnership whose overall aim is to promote and share good practice in the development and provision of library services for the citizens of both cities, through the exchange of information and the development of joint initiatives. The next item on the order of business was the approval of the Minutes for the Regular Meeting held on September 17, 2002. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of September 17, 2002 were approved. The Chairman reported that the proposed revised room use request from John Hancock Financial Services would be removed from the agenda based on a written communication and request from John Hancock Financial Services to Library President Bernard A. Margolis pertaining to the use of Library space on Boston Marathon Day through the year 2008. The Chairman reviewed background information on a proposed room use request from Reebok Corporation's Human Rights Award Program for use of Library space on April 9, 2003. The Chairman noted that the Trustees' Finance Committee has reviewed the request, which involves the use of non-public Library spaces without any intrusion on public spaces, and recommends approval of the request to the full Board of Trustees. Following discussion, on a motion duly made and seconded, it was
Mr. William O. Taylor, Chairman of the Trustees' Finance Committee, provided background information on the proposed addition to the Irwin D. Hoffman Fund in the General Investment Account which the Trustees' Finance Committee had reviewed and approved for recommendation to the full Board. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was
Mr. Taylor provided background information on the proposed approval of an expenditure from the Druker Lecture Trust Fund Celebrating Design and Architecture for costs associated with the first annual lecture scheduled for March 2003. On a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees' Finance Committee, it was
Mr. William O. Taylor, Chairman of the Trustees' Collections Committee, reported on the continuing work of the Committee noting that a meeting was held today, prior to the Board meeting, to review sites under consideration for the acquisition of property earmarked for the construction of a new state-of-the-art Boston Heritage Center. Completion of the storage center would provide appropriate storage conditions for the Boston Public Library and City Archives' archival and retrospective collections as well as providing convenient public access within the City to these vast collections. On a parallel course, in anticipation of the Library's move from the Charlestown Service building, Mr. Taylor reported that the Boston Public Library has undertaken significant work at the storage facility by relocating the staff to the Central Library and paring down and relocating the collections housed at the facility to the Library's remote storage facility in Norwood, MA. Efforts are also underway to relocate the historic Jordan Collection of Children's Literature presently housed in Charlestown to Norwood. The Honorable Angelo M. Scaccia, Chairman of the Trustees' Capital Projects Committee, expressed appreciation to Trustee Berthé M. Gaines for presiding over the last Capital Projects Committee meeting held on November 4, 2002. The Chairman reviewed the highlights of the various capital projects ongoing throughout the Boston Public Library noting that the McKim Restoration project, Phase IIB (Courtyard/McKim Roof) is 100% complete. Meanwhile, construction has commenced for McKim Phase IIC, which will include the restoration of several significant public spaces, including the original Trustees' Room, the Cheverus Room, the Abbey Room and the Sargent Gallery. The project is slated for completion by May 2004. Chairman Scaccia reported that McKim Phase IIC construction cost is estimated at $14.3 million with a total project budget estimated at $20.4 million, which is in place at the City Treasury, including the transfer of the $7.5 million from the State-funded match as a result of the City's advance of $1.2 million that has been fully reimbursed to the City. The architectural services for McKim Phase IIC are being provided by Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson & Abbott, Inc. The contractor for the project is Lee Kennedy Company and the Straus Center for Conservation at the Harvard University Art Museums is overseeing the restoration of the priceless murals by John Singer Sargent and Edwin Austin Abbey. On the financial front, the Boston Public Library has been awarded a $470,000 Save America's Treasures grant through the National Parks Service which will be applied to the McKim Restoration project, Phase IIC. Chairman Scaccia reported that the Boston Public Library has issued a Request for Proposals for the McKim Map Room Café and Tea Room project. The architectural designer will work in collaboration with the selected café operator vendor to design and develop the café and tea room spaces in preparation for the café to be fully operational by early spring 2003. On the Branch libraries capital projects front, eighteen branch libraries are in various phases of capital work, including exterior renovations to the Codman Square, Grove Hall, and Lower Mills branches; renovations to the South Boston and Roslindale branches; and major roof repairs and ADA accessibility improvements to the Connolly branch. In addition, capital improvements are slated for the Faneuil and Jamaica Plain branches funded, in part, from a grant received from the Massachusetts Historic Commission. The Chairman also reported on the successful implementation of the ongoing Critical Repair Fund projects for FY 2003, in which a total of $167,000 in smaller capital projects not exceeding $25,000 have been committed this fiscal year, including the installation of sound attenuators in the Johnson building and a HVAC unit replacement for the Charlestown branch library. Ms. Pamela Seigle, Chair of the Trustees' Education Committee, reported on a very successful Education Committee meeting held earlier today which was attended by over twenty members representing the Boston Public Schools, the Boston Public Library, the Higher Education Information Center, ReadBoston, the BPL Foundation, and other Youth-serving agencies. Ms. Seigle noted that the focus of the meeting was to hear a presentation by Ms. Lisa Moellman and Ms. Jodi Rosenbaum on the development of a very exciting new youth initiative entitled BPL-CyberCITY Library Initiative. The collaborative effort is designed to integrate and augment existing youth programs, such as the Homework Assistance program and the Harvard Online Tutoring program, and is aimed at revitalizing Library youth spaces, technology and programming for Boston's youth. The mission of the BPL-CyberCITY Library Initiative is for young people, library and CyberCITY staff, adult mentors, community-based organizations, and business community partners to work cooperatively to maximize the unique potential of libraries to become engaging neighborhood youth spaces. To further that end, this collaboration will focus on developing young people's communication literacy, interpersonal connection, technological fluency, and career-building strategies during out-of-school time. Three interim goals for the BPL-CyberCITY collaborative effort have been established: youth will have a voice and sense of ownership as integral, valued members of the library and the community; youth will gain valuable Information Communication Technology (ICT) knowledge, literacy and skills that would be applied critically to their life experiences; and youth will gain information and hone skills for leadership, careers and college. Ms. Seigle further reported that the Boston Public Library Foundation would be funding a planning process for the initiative, which would culminate in September 2003, with the opening of a cutting-edge designed teen space at the Copley Square Library with substantial input from Boston teens. Ms. Seigle said that she would keep the Board abreast on the development of the youth programming efforts, including arranging for a presentation on the BPL-CyberCITY Library Initiative at a subsequent Trustees' meeting. On a similar collaborative effort, Ms. Seigle reported on the wonderful presentation by Ms. Marie Pettibone, Executive Director, and Ms. Susan Clarke, Director of Development, the Boston Public Library Foundation on the Adopt-A-Branch Library Initiative which will be piloted at the Codman Square Branch. Sponsored by the Young Professionals Group of the BPL Foundation, the program is aimed at engaging youth with adult mentors in the redesign of youth spaces in the branch libraries coupled with developing technological skills and career-building strategies. Ms. Seigle reported that the Higher Education Information Center, which is located on the Concourse level of the Copley Square Library and provides outstanding programs and counseling on college and other career opportunities, is opening satellite centers at four Boston Public Library branches slated for January 2003. In response to an inquiry from Mrs. Gaines, the President reported that satellite centers are being planned for the Dudley Literacy Center, and the Codman Square, East Boston, and Hyde Park branches. President Bernard A. Margolis, in his report to the Trustees, first congratulated Trustee V. Paul Deare on his new appointment as Director of Economic Development for the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation. On the capital projects front, President Margolis invited the Trustees to visit the McKim building and tour the ongoing restoration of the John Singer Sargent murals by the conservators from the Straus Center for Conservation at the Harvard University Art Museums. On the development front, as noted earlier, the President reported that thanks to the work of the BPL Foundation, the Library has been awarded a $470,000 Save America's Treasures grant through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Mr. Bob Martin, Head of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will be visiting Boston this week and will be given the opportunity to view the Sargent Gallery mural restoration work. In addition, the $500,000 federal grant proposal submitted to support the restoration of the personal Library of John Adams is pending Congressional budget negotiations. On the branch libraries front, the President reported that the Allston Branch Library has been recognized with the Honor Award from both the Boston Society of Architects and the New England Association of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is a finalist for the National AIA Honor Award. Sadly, the President reported that last week a 78-year old Library patron was struck and killed by a hit and run driver in front of the Allston Branch Library. The Library is working with the City to address traffic control improvements in the neighborhood branch area. On the publications front, the President noted that the Boston Public Library is prominently featured in a new book of photographs by well-known photographer Abelardo Morell entitled "a book of books" with the preface written by Nicholson Baker. The President also updated the Board on the publication status of the Arthur Heintzelman Catalogue Raisonné which is in process through the efforts of Keeper of Prints Sinclair Hitchings. The President reported that he was invited to be a guest speaker in Taipei, Taiwan on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Taipei Public Library. The President accepted the invitation, at his own expense and on his own time, and has donated his speaking fee to the Boston Public Library. President Margolis updated the Board on the FY 2003 financial challenges facing the Boston Public Library, which include City reductions of $700,000 and State budget cuts of $1.3 million, directly impacting programs offered through the research library as well as the Boston Region. In addition, there also have been several indirect State cuts, including a major cut of over 93% of the budget for online databases, coupled with significant cuts in the budget of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners which provides funding for several major service components offered at the BPL. The Boston Public Library has also been heavily impacted by the City of Boston's Early Retirement Incentive program, in which fifty-one staff members opted to retire from the Library on October 31, 2002, representing nine percent of the total full time Library staff. In addition, the total cost of the early retirement program impacted the Library's payroll budget totaling $2.6 million. The President noted that the resultant impact on the Library system reflects the City's rule to allow the Library to fill twenty percent of the dollar value of those positions enabling the Library to fill twelve positions. However, the Library continues to advocate daily for additional positions to be filled, and since October 31, 2002, the City has subsequently approved filling fifteen positions in the current budget. Trustee Joseph E. Mullaney referred to a recent article in The Boston Globe which indicated that the financial situation currently facing the State and the City of Boston may be even worse in the next fiscal year. On a related topic, President Margolis shared with the Board the Massachusetts Legislative Agenda for FY 2003 that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners recently adopted which is focused on trying to maintain library funding at existing State levels. In light of these budget and staffing reductions, the President said that the Library is strained to maintain any level of consistent service. Meanwhile, the Library has held good discussions with the staff seeking their input on prioritizing the filling of approved positions and strategizing on improving efficiencies coupled with discussions with the Library Regions on ways to improve services to them at a lower cost than other providers while at the same time building revenue enhancements for the Library. Ms. Kathleen Kirleis,
Chief Financial Officer, reported on the following cost saving strategies
recently implemented to address the FY 2003 budget reductions: utilizing
technology for reserve and overdue notices; transitioning as many
forms as possible to electronic versions to eliminate paper forms;
eliminating subsidizing the staff cafeteria; identified cost savings
in the graphic arts and book processing areas; collaboration with
other Libraries in the State to negotiate better discounts for purchasing
books and library materials; and the disposal of materials through
an online book pilot program to enhance revenues. In an overview of the report, Mr. Young noted that thirty-three non-public service and eighteen public service employees opted into the program which has necessitated restructuring and reorganizing various aspects of the Library, including the elimination of Duplicating and Inspection and Information Services Departments and the realignment of several public service departments. Ms. Katherine Dibble, Director of Public Services, reported on a number of public services reorganization activities and personnel actions recently implemented as a result of the impact of the early retirement incentive program. Three branch librarian vacancy positions were posted and filled, including the appointment of Mr. Jim McConnell as Branch Librarian of the Roslindale Branch. In addition, as a result of the significant number of retirements in the Research Library, Ms. Dibble reported that a General Reference Department has been established at the Central Library, to enhance the delivery of reference services and to guarantee continuity in the quality of Library services, through the consolidation of three former reference departments and the professional Librarians from the Inter-Library Loan Department. Trustee Seigle asked what happens when specialized reference requests are received from the public for the reference departments that were consolidated and inquired about the process used to develop the public services reorganization plan. Ms. Dibble replied that if public reference inquiries are unable to be answered by the General Reference Department staff on duty then the inquiry would be referred to Library staff members with specialized backgrounds in the subject area. Ms. Dibble described the process used to determine the reference services reorganization plan, which included a review of the staffing configurations resulting from the early retirement incentive plan, coupled with an analysis of library use statistics and the desirability of an interdisciplinary approach to reference services. Trustee V. Paul Deare inquired about the staffing plans for the Rare Books and Manuscripts Department in light of the recent retirements of two librarians. Ms. Dibble reported that the Library has received permission from the City to post the Professional Library III position which serves as the Curator of Manuscripts position while a vacant Pre-Professional position has been transferred to the Rare Books Department. In other business, the President reported that the Boston Public Library Action Plan FY 2004, which the Trustees approved on September 17, 2002, has now been approved by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. As noted earlier, the Boston Public Library had issued a Request for Proposals for the McKim Map Room Café and Tea Room project resulting in a list of seven qualified vendors which had been shared with the Board. Following a required pre-bid conference, the President reported that two vendors have submitted bids for the project: Creative Gourmet and Sebastians. Meanwhile, site visits to the companies are scheduled for early December, followed by final interviews in mid-December, in anticipation of recommending a contract to the Board for its approval in January 2003. Ms. Marie Pettibone, Executive Director of the Boston Public Library Foundation, reported that she will be leaving her post at the end of December 2002. Ms. Pettibone introduced Ms. Susan Clarke who will be serving as Acting Executive Director while the search for an Executive Director is underway by the Foundation's Board of Directors. Ms. Pettibone noted that the Foundation is projecting to raise over $3 million during 2002 which included a $470,000 grant from the Save America's Treasures Foundation earmarked for the McKim Restoration project. In other fundraising activities, the Foundation has secured a pledge to help spearhead the establishment of a Map Center at the Boston Public Library and also secured a $350,000 gift from the Hearst Foundation to support Children's programming. In other activities, Ms. Pettibone reported that a College and Career Night sponsored by the Young Professionals Group has been planned for December 3, 2002 at the Higher Education Information Center in the Johnson building. In addition, the 3rd Annual Festival of Lights has been scheduled for Friday evening, November 22, 2002 in the Library's McKim building which is expected to attract over 600 participants to help meet the goal of raising $100,000. The Chairman welcomed Mr. David Vieira, President, City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library, who reported on the various fundraising activities and upcoming events sponsored by the Friends' Group. Mr. Vieira said that the City-Wide Friends once again would be funding the New England Aquarium passes which are available at both the Main and Branch Libraries and recently purchased new exhibition panels which are used for exhibits in Deferrari Hall. In addition, Mr. Vieira said that the City-Wide Friends were instrumental in securing a donated 25x30 square foot American Flag which will be hung in Deferrari Hall and also secured a donation of hand-held food baskets from Shaw's Market Corporation to be used as book baskets throughout the Library system. Meanwhile, Mr. Vieira noted that the Friends' Group stands ready to assist the Trustees in advocating for the restoration of State and City Library funding. There being no further
business, the meeting of the Corporation adjourned at Respectfully submitted, Jamie McGlone Minutes
of Meeting In Board of Trustees A Regular Meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston as an Administrative Agency was held at the Roslindale Branch Library, 4238 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA at 5:00 p.m. Present at the meeting were: Trustees William M. Bulger, James Carroll, V. Paul Deare, Donna M. DePrisco, Berthé M. Gaines, Joseph E. Mullaney, Angelo M. Scaccia, Pamela Seigle, and William O. Taylor. Also present were:
Library President Bernard A. Margolis; Mark Sweeney, First Assistant,
Corporation Counsel, City of Boston; Jim McConnell, Roslindale Branch
Librarian; Gregory Tobin, President, Friends of the Roslindale Branch
Library; Chairman William O. Taylor presiding. The first item on the order of business was the approval of the Minutes for the Regular Meeting held on September 17, 2002. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of September 17, 2002 were approved. Mr. William O. Taylor, Chairman of the Trustees' Finance Committee, provided background information on the proposed award of contract for the procurement of library books which the Finance Committee had reviewed and recommended to the full Board for approval. The proposed award of contract provides for an amendment to the book contract under which additional vendors were added to the approved vendor list. Following discussion among the Board, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees' Finance Committee, it was "VOTED: that there be entered into a non-advertised contract, as 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 the revised and additional vendors listed herein (including any subsidiaries or agents), for the acquisition of books and for certain other library bibliographical acquisitions materials, in an amount not to exceed the amount appropriated in the Library Department budget for books and other related bibliographical acquisition materials, during the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003." Trustee Pamela Seigle, on behalf of the Board, thanked the staff of the Roslindale Branch Library for hosting the Trustees Meeting and the Friends of the Branch for providing the delicious desserts and refreshments. There being no other business, the meeting of the Administrative Agency adjourned at 5:15 p.m. Jamie McGlone
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