Minutes of Special Meeting In Board of Trustees
Corporation Tuesday, February 25, 2003

A Special Meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston as a Corporation was held in the Trustees Room of the Johnson Building at 3:00 p.m.

Present at the meeting were: Trustees James Carroll, V. Paul Deare, Berthé M. Gaines, Pamela Seigle, and William O. Taylor.

Also present at the meeting were: Kathleen Kirleis, Chief Financial Officer; Susan Clarke, Director of Development, the Boston Public Library Foundation; and members of the Library administration, staff, and public.

Chairman William O. Taylor presiding.

Chairman William O. Taylor requested the observance of a moment of silence in memory of Sidney S. Margolis, father of Library President Bernard A. Margolis, who passed away in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Monday, February 24, 2003. As an expression of condolence, on a motion duly made and seconded, it was

“VOTED: to establish the Sidney S. Margolis Book Fund in memory of the father of Boston Public Library President Bernard A. Margolis.”

The Chairman also called for a moment of silence for the ninety-eight people who perished in a West Warwick, Rhode Island nightclub stemming from a horrific blaze ignited by a pyrotechnic display.

Chairman William O. Taylor announced that after a lengthy and thorough search, Mrs. P.A. d’Arbeloff has been offered and has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Boston Public Library Foundation. The Chairman noted that Mrs. d’Arbeloff, who has served as Communications and Community Affairs Officer at the Boston Public Library for nearly four years, will bring a terrific talent and a unique knowledge of the Library with her to the Foundation when she assumes the position of Executive Director on March 3, 2003.

The Chairman provided background information on several letters of correspondence which he had received pertaining to support for the effort of members of the Boston City Council and the Allston community to rename the Allston Branch of the Boston Public Library in honor of the late City Councillor Brian J. Honan.

Mr. Taylor reported that presently there are three branches of the twenty-seven Boston Public Library branches which are named for individuals: the Connolly Branch in Jamaica Plain, the Faneuil Branch in Brighton, and the Kirstein Business Branch.

In light of this precedent, the Board discussed the desirability of establishing a policy and process for renaming branches for individuals given the fact that the remaining twenty-four branches are named for the neighborhoods in which they are located, which would include a process for room naming opportunities after individuals in the branches and the Central Library for which a precedent has also been established.

To further those ends, and on the recommendation of Trustee James Carroll, the Chairman said that a Sub-committee would be appointed to address the proposed request in a timely manner for renaming the Allston Branch in honor of Brian J. Honan.

Ms. Kathleen Kirleis, Chief Financial Officer, provided an update on the status of the FY03 and FY04 Library budget. The CFO reported that the City of Boston has received a $24 million cut in local aid funding for FY03 resulting in a $500,000 cut to the Library’s book budget for this year effective immediately. In addition, the City has instructed the Library to prepare a FY04 budget representing a reduction of 15 percent from the current levels of FY03 funding reflecting a $4.2 million reduction.

Further, there is a State requirement that the book budget line item should be a minimum of 12 percent of the total budget in order to qualify to receive State aid. Therefore, in light of the recent $500,000 cut and in order to meet the State spending level of 12 percent on books, the CFO reported that trust fund monies would be used for books to meet the State funding requirement in order to receive State aid.

Trustee Berthé M. Gaines inquired whether the Library had expended the entire allotted funds for books last year. The Chief Financial Officer reported that the Library used the entire City and State funds allocated for books last year and the Library staff is actively taking steps to ensure that this year’s appropriation for books is fully expended.

State statute and regulations also require the City to maintain its funding efforts by increasing the Library budget by 2.5 percent based on a three-year rolling average. Therefore, in light of the budget reductions, the Library would need to seek and receive approval of a waiver from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in order to continue to qualify to receive State aid as well as funding for the Library of Last Recourse for FY04.

The CFO reported on additional cost saving initiatives designed to reduce FY03 expenditures, including a voluntary furlough program for Management and Exempt staff initiated by the City to help bridge the budget gap. In addition, the Library has begun notification with the collective bargaining unions and the affected staff to discontinue the Mobile Library Services unit reflecting a savings of $285,000.

Trustee V. Paul Deare inquired about the future status of the Mobile Library Services staff. The CFO reported that the five staff members would be reassigned to other Library units pending discussions with the unions and the book budget totaling $50,000 would be reallocated to other Library departments. Trustee Deare commended the CFO on the efforts to retain the Library staff and reincorporate them into the Library system.

Trustee James Carroll inquired about the history and mission of the Mobile Library Services unit. Ms. Dibble reported that the BPL initially had a bookmobile, which was replaced with the Mobile Library Services during the 1970’s, to provide Library services to nursing homes and to home bound people. Presently, forty-two home bound individuals are visited by the BPL staff, seventy-two individuals are served by the Meals on Wheels program, and seventy-five nursing homes and assisted-living facilities have deposits of books.

Meanwhile, the CFO stated that the Library is reviewing alternatives to provide options for continuing these services, including continuing collaborations with the Meals on Wheels program and issuing special fine-free Library cards enabling home bound and nursing home residents to have materials longer and not have to pay overdue fines.

Chairman William O. Taylor suggested establishing a volunteer program, in collaboration with the Boston Public Library Foundation and Friends’ Groups, to provide for continuing Library service to the home bound and nursing homes.

Following further discussion, on a recommendation by Trustee James Carroll, and on the occasion of the pending closing of the Mobile Library Services unit, it was

“VOTED: to acknowledge gratefully the work of the Mobile Library Services staff and that the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston are determined to explore alternatives to continue to provide services to the clients of the Mobile Library Services unit.”

On the FY04 budgetary front, the Chief Financial Officer reported that in addition to a City reduction of 15 percent from the FY03 budget representing a cut of $4.2 million, the Library is also making provisions for a State reduction of 20 percent, including in the Library of Last Recourse funding. In crafting the FY04 budget, the CFO reiterated that efforts are being taken to mitigate impact on public service and staff layoffs through the use of alternative sources of funding and utilizing different delivery of services.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of these pending cuts, the Library has had beginning discussions with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to determine whether there would be any roll back of State requirements in order to continue to qualify to receive State aid as well as funding for the Library of Last Recourse program. In addition, preliminary discussions have also been held with the MBLC concerning meeting the 12 percent book requirement for FY04 and other State mandated program requirements.

The CFO reported on additional cost saving strategies under consideration for FY04, including the use of trust funds for personnel, enhanced retirements and staff furloughs, and voluntary reduced schedules for employees.

Trustee Carroll reported that on a news program last evening the Mayor of Springfield, MA said that he had just been forced to layoff thirty-five librarians. Mr. Carroll said that it would be very useful to the Trustees if the CFO could research what cost saving strategies other major cities in Massachusetts are implementing in their public libraries in light of the State fiscal crisis.

The Chairman acknowledged receipt of a letter from Ms. Serena Enger, President, Professional Staff Association and welcomed Ms. Enger to provide an overview of the concerns expressed in the letter to the Board.

There being no further business, the Special Meeting of the Corporation adjourned at 3:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Jamie McGlone
Clerk to the Trustees