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Boston Public Library Meetings Board of Trustees |
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March 14, 2000
Order
of Business for a Regular Meeting as a Corporation on
1. Approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000 Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 2. Enabling vote for the signing of contracts and payrolls
3. Confirmation of telephone poll on February 29, 2000
4. Consent to Enter Property Agreement
5. Trustees’ Finance Committee Report Mr. William O. Taylor 6. Trustees’ Capital Projects Committee Report Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 7. Office Space for Affiliate Organizations Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 8. Trustees’ Collections Committee Report Mr. William O. Taylor 9. Trustees’ Education Committee Report Ms. Pamela Seigle 10. President’s Report
Mr. Bernard A. Margolis 11. The Boston Public Library Foundation Mr. John J. Cullinane 12. Associates of the Boston Public Library Ms. Vivian Spiro 13. Presentation by Ms. Barbara Wicker, Hyde Park Branch Librarian Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 14. Presentation by Ms. Claire Pauley, President, Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 15. Other Business Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 16. Review of Evaluation Process of the President Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 17. Recess of Corporate Meeting Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 18. Executive Session (after adjournment of Administrative Agency Meeting) Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney Order
of Business for a Regular Meeting as an 1. Approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000 Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney
2. Award of Contracts:
Mr. Bernard A. Margolis 3. Other Business Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney 4. Adjournment Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney
A Regular Meeting of the Trustees of the Public Library as a Corporation was held at the Hyde Park Branch Library, Weld Hall, 35 Harvard Avenue, Hyde Park, MA at 3:00 p.m. Present at the meeting were Trustees V. Paul Deare, Donna M. DePrisco, Berth» M. Gaines, Joseph E. Mullaney, Angelo M. Scaccia, Pamela Seigle and William O. Taylor. Also present were BPL President Bernard A. Margolis; Vivian K. Spiro, Chair, Associates of the Boston Public Library; Eleanor Jensen and Jean Sheikh, Literacy Chair, City-Wide Friends of the BPL; Erin Hester, Senior Project Manager, Department of Neighborhood Development; Karen Coppa, Esquire, Corporation Counsel, City of Boston; Kate Frazier, Bob Silagi, Bob Pye and Bruce Patterson, Arnold Communications; David Vieira, Chairman of the Hyde Park Centennial Committee; Robert and Nancy Hannan, President, Hyde Park Historical Society; Natalie Boches and Bob Smith, representatives of the Friends of Hyde Park Branch Library; members of the Library administration, staff, public and Friends’ Groups.
The first item on the order of business was the approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000 were approved. The President provided background information on a proposed enabling vote for the signing of contracts and payrolls of the Library reflecting the recent change of titles and appointments of the Director of Operations and Director of Public Services. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was
The Chairman provided background information on a telephone poll conducted by the Clerk on 29 February 2000 concerning a request by the Boston Latin School Association for use of Library space for a reception in connection with the "Mapping Boston" exhibition. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was
Ms. Ruth Kowal, Director of Operations, provided a synopsis on a proposed Consent to Enter Property Agreement and License with Neil F. McGlaughlin who is the owner of two buildings that abut the parking lot at the Library’s Charlestown Service Building. The City Law Department has reviewed the request and prepared a neighbor accommodation Consent Agreement for the Board’s consideration, which would permit the owner to have access to the rear of the two buildings via the Charlestown Service Buildings parking lot. Mrs. Gaines inquired about liability concerns and was informed that liability is waived by the owner in the Consent Agreement. On a motion duly made and seconded, it was
Mr. William O. Taylor, Chairman of the Trustees’ Finance Committee, reported that the Finance Committee met last on February 23, 2000 in which it was decided to meet on April 4, 2000 with the Board’s two investment portfolio managers, The Boston Company Asset Management, Inc. and State Street Global Advisors, to review their progress against benchmark market achievements. The Committee also had a review of the Library’s Fiscal Year 2001 budget projections and approved two budget submissions to the City of Boston’s Office of Budget Management. The first was a baseline format that isolated inflationary, contract and operational changes to all continuing activities carried forward from the previous fiscal year. The second format highlighted planned library initiatives that were prioritized for selection from a longer list of the Library’s needs. Mr. Taylor reported that there also followed a review and discussion of the Auditor’s Fiscal Year 2000 Management Letter in which the Chief Financial Officer noted both the progress to-date and planned approaches to resolve deficiencies recited in the Management Letter. The Committee meeting concluded with a discussion on the Tea Room Conversion project, which has been funded but is not yet in use because of flood contingencies. The Chairman noted that the President reviewed the progress within a screening process to identify and select an operator for the Tea Room in an effort to have it up and running this year pending kitchen renovations. In response to a question from Mrs. Gaines, the President reported that he has interviewed a number of restaurant firms seeking proposals for operating a cafe in the Tea Room, including the Boston Restaurant Group, Restaurant Associates and the Fairbanks Group. Mr. Joseph E. Mullaney, Chairman of the Trustees’ Capital Projects Committee, reported that the Trustees’ Capital Projects Committee met this morning and gained an update on the status, schedule and finances of the McKim Restoration Project, Phase IIB (Courtyard/Roof) coupled with an insight on the project scope, timetable and anticipated financing of the McKim Restoration Project, Phase IIC. The Chairman reported that McKim Phase IIB is currently proceeding on schedule and the funding is in place but the contractor for the project, W. T. Rich Construction Company, has raised a number of concerns about its ability to acquire quickly enough certain stone and brick materials specified for the Courtyard to meet the anticipated completion date of late July 2000. Meanwhile, the representatives from the Department of Neighborhood Development have been resisting the contractors’ attempt to delay the present completion date of 31 July 2000 for an additional two months while they explore comparable materials that would be readily accessible for the project and perhaps grant more time later on for the McKim Roof project. With respect to McKim Phase IIC, the Chairman reported that Ms. Hester had provided an overview of the planning efforts including the project scope, scheduling, timing, financing and potential revenue sources that began in 1998 and is slated to be completed in 2003. In addition, the architect’s contract for design services with Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott, Inc. has been completed and was signed by the President on behalf of the Board. The design review process has commenced and is estimated to run up to 63 weeks. This process not only looks at the technical side of the design solutions but also the programmatic operational solutions as well. In other capital projects, the Chairman reported that the Johnson building carpeting has been formally rejected resulting in the necessity to pursue legal action against the carpet company by the Department of Neighborhood Development, who are serving as the project managers. The recommended resolution to the manufacturer is to tear the carpet out and install a new carpet that meets all of the specifications, including environmental and long-term durability concerns. In addition, the renovations to the Johnson building public restrooms (two sets) have been completed and are now open to the public. On the branch libraries capital projects front, the Chairman reported that work is progressing toward the construction of a new Allston Branch Library coupled with a host of major capital initiatives ongoing at the Codman Square, Grove Hall, Lower Mills and Mattapan Branch Libraries, including roofing repairs and window restoration. Further, a number of ADA compliance projects are progressing at the Connolly, Faneuil, Kirstein and Parker Hill Branch Libraries. The Chairman reported that the Boston Public Library Foundation has requested office space in the Central Library, for both convenience and expense saving measures, noting that the Library currently provides space to a number of other affiliated organizations. In light of the ongoing transition at the Foundation, the President said that the Library would welcome the opportunity for them to be closer, particularly to educate the new Director, Assistant Director and possibly a new grants writer about the Library’s mission. The President noted that while the Library views this request as an administrative issue, the Clerk researched past Board minutes for earlier action regarding the granting of office space for affiliate organizations but found none. However, the Associates and the City-Wide Friends Group both have office space in the Library and have had it for many years. These were granted on an administrative basis. Mrs. Gaines said that it could be very positive for the Library but the Board might also be giving the staff mixed messages. The Vice Chair suggested reviewing the Agreement between the Trustees and the Foundation to clarify those relationships. Following further discussion, the Board agreed to accommodate the Foundation’s request for office space in the Central Library subject to a review of the Agreement with the Foundation. The President said that space is available in the newly renovated office areas in the McKim Building on the Third Floor. The Chairman then requested that the President write a letter to the Foundation granting them space in the Central Library subject to termination if the operating needs of the Library required the space and other appropriate conditions. Mr. William O. Taylor, Chairman of the Trustees’ Collections Committee, reported that the Committee is currently investigating a piece of property located near the Boston Medical Center as a potential site for the development of the Boston Heritage Center project, which would address both the Boston Public Library’s and the City’s long-term storage, preservation and archival needs. On a related topic, the President reported that Mr. Edward Collins, Chief Financial Officer for the City of Boston, has agreed to put $1,500,000 in the Capital Budget for planning money targeted for the Boston Heritage Center project. Ms. Pamela Seigle, Chair of the Trustees’ Education Committee, reported that the Committee met on January 12, 2000 to move forward towards the Education Committee’s over-arching goal, which is to establish by the end of this school year, a Cooperation Agreement between the Boston Public Library and the Boston Public Schools. The Cooperation Agreement would be between the Trustees of the BPL and the School Committee of the BPS and would outline specific action steps to foster meaningful collaborations between the Library, Schools, and among other cultural and educational institutions for the education and enhancement of services for the children of Boston. Further, Ms. Seigle said that the efforts toward the establishment of a Cooperation Agreement would be taken with the understanding that it is an evolutionary work in progress, in light of the constraints of resources in both institutions, and also from the perspective of what the changing needs of the Boston Public Schools are and the role that the Boston Public Library might most effectively play. To further these ends, Ms. Seigle reported that Mss. Karen Duff and Christine Peterson have established a taskforce to examine school outreach activities by the Library. The first task to be undertaken annually each Fall would be to conduct a general survey of all the schools that the Children’s librarians visit in the neighborhoods in which they work. The survey would enable the taskforce members to examine the critical issues around school visiting in an effort to further develop and support outreach relationships with the schools. Ms. Seigle also reported on an innovative outreach initiative being developed by Ms. Duff titled the Boston Public Library Online Tutoring Project, which grew out of the current Homework Assistance Program, matching Boston area-middle school and high school students with Boston-area University tutors online and in real-time for the development of mathematics skills. Mrs. Gaines commended Vice Chair Pamela Seigle and the members of the Trustees’ Education Committee for the wonderful work that the Committee is performing on behalf of the children of Boston. President Bernard A. Margolis, in his report to the Trustees, first called upon Ms. Kathleen Kirleis, Chief Financial Officer, to review the Library’s proposed FY2001 Operating Budget request to the City of Boston. Pursuant to the City’s budgeting process, Ms. Kirleis reported that two budgets were submitted yesterday in a meeting with the City’s Budget Department: a Baseline Budget Request totaling $26,436,783; and a Budget Request with Initiatives totaling $27,741,911. The CFO reviewed the Library’s proposed FY2001 Operating Budget Request with Initiatives that would provide funding for the following activities: Allston Branch Opening; New Periodical Center; Increased Branch Hours; Compliance/Planning Initiatives; Increased Access to the Internet; and Expanded Staff Training. On the capital side, the CFO reported that the proposed FY2001 Capital Budget Request had been previously submitted to the City and the Library is presently awaiting a response from the Office of Budget Management. Meanwhile, President Margolis and the CFO are scheduled to meet with the Mayor and representatives from the City’s Budget Department about these budget submissions on March 24, 2000 in preparation for the Mayor’s budget submittal to the Boston City Council targeted for April 8, 2000. With respect to the proposed budget initiative to increase branch hours, the President shared with the Board communication from a citizen’s movement underway to get an expansion of Library hours. A Dorchester resident has established a Web Page titled OpenTheLibraries.Org to call upon City and Library officials to expand operational hours at all of the branch libraries. The President noted that the Library’s proposed budget request is responsive to the idea that branch hours need to be expanded. On the strategic planning front, the President recalled that the Trustees had reviewed the strategic statements that were developed by the Change Team in response to the staff and public focus groups held last year. Based on this guidance from the Board, the Strategic Process Team has organized the statements into three Principal Strategies to guide the Boston Public Library 2000-2003. To this end, the President said that a Strategy Implementation Team, consisting of twenty staff members from all parts of the Library, has been created to guide the development of detailed action plans to implement these Principal Strategies, to bring forward an action plan, to create recommendations of specific activities, and to follow up on these strategies. The timetable for the Strategy Implementation Team is very short; a preliminary report for review by the Trustees is expected to be completed by late May 2000. The President called upon Ms. Katherine Dibble, Director of Public Services, to provide an update on the activities ongoing throughout the branch libraries but first shared with the Board publicity about the branches that appeared in the Dorchester Reporter on March 2, 2000 highlighting the kinds of activities taking place on a regular basis. Ms. Dibble recalled that one of the strategic statements that came out of the Library’s strategic planning effort and public focus groups held last year was the need for the Library to be a center point for neighborhood community interaction. To further this end, Ms. Dibble then distributed to the Board a monthly statistical report on the various types and impressive numbers of programs held in the BPL branches which demonstrates that the branches are indeed centers for and facilitators of lifelong learning. Ms. P.A. Carr, Communications and Community Affairs Officer, welcomed and introduced the representatives from Arnold Communications for a presentation on and overview of a Public Awareness Community Outreach Campaign being developed pro bono for the Boston Public Library. The Arnold Communications representatives provided a review of the research conducted about the Library in preparation for the development of key strategies planned for the public campaign. Following interviews with Library staff and focus groups with consumers, including current, lapsed and non-users, the challenge to overcome is that residents don’t see how the Library is relevant to their lives anymore. We also live in a community in which roughly half the people who live in Boston now did not live here ten years ago. In addition, the researchers found that many Boston residents are not aware of all the Library has to offer and many assume it won’t have what they are looking for coupled with the assumption that they will not be able to access things quickly. Therefore they do not see why they would use the Library instead of the internet. The researchers found also that while there are lots of outstanding programs ongoing throughout the Library system there is a critical need to inform the public about the Library’s resources and services in a coordinated fashion that includes developing a new logo and look for the Boston Public Library. To further these ends, the public awareness and community outreach campaign would attempt to introduce the BPL to new Bostonians and remind longtime residents of who we are and how we can serve them with a focus on making residents aware of all the Library has to offer them while showing how it is relevant to their lives. In addition, the big idea behind the campaign is to convey to the public that the BPL is a vibrant community resource for learning, enrichment, and discovery that will be enhanced by motivating support points including: the Library is free to all; contains a wealth of educational and entertainment materials that can be used or checked out; has trained information professionals; and there is a Library located in every neighborhood. Meanwhile, the creative team from Arnold Communications is finalizing the details of the public awareness campaign, including a new Library logo, which will be developed in a variety of languages and tailored to reach a multitude of mediums, including television, radio, newspapers, transit and billboards. Upon its completion, the team plans to make a presentation to the Trustees for their review and input prior to the public launching of the outreach campaign. On the technology front, the President reported that implementation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant is moving along very well, including the cost of acquisition of 158 new computers, 27 new printers and accompanying workstation furniture, with the exception of the installation of the electronics to get them online. On the legislative front, the President reported that the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has issued its 2000 Legislative Agenda, which includes a request for an additional $500,000 to provide support for the Boston Public Library as the statewide Library of Last Recourse. In other business, the President received a request from a patron to put on the BPL’s Website the notices and agendas of the Trustees’ Meetings along with the Minutes of the Meetings after the Board’s approval. The Library plans to proceed with this request which is fairly common practice now in public libraries. The President welcomed the Board’s participation in the American Library Association’s Annual Conference scheduled to be held in Chicago from July 7-11, 2000 and offered to assist the Trustees with any of the conference arrangements. The President reported that the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination recently issued a ruling in response to a complaint from a BPL employee. The suit was filed in 1993 and its focus was on a Library practice granting administrative leave to Jewish employees for the Jewish Holidays but not granting administrative leave to other employees of other faiths for their specific Holidays. The Library changed that practice in 1995 and MCAD found that the practice the Library moved to in 1995 is an appropriate practice. On the collections front, the President reported that the Library has begun a major review of the Charlestown Service Building to prepare for the time in which it will be necessary to move from that space, including a thorough assessment of the collections and holdings. On the programmatic front, the President reported on a host of exciting programs ongoing in the Children’s and Youth Services area. In collaboration with the Real Time Learning Company, the Online Tutoring project is progressing very well and noted that the BPL Foundation recently secured a $10,000 grant from Oracle Corporation in support of this project. The Reading Readiness program is in full bloom and the Library is about to begin work on a new training video as part of this program, which prepares young children to read and involves their family in that process. In addition, the President reported that the BPL is working toward significantly expanding the Summer Reading program noting that in 1998 more children participated in Summer reading programs in America than participated in all forms of Little League baseball. On the fundraising front, the President announced that Ms. Marie Pettibone would assume the position of Executive Director of the Boston Public Library Foundation in early May 2000. Ms. Pettibone comes to Boston from a position on the Development Staff at the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago and previously had served on the Development Staff of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In addition, the President was pleased to announce that 85% of the tables have been sold for the BPL Foundation Gala, which will be held on May 12, 2000, and include a new event called the Young Professionals’ Gala that will be held in the Library after the Gala. Ms. Vivian K. Spiro, Chairwoman of the Associates of the Boston Public Library, indicated how thrilled she is to see so many different people and organizations working together in support of the Library and all moving in the same direction. Ms. Spiro welcomed everyone to join the Associates of the Boston Public Library at the Twelfth Literary Lights Dinner with a talk by Robert B. Reich at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on April 16, 2000. The proceeds from this event will provide funds for the preservation of the Special Collections of the Boston Public Library. Ms. Barbara Wicker, Branch Librarian, expressed appreciation to the Library Trustees, Staff and Friends of the Hyde Park Branch Library for their participation in the ribbon cutting ceremony and special day of programs celebrating the new addition and renovations to the branch’s original 100-year old building on January 22, 2000. As part of the celebration, National Book Award Winner, Gerald Stern, read a poem written to honor libraries. Ms. Wicker noted that the new addition and renovations to the Hyde Park Branch include an expanded Children’s Room, meeting space and computerized study areas, which reflect the Library’s mission to be a center for and facilitator of lifelong learning and as a center point for neighborhood community interaction. The successful blending of the old addition with the new was critiqued in an article shared with the Board entitled "Library Addition a Graceful Complement" by David Eisen that was published in the Boston Herald on February 6, 2000. The Chairman expressed appreciation to Ms. Wicker, Staff and Friends of the Hyde Park Branch for hosting the Trustees’ Meeting and for their warm hospitality. There being no further business, the Board voted to go into a recess of the Corporate Meeting at 4:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Jamie McGlone
Present at the meeting were Trustees V. Paul Deare, Donna M. DePrisco, Berth» M. Gaines, Joseph E. Mullaney, Angelo M. Scaccia, Pamela Seigle and William O. Taylor. Also present were BPL President Bernard A. Margolis; G. Lawrence Langford, Langford Associates; Vivian K. Spiro, Chair, Associates of the Boston Public Library; Eleanor Jensen and Jean Sheikh, Literacy Chair, City-Wide Friends of the BPL; Erin Hester, Senior Project Manager, Department of Neighborhood Development; Karen Coppa, Esquire, Corporation Counsel, City of Boston; Kate Frazier, Bob Silagi, Bob Pye and Bruce Patterson, Arnold Communications; David Vieira, Chairman of the Hyde Park Centennial Committee; Robert and Nancy Hannan, President, Hyde Park Historical Society; Natalie Boches and Bob Smith, representatives of the Friends of Hyde Park Branch Library; members of the Library administration, staff, public and Friends’ Groups.
The first item on the order of business was the approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000. On a motion duly made and seconded, the Minutes for the Regular Meeting of January 25, 2000 were approved. The President provided background information on three proposed award of contracts that were reviewed and recommended by the Trustees’ Finance Committee to the full Board for approval. With regard to the proposed contract for furnishing guard and patrol services, Mrs. Gaines asked how many guards the Library employs and to what extent the Boston Municipal Police provides coverage for the Library. The Procurement Officer replied that there are between 30 to 40 individual guards employed at the Library, which cover nearly one half of the branches and the Central Library and are supplemented by nearly 32 hours of coverage by the Boston Municipal Police. Following discussion among the Board, on a motion duly made and seconded, and on the recommendation of the Trustees’ Finance Committee, it was
In other business, Mrs. Gaines said that past practice has been for the Board to vote on the approval of senior-level Library administrators. Then, on a motion duly made and seconded, it was
The Chairman stated the President’s contract with the Trustees provides for an evaluation of the Library President after three years of service. Under the leadership of Vice Chair Pamela Seigle, the Board embarked upon an evaluation process that included wide-spread participation and involvement by the Library’s Trustees, Staff and constituents totaling over twenty-seven interviews. Meanwhile, the Board had asked Mr. Larry Langford to summarize and compile all of the evaluations and materials for the Board’s review in Executive Session. The Chairman then expressed appreciation to all who participated in the process noting that the Board also received several very thoughtful letters. The President shared thanks and appreciation to the Trustees, Staff and to all the participants in the evaluation process, which has enriched him in terms of being a better President and ultimately will enrich the Boston Public Library as well. There being no further business, the Chairman said that the Board would go back into the recess of the Corporate Meeting and go into Executive Session for a review of the evaluation process of the Library President. The meeting of the Administrative Agency adjourned at 4:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Jamie McGlone |
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