Board of Trustees Meeting – May 13, 2025

Board of Library Trustees

Meeting Minutes

Documentation

• Meeting Minutes for Approval – April 8, 2025
• Professional Staff Reports
• Director’s Report
• Financial Report
• Friends Report

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:08 P.M. by Kevin Penders.

Public Comment

None.

Lakeview Pavilion Foundation Donation:

J. Parlapiano made a motion to accept the $2815 donation from the Lakeview Pavilion Foundation for museum passes to Boyden Library.

P. Ivanovskis seconded the motion.
Passed 4-0-0.

Foxboro Jaycees Donation:

P. Ivanovskis made a motion to accept the $250 donation from the Foxboro Jaycees to Boyden Library for either museum passes or in support of the makerspace.

J. Parlapiano seconded the motion.
Passed 4-0-0.

Correspondence

None

Approval of Meeting Minutes

Given a lack of quorum, K. Penders moved to table the approval of the April meeting minutes until the next Board meeting.

Election of Officers/Board Reorganization:

Board officers are elected every May. K. Penders explained that the Board has three officers: a chair, vice chair, and a secretary. Ideally, the vice chair would learn from the chair over the next year with the expectation of stepping into the chair role the next year, and the secretary then moving into the vice chair role and so on. The chair is the first line of support for the Director, with the vice chair providing support and back up to the chair. The secretary takes minutes in R. Spinner’s absence, leads the Director’s annual review, and writes thank you notes as needed.
J. Ooi, current vice chair, had previously expressed disinterest in stepping into the chair role this year. In response to expressed interest, K. Penders nominated P. Ivanovskis for chair.

J. Parlapiano seconded the motion, P. Ivanovskis accepted the nomination.
Motion passed 4-0-0.

Given K. Penders experience both as a Board member and chair, A. Clement moved to nominate K. Penders for vice chair so he may impart his knowledge on P. Ivanovskis over the next year.

P. Ivanovskis seconded the motion, K. Penders accepted the nomination.
Motion passed 4-0-0

K. Penders moved to nominate S. Halton for reelection as secretary. Given her absence, she may reserve the right to decline at a later date if the appointment doesn’t work for her.

P. Ivanovskis seconded the motion
Motion passed 4-0-0

The November Board meeting falls on Veterans’ Day. The Board agreed on Tuesday, November 18th as the new November meeting date.
K. Penders turned the meeting over to P. Ivanovskis as the new chair.

Friends’ Report

Last week’s spring book sale was successful. The unofficial sales total is $3,538, slightly down from a historical average of $4,000 per sale. The bag sale was changed this year, increasing from $5 to $10 and included a Friends logo bag with the purchase instead of a paper bag. There weren’t any objections to the price increase. The Friends’ Venmo account was down for the sale, but PayPal, credit cards, cash, and checks were accepted.

Southwick Zoo passes have been purchased and are available at the circulation desk for $20 per ticket.
The Friends currently have 133 members. The book sale yielded $132 in new member sign up dues, with many joining to take advantage of the early bag sale available to members. The Friends will be contacting lapsed members to renew and are planning a membership drive to increase numbers.

Friends co-president Sue Collins will be attending the June Board of Trustees meeting.

Board of Trustee representation at monthly Friends meetings in the fall will be as follows: A. Clement in September, P. Ivanovskis in October, and J. Parlapiano in November.

Professional Staff Reports

Boyden Library will be walking with wagons in the Founders Day parade again this year. A few more volunteers are needed to walk and hand out candy. B. Lorusso will mention this to Lesleyann Foster as she may know students who would be interested.
The makerspace unpacking and set up is underway, with J. Huston and E. Brelsford working on putting together basic instructions and QR codes linked to more information for each of the items in the space.
The Children’s Department once again gave away tree saplings through the non-profit Neighborhood Forest for Earth Day.

Financial Reports

The budget is well on track as the end of the fiscal year nears. Books have been coming in faster than they have been for the last several months, which is promising. The Library is on track to meet its 15% spending requirement for the MBLC, thanks in part to the purchase of a new public printer this fiscal year.

Director’s Report

Library Operations:

The Library’s windows have been cleaned. The current custodian contract is out to bid, which Town Hall is managing. The Town model that has been residing at the Library has been moved to the new Community Center. L. O’Neill is thinking about purchasing a two-person study pod for the space.

Programs & Services

Four new book club kits will be rolled out shortly, along with new Library of Things items. The mentalist program last month was a huge hit. It was a full house and L. O’Neill extended thanks to the Friends for sponsoring.
Together with Pride Foxborough is coming together and is starting to be advertised. Foxborough has not previously held any pride month celebrations, so the Library has partnered with the local theater, churches, and Community Center to put on pride programming throughout the month of June. The Library will be hosting four programs. One Local Bank is sponsoring stickers and window clings in support of the initiative.
L. O’Neill is currently finalizing the bingo sheet for adult summer reading. She is hoping to increase accessibility and thus participation this year by making the bingo sheets available for download on the website and able to be returned via email. E. Brelsford and J. Huston will be reporting on their summer reading plans at the next Board meeting.
With the transition from the Senior Center to the Community Center, the senior book club would have been cancelled last month, but L. O’Neill took the opportunity to take the group on a field trip. The senior center book club had read a book set in the BPL for May and took a trip to the Boston Public Library for a tour of the library as well as lunch.

Personnel Updates

Two pages will be leaving this summer, one on June 18th and the other in August, official date to be determined. L. O’Neill is contemplating filling the openings with two ten-hour positions or one nineteen-point-five-hour position.
Review season is started. Self-evaluations are due from staff by Friday, May 16th.

New Business

Library Funding Outlook:

The Library’s FY26 budget was approved at Town meeting last night, as was the Library union contract. State funding is safe for now, but other resources such as the Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat) and statewide databases are in immediate jeopardy as a result of the Institute of Museum and Library Services cuts. It’s likely that the Senate will approve library funding increases at the state level next week.

Makerspace Policy & Liability Form:

Town Council has reviewed and approved the makerspace liability form. There were no questions on the policy specifically. A. Clement made a motion to approve the policy and liability form as presented. J. Parlapiano seconded and the motion passed 4-0-0.

Old Business

Makerspace Update:

Some additional language has been proposed to add clarity to the meeting room policy. J. Parlapiano made a motion to approve the policy as amended. A. Clement seconded the motion and it passed 4-0-0.

Adjournment

Respectfully submitted,

Rene Spinner