Friends of Boyden Library

April Meeting Minutes

Call to Order

Sue Collins called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.

YA Librarian’s Report

Jennifir Huston

March Programs Sponsored by Friends

• March 9: Teen Take & Make: Art Magnets, featuring stolen art images from the Gardner Museum — 5 attendees
• March 12: Sumingashi Printing with Water Lily Designs — 9 attendees

Upcoming Programs Sponsored by Friends

• April: Pipe Cleaner Flowers with Sidney & Aiden; Soul Speak Alchemy Box with Klassic Kreations
• May: Make it Stick: Sticker Design Workshop with Heidi & Nilo Crafty Teens
• Recycled Book Craft: Bright Path Letter Project led by teen Saanvi

Additional Updates

• Tinker Tank: Five appointments were made in March.
• Summer Reading: All prizes are ordered and work is underway on Beanstack.
• School Visits: FCS on May 4, Ahern on May 7, and FHS is working on a collaborative visit with ELA teachers.
• Founders’ Day Parade: Jennifir and Ashley have flower- and tree-themed decorations. Teen volunteers will walk the parade route, and a teen volunteer will create vinyl Summer Reading and Boyden Library banners for the float.

Children’s Librarian Report

Emma Brelsford

• March Friends-sponsored event: Lippan Tea Light Holders with Water Lily Design — 10 attendees.
• April 22: Massachusetts Horticultural Society Plantmobile: Natural Dyes & Fabrics
• April 24: Animal Craze Traveling Farm: Baby Animal Farm
• April 25: Hands on Nature: Pollinators of New England
• Purchased Amazon supplies for the new Paper Tree in the Children’s Room, bookmarks, terracotta pots for Boyden Buds Garden Club, and sprout clips to hand out on Founders’ Day.

Approval of March Minutes

Betsy Lorusso asked for a motion to accept the March minutes.

Treasurer’s Report

Katherine Howard

• Amazon Prime subscription auto-charged $129.00 in February.
• Operating expenses for Programming/Supplies/Events pending April 1, 2026: $6,000.00.
• Income total: $2,219.47 — Membership ($1,220.00), Donations ($315.00), Book Shop ($371.00), Donnelly Delivers ($313.74).
• Expenses: $5,406.00 total — Zoo Passes ($5,105.00) and other expenses including printing, advertising, and the Ed O’Leary Collection.
• Zoo Passes are on sale for $20.00, cash or check, with no limits. The zoo is open April through October.
• Taxes continue to be calculated and are 75% complete.

Director’s Report

Libby O’Neill

• Thank you to the Friends for sponsoring the Community Reads promotional materials, take-and-make craft kits, and the two Suminagashi Art workshops with Water Lily Design.
• Community Reads month and the author event were very successful, with 83 attendees.

Upcoming Friends-Sponsored Adult Programs

• April 4: Cookie Decorating with Mandy
• April 16: Bead Therapy Workshop
• April 18: Soul Speak Alchemy Box with Klassic Kreations
• April 21: Puzzle Competition with “Free Book” coupons for the winning team
• April 26: Rupert Wates concert — the final concert of the season

Additional Updates

• Libby is working with Be Inclusive, a nonprofit out of Walpole, on a Let’s Talk Race program scheduled for April 9 at 7:00 p.m.
• The logo committee selected a new logo. It will go before the Trustees for a vote on April 7 and can then be voted on by the Friends for adoption.
• November Book Sale: Setup November 4; sale November 5–7.
• The November Friends monthly meeting was changed to Monday, November 2 to accommodate the book sale.
• Juvi Love requested funding to support the Short Film Festival. The Friends discussed the request and decided not to fund it because their mission is to support the Library and its programs and services. The Friends would, however, be open to sponsoring an award again this year.

Trustee Report

Ashley Clements

• Community Reads was excellent.
• The Town election is coming up, with two Trustee seats to fill.
• The $30,000 capital request for the Teen Room was approved but still needs approval at Town Meeting.
• Kevin Penders has served on the Board of Trustees for 15 years. April was his last meeting. Thank you, Kevin, for all you’ve done for Boyden Library!

Membership

Colleen McManus

• 167 members have renewed; five members in March are brand new.
• Last year there were 157 members at this time, an increase of 10 members.
• New members will be printed in the upcoming newsletter.
• Colleen will give Janice the membership forms from members who indicated an interest in volunteer opportunities.
• Holly Steel was the raffle winner of a bag of books from the fall book sale. Her photo will be in April’s newsletter.
• Katherine and Colleen will volunteer at the membership table at the Spring Book Sale.
• Lesleyann will post Book Sale volunteer opportunities through SignUpGenius.

Newsletter

Bernadette Thie

• Libby will submit a photo from Community Reads for the newsletter.
• The newsletter will be sent via email during the first week of April.

Book Shop

Margi Rossetti

• Matt Donnelly came March 25 and took a large haul from the sorting room.
• On Book Donation Day, the Friends received three boxes of Pros and Cons by local author Paul Difazio. Two boxes will be featured at the book sale in a bin marked “Local Author.” Any unsold copies will be placed in the Last Chapter Book Shop.
• Margi will start the raffle bag and include one of Mr. Difazio’s books.

Book Sale

Lesleyann Foster

• The last book drive had many new volunteers but fewer donations. Some of those volunteers will return for the April 11 book drive.
• Mary Ellen Shriver and Nancy Messeck volunteered.
• Betsy Buckland will hang signs advertising the Book Sale.
• Book Sale SignUpGenius will be released April 13.
• Zoo graphics are complete.
• Fall Book Drive Dates: September 26 and October 17.

Old Business

Bylaws Committee

Sue Collins, Mo Ryan, Charles DiPompo and Kirstin Stone

• The corrected bylaws will be sent out and reviewed by the majority.
• A thank-you was received from the Legislative Breakfast for the Friends’ donation.

New Business

Founders Day — June 6

• The application for Founders Day is signed and a $40 check was given to Janice.
• Ashley proposed making mugs and magnets featuring the new logo to sell at the Friends Founders Day booth.

• Libby will ask the designer to add “Friends of Boyden” to the new logo design and will send it by email for Friends’ approval.
• Katherine reported that the Friends received the Point32 donation from Colleen’s work. Thank you to Colleen for applying for this grant.

Adjournment

Respectfully submitted by:

Betsy Lorusso
Secretary