Present: Diane Adams – Library Director, Dick Peterson, Ashley Kostiuk, Paul Nevanen, Heather Weaver, Darcy Sullivan, Mona Johnson and MaryJo Winkel.
Peterson called the meeting to order at 4:29 pm.
Motion by Nevanen, second by Sullivan to approve the November minutes. All approved.
Motion by Nevanen, second by Winkel to approve the December bills. All approved.
Director’s Report – November circulation was slightly below both October 2021 and November 2020. We are still 6% above our 2020 circulation to date. I keep wanting to compare patrons counts, both the number of people checking out and our body averages for how we compare to 2019 and 2020, but much of the past month has been spent cataloging and getting the snowshoes ready to circulate as soon as we get snow and then preparing Playaways and Wonderbooks for circulation. It is slow going. We have also been having some computer and printer issues with them not talking to one another. Working with Small Town Tech to resolve the issues.
The increase in COVID cases locally means we are having fewer families attending storytime (generally 2 families a week, with different families each time) and fewer families even coming into the library. I may try and do an online poll and see if folks want us to move back to online storytime.
I am waiting to start major publicity of the Playaways and Wonderbooks until January to give us time to get as many cataloged and processed as possible. We will also do publicity about the new snowshoes once we get a storm or enough snowfalls to not have the shoes damaged by rocks and such.
Old Business – upcoming programs – storytime continues Thursday mornings, weekly Libratory bags for pickup on Tuesdays until gone, monthly teen and adult craft project. Lore Libraries display here.
Fireplace insert – process started, electrician has been in and Shannons was checking fit of frame.
ARPA – Final paperwork has been submitted working on processing materials.
New Business – Motion by Sullivan, with second by Kostiuk to approve staff pay raises effective January 1, 2022 as presented in budget proposal. All approved.
Next Friends of the Library book sale will be Saturday, January 15th from 11am – 1pm.
What are you reading? – Dick recommends The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell and The Judges List by John Grisham (he also commented that the play Madeline’s Christmas was much better than the book). Darcy is re-reading Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis and just picked up The Eagle and the Viper by Loren Estleman, Ashley recommends Final Girls by Riley Sager and is reading Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Blue Line Breakaway by Jake Maddox with her kids. Mona is enjoying Princess by Ann Morrow and Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult. MaryJo found Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger fascinating and Heather is enjoying Know and Tell by Karen Glass and is listening to The Christmas Carol with Anton Lesser narrating. Paul is reading Now Dig This: the unspeakable writings of Terry Southern while Diane is trying to get through Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig about the Smith College alumni working in France in WWI.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 12th, 2022 at 4:30 pm.
Meeting ended at 5:03 pm.