Friends of the Library - San Lorenzo Area

Meeting of the Board

August 25, 2008

Minutes

Directors present: Beckman, Dias, Kent, Moose, Rostad, Webb

Directors absent: Boulton

Others present: Anthony dos Santos (librarian), Eb Lemcke

The meeting was called to order by president Moose at 7:05 p.m. in the library meeting room.

Approve minutes: m/s/unanimous to approve, in turn, minutes of board meetings on March 24, April 20, June 23, and July 16. No minutes for the May 19 meeting were presented.

Rostad left the meeting after approval of the March 24 minutes.

Treasurer's report: m/s/unanimous to accept the treasurer's report (attached).

Open forum: Eb Lemcke reported that he had received a letter from county librarian Jean Hofacket that he is still on the county-appointed San Lorenzo Library Advisory Committee. Hofacket had attempted to remove Lemcke and Richard Hancocks from the committee after attempting to remove the area in which they live from the San Lorenzo Library service area (an action later retracted).

Book sale: The board agreed to hold regular sales in January, April, June-July, and October each year. The next sale is Oct. 2 - 8.

Membership report: Kent reported 54 dues-paying members and 152 persons on the newsletter mailing list.

Scholarship: There was continued discussion of Beckman's proposal that we donate our annual scholarship funds to the San Lorenzo District Scholarship Foundation. The foundation would select recipients of our scholarships, which would continue to be identified as "Friends of San Lorenzo Library scholarship". No action taken.

Brochure: Beckman reported that the brochure should be finished by end of the week.

Newsletter: m/s/unanimous to create a permanent editorial committee to oversee content of each newsletter.

Library anniversary: m/s/unanimous to form an ad hoc committee to organize a celebration of the library's 100th anniversary. Kent, Lemcke, Moose, and Webb volunteered.

Membership record date: m/s/unanimous to set December 31 as the record date establishing which members in good standing are eligible to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote at the meeting. (This date was selected with the understanding that the annual meeting would occur in conjunction with the regular board meeting on the fourth Monday in January.)

Librarian's report: Dos Santos reported one vacancy on staff (a page). He reported that he had received some preliminary information on the library administration's renovation plan for the library. The major expense would be installing a new floor over a network of computer cables and connection sites. Some unspecified amount of new shelves would be purchased. There has been talk about changing the location of the reference desk.

Beckman noted that a resolution opposing spending on renovation, approved at the March meeting, was not recorded in the March minutes, which we saw for the first time tonight. That meeting was attended by many members, who supported the resolution. The subsequent newsletter also did not mention the resolution. Thus he wished to reaffirm the resolution.

m/s/4-0-1 to adopt the following resolution:

We oppose major spending to renovate the existing library because it will jeopardize willingness to build a new library. If money is spent, library patrons and Friends of the Library should be involved in decisionmaking based on displays in the library and discussion at public meetings.

Adjournment: Meeting adjourned to September 22, 6:30 p.m.

(Minutes recorded and submitted by Howard Beckman)

Approved by the board on: November 24, 2008

Certified: