The evening of 2023-05-01 was a meeting of the Mendon Public Library Board of Trustee meeting.
The Library is exploring the possibility of creating a foundation. The apparent goal is to be able to accept donations and similar in a wider range of scenarios. If it works, good for them. And so we are clear, not in the physical structural sense, but in the financial endowment sense.
Similarly, the Monroe County Library System (MCLS) is exploring automatic renewal of books. While the benefit and convenience to patrons was discussed, it sounds like there is a financial incentive as well. Seems like certain grants and funding streams look at circulation as part of their formulas. And a renewal, whether manually or automatic, counts as another circulation. As this would be a county wide change, the Mendon Public Library has no direct say in the matter.
The policy on comments from the public was adjusted. This was a straightforward adjustment, unlike some changes I have seen in other places. They are asking for the address of anyone that comments. I’m pretty sure they can’t require it, for legal reasons, but no harm in asking. Besides that change, this policy looks pretty good. Includes general time limits, and reserves the right to cancel if things get out of control. While also leaving things open enough to be practical for the majority of situations. Which goes to what I’ve observed at public comments: In most situations none of this matters, as the comments will be short enough anyways (or completely absent). Yet if there are enough people that need to comment such that timing becomes an issue, there is something going on that needs to be addressed. The comments are a symptom of the issue, not the issue itself (usually, I’m sure there are exceptions). So keep the policy simple enough you can ignore it most of the time, yet having just enough teeth that you can use it on those rare situations it’s needed. And I think this one does both well enough.
I’m sure I’m missing most (all of the relevant?) of the details here, but it sounds like the library was given a donation ~35 years ago. There were some strings attached, being used to buy books and something about 3% being mentioned. Long story short, it looks like the library is trying to spend down the whole donation (or at least all that is left). But wants to make sure that meets as much of the spirit and letter of the original deal as possible. Again, I’m sure I’m missing alot here (side effect of missing most of this Board’s meetings), but this may tie into why a foundation is being explored.
And the next meeting, on June 5, will likely be starting at 6PM instead of the normal 7PM. For all of you that plan to attend…
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the May 01, 2023 meeting of the Mendon Public Library Board of Trustees.
Link to agenda on Library website until they update it, losing the past.