The evening of 2024-05-06 was a meeting of the Mendon Public Library Board of Trustee.
Tonight they started budget planning for next year. Early stage, no numbers being discussed, more of scheduling meetings. But goes to show it’s always budget time somewhere. School is wrapping up, getting ready for their vote, Library is just getting started.
This is the first month changes at the Town office have necessitated changes to the voucher process here. While it’s too soon to be sure, the impression I got was things are going well. Transitions are more likely to succeed if those involved at least think they have a clear process to follow. Which is how it sounded here.
There was talk about replacing one of the display screens and moving the current one into a study room. From discussion, I don’t think this was approved, as they wanted more details from the potential contractor. But if it all goes through, one of the study rooms will be setup for video conferencing and similar. And the so called ‘Reading room’ will have a larger screen better configured for presenters to use.
Approval was granted for furniture to turn the area near the book drop (inside the building, not outside) into a ‘Teen Corner’. Sounds like this would also replace the tables for the patron computers (keeping the computers, changing furniture). It has been interesting how usage of that area has evolved over the years. But the space is there to be used. Just because it’s currently being used in one way doesn’t mean something different can’t be tried.
These two actions reminded me ‘library’ is so much besides books. Yes, I know they offer all sorts of other programs (I’m even part of one). But when I think ‘library’ I think ‘shelves of books’. When I should probably be thinking ‘piles of information, with space to process it’. Which is nothing new, hence ‘reminded’ and not ‘learned’.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the May 06, 2024 meeting of the Mendon Public Library Board of Trustees.
Link to agenda on Library website until they update it, losing the past.