LIBRARY STUDY COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 9, 2003, 7:00 PM

Pine Point Community Center

335 Berkshire Avenue

Next meeting: Wednesday, April 23, 2003, 7:00PM

Pine Point Community Center

1. Meeting called to order by chairman pro tem Frank Buntin at 7:00 PM

2. Charles Ryan unanimously elected chairman.

3. Melinda Pellerin-Duck unanimously elected vice-chairman.

4. It was agreed that the committee might utilize non-members as assistants and resource people.

5. Sheila McElwaine appointed secretary.

6. It was decided to ask each neighborhood group to contribute $50.00 for a fund to cover committee expenses such as photocopying and postage.

7. A sign-in sheet was passed around to record the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of those present, both committee members and members of the public.

8. A committee membership roster was circulated so members could fill in addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.

7. Mason Square Library and Other Closings:

Concerns were raised about removal of material from the Mason Square branch and, more urgently, the SLMA=s plan, to be announced on April 10, to sell that branch to the Urban League. The SLMA Library Advisory committee was told today that Pine Point and East Forest Park branches were also due to be closed. This was seen as an affront to the city council who had allocated $75,000,000 ($68,000,000 operating funds + a $7,000,000 bond) to the Association over the last ten years. The committee intends to look into the Annie Curran Trust which left a sizeable bequest to the Mason Square library.

The following MOTION was passed unanimously:

The committee, as an expression of its anger, protests strongly any contemplated transfer of any library, especially the Mason Square branch , to the Urban League or any other organization and asks the City Council to have the law department review this matter.

The following MOTION was passed unanimously:

The committee will write a letter to the City Council requesting that the scope of the Study Committee be expanded to include all library branches by amending Article 1 of the order establishing the committee, and that the library system remain as it was on April 1 until the City Council decides this matter.

8. It was agreed that the Study Committee will abide by provisions of the Open Meeting Law.

9. Areas of Inquiry:

According to its own records, the SLMA accumulated $18,000,000 in excess revenues over the last seven fiscal years, while during the same period, its net assets increased from $18,000,000 to $57,000,000. It was noted that the City Council only looks at part of the SLMA budget; the remainder is never seen by the public.

The committee intends to review not only the city council appropriation, but also school department funds, state and federal contributions and trust funds available for library purposes. (It was noted that appropriate use of library volunteers could make available funds go even further.)

Concerns were raised that the committee may need more time to do its job, but it was noted that the SLMA, which has said it would cooperate with the committee and has also been ordered to do by the City Council, could gather together the needed figures in a few hours, and that, if they Astonewall,@ the committee will report that fact to the City Council.

A MOTION was passed unanimously establishing four subcommittees: Fiscal, School Department Relationship, Volunteer/Staffing Models, Walk Through, and Comparison with Other Communities. Sheets were passed around so committee members and interested residents could sign up for committees.

10. Next meeting: Wednesday, April 23, 2003, 7:00 PM, Pine Point Community Center,

Respectfully Submitted,

Sheila McElwaine

Secretary