LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING, February 3, 2004

Present:  Commissioners:  Janet Edwards, Jan Denney, Rudolph Ruggeri, Bettye Webb, Helen Boyle, Barbara Garvey.  Absent: Vera O’Connor  Staff:  Library Director Emily Bader, Assistant Director Lee Fogarty, Clerk Carol Leaders.

Citizens:  12 citizens from 6 library branches.

The next Library Commission meeting will be in two weeks, on Tuesday, February 17, at 5:30pm in the community room of the central library.  Library Director Emily Bader will collect agenda items from commissioners and members of the public.  Her telephone number is 263-6828 and her email address is ebader@spfldlibmus.org

1.  The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Helen Boyle, and commissioners introduced themselves.  Commissioners who had been present approved the minutes of the last meeting. 

2.  The following officers were elected unanimously:

Chair Barbara Garvey; Vice-Chair Helen Boyle; Secretary Rudolph Ruggeri.

Chairman Garvey thanked Commissioner Boyle for having chaired the meeting up to this point. 

3.  Appointment of Committees  The commission will postpone to the next meeting appointments to standing committees.  In the meantime, commissioners will review the available standing committees and a possible ad hoc committees on volunteers and policy review, talk with library administrators and come to the next meeting prepared to discuss taking on two committee assignments each. 

Mayor Ryan’s Priority:  At this point, Chairman Garvey reviewed the high priority given by Mayor Ryan to the use of volunteers in our library system both for financial reasons and because of the vitality and activity with which volunteers will enliven our libraries.

4.   Ad Hoc Policy Committee  Ms. Bader will circulate to the committee a prioritized list of the ten or so policies which require review, and each commissioner will choose one or two to evaluate.  The full commission, acting as a committee of the whole, will then review all policies.  Most policies are short except the collections policy which is 10 pages long.

5.  Springfield Newspapers at Connecticut Valley Historical Museum   Emily Bader described the latest impasse between the Library Department and the Springfield Museums Association.— the probable refusal of the SMA to return microfilm records of Springfield Newspapers for years between 1900 to 1950.  During the Central Library renovation and before separation of the library system from the museums, this material was temporarily placed at the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum to ensure continued public access during construction.  At present, however, public access to the CVHM is more restricted than to the central library: fewer days and hours are open to the public, reference help is limited, and the SMA charges an admission fee for use of the Local History collection. 

The Library Commission will write to the chairman of the Springfield Museum Association board of trustees making a formal request for return of this material.  An inventory of this material prepared by Emily Bader and her letter to Guy McLain of the CVHM and Joe Carvalho of the SMA will also be enclosed.

6.  Director’s Report: Library Volunteers  Four recruitment meetings have been held at different times of day and in different branches.  ( Commissioner Ruggeri suggested that volunteer recruitment presentations also be made at the 14 Golden Age Clubs around the city.)  Of 57 people who attended the recruitment sessions, 44 have volunteered and are now waiting to be CORI checked.  Due to a “glitch” in Boston, the City of Springfield’s CORI certification has expired and needs to be renewed.  Commissioner Denney asked about the criteria for denying CORI certification, particularly where “moving violations” are concerned.  Ms. Bader said that CORI records are reviewed on an individual basis by the city personnel department; minor violations which took place years ago are generally discounted.  Chairman Garvey asked to be kept informed about how long it was taking for CORI checks to be completed.

Senior Aide Program  In a conversation with Jorge Castellano of the Elder Affairs Department, Ms. Bader learned of a program which pays unemployed workers over 55 to work in government or non-profit agencies for up to one year.  Some library positions would be appropriate for this program, but no library worker would be displaced in favor of such a worker.  In answer to a questions from Commissioner Webb, Ms. Bader said that she believed the Red Cross and the school department are two places utilizing this program.

Friends of the Library  In the absence of Friends of the Library president Mary Ann Maloney, Ms. Bader reported on efforts to reactivate this organization.  After an information session attended by 20 people, the existing Friends board met to review the interest sheets they submitted.  In addition to Mary Ann Maloney, they also elected  Connie B   as Treasurer and Jennifer Markey as Secretary.  (The Friends could have as many as 14 board members.)  Just under 100 people are life members, and another 100 members have been added recently.  Ms. Bader is very enthusiastic and positive about efforts by the Friends to increase membership and raise the $50,000. in donations needed to balance this year’s budget.  Commissioner Edwards made two suggestions: that a press release be issued release establishing the independent identity of the Friends of the Library and liaison between the commission and the Friends be established.  Chairman Garvey proposed that the commission think over the idea of liaison with the Friends before the next meeting and, at that time, decide on roles.

Telephone System  As of Friday, February 6, the Library Department phone system will be separated from that of the SMA.  The new number for administration and the central library will be 263-6828.  Staff extension numbers and branch library numbers will remain the same.

Transfer of Library Staff to the City  Library staff are still technically SLMA employees.  New positions (library positions) have been created and new pay scales created; these positions and titles are distinct from city positions.  They still must be presented to the Personnel Policy Board and the City Council, which should be completed by early March.  Library Department employees are represented by two unions:  AFSCME represents professional employees while clerks will be voting this week on which of two unions—AFSCME or SOLE (Springfield Organization of Library Employees) will represent them.

Commissioner Denney congratulated Emily Bader and Lee Fogarty on their hard work.

7. Other Business: Branch Library Advisory Committees  Reporting on a meeting of the East Forest Park branch advisory committee, Judie Carpenter enumerated several items on the manager’s “wish list.” These include services of an electrician to connect the existing computer line with an existing computer, a more conspicuous exterior sign for the branch, and “beautification.”  Ms. Bader cited the backlog of work in her office as the reason why no electrician had yet been hired and said she was unaware that the manager would like a more conspicuous exterior sign.

A discussion followed on the role of branch advisory committees vis a vis branch managers and the library chain of command.  Ms. Bader relayed a need for policy and role guidelines expressed by the Forest Park branch advisory committee.  Commissioner Denney also asked about the role of these committees. 

Chairman Garvey, noting that democracy is sometimes “messy,” suggested that, despite people’s discomfort with undefined roles and the lack of guidelines, that branch advisory committees continue to experiment.  She affirmed her faith in the “professionalism” of library administration and staff and the importance of “the free flow of information” between the department and the public, saying, “Every neighborhood is different and has a range of concerns, and there is no reason why a manager cannot communicate this to the commission via the branch advisory committee.  Let’s look at this in the most benign way.”  She went on to describe this as “a new era” in City government and cited Mayor Ryan’s open door policy for rank and file City Hall employees who feel a matter may need attention from someone other than their line supervisor or department head.  She also said that the Mayor encouraged the commission to meet from time to time at branch libraries on a rotating basis.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:07pm.