Below is a summarized version of the Board of Library Trustees meeting, organized by timestamps and speakers, focusing on key points raised during the discussion in Reading, Massachusetts. This summary condenses the discussion into major themes, speaker contributions, and decisions, avoiding excessive detail while retaining the essence of the conversation. Timestamps correspond to the video linked at the bottom.
🗓️ Reading Board of Library Trustees Meeting Summary
📅 Date: January 12, 2026
⏱️ Duration: ~1 hour
💻🏛️ Format: Hybrid (in-person at RPL + Zoom)
👤 Chair: Christian “Cappy” Popp
👥 Board Members in Attendance: Christian “Cappy” Popp, Kelli Bacon, Andrew Grimes, Monette Verrier, Patrick Egan
🧾 Main Topics: Trustee orientation, community outreach and engagement update, supplemental spending review, director’s report, approval of minutes, and future agenda planning.
🔹Public Comment
🕒 3:48–5:36
- No public comments or emails.
- Trustees informed about upcoming Trustee Orientation Course (four sessions over four weeks).
🔹Community Outreach & Engagement Update
🕒 5:36–12:49
Presented by Michelle
Key Highlights:
- Outreach goal: reach residents unfamiliar with library services; surveys and focus groups planned.
- Librarians & Lemonade Listening Sessions at elder housing (Frank Tanner and others) to gather feedback.
- Participation in town events:
- Fall Street Fair (180+ visitors despite rain)
- Friends & Family Day (245+ visitors)
- Downtown Trick-or-Treat, ArtFest, Reading Garden Club events
- Partnerships with local organizations: Coalition, Lions Club, Health Dept., Chamber of Commerce, HRAC, Northeast Arc, Children’s Cabinet.
- Hosted programs: multilingual summer sessions, autism resource fair, flu clinics, tax help, Mandarin story times.
- Upcoming:
- ACE Game Changer Series (Bill Russell legacy)
- CPR training with Health Dept.
- Portuguese story times (starting March)
- Northeast Arc art fair
- Metrics:
- 8 community events
- 2 listening sessions
- 6 multilingual sessions
- 5 deposit collections
- Multiple Book Bike visits to Memorial Park concerts (performer Matt Heaton gave library shout-out).
- Developed internal partnership procedures and best practices for collaborations.
🔹Financial Report & Supplemental Spending
🕒 13:16–19:38
- FY26 municipal budget: no major changes; midyear supplemental spending on track.
- Funds used for:
- Outdoor seating (Polywood picnic tables, café furniture for terrace)
- Professional development and tuition reimbursements for staff pursuing library degrees
- Planning and development for library terrace
- Discussion on recognizing donor contributions for miscellaneous expenses (e.g., pet care, supplies). Suggestion: include highlights in annual report.
🔹Budget Context & Select Board Presentation Recap
🕒 19:45–25:38
- Tight FY27 budget; library recommended at level services with minimal cuts.
- PowerPoint presentation praised by Select Board co-chair.
- Key challenges:
- Rising health insurance costs (budgeted at 13–14%)
- Overtime questions addressed (Sunday staffing requires premium pay differential).
- Override likely needed to maintain salary adjustments and service levels.
- FinCom votes scheduled for early March.
🔹Director’s Report
🕒 25:45–36:16
- December was busy; staff managed significant coverage challenges due to four public services staff departures.
- Two librarian positions remain open; one new hire starts next week.
- Succession planning working well; internal promotions and substitutes filling gaps.
- Upcoming:
- MLK Day Celebration at Performing Arts Center (Jan 20)
- Staff Development Day: May 19 at Massachusetts Library Association Conference (Danvers)
- Annual report draft in progress for February submission.
- Programming trends: shift toward interactive, hands-on experiences (e.g., cookie jar workshops, craft takeaways).
- Personnel update:
- Cheyenne joining Jan 20 as Senior Library Associate / Meeting Room Coordinator (25 hrs/week).
- Role includes managing meeting rooms and Library of Things processing.
- Discussion on health programming: moving toward generalist model for flexibility; leveraging partnerships with town departments for specialized services.
🔹Approval of December 8 Meeting Minutes
🕒 36:22–36:56
- Approved unanimously.
🔹Future Agenda Items
🕒 37:05–39:08
- February:
- Technology plan update
- Patron self-service report (lockers, self-checkouts)
- Contest planning for spring
- Discussion on placement of National Register of Historic Places plaque and land acknowledgment for Massachusett tribe.
- March: Spring programming updates.
🔹Adjournment
🕒 39:33–39:39
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM.
✅ Key Outcomes
- Outreach efforts expanded; strong partnerships and community engagement continue.
- Supplemental spending supports outdoor improvements and staff development.
- FY27 budget remains tight; override likely needed for sustainability.
- Staff resilience praised amid transitions; new hires and internal promotions underway.
- Trustees to review technology plan, self-service report, and historic/land acknowledgment proposals in February.
