Cornwall Free Library

Minutes of the March 21, 2005 Meeting

Present: Janet Gold, presiding, Paul De Angelis, Alec Frost, John Green, Pam Jones, Dominique Lasseur, Ann Schillinger and Amy Worthington-Cady, Library Director. Absent: Norma Lake, Roxana Laughlin, Julie Schieffelin and Jean Vitalis.

Janet Gold called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. Upon motion by Ann Schillinger, seconded by Paul De Angelis, the January minutes were accepted as presented.

Treasurer’s Report: John Green reported that we took in over $20,000 from the Waterston event minus $4,538 in expenses. When divided equally with the Cornwall Consolidated School Fund, the Library’s proceeds were $7,750. With our operational expenses running about $6,000 per month and only $8,000 in the bank, John asked the board for permission to take $5,000 from our endowment fund. The Board unanimously approved this request. Our expenses are running above budget because of the cost of fuel oil and electricity. We are also $5,000 to $6,000 short on our Annual Appeal and $7,000 less than budgeted on the Friends’ programs. We need to get our budget together!

Library Director’s Report: In addition to her written report, Amy Cady emphasized that we need to get letters out to our donors now for contributions! We also need more shelves for movies and display units for new books for adults and children.

Strategic Planning: Anne Schillinger reported that she and the committee met with Michael Eanes regarding the retreat. We were given two dates to choose from-July 9 or June 11. The retreat would begin on Friday evening with a pot luck dinner at someone’s house, followed by a full day (at least 8 HOURS) on Saturday at the Kent School. The majority preferred July 9, but the date has not been decided after we check with our absentees. The retreat will include all board members, the library staff, Michael, and six Cornwall residents, preferably non-library users. Everyone must attend for the entire time. We also need to get together focus groups consisting of library users and non-users. These groups would be chaired by Michael and would meet prior to the retreat.

Friends: The Friends have regrouped with new enthusiasm and new committees. They have planned for readings from Ariel Dorfman’s play Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark to be presented at the Cornwall Consolidated School on Saturday evening, June 25, and Sunday afternoon, June 26. The play is based on the book Speak Truth to Power by Kerry Kennedy and Eddie Adams. It is about the emergence of courage and moral leadership in those bleak periods when free expression, religious liberty, human rights, and even our very humanity are threatened by forces ranging from indifference to murderous brutality. The Friends have worked hard to keep projected expenses down to $1,200, which will be underwritten by donors. The proposed charge will be $40 for Saturday evening, $15 for Sunday afternoon, and children-$10.

Organizational Report: Committee Chairs need to give Julie the names of their committee members.

Operations Report: The outside lights are still not in place. There is also a real problem with the oil tank, which holds only 275 gallons. The Library has already run out of fuel 3 times!

New Business: The walkways have not been shoveled immediately after a snow storm, but we have found someone else to finish up the rest of this season. The interior cleaning of the library is not done as scheduled, but only sporadically. We need people we can count on! Amy Cady suggested using the work units from Prime Time House.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Pamela Jones, Acting Secretary NEXT MEETING: MONDAY, APRIL 18 at 4 p.m.