1. Approval of Minutes from the March 2, 2011 Library Commission Meeting

Commissioner O'Connor made a motion to accept, with Mr. Cary providing the second, the minutes of the March 2, 2011 meeting of the Springfield Library Board of Commissioners.

The motion passed.  

2. Library Advisory Committee Reports:

None.

3. Commission Committee Reports:

None.

4. Liberty Branch
Empty Lot:

Discussion by the Commission and interested parties in the audience occurred prior to the actual call to order of this evening's Library Commission meeting. Talk centered on a letter from Pat Donovan, Associate City Solicitor, to Molly Fogarty, Library Director, concerning the vacant lot located next to the Liberty Branch Library. Result of discussion: a motion was made by Mr. Cary and seconded by Ms. O'Connor that the Board of the Springfield Library Commission made a finding that

1. The proposed use will not nullify that the lot is being used for library purposes, and

2. Mr. Cary made a motion stating that the Board wants to enter into this agreement with terms acceptable to the Board.

The motion passed.

5. Chairman's Report:

The reopening events program for Mason Square was reviewed and discussed. Aaron Williams, Steve Cary, and the city videographer will all be involved in documenting the reopening events. Ms. O'Connor recommended contacting Norman Oliver.

6. Director's Report:

•  Ms. Fogarty began by telling the Library Commission that Janet Stupak's library column which appears monthly in The Republican and MassLive has been awarded a Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) Public Relations Award, to be presented on Friday, April 29 at the MLA Conference in Danvers, MA.

•  The Library has sent submissions to the Urban Libraries Council to be considered for awards including: Positioning the Library, Library Teams, the Springfield Family Childcare Language and Literacy Project, Health/Medical Workshops, and the Playgroup at the Central Library. All entries will be posted on the ULC website, providing visibility and PR for Springfield City Library.

•  The library's FY12 budget is done and the Director's Office is awaiting feedback. The budget goes before City Council early in May.

•  Ms. Fogarty will meet with Mayor Sarno shortly concerning the possibility of a parking lot between the Central Library and St. Michael's Cathedral.

•  The City has settled with the SMA for $178,000 for the sale of a rare book collection. It was noted that this money must be spent by the end of this fiscal year, June 30, 2011.

•  A group of Pakistani officials will be visiting Springfield in the upcoming weeks, and will tour the Central Library and Sixteen Acres Branch Library. In addition they plan to attend the May 4 Library Commission meeting.

•  The William Rice clock, a 50th wedding anniversary gift to Mr. and Mrs. Rice from the SLMA was discussed. The Rice family would like to donate it to the Library. Transfer, repair and placement were discussed. Ms. Fogarty recommended tabling this issue until next month's Library Commission meeting. Ms. O'Connor believes more research needs to be done, while Mr. Cary would like to see this clock kept in the Central Library or the new Museum of Springfield History on the Quadrangle.

•  Ms. Fogarty spoke about the need for the Library to develop criteria for and adopt a Naming Policy so that the Library will be prepared for requests.

•  Staff Development Day, funded by the Friends of the Library, will take place on Friday, April 8, when most staff members will travel to Cambridge, MA to tour their new library.

•  April 13 is Library Snapshot Day. We will take photos of events and programs at our branches and submit the photos, providing a “snapshot” of the depth and variety of programs and events offered by MA libraries.

Ana Leon, a student of the R/W/N program, was commended by Ms. Fogarty and Mr. Ramsay for speaking at the MA Library Legislative Day recently. It was said that she did a wonderful job and represented the Library well.

None.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.