Patrick Markey, Chair (presiding)
Commissioners Barbara Garvey, Craig Givens, Madeline Landrau, Sheila McElwaine
Absent: Commissioners Vera O'Connor, Rudy Ruggeri

Lee Fogarty, Assistant Director
Carol Leaders, Business Manager
Janet Stupak, Volunteer Coordinator

1. Opening reading

None.

2. Minutes of the September 13, 2006 Meeting

Commissioner Garvey made a motion and Commissioner McElwaine seconded that the minutes of the September 13, 2006 regular meeting of the Springfield Library Board of Commissioners be approved following two changes to page 2. Section 6 should read "Questions from Commissioner McElwaine concerning weeds, fencepost caps, and flagpole lighting at Indian Orchard Branch Library." Section 4, "Mary Rivest, Liberty Branch" concerned about stairs at "Liberty Branch."

The motion was adopted.

3. Library Advisory Committee Reports:

Commissioner Givens and Chairman Markey reported on the Mason Square Community Forum, which they had attended recently, held at the American International College Performing Arts Center. There was discussion of possible locations to build a new Mason Square Branch Library, and the importance of keeping it in the Mason Square neighborhood, as dictated by the Annie E. Curran Endowment (currently $4 million). A Library Commission Subcommittee made up of Chairman Markey and Commissioners Landrau and Givens, was formed to examine possible sites.

4. Library Commission Committee Reports

Repair of the lights and fencepost caps at Indian Orchard Branch Library are in progress.

It was reported that the roof at Sixteen Acres Branch Library is being worked on.

Work at Forest Park and Pine Point Branches will be going out to bid.

The Commission expressed its concern and anxiety in regards to the work being completed before winter.

5. Library Advisory Committees:

Beryl Kress reported that the East Forest Park Advisory Committee plan to meet at the end of October.

Commissioner McElwaine's draft, Branch Library Advisory Committees Guidelines, was discussed in detail. The revised draft will be made available for public comment.

Proposed Guideline and Procedures for Fundraising document was discussed and revised. Commissioner Garvey made a motion to accept the fundraising guidelines document. Commissioner McElwaine seconded. The motion was adopted.

Document titled "Steps in Adoption of these Guidelines" was discussed. The Commission will finalize a draft and vote to accept it for public review and comment at its December meeting. The final draft will be presented at the January Commission meeting. Commissioner Landrau made a motion to accept the updated Branch Library Advisory Committee Guidelines document. Commissioner Givens seconded. The motion was adopted.

6. Director's Report FY07/08 Action Plan

Assistant Director Lee Fogarty gave the Director's report. Ms. Fogarty highlighted a few sections of the FY07/08 Action Plan:

Written procedures for all administrative activities are being developed.

A performance evaluation instrument is being developed for all collective bargaining staff.

Anne Keefe, Manager of Collection Development & Technical Services is working on developing a library service plan aimed at active older adults.

Four students taking part in Mass Blast, which recruits high school students for library careers, locally through Simmons College, are now at Central Library.

The One Book selection for 2007 is Tuesdays With Morrie. Events will be held April 1st - 15th .

The $30,000 Target Grant will be used to extend the STARR (Springfield Tots Are Ready to Read) Program.

Plans are going forward for the East Springfield Branch Library 75th Anniversary celebration in the spring.

Central Library has applied to be designated a Cooperative Collection of the Foundation Center.

Discussion on the library's budget issues as related to the Municipal Appropriation requirement.

7. Other Business

Commissioner McElwaine took a moment to welcome Commissioner Landrau to the Library Board as well as distribute a handout she had researched on Springfield Demography and Library Services.

8. Adjournment

In accordance with the approved schedule of meetings, the next regular meeting of the Springfield City Library Board of Commissioners will be held on Wednesday November 1, 2006 at the Forest Park Branch, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.