2025 Meeting Schedule and minutes

January 14 2025

Dodge library board meeting 5:07:  start –

Norman Taber, Jim Gratton, Judy Paquette, Bob Rizos, Tory Taber.

Discussion of past minutes – 

Robin moved to accept Dec minutes (with Month changed) Bob seconded.

Treasurer’s report –

There is a total of $3.135 in the library account.

Incudes Directors pay, insurance, books and Mason’s

The funds should carry us through the year.

Norman moved to approve the treasurer’s report– Bob seconded

Director’s Report

January 2025

December was a low-traffic month, with 71 patrons coming into the Dodge. We circulated 89 items. The director has observed that December is always slow, and I think it is due to more than having reduced hours. People tend to be extremely busy in December. I anticipate and hope that January will be livelier.

The biggest news to report is, of course, the absolute charter. It’s such great news. We all worked very hard, for many years, to secure this status.! There are steps to be taken. From the email from Albany:

“Here are the petition and resolution which need to be signed and notarized and returned to us with a check for $60 made out to New York State Education Department.  Please send to Adriana Mastroianni, New York State Library / Division of Library Development, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY 12230.  If the meeting where the trustees voted on the application was in 2024 please change the first “2025” in the resolution to “2024.”

Tory has changed the date as specified. J When the resolution is notarized, Norman will mail them with the petition. Tory believes the charter may be finalized in February. We look forward to receiving it, framing it, and displaying it in the library. Thanks to all for the work, and hours, trustee education and time spent in meetings you have all contributed to this endeavor.

Thanks to Robin, for finding someone willing to do our snow removal. Craig has been great so far. It is so lovely to arrive at the library and see clear sidewalks, all crunchy with eco-friendly salt. Tory gave him some reimbursement forms and we agreed he could put one in the drop-box once a month and that Jim would mail him a check. We made and oversight when making the contract for snow removal, we specified it should be shoveled when 1 inch or more – we are modifying the contract to specify 3 inches or more.

Bob had a good observation: it would be nice of us to send a thank-you note to the gentleman who has been plowing the parking lot. He is a member of the church that owns the school, but he plows it specifically for me and our patrons to use. Tory could find out his name, or we could send a note to the church in general.

We will send a card of thanks to Cat Rizos, who volunteered her time and expertise to editing and improving our long-range plan.

Last week Tory sent a link to the musical/reading that was recorded here.

Tory has been communicating with Jesse from ShowUp. She will be hosting a book club meeting here, during library hours, on February 6. The organizer is controlling attendance by limiting the number of attendees to 12, the number of chairs we have.

Tory has prepared a meeting schedule for 2025 with meetings scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month as listed below. The board will need to approve the schedule, and Tory will post it online and on our bulletin board, as required to meet minimum standards.

Meeting Schedule for the Dodge Library Board of Directors for 2025

Board moved to make the following meeting dates:

Robin moved, Bob seconded – Passed

The board meets from 5:00-6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise indicated. All meetings take place in the Dodge Library and are open to the public.

2025

January 14

February 11

March 11

April 15

May 13

June 17

July 8

August 12

September 9

October 14

November 18

December 9

Approved by the Board of Directors on __________________

Thanks as always, for all your help me check all the boxes to meet requirements.

Book suggestions below.

Respectfully submitted,

Tory Taber

Book suggestions

Fiction

1.    “Intermezzo”, Sally Rooney, $16.53

2.    “The Crash”, Freida Mcfadden, $18.80

3.    “The Extinction of Irena Rey”, Jennifer Croft, $16.52

4.     “The Witchstone,”, Henry Neff, $24.97

Nonfiction

5.    “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World”, Robin Wall Kimmerer, $11.40

6.    “Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman”, Callum Robinson, $17.10

7.    “The Inner Clock: Living in Sync With Our Circadian Rhythms”, Lynne Peeples $17.10

8.    The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook”, Hampton Sides $19.95

9.    “I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine”, Daniel Levitin, $18.53

Children’s

10.  “The Hotel Balzaar”, Kate DiCamillo, $10.25

Total projected cost: $179.14

Addendum:

The grant that was discussed last meeting is an annual one. There should be an announcement that we can submit and “Intent to Apply,” around June. It is an undertaking. I have visited the NYS Library page, and it seems like, much like our tree cutting endeavor, we would be expected to contribute a significant amount financially. CEFLS will often send out updates and have informational meetings regarding the construction grant. If the board would like me to attend any of these, they will need to fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, as I am at my other job on Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

The webpage (https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/construc/guidelines.htm) does include “a new roof” as an example of potential projects, it also contains this statement:

 “DASNY will not approve projects that contain components which they perceive to be repairs or maintenance. For example, “fix cracks in parking lot,” would likely be perceived as a repair, whereas installing a new parking lot would qualify as construction.”

Interior renovations and improvements can also be projects, though I think we all agree that the exterior of our little building is in the most immediate need. But if we applied for a new roof, for example, there is a chance we could fold repainting and restoring the peeling moldings in the project, and it wouldn’t be considered maintenance. I suppose those would be the sort of things I (or an available board member) could find out at a meeting.

Finally, it’s time for the annual report again. Tory will begin plugging information in immediately.

Tory would like to express her appreciation to Jim, we would not have been granted our charter, without Jim’s contribution. He spends hours, probably days, doing the financial portion of the report. His contribution is so important to the running of the library. Thanks to Jim.

Robin moved to approve book list – Bob seconded. Passed.

Meeting continued: librarian annual assessment

Formal part of the meeting ended – board continued on to Director’s assessment.

Meeting adjourned: 5:46 pm

February 11 2025

Dodge library board meeting 5:06:  start –

Norman Taber, Jim Gratton, Judy Paquette, Bob Rizos, Tory Taber,

Amended past minutes – Bob moved Judy seconded passed – 

Treasurer’s report –

We received our budget of $25,500

Elec 84 (electric seems to have increased substantially on the last bill)

A discussion of the electric and various providers began

Phone 47

Book bill 371

Salt $30

Do North $70

Employee: $1,289

Returned check fee $20

There is a total of $26,022 in the library account.

Norman moved to approve the treasurer’s report– Judy seconded

Passed -

Director’s Report

February 2025

The Dodge hosted 92 patrons.  We circulated a satisfying 100 items.

Tory has been working on the annual report. The board will need to look it over before we submit it, the deadline is February 21. She will send an email with a link as soon as it is complete. She has asked the board to review the documents and approve by email.

Thank you to Norman and Judy for getting the charter and petition notarized and sending it to Albany. According to the tracking, the documents arrived.

Speaking of thanks, the good neighbor who has been plowing the parking lot is Bill Ashley, and additionally apparently someone named Randy. Perhaps a thank-you note to the church, thanking both, would be nice.

Jesse from Show Up is still planning on hosting a book group has been rescheduled for Feb 13th

Regarding the computer purchase that the board approved. I intended to purchase it, it was on sale for $479, a bit less than the $500 approved by the board. But, yes there is a “but”, when I tried to purchase it I discovered there is no software included. Software is no longer a one-time purchase, but a subscription. To get the bare bones office software bundle, it will be a $99 subscription annually (Most of the packages are over $300). In addition, there is recommended security software that is recommended, would be an additional $20 annually. The software is, in fact, necessary. I think the security software is advisable as patron privacy is one of tenets of good library practice. The final price, with tax is $641.97. Tory now believes that the Microsoft software is not necessary and that we could use the Google suite – bringing the price down to around $500.00

Bob moved to approve $600.00 for the purchase of the computer, Judy seconded.

If the board agrees to go forward with the purchase, I am happy to buy it and get reimbursed by Jim. However, the board may want to consider a business credit card for the recurring subscription fees. Currently, I have the annual website subscription fee of $12 linked to my personal card and when it was renewed this past August, Jim reimbursed me. But that is me, not every employee might be comfortable with this arrangement. I suggest the board put payment measures in place that are not linked to a specific employee,

The credit card discussion deferred until March.

The concrete on the bottom step is crumbling. I was shoveling snow and a large chunk came out. I think it is big enough that it will require repair.

Respectfully submitted,

Tory Taber

Book suggestions

Fiction

1.    “The Grey Wolf”, Louise Penny $17.10

2.    “The Wedding People”, Alison Espach, $16.52

3.    “The Crash”, Frieda McFadden. $18.80

4.    “Rental House,” Wieke Wang. $15.96

5.    “The ultimate Pokemon guide” $

Nonfiction

6.    “Framed”, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey. $17.10

7.    “Don’t Believe Everything You Think”, Joseph Nuygen. $12.54

Childrens

8.    “Olivetti”, Allie Millington. $10.25

9.    “Chooch Helped”, Andrea Rogers. 2025 Caldecott Award winner. $15.19

10. “The First State of Being”, Erin Entrada Kelly. 2025 NewburyAward winner.$18.89

Total projected cost: $159.45

 Judy moved to approve the list – Bob seconded - approved 

Norman will put a temporary plywood step secured in place, with the expectation of more permanent cement repair when the weather turns warmer.

Bob will forward the director’s evaluation to the board for approval by email.

Formal part of the meeting ended – board continued on to Director’s assessment.

Meeting adjourned: 6:03 pm