TCPL Board of Trustees Meeting: Dec. 18, 2025

A Quincy Votes! member attended this meeting. While care has been taken in their creation, these notes are not official meeting minutes and may contain errors or omissions. 

December Meeting

Agenda

Approve Nov. 25 minutes:  approved

At this meeting, new Trustee Julia Wu was welcomed to Board of Trustees.  She said she was excited to become a Trustee.  She is a professional marketer in Boston.

Director's report:

• Staff wise:  almost fully staffed 

• Closing in on fully staffing the circulation department

  • Abby Arsenaultis is moving from Adams Shore to North Quincy Branch as the Adult and Teen Services Librarian.

  • Union negotiations continue. 

  • The roof is having "exploratory report" work done.  The work is focused on Richardson and Aiken buildings.  The roof has been leaking for 15 to 20 years; money has been allocated for roof repairs.  Because it is a national historic landmark there are additional rules, but they will put original tiles on the front and they will get "closest match" of tiles for the back of the roof.   Director Symon has been involved in several construction projects and has experience with how good the "matches" can be.

  • Implementation of "google" email system is complete.  This gives the Library some independence from OCLN workspace policy. 

  • Bookstore is crushing it.  October returns were great.

  • Richardson is decorated for the holidays.  Looks amazing.

  • Director Slyman sits on executive board of OCLN.  Made up of 28 libraries.  Hingham joined in 1993, and they have been challenging to work with.  OCLN was wanting to standardize loan policies.   Hingham was represented at the discussions.  OCLN members voted to allow loans for 21 days with 2 renewals.  Members voted for approval, 19 - 3.  The Board received a letter from the Hingham Board of Trustees saying OCLN violated the law and usurped their power.   Hingham has signed the membership agreement that says OCLN members will follow the policies of OCLN.   The OCLN lawyer was subsequently engaged to do a deep dive.  Hingham has approved other policy changes (such as ebooks).  This is supposed to be effective in April with the new ILS system.   More to come.

  • Library system that checks books in and out (Integrated Library System) will be getting a new system rolling out in April.  The current one is very old.

  • Library is receiving first installment of state aid of $250,000 which is up approximately $15k from when she started here. Used for extra professional development, new shelving, or new furniture (such as desk chairs).  Will be used this year to build reference librarians office.  (Right now, one room has seven people in desks, no windows.  Will turn the old bookstore into the Reference Librarians office.) 

• Friends of TCPL

  • Doing well

  • Jennifer (President of the Friends group) went to the Friends of the Library conference.  Some Friends groups do political advocacy.  Will be selling snacks and such.  Trying to attract teens as they get a lot of young adult materials.

  • Will be exploring ways to get volunteers who can help sort materials that come in that are in Chinese.
    

• Treasurer's Report

  • Citizen's bank statement is stable.

  • Schwab account down a little, but basically stable.

  • Julia Wu inquired what was the investment strategy for the Swab account.  (Peter has the info on who is managing it.).   She wants to see their investment policy statement.  Wants to see the allocations. 

  • The donated funds that make up this Schwab account are restricted for what they can be used for.

  • Finance committee needs to be reconstituted. 

  • Julia is curious as to the interest rate paid, supposed to be 3%, but looking more like 2.5%

  • Citizen's account has 11 sub accounts to reflect the donor's restrictions.  (Example of one that has to fix/repair the clock in the Quincy room and send the bill to the Trustees and the trustees deduct the cost of the repair and then send a check to the Library.) 

  • Sara would be happy to meet with the Finance committee to explain what she knows about the donor funds.  There are regular donations that can be directed to the Trustees and then used (for example to pay a summer intern).

  • There is also a foundation that is fallow:  the website has expired again.  So we can't direct any donations to the foundation.
    
    

• Old Business:

  • Staff appreciation party planning.

    • Subcommittee met

    • Party at end of January.  (Save the date has been sent).

  • Trustees need to log into their new email accounts.   Link may expire.  Contact Taylor if the link has expired.
    
    

• New Business:  none
  

• Question from Cindy Brandi on Library of Things usage (during public comment session).    Answer:  Very little use of technology items.  Very high usage of upholstery cleaner, sewing machines, drain snakes, KitchenAid Mixer, and Karaoke Machine.

• Next meeting January 8th:  8:30 AM Main Library.