Present and Voting: Amy Borgman, Dan Childs, Emily Noyes, Susan O’Brien, Starr Strong
Present and Not Voting: Laura Rochat, Librarian
-Welcome to our Board’s 5th member, Susan O’Brien, duly elected and sworn in, bringing us up to full membership. So glad to have you with us!
-Treasurer’s Report: We are beginning our new fiscal year as of July 1, 2022. Per Dan we are on track with our records showing most of our 2021 expenditures went for books and other resources. Our latest phone contract has saved a considerable amount of money for us and the Town.
-Librarian’s Report: Summer numbers are picking up a bit as school has let out and Summer visitors are arriving. Laura reports that the BFPL is again collaborating with the Brookfield Elementary School on the annual Vermont Library reading program. Transitioning folks to the new Overdrive platform for ListenUp VT is still in progress and is going well.
Info on ARPA Funds and recent programming noted in Minutes below.
-OLD Business: We recently hosted 2 programs, as noted below
*An educator from VINS presented a wildlife program at the BES as a precursor to the Summer Reading Program. Despite the attractiveness of the accompanying hawk and box turtle, this program was disappointing in its ability to engage with the young audience.
*Christina Swann’s petting zoo returned to the OTH. We attracted another great crowd of 22 adults and 23 children, spread out over the time she was here. If she had arrived at the scheduled time there would have been more time for the children to interact with the wonderful animals she provided.
*Recent Library ARPA Funds were spent on outdoor furniture from LL Bean. This was assembled by Jon Jickling and family (many thanks for that) and is now attractively sitting on the front lawn of the Library.
*Another box of discarded children’s books has been donated to DCF to be distributed to Foster families, a box of discarded adult books was donated to the Gifford Thrift Shop.
NEW Business: There is still time for the Library to provide more Summer programming. Board Members are asked to consider options and notify Laura of any thoughts or possibilities on this.
Laura has contacted The Bird Diva, Bridget Butler, who is currently booking into next year, to present a program when available. Starr will contact The Bear Guy in NH about a presentation. We all agree that we will hold another Deconstruction Day, probably in the Fall.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday September 7, 2022 @ 6:30pm.