Present: Roger Gingrich (chair), Diane St. Jean, Ginna Schonwald (secretary), Liz Bolton (library director)
(remotely) Rebecca Butcher, Beth Brockett, Cindy Hoisington
Greeting: “The Library is worth defending not just because it’s important to our society as a whole. It’s important because it helps us understand lives we believe to be unlike ours, understanding that can help us unlock our most empathetic and authentic selves.” Emily St. James (writer, journalist, podcaster) in Sunday NYT July 23, 2023.
- Review/Approval of minutes from July 11, 2023, Meeting –
Cindy moved to approve, Rebecca seconded. Unanimous approval with that one correction. - Building Committee updates –
- Jason is working to draft a ~9,700 SF library to the west of the proposed 2020 site, along Ramsdell Lane with parking for about 80 cars between the library and Ramsdell. Proposed by the Rec, between the library and the playground will be pickleball courts. An aerial view of the site location was shared. There is a plan to allow for solar and make the building net zero, if feasible.
- August 23, 5 to 7 PM Library Open House event to see and hear from Jason about first iteration of new library. The plan is for an informal dialogue with those who attend with slides and perhaps a 3D video walkthrough. We’ll have a foundation table and will need 2-3 people to staff it.
- Peterborough Library visit by Building Committee. See separate notes on this visit. It took 5-6 years of very consistent work on the part of several people to raise the funds and pass the warrant. They raised $5.5 million in donations, much of it said to be in small increments ($25 not $25K).
- Foundation membership changes
Recruitment – APB in 7/27 MailChimp / personal acquaintances / neighbors – neighborhood. - Storytelling features – Diane & Ginna update:
- Website and MailChimp list publications pending. The current videos are 30 secs to 1.5 minutes. “What would you like to see in a new library?” Possibly create a 45-second montage of several interviews.
- Diane would like to interview more teens.
- How can we contact the Lego group /Book Clubbers?
- With some of the interviews, we may be able to distill some very poignant and enduring quotes!
- What is the purpose of these videos? One readily evident VALUE is to add balance to the constant focus on the COST of a new library to the Barrington community.
- Fundraising (goal $250,000) initial steps: strategies and timelines were updated.
- Next meeting Sept 5, 7 p.m.; Next Roadside trash pickup – Saturday, August 26th
- Adjournment – Ginna motioned to adjourn. Cindy seconded. Unanimous approval.