September 5, 2023 Minutes

Posted byDavid WeingartPosted inMeeting Minutes

Present: Roger Gingrich (chr / secretary), Susan Gaudiello (chr Trustees), Sarah Pfistner (guest), Jackie Cilley (guest), Cindy Hoisington, Diane St. Jean, Beth Brocket, Liz Bolton (Director BPL), Kris Pavlik

Absent: Rebecca Butcher, Ginna Schonwald, Maureen Sawicki

Greetings:

  • Niel Gross – Professor of Sociology at Colby College on “Does Fear of Crime Fuel More Crime” (NYT) – conclusion, “one of the best things that cities can do to reduce fear is to increase social connections among residents…by fortifying what Eric Klinenberg calls ‘social infrastructure’ – building community centers, recreational facilities, libraries, neighborhood organizations that connect us to one another, making everyday life feel a little less scary”.
  • Michelangelo – “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high, and we miss it, but that it is too low, and we reach it.”
  1. Minutes from August 1 Foundation meeting – reviewed and unanimously approved.
  2. Report from Trustee chair, Susan Gaudiello
    • August 23 open house at the BPL for public to see the 3rd iteration of the new BPL plans by SMP – Jason LaCombe. Also presented and discussed was the recently vacated Barrington Walk-In Care Center (“BWICC”) on Rt 125 (previously owned by Frisbie Memorial Hospital – now by HCA Healthcare). This building was toured for the first time by Susan Gaudiello, Roger Gingrich, Jason LaCombe, Susan Frankel, Karolina Bodner all of whom found the option as a highly attractive possibility for a new library. Discussion within this group led to a quick decision to also present this as a 2nd option at the 5PM event. 
    • Jason presented the SMP option along with a footprint of the BWICC to about 45 folks who came to the 5 – 7 PM event.
    • Both in the room in informal discussions and those leaving expressed a high level of enthusiasm for the BWICC option – focusing on the attractiveness of the building, its location, and the anticipated lower cost with a quicker move-in time when compared to a new build on Ramsdell Lane.
  3. Foundation finances update was provided by Kris and was unanimously approved.
  4. Jackie Cilley – the bottom lines on marketing strategies – will give a wrap-up presentation at our next meeting. She suggested that the Library Newsletter refer patrons regularly to the Foundation website for updates and promo for the new library.
  5. “Little Green Light” a popular cloud-based software used by fundraisers for the Peterborough Library and by the VNA. This cloud based subscription will be further studied.  Additional help would be required if a subscription is acquired and used as a marketing/fundraising/event management tool, where the app a great deal of functionality. It was suggested that consideration be given to hiring a fundraiser which Roger will pursue.
  6. The BWICC option and the Foundation
    • Promotion and Fundraising strategies will change with this new library option.
    • Previous donors / New donors / the submitted NEH grant application / additional grant application following the March 2024 vote will all be pursued with the goal of reducing the tax impact of the library bond.
  7. Story telling videos – Diane & Ginna so far have, or will complete, eight video interviews with a nice spread of ages represented. Posting these to Facebook was discussed and will not be pursued.  In response to a question as to how the videos would be used, Roger provided the following for response: “Storytelling is a tool we are using to help Barrington residents recognize the value of our library. Cost is much more commonly discussed in the public square while value in those discussions goes largely unrecognized. We thought that neutral stories told by library patrons of all ages would help folks see what might have escaped their attention. That said, we will be uploading these edited videos to the Foundation website (blfound.com) – this site is currently evolving but can be viewed now. I will also be sending select videos out on MailChimp – currently subscribed by 503 Barrington library supporters.”

    Diane voiced the opinion that FB would be an inappropriate place for these videos, especially when caustic comments could be voiced.
  8. The 2019 – 2020 BPL new library sign has been taken down and removed by RG. Framing material will be used to construct a fundraising thermometer this autumn – winter.
  9. Next roadside trash pick-up, and last for 2023, is scheduled for October 21.
  10. Adjournment vote was unanimous. Next meeting is October 3.