General

LIBRARY BOARD of COMMISSIONERS Wednesday, May 20, 7:45 am Local History Room, Main Branch, Fletcher Free Library Minutes Present: Mary Danko, Patrick Halladay, Cate MacLachlan, Amy Mellencamp, Carol Livingston, Sally Blanchard-O’Brien, Samantha Donalds, Nick Tatakis, Wells Shelley, Mona Tolba, Sam Doherty, Emily Copeland. Approval of minutes from last meeting (March 18, 2026): Cate MacLachlan moved, Patrick Halladay seconded, approved. Approval of agenda: Cate MacLachlan moved, Patrick Halladay seconded, approved. Public forum: No public in attendance Friends of FFL report: -​ Representing the Friends: Carol Livingston, Vice President -​ The Friends are taking book donations again. -​ The book sale calendar for the year is full. -​ A committee is planning ahead for how to manage book storage and maintain sales during upcoming construction. -​ There has been good continual interest in volunteer participation, maybe because of City Market membership hours. ​ Staff report: -​ Haley Martin, FFL Volunteer Coordinator -​ They currently have 95 volunteers! (These volunteers are separate from the Friends volunteers.) -​ Tasks include: book repair, events support, staffing the circulation desk, buffing DVDs, monitoring teen desk, teaching Spanish classes, sanitizing high-touch surfaces, craft night. -​ Diversity of participants: teens, people working full time, retired adults. -​ Two thirds of volunteers are here through the City Market volunteer program. -​ Hayley interviews and vets all volunteers. People go through background checks. -​ FFL hosts a volunteer appreciation event every year - 50 attended this year. -​ Hayley made a volunteer handbook that outlines expectations, general info. -​ Discussion on how volunteers play an essential role in library operations and as community ambassadors. Director’s report: -​ Mini golf fundraiser event was a great success - enthusiasm to repeat next year. -​ Library budget, in collaboration with Mayor - moved a youth-area staff member (per their request) from full time to part time. Some youth services will be reduced accordingly. -​ Upcoming - fall internship position on communications (findable on City of Burlington website under “jobs”). Subcommittee update: -​ The policy subcommittee shared the updated social media policy. The existing policy was adopted in 2015. The newly drafted policy outlines that library staff cannot moderate or delete social media comments because this space is now considered a public forum with freedom of speech protections. The Commission has one suggested edit: spell out “FFL” in policy title. Motion to approve the policy: Sam Donalds moved, Sally Blanchard-O’Brien seconded, approved. New / other business: -​ At the July meeting, we will review the renovation plans. -​ Thank you to Sam Doherty for serving on the Commission, and good luck at college next year. Motion to move to executive session: Emily Copeland moved, Patrick Halladay seconded, approved. Motion to adjourn: Cate MacLachlan moved, Sally Blanchard-O’Brien seconded, approved. Next meeting: July 15 at 7:45am.