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Trustees approve volunteer rules, makerspace and other policy updates; adopt COVID testing guidance
Summary
The St. Mary's County Library Board approved a package of personnel and program policies including a revised volunteer manual, volunteer guidelines, study-room rules, makerspace and 3D-printing language changes, and an employee COVID testing guideline with a Sept. 1 implementation date; an investment policy was tabled for outside counsel review.
Trustees of the St. Mary's County Library approved several policy updates and operational items at their meeting, voting on administrative changes ranging from volunteer rules to makerspace safety and workplace COVID testing.
Minutes and routine financial approvals Board President Jim Hanley moved and trustees approved the July meeting minutes and the month’s expenses (EALs). The votes were voice votes with trustees indicating unanimous support among those present.
Volunteer and personnel policies Trustees approved an updated volunteer manual and volunteer guidelines that lower the minimum age for youth volunteers to 14 (with a parent-signed volunteer contract required for ages 14–15) and list duties volunteers are not permitted to perform under Maryland law. The board also approved related personnel-policy edits, including a clarified resignation-notice procedure asking for two weeks’ notice (with up to six weeks appreciated).
Study rooms, makerspace and 3-D/Cricut policies The board approved changes to the study-room policy requiring that room applicants be at least 12 years old and that children under 12 be accompanied by an adult. Trustees approved a new makerspace policy and agreement that sets safety and training rules for tools such as 3-D printers, Cricut cutters and other workshop equipment. Trustees also approved wording changes to the library’s 3-D printing and Cricut policies clarifying that the library “disclaims knowledge and does not accept responsibility” for patrons’ creations; that wording was amended across the maker-related policies for consistency.
COVID testing guidelines Trustees approved employee COVID testing guidelines that distinguish treatment for vaccinated and unvaccinated employees. Under the approved framework, vaccinated employees may be exempt from routine screening testing while unvaccinated employees will be asked to participate in periodic testing and follow additional precautions during periods of high transmission. Trustees modified the draft to fix minor wording (removing an erroneous “in”) and to add “bus” (or public conveyance) to the list of travel types that require supervisor notification; the board set an implementation date of Sept. 1 to give staff time to prepare.
Investment policy deferred The board reviewed a proposed investment policy for the library’s OPEB (retiree health) fund but decided to have outside counsel review the draft before voting. Trustees asked the director to forward the draft to the library’s attorney to determine whether outside expertise is needed or to recommend a specialist reviewer.
Votes at a glance - Approval: July meeting minutes — outcome: approved by voice vote (unanimous among members present). - Approval: Expenses/EALs — outcome: approved by voice vote. - Approval: Volunteer manual — outcome: approved (policy lowers youth volunteer age to 14; parental signature required for ages 14–15). - Approval: Volunteer guidelines — outcome: approved. - Approval: Study-room policy changes — outcome: approved (reservation allowed for applicants aged 12+; children under 12 must be accompanied). - Approval: Makerspace policy and agreement — outcome: approved. - Approval: 3-D printing and Cricut policy wording change — outcome: approved (library language changed to "disclaims knowledge and does not accept responsibility"). - Approval: Employee COVID testing guidelines — outcome: approved with minor wording edits; implementation set for Sept. 1. - Action deferred: Investment policy for OPEB fund — outcome: tabled for legal/financial review.
Ending: Trustees approved the package of operational and program policies and asked staff to implement the COVID guidance by Sept. 1; the investment policy will return after counsel review.
