Library staff told trustees she has created an Amazon wish list for classroom-sized supplies and small items—markers, crayons, cleaning supplies and a cubby unit for children’s shoes—and asked trustees if the library may publish the list to accept donated items directly to the library.

Trustees raised one administrative concern: donors’ receipts and town-record reporting. Staff said Amazon provides donor receipts and that gifts ordered from the list would be delivered to the library, not to staff residences. Trustees agreed that the wish list can be used but suggested the Friends group could assume broader fundraising coordination if the Friends are reconstituted.

Staff also described a proposed ticketed “Sip Night” fundraiser with several small local wineries and a meadery, tentatively timed for mid-February (Valentine’s/’Galentine’s’ theme). She said the town’s insurance carrier advised the event must be held under the town/library insurance (not as a Friends event) and that each beverage vendor should provide a certificate of liability; trustees were told the library must also obtain a one-day pouring license from the select board. Staff proposed timed seatings (for example, two or three seatings in the evening), one-ounce pours, donated centerpieces and voluntary food pairings from local vendors. Suggested ticket price discussion centered around $25 as a reasonable middle point.

Trustees discussed logistics and compliance: verifying the library’s capacity limits (staff will consult the police chief and code officer), confirming whether vendors may sell bottles onsite (vendors told trustees they may, and some said they would consider donating a portion of sales), and setting an age-checking process for ticket holders. Staff also proposed offering supervised babysitting in the basement programming room or another town room to allow caregivers to attend; she said local students seeking community service hours often volunteer as sitters.

Trustees signaled informal approval to proceed with planning: staff was asked to reach out to vendors for liability certificates, consult the chief regarding public-safety presence and capacity, and provide a short description of how proceeds would be earmarked. Staff said she would prefer proceeds be used partly to seed a Friends fund (if the Friends group forms) and to support downstairs refurbishing, ADA story-time training, and programming supplies.

Trustees also discussed public outreach: selling tickets in advance, posting event notices, and using the event as an opportunity to solicit feedback from attendees about future programming.