Trustees approve $4,500 in programming and Halloween funds; director outlines website and program plans

At its Oct. 7 meeting the Board of Library Trustees approved $4,500 from the LegMIG account to continue monthly craft classes and to fund candy and prizes for Halloween events at town hall and the library.

Director Lisa Cheever presented the funding request, detailing program costs: craft classes that Jean runs (two at the library and one at the senior center) budgeted at $4,260 annually and small line items for Halloween candy and prizes. Trustee Kelly Gillis moved to approve the $4,500 request; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.

Cheever also updated trustees on the library website: the current vendor, Piper Mountain Webs, is retiring and their arrangement runs through Oct. 1, 2025. She said a rebuild by a library-focused vendor will likely cost about $4,000–$5,000 and that annual maintenance/hosting costs may rise (she estimated roughly $560–$600 per year). Cheever said she is researching library-specialized providers and will provide more exact numbers for the FY26 budget process.

Trustees received program and circulation metrics: Hoopla had 185 uses in September, Canopy had 68 visits, Brainfuse had 6 uses, and the library circulated roughly 3,900 items in September. Cheever said staff will monitor usage and cancel underused subscriptions as needed. She also previewed a new digital offering, 'Library Chef,' which provides cooking classes free to patrons with a library card; staff will prepare a handout and train to assist patrons.

What happens next: trustees asked Cheever to return with budget details for FY26 and website-cost estimates; staff will implement approved programming funding and prepare handouts and training for the new digital resources.