Trustees for the Town of Southborough Library approved the library's proposed operating budget and authorized up to $1,000 from donated funds to buy folding tables.

Library Director Ryan (Speaker 4) told trustees the meeting would focus on the budget and said the library must begin incorporating popular programming and professional development into its operating budget because previously available grants and friends-group support are no longer sufficient. "If we want to continue [programming], we're going to need to have that in the operating budget," Ryan said.

The board discussed the scale of the proposed increase both as a percentage and in dollars. Trustee Speaker 2 noted that a roughly 9.6% increase in the library budget translates to smaller dollar increases for specific program lines and offered examples (about a $6,000 increase for programming and about $2,000 for professional development in the trustees' breakdown). Ryan provided line-item figures included in the draft: $1,050 for adult programs, $4,945 for a graphic-novel workshop and an amount shown in the draft for child craft programs that reads as "$19.50" in the record.

Trustees also addressed several operational items. Ryan outlined a prior 2018 conflict between a Toastmasters member and library staff during remediation and said he is reluctant to permit unrestricted meetings by the group without safeguards. After discussion the trustees said they would consider allowing a Toastmasters presence if it is run and publicized as a library program (open to the public), limited initially to a probationary monthly session, and paired with a Southborough resident as a local contact or sponsor.

On purchases, Speaker 3 moved to approve spending up to $1,000 for folding tables to be paid from the Southborough Library Fund donation account; the motion carried. Ryan said the select board had approved a $2,000 interest distribution from the fund and recommended using that donation money rather than operating funds for the purchase.

Other items discussed included a preliminary raffle-basket fundraising plan led by the Friends group to solicit themed baskets from library-affiliated groups and sell tickets to the public; a report that Ingram shipments are arriving more promptly (reducing a backlog of materials); confirmation that a transport chair would be purchased for $225 from the line-item budget; and a restriction of Hoopla access to Southborough cardholders after costs rose to about $1,000 per month.

Staff and trustees are invited to QPR (suicide-prevention) training scheduled for Jan. 26; Ryan said the training will close the library for the session.

Speaker 3 moved to approve the overall budget proposal and Speaker 5 seconded; the trustees voted in favor and the budget was approved. The trustees discussed logistics for a joint presentation to the select board and town advisory on Jan. 24 to explain the requested increase. The meeting adjourned at 11:52 a.m.