Bentley Memorial Library Board approves minutes, reviews budget and program updates

The Bentley Memorial Library Board met May 13 at 206 Bolton Center Road and approved minutes and routine administrative items before hearing an extensive director's report on programs, grants and operations.

Claire Fazzina moved and Brook Nowak seconded approval of the March 11, 2025 minutes with a correction; the motion passed unanimously. Brook Nowak moved and Cami Soucy seconded approval of the April 29 special meeting minutes; that motion also passed unanimously. Dot Neil moved and Nowak seconded to adjourn the meeting at 4:56 PM; the adjournment motion passed unanimously. The board scheduled its next regular meeting for July 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM.

Library Director Liz Thornton reviewed March and April statistics (the April report added the "Deliver It" service) and told the board the library portion of the town budget is on track. Thornton reported several operational and program updates: the CT State Library provided statewide statistics and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) reinstated the CT State Library's FY 2024 grant awarded under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) for $2.16 million. She said Bibliomation purged about 16,000 long-expired patrons from its network, MuseumKey participation is expected to begin by the end of May, and the fine-free transition is complete though staff are still processing returned items under the amnesty period.

Thornton listed recent and upcoming purchases funded through the BGTC fund (screen, projector and replacement bulbs, patio bench, chairs and a picnic table) and said the library will host a celebration of Hartford Foundation grant recipients on May 15; the library received three Hartford Foundation grants totaling $16,377.63. She also reported copier contract renewal in July (anticipated at a reduced rate), attendance at recent conferences, ongoing programs (book discussion, story time, preschool yoga), upcoming field trips for local second graders, BikeWalk group participation in a storytime event, gallery work by Dorothy Hall on display, ongoing Friends of the Library sales, a growing seed library supplied by UConn Extension master gardeners, and scheduled events including Read to the Dogs and Zen's Critters.

Correspondence included a resignation letter from substitute Tina Prior and a request from Jim Rupert for an end-of-year report on unexpended funds. Thornton reminded trustees to submit reappointment applications by June 2 if their terms end in July and said the board will vote on a slate of officers and meeting dates at the July meeting.

Respectfully submitted minutes name Claire Fazzina as the recorder and request reference to subsequent meeting minutes for any additions or corrections.