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Chicopee Public Library trustees back click-through for sensitive historic images, schedule Bookmobile assessment
Summary
At their Feb. 9 meeting trustees accepted routine minutes and reports, recommended a click-through and descriptive caption for digitized images showing human remains rather than added access barriers, and approved pursuing a no-cost Moroney Monolight assessment of the 11‑year‑old Bookmobile on March 6.
Trustee Barbara Pronovost called the Chicopee Public Library trustees to order at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 9 at the Emily L. Partyka Central Branch. Trustees Barbara Pronovost, Judy Chelte and Karen Kamienski were present; Library Director Laura Bovee attended and Assistant Director Anne Gancarz was absent.
The trustees unanimously approved routine business: minutes from the Jan. 5 meeting, a financial report dated Feb. 5, 2026, minutes from the Friends of the Chicopee Library for four meetings in 2025, and the Director's Report. Trustee Judy Chelte moved to accept the January minutes and made the motion to adjourn later in the meeting; Trustee Karen Kamienski seconded both motions. Each of those motions passed 3-0.
On a policy matter, the trustees reviewed a draft Chicopee Room policy titled "Digitization of Images Showing Human Remains." The trustees said they supported making sensitive images available with a clear click-through acknowledgment and descriptive caption rather than adding further access barriers. Trustee Judy Chelte asked about potential liability from making such images publicly accessible. Director Laura Bovee will consult History Room staff, review best practices and the wording on the library's Digital Archives pages, and report back to the trustees.
Budget planning for fiscal year 2027 was discussed briefly. Director Bovee said she submitted a request for a level-funded FY27 budget in line with prior years and did not anticipate issues; the preliminary budget is due Feb. 27, 2026.
Because the library's Bookmobile is about eleven years old, the trustees approved pursuing an assessment by Moroney Monolight Bookmobiles, the vendor that built the vehicle. Moroney will perform a no-charge assessment at their Worcester facility on March 6 that will evaluate the roof, generator, carpeting, wheelchair lift and a possible leak at the top of the patron door. The trustees asked that the results be reported at the next meeting.
In other business, the minutes record that Trustee Barbara Pronovost's new term was approved by the City Council on Feb. 3; Trustee Karen Kamienski's reappointment appeared on the City Council agenda for Feb. 17. The trustees set their next meeting for Monday, March 9, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. The meeting adjourned at 10:26 a.m. Minutes were submitted by Director Laura Bovee on Feb. 9, 2026.
The meeting minutes do not include verbatim quotes from trustees or staff; the record consists of motions, approvals and staff reports.
