South Londonderry Free Library Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes
May 28, 2025


Present: Michelle Christensen, Gale Kuhlberg, Diana Pagnucco, Faye Mack, Madeline Helser
Absent: Sunny Wright, David Shade

Meeting called to order: 4:30

1. Welcome Faye!

2. Approve minutes: Michelle/1, Gayle/2. Motion passed.

3. Madeline: Director’s report [written report coming at the end of the week/month] 

• Still planning to look into changing Nat’l Geo physical to digital subscription; maybe giveaway our collection? Dare we recycle it?
  
• 1,000 Books - TLS Director shared the flier, still pending at Wilder (new librarian)
  
• Dell desktop crashed and is out for diagnosis, moved the front room iMac into the office and it’s working fine
  
• Finished summer events flier - June, July, Aug
  
  • Graphic novel camp will be Aug 11-15
    
  • Color Your Garden and Casey’s programs happening too
    
• Partners for Success Grant (Collaborative) has extra funding and Madeline asked them to consider funding us purchasing more graphic novels
  
• The water cooler is here - we’ll refill from home rather than buy water
  
• Reilly is picking up on things very quickly
  
• Staying open Mem Day seemed like it went well - Reilly got lots done, too
  
• May 16 Smith Haven visit went really well - 7 attendees at the talk, also went door to door to ask residents what they need. We can spruce up and freshen their bookshelf collection, possibly monthly. Maybe do a van ride so they can come here (NC support). Will look into a grant for senior programming/classes - Wardsboro is doing some
  

4. Treasurer’s report

• No concerns at this time
  
• ADA Bathroom grant submitted. Thank you David and Carol!
  
• Need to schedule a meeting to review Madeline’s budget draft - David, Sunny, Michelle, Faye and Diana are all willing to work on this, and will find a mutual time to meet soon (Sunny or David will send an email out to start that process) 
  

5. Building and Grounds 

• Lancaster first mowed May 21 after reminder. Dennis will grade out the mess to the left of the stairs. 
  
• Great meeting with Dennis Dawley: He will send estimates for various jobs we need done ~ with the first priority being the safety railing upstairs. Sunny or Madeline will forward a copy of his estimate to the Board once we receive it. Among other things, Dennis said he could make a shorter loop on our Library Trail ~ which would be great to get done before our open house.
  
• Sunny left a message for Tina at the town Office about the former owner offering the green space across from the library for parking.
  
• Discussion of possible replacement of septic tank - depending on when Library would be hooked up to town wastewater system. *(See Addendum below) Fay’s husband is on the wastewater committee and there’s a meeting tonight w selectboard to discuss
  
• Gates will be here on saturday for the stairs
  
• New sign - ask town for bylaws as to size/location 
  

6. Strategic plan

• Michelle and Faye are happy to be a part of the group to narrow down and plan actions. Diana will send out an email to find a mutual time, including Sunny, too
  

7. Summer Event *see addendum below

• Date - still need to pick one: 
  
  • July 26 is also the Whale of a Sale and the big 3 Library art event in Winhall (an hour long midday) 
    
  • August 2 is open for all
    
• Involvement of the Friends Group 
  
• Everyone liked the name Midsummer Day’s Dream and would like to be on the committee - she’ll send an email inviting others to the group, Diana to Friends list
  

8. Branding

• Michelle is working with Madeline on logo design, website, branding, including the design of our new sign
  
• Madeline will continue to post events on L’Derry forum on FB, but we thought that’s enough social media - we stick to our website, newsletter, and maybe tags on social media from others if we can ask for those
  

9. Historical documents

• Michelle transcribed the three old documents - maybe we can include them on the website as a history back to 1902 - she’ll share them with the board
  

Next meeting: Wednesday June 25 (Michelle is away) or July 9 at 4:30 

• Sunny and David, please let us know what you’d prefer. If we’re meeting in smaller groups on items, perhaps we can extend to 6 weeks?
  

Meeting adjourned: 5:30
Minutes recorded and submitted by Diana Pagnucco on 4.28.25

*Addendum  
1) Septic situation: 
Sunny wrote to Christina Haskins at the Dufresne group which is advising the Wastewater Committee and asked for her thoughts on whether we should replace the tank now.
Here is an excerpt from that email to her:
Report from Best Septic: "the tank cover is broken, both baffles are heavily  
deteriorated and the sides of the tank are collapsing. The tank needs to be replaced  as it is ready to cave in.
That said, we use very little wastewater : we have a utility sink downstairs for cleaning twice a month.and a tiny bathroom upstairs that is rarely used.
Meanwhile, according to their team, "We ran the camera down the outlet about 10ft to  find a dry well. The outlet line is pvc and in  good condition. The dry well is functioning  properly at this time."
We look forward to hearing your advice.

2) Midsummer Day’s Dream Open House 

• Music on the porch (Kim and Bob Ray and/or others)
  
• Art show from Casey’s Art Classes at the Library. Some art activity ~ i.e. making hats
  
• Story walk and Scavenger Hunt on shortened Trail loop
  
• Steve Swinburne reading from his book(s)or others
  
• Plant swap
  
• Food /Drink table(s)
  
• Comic Drawing workshop with Reilly
  
• Post design drawings for ADA Bathroom
  
• Raffle Tickets for some kind of prize(s)?
  

​

South Londonderry Free Library Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes

April 30, 2025

Present: Michelle Christensen, Jinhwa Jo, Gale Kuhlberg, David Shade, Sunny Wright; Madeline
Helser
Absent: Diana Pagnucco
Guests: Reilly Hadden

Welcome Reilly! He and Sunny signed his contract.
Meeting called to order:
1. Approve minutes:

2. Madeline: Director’s report with update on hours for ass’t librarian
● Little School for 1000 Books program
● Ass’t librarian hours

3. David: Treasurer’s report [link below]
● Annual budget discussion

4. ADA bathroom grant
● Going through questions related to Carol’s applications : building maintenances, cultural
programs for the grants : travel pictures exhibitions, monthly local artists opening, music
programs (summer reading program kick offs), Diversity in community -
● Branding the library (Social media accounts in future with Michelle and Madeline)

5. Building and grounds
● Lancaster will continue mowing , but in the future, it would be better to pivot to one person servicing everything from mowing to plowing for consistency.
● Dennis Dawley offered to do small carpentry jobs in the future - this could be related to building wall for upstairs space around stairway.
● Copy of engineer's report needed
● Board member to meet Best Septic May 12 at 9AM - Michelle will be there to meet them and David can remove the board beforehand. Re: outside space, we can have Fairy houses (like VINS), Story Walk could be discussed by Madeline and Reilly.
● Front stairs and handrail need to be updated. Dennis Dawley could be the contact.
● For newly emptied upstairs cafe, room dividers (could be on the wheel) can be an option to
close off one section to the left side. Dennis Dawley could be the contact.
● Little lawn in front of the library (next to mailboxes) could be extra parking.

6. Jin: Strategic plan next steps
● Focus Group was a success.
● Survey results will be turned into graphic info. Michelle will do.

7. Check with Carol re Peru fair spot : Gale talked to Peru Fair people.

8. Decide on a date (and leadership) for a May Street Fair

9. Vote on changing bylaws to remove Nat’l Geo collection to make room for children’s space :Instead of keeping physical collections, we start digital access collection. $39 yearly. The whole collection could be auctioned off on the street fair day. Each copy could be donated to patrons. Madeline will look into options. The board voted yes to change the bylaw to remove Nat’l Geo collection.

10. Next meeting: Wednesday at May 28th 4:30pm

​Meeting adjourned: 6:00 pm
Minutes recorded by Michelle Christensen on 4.30.25