Library Trustees Approve Changes to Hours, Loan Periods, and Fines

A remote meeting electronically gathered the Library Trustees and Library Director Leslie McDonnell on Wednesday evening.  Topics of discussion included library loan periods, fines, and hours as the Library moves into the fall season.

Chair Robert Malone called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM, and the group approved minutes from the last meeting of June 3, 2020.  McDonnell provided an update to the group that covered June through August.  She requested discussion on three topics that would be beneficial to library patrons:

  1. Library Fines.  McDonnell reported that no fines have been charged since the library closed in March.  As returned and delivered books are quarantined for 72 hours following CDC guidelines, this process presented a complication in the collection of accurate fines.  Automatic renewal, a process that went into effect prior to the closing, had already all but eliminated fines.  The Trustees voted to postpone all fines from the March closure going forward.  Additionally, Trustees voted to postpone any fines accrued pre-March closing date until a future time.
  2. Loan Periods.  McDonnell noted that all library items except DVD’s have a 3-week time period.  The Trustees voted to extend that loan period from 2 weeks to 3 weeks. 
  3. Library Hours.  Trustees voted to extend Saturday hours, presently 10AM-1PM, to 10AM-4PM.  All other hours will remain the same:  Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 10 AM-6 PM and Wednesday 10 AM-8 PM.  Curbside pickup will continue. 

Friends of the Library provided $2000 to the Director toward the Library’s Hoopla subscription. Additional items were purchased for the Children’s Room through donations from the Friends group. 

In other updates, McDonnell said that Travis Ahern, Town Administrator, visited the library, and plans to meet with her monthly.  James Keast, Facilities Manager, has created an electronic inventory of library equipment, and had made arrangements for the repair and staining of Library doors. 

The Trustees voted Nancy Baron Chair and Karla Alfred Vice Chair for FY2021.  Both will assume these positions beginning October 7, the next scheduled meeting date. Outgoing Chair Malone gave heartfelt thanks to McDonnell for her creative leadership during the pandemic.  He said that Holliston appreciated her and the staff and all they had done.  The meeting adjourned at 7:54 PM.

Yvette Cain

1 Comment

  1. Pat Fuller on September 5, 2020 at 8:17 am

    I’d like to second Chair Malone’s expression of appreciation to Leslie and her staff. At a time in which most services have shrunk, it is amazing that they have been able to extend loan time, Saturday hours and to drop fines! Thank you all so much for your creative and extensive efforts.

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