2009 Annual Report.pdf - Town of Milton

REPORT OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY TRUSTEES
To the Honorable Board of Selectmen: June 30, 2009
The new and renovated Milton Public Library opened on budget and with
great fanfare in April, after operating for most of the fiscal year out of the Kidder
and East Milton branch buildings. Director Philip McNulty and the library
staff worked with extraordinary dedication to serve the public, problem-solve,
transfer materials, and prepare for the opening.
Many thanks go to the Friends of the Library, the Library Foundation, the
Trustees, the Opening Committee and countless volunteers. So many people
contributed time, energy, and musical and artistic talent to make the Opening
Weekend special. We are grateful to the town and all its residents for their financial
support for a great library.
During the new library’s first months of operation, all measures of activity
– new library cards issued, circulation, computer/internet use and meeting room
use - are up significantly. It clearly pleases Milton residents to have the new library
as a community center, a resource for job searches, a research facility and
a quiet space to read. To get maximum use of the space, the Trustees voted in
April to add Sunday afternoon hours from October 2009 through May 2010.
The Trustees closed the Kidder branch in March and put out a request for
proposals for its reuse. The Trustees plan to rent the property to The Discovery
Schoolhouse, Inc. under a three-year lease beginning in the fall of 2009. In
order to prepare the property for rental, the Trustees authorized extensive repairs,
including replacing all the windows.
In view of the increased use of the main library, weekday afternoon staffing
levels, and limited resources, the Trustees voted in May to close the East Milton
branch as of the end of June. At a library budget meeting in May, neighbors
expressed their sadness at the loss of the branch. In the coming year, the
Trustees will submit a warrant article to ask Town Meeting to allow the Selectmen
to rent the property.
After many years of dedicated service, Jennifer White and Marjorie Jeffries
retired from the Board. The town re-elected Andrea Gordon and elected
Barbara Mason and Brendan McLaughlin to the Board of Library Trustees.
We hope you and all Milton residents come and enjoy your new library
during the year ahead.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet K. Evans
Chair of the Board of Library Trustees
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