A significant portion of the meeting centered around the proposed renovation of the library’s bathrooms. The existing facilities, believed to be original to the building, have become outdated and costly to maintain. Ongoing repairs have proven to be expensive, prompting the board to consider a comprehensive renovation. Architectural drawings for one suite of bathrooms were estimated to cost between $20,000 to $25,000. This led to broader discussions about municipal funding and the division of responsibilities between the library and the township. It was noted that while the municipal allocation should cover maintenance, larger expenses like renovations typically require approaching the mayor and council for support. The board emphasized the necessity of ensuring functional facilities for public service despite the cost implications.

In parallel with the renovation discussions, the board also focused on technological upgrades, particularly the implementation of a self-checkout and RFID system. The current self-check machine relies solely on barcodes, limiting inventory management and hindering the potential for 24-hour library services. RFID technology was proposed as a solution to streamline the checkout process and improve inventory control. However, the implementation of RFID would be a significant undertaking, requiring every item in the library to be tagged, with costs projected to exceed $100,000. Concerns regarding the budgetary impact of this upgrade were raised, and the board aimed to gather more information and engage with vendors before making a final decision.

The conversation also touched on the library’s current inventory system. The library holds approximately 140,000 physical materials, including various formats such as DVDs. Issues with the previous security system, including non-operational security gates, raised concerns about potential loss of materials. The board discussed the process for managing reports of missing items, acknowledging that the current system of generating monthly reports had not been consistently followed, leading to challenges in tracking lost materials. Efforts to improve this system were ongoing.

Another notable topic was the library’s executive assistant for finance working in an office next to a server tower. The cost of moving the tower was nearly $100,000, prompting a proposal to build a wall around the tower instead, creating a more suitable workspace. The board planned to publish a request for proposals (RFP) for architectural services in the coming month, with the goal of reviewing proposals in October.

Additionally, the board addressed the need for a new logo and updated branding for the library. The current logo lacked sufficient definition for modern displays, and a more accessible version was suggested. Staff identification tags featuring the new logo were proposed to help the public recognize library employees more easily, which was seen as both a safety measure and a branding opportunity.

There was also a discussion on the library’s phone system upgrade, expected to be completed by the end of October or November. This upgrade aimed to provide a direct phone number for the library, eliminating the need for navigating the town’s phone tree, thus improving accessibility for patrons.

The board reviewed an infographic draft intended to summarize the library’s value and activities for the community in a concise manner. This infographic, highlighting various library services and annual statistics, was proposed as a more engaging alternative to lengthy reports. The idea of incorporating this infographic into other community mailings or newsletters was suggested to increase awareness of library offerings.

The meeting also touched on operational issues and budgetary concerns. A trustee raised questions about the library’s spending on new books and requested information on the average expenditure by libraries of similar size. The discussion included the need to track circulation statistics and the potential for pages to assist in compiling data on high-circulation items.

There was a moment of disruption during the meeting when an individual interrupted the proceedings. The chair addressed this by muting the individual and subsequently removing them from the meeting.