November 19, 2015

For more than 2½ hours, the Tuesday night meeting of the Kennett Public Library Board covered a sweeping range of topics that included a review of the library’s new website, concerns about its Adult Literacy Program, and an upbeat update on efforts to purchase a building site for a new library in the borough.

But strong divisions surfaced during discussion of one of the last agenda items: the Library Task Force (LTF). The fledgling group was created in response to public and municipal fears that the library board has not represented the community it serves: the Borough of Kennett Square and East Marlborough, Kennett, Newlin, New Garden, Pennsbury, Pocopson, and West Marlborough townships.

Following a feasibility study commissioned by the board, Bonny Anderson of MacIntyre Associates reported in September that the mistrust was pervasive enough among potential donors that she could not recommend that the library pursue a capital campaign without working to change that perception.

Anderson noted that the library’s value to the community remained strong and that she felt that the skepticism could be overcome, especially if the board availed itself of assistance from the task force.

Although the board has been working to follow many of the recommendations referenced in Anderson’s report, such as changing the way its municipal representatives are selected and pursuing a borough location for a new library, board members have expressed spirited disagreement about their interface with the LTF.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Collis Townsend, a former library board member who represents Kennett Township on the task force, explained that the LTF is a work in progress. He said the group was seeking one representative from each of the participating municipalities and one representative from the Kennett Public Library Board of Trustees, and he hoped the library board would agree to participate.

“The purpose of the task force is to help the library,” Townsend said, adding that the task force would continue even if it did not receive the board’s endorsement or participation.

Board President Susan Mackey-Kallis and Chris Britt, a board member from Kennett Township, both raised questions about the stated goals of the LTF, which include establishing financial transparency, creating and formalizing professional communication channels, and assisting the library in determining and securing the appropriate location for a new library.

Townsend pointed out that the mission statement was prepared some time ago by officials from the borough and Kennett and East Marlborough townships. He said East Marlborough has since deferred a decision on joining the LTF; however, the three municipalities together contribute 85 percent of the library’s funding, giving gravitas to their views. Moreover, Townsend said the task force’s goals were fluid and would likely change as conditions warranted.

Board members Carolyn Mohr, Jeff Yetter, and Bill McLachlan strongly advocated participating in the task force, but Mackey-Kallis and Joan Weber, the board treasurer, both countered that it would be inappropriate for a board member to sit on a committee that would be evaluating the library board. Townsend said oversight was not one of the goals.

In the end, seven of the eight board members voted on an awkwardly crafted compromise to agree with “the concept or idea” of the task force. Townsend will meet with the library board’s Development, Marketing and Advocacy Committee on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. to exchange ideas. The first meeting of the LTF will be held at the Kennett Township building on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 6:45 p.m.

Mackey-Kallis abstained from the vote. Later, she said she was presiding over her last meeting as president, a tenure that has been punctuated by periodic acrimony. Mackey-Kallis said she would miss the Dec. 15 meeting and “may be rolling off the board” since her job will be taking her to Japan at the beginning of next year.

“Because I’m stepping down, I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to vote,” she said.

In response to a report from Murray Soash, an ESL instructor in the library’s Adult Literacy Program, the board said it would hold a special meeting to discuss the program. Among Soash’s concerns: a decrease in student enrollment, a cancelled citizenship program, and a reduction in instructional time during the past five years from 40 to 30 weeks.

Mohr, who heads the board’s New Building Committee, said progress continues on plans to purchase the Weinstein property at the intersection of East State and South Willow Streets from the borough. She said Joseph Riper, the library’s solicitor, recommended that the board pursue an agreement of sale rather than a memorandum of understanding, which had been in the works.

An agreement of sale made more sense because it would be binding, Mohr said, adding that the borough not only supported the change but also was willing to give the library time to ensure that the site does not contain any hidden impediments. For example, Mohr said the discovery of bedrock would prevent the library from pursuing underground parking. She said she hoped to have a document ready for the board to sign at the next meeting.

Ivy Weir, program coordinator for the library, gave an enthusiastic presentation on the library’s new website. Although a few kinks need to be worked out, Weir said the new site would enable the staff to meet patrons’ needs better by making quick additions or updates. Previously, if staffers needed to make a change, they had to contact an administrator in Australia.

Library Director Donna Murray said she is excited about a partnership with Unionville Elementary to schedule a visit, probably in May, from popular, picture-book author Margie Palatino. “It’s been a while since we had a big-time author,” said Murray. Palatini is best known for Piggy Pie!

In other business, Yetter and McLachlan both raised questions about the procedure for electing new board officers. Board leadership was one of many changes recommended in the feasibility report.

Mackey-Kallis said the board’s Nominating Committee would present a slate of candidates in December for a vote in January. Yetter’s request to attend the committee meeting was initially denied but then Mackey-Kallis agreed that he could attend but not vote since he’s not on that committee. Yetter and McLachlan both asked to be notified when the meeting is scheduled.

Contrary to statements made at the past several board meetings, updated, quarterly financial reports have yet to be posted on the old or new website. The most recent report shows an $85,622 deficit in June. The most recent minutes are from April.

Maureen Snook, the library’s development director, reported that the library has raised $19,000 from 105 donors in its recent appeal, a little below last year’s total. She said that she hopes to receive another $15,000 and that another letter will go out seeking donations in December.

The next library board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 15. Yetter said the board would be welcoming Tom Swett, a former library board president who will be serving as East Marlborough Township’s representative.