Annual Boston Public Library Meeting of the Trustees as an Administrative Agency

I. Chair’s Call to Order and Report

Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Acting Chair

A. Welcome remarks.

B. Roll Call of Board

C. Approval of the Meeting Minutes from March 5, 2024

D. Board of Trustees Updates

II. President’s Report

David Leonard, President

A. Executive Summary of Accomplishments and Goals FY2024-2025

B. Presentation of New Employees (Central)

1. Katherine Mitchell, Visitor Experience Coordinator

2. Emily Bibb, Curator of Prints

C. Key Operational Updates

D. LMEC Exhibition, Heaven & Earth: The Blue Maps of China

Emily Bowe, LMEC, Assistant Director

E. Review/Approval of Draft Collection Development Policy

Melissa Andrews, Chief of Collection Management and Beth Prindle, Director of Research & Special

Collections

Assisted by staff: Michael Brown and Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to accept the

BPL Collection Development Policy as presented.”

*Policy reviewed by Special Collections Committee: Joe Berman, Chair

III. Strategic Planning Committee Updates

Christian Westra, Committee Chair

Sarah Zaphiris, Chief of Staff & Strategy

A. Updates from Strategic Planning Consultant-Gensler

Patricia Nobre, Gensler and Margaret Sullivan, Margaret Sullivan Studios

B. Criteria for a 21 Century Library

Michael Colford, Director of Library Services

IV. Trustees Finance and Audit Committee

Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Committee Chair

Pamela Carver, Clerk of the Board, 5.13.24

A. Mayor Michelle Wu’s FY24 Recommended Operating and Capital Budgets

Executive Summary

Evelyn Arana Ortiz and Emily Tokarczyk, Chief Financial Officer

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to accept

Mayor Michelle Wu’s FY25 Recommended Operating and Capital Budget.”

B. NEPC Update: Global Equity Manager

C. Award of Contracts (May be Taken as a Full Slate if there are no objections for topics C 1&2, D, E)

1. Contract or Contracts for Various Goods or Services relating to the Critical Repair Operating

Budget for FY25

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston authorize the

President, or designee, on behalf of the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston,

to enter into a contract or contracts for various goods or services relating to the Boston

Public Library Critical Repair Budget for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025

provided that each contract entered into pursuant to this authorization shall have been

estimated to be less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00). In no event will the

contracts cumulatively exceed three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00).”

2. Contract for the Purchase of Books and Certain Other Library Bibliographical Acquisitions

Materials

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston enter into a non-

advertised contract, as authorized under G.L., c.30-B, Section 7(a), referred to as a

“Procurement of Library Books,” between the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of

Boston (a Corporation under Chapter 114 of the Acts of 1878), and the vendors listed therein

(including any subsidiaries or agents), for the acquisitions of books and for certain other

library bibliographical acquisitions materials, in an amount not to exceed the amount

appropriated in the Library Department budget for books and other related bibliographical

acquisitions materials, during the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.”

D. Trustees Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Advisory Committee/Trust Fund FY25 Expenditure (Estimated)

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the

estimated expenditure from the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund in an amount not to

exceed One Hundred Six Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-Two Dollars and Zero

Cents ($106,472.00) to support the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund Programmatic

Plan for FY25 as recommended by the Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Advisory

Committee and to be presented at an upcoming meeting.”

E. Review of delegation of certain contract approvals for the Board of Trustees

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston

delegate approval of any contract deemed to be of a critical nature by the

President of the Library during the period between May 2024 and

September 2024 to the Finance and Audit Committee.”

V. Proposed Schedule of Trustees Meetings for 2024-2025

Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Acting Chair

Pamela Carver, Clerk of the Board, 5.13.24

VOTED: “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the proposed

schedule of Trustees meetings for 2024-2025 as noted below, such meetings to be full meeting of the

board or alternately of the executive committee, on occasion.”

 Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 8:30-10:30 am, Central Library

 Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 3:00-5:00pm, Mattapan Branch

 Tuesday, January 28 th , 2025, 8:30-10:30 am, Central Library

 Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 3:00-5:00 pm, Honan-Allston Branch

 Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 8:30-10:30 am, Annual Meeting*, Central Library  

 Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 8:30-10:00am, (via Zoom) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ONLY

*All Meetings dates/times/location are subject to change; see BPL website for details

VI. New Business

VII. Public Comment

*Members of the public may sign-up for “Public Comment “in-person or via chat on Zoom by 9am. Participants will

be called in the order they were received. Each person will be allowed up to two minutes to speak.  Public comments

can also be emailed to the Clerk of the Board up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting. All comments and/or

questions given at this time will be documented and/or answered accordingly at a later time. (Comments left in the

zoom chat will not be acknowledged)

IV. Adjournment of First Meeting

Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Acting Chair

Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston

Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Acting Chair

Navjeet Bal, Joe Berman, Jim Canales, Cheryl Cronin,

John Hailer, Jeff Hawkins, Ray Liu, Jose C. Masso III, Porsha Olayiwola

Senator Mike Rush, Rep Chynah Tyler, Christian Westra, and Lynn Perry Wooten

President, David Leonard

Clerk of the Board, Pamela R. Carver

For information check www.bpl.org

This is an open meeting. The public is welcome to attend in-person or watch virtually.

Zoom: https://boston-public-library.zoom.us/j/89385342358

Webinar ID: 893 8534 2358

Call in option: 309 205 3325, 646 558 8656, or 305 224 1968