Boston Public Library Trustees Meeting

I.    Chair’s Report                             

Dr. Ray Liu, Chair

A.    Call to Order                                        

1.    Acknowledge EDI statement

2.    Roll Call 

3.    Review and Approval of Minutes for the February 4, 2025 Meeting

II.    President’s Report                           

David Leonard, President 

        

A.    Library Appropriate Use Policy Updates                

Audrey Wynne, Policy Advisor & Legal Liaison

B.    Discuss BPL-OpenAI initiative                                                                                                                       Jessica Chapel, Chief of Digital & Online Services 

C.    Strategic Plan Rollout: In Process Updates             

D.    General Updates                        

III.    Trustees Finance and Audit Committee                 

Evelyn Arana-Ortiz, Committee Chair                                                                                                                   

A.    Votes to Approve                          

Emily Tokarczyk, Chief Financial Officer

1.    Purchase of Chinatown Branch Library Condo 

Alison Ford, Major Projects Manager and Thomas Broom, Asst. Corporation Counsel of City of Boston

    

        VOTED: "that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve the             purchase of the condominium for the purpose of establishing the Chinatown Branch             Library at 49 Hudson St, Boston MA 02111 in an amount not to exceed eleven million eight-            hundred twelve thousand five-hundred dollars ($11,812,500.00) from the Asian Community             Development Corporation, 38    Oak St Boston, MA 02111.

2.    E-Rate Contracts

          Keith Gillette, Chief Technology Officer

a.    Multi-Site Connectivity Contract – e-Rate funding eligible

 

        VOTED: “that, the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of the City of                     Boston approve a one-year contract with option to renew for two additional years, not to             exceed Six Hundred Five Thousand Two Hundred Eighty Dollars ($605,280.00) with the             City of Boston Department of Innovation and Technology, One City Hall Square, Boston,             MA 02201.

b.    MBLN Wi-Fi Network Replacement – e-Rate funding eligible

 

         VOTED: “that, the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of the City of                     Boston approve a one-time contract, not to exceed Four Hundred-Ninety Thousand Seven-            Hundred Thirty-Six Dollars and Thirty-Five Cents ($490,736.35) with ePlus Technology,             Inc., 13595 Dulles Technology Drive, Herndon, VA 20171.

                         

IV.    Vote for Executive Session                      

Dr. Ray Liu, Chair

*Purpose is to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining given that the chair has declared that an open meeting discussion may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the library, under exemption #3 of MA Open Meeting Law. 

        VOTED:  “that, the Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston approve to enter             into Executive Session for the purpose to discuss collective bargaining strategy under             Exemption 3 of MA Open Meeting Law.”

*Executive Session will be held at the conclusion of the public meeting.  The Board of Trustees will not reconvene in a public session. 

                                                                                                 

V.    New Business                                                

VI.    Public Comment                             

*Please sign up for public comment within the first 30 minutes of the meeting to support effective time management. On occasion, additional public comments on matters formally on the agenda may be allowed at the discretion of the Chair, and if time permits. Members of the public are also reminded that comments may alternatively be submitted in writing to the Clerk for distribution to the Trustees.                         

VII.    Adjournment                             

Dr. Ray Liu, Chair

*Next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Annual Meeting at Central Library at 8:30am.

 (Subject to change, please see website for details) 

Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston

Dr, Ray Liu, Chair; Evelyn Arana Ortiz, Vice Chair,

 Navjeet Bal, Joe Berman, Jim Canales, Cheryl Cronin, John Hailer, Jeff Hawkins, Julie Kim, Jonathan Lavine, 

Jose C. Masso III, Porsha Olayiwola, Senator Mike Rush, Christian Westra, and Lynn Perry Wooten

President, David Leonard

Clerk of the Board, Pamela R. Carver