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Boston Public Library Trustees Meeting

The meeting of the Trustees as a Corporation and Administrative Agency will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in the Central Library, Rabb Hall, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116.

This is an open meeting. The public is welcome to attend. In-person or stream virtually:

Join the Zoom meeting

Discussion Topics

  1. Agenda

    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

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