Minutes of the meeting between the School Board and the Library Trustees

Minutes Joint Meeting between School Board and Library Trustees
RE: changing entrance to library
June 20 2013

In attendance: School Board: Mike Clark, Ned Kirsch, Mr. Boyd, Lea Wimette, Paula Dearborn, Rachelle LeVau and Todd Granger, head of maintenance.
Library: Debbie Landauer, Joy Mercer, Judy Cleary, Liz Griffin, Pat McNall, Toni Jitawam,

The concern is the safety of students in an area that the State Police have described as the weakest link in the security of the building.
People who enter by the current library entrance cannot be seen from the desk, and the story hour and classroom area for preschool and elementary students is right next to the entrance.
The intent of the meeting was to discuss and evaluate the costs, time, logistics, and materials ( including a button that would immediately call 911) that would be needed to change the location of the Library entrance.
The concern is not to let logistics interfere with student safety. We need to keep the safety of the students paramount.

To review;
The library workers need a line of sight from the desk to the entrance; currently they do not. Library workers are not always at the desk, or at a place where they can watch the entrance.
The reading area for children is right next to the entrance.
A wider vision of what the library should and could look like in the future to serve both community and school needs to be held as the discussion of entrance changes occurs.

Todd Granger said that he has reviewed every possible scenario and as far as security goes, he could poke holes in every suggestion. If someone was determined to cause harm, they would find a way. Even the entrance from the main lobby isn’t 100% secure.

Ned said that the main desk should be in such a location that those entering will see it. He said that you canot guarantee 100% safety and that school safety is an oxymoron. I t is important to mitigate the risks that exist.

Moving the entrance to the library from its current location to the entrance that is now used as an exit to the main lobby was discussed at great length as this is the solution the group is working toward.

The minimum tasks would include: moving two bookcases; fixing the floor tiles where the bookcases were; alarming the original outside door; putting handicap parking by the main entrance; determining how to redirect the existing surveillance camera.

Todd felt this work could be done in house by school custodial staff and would take about 2 weeks. Debbie is concerned that the re-construction would interfere with already existing library programs.

A discussion was held about putting a bell or light or some sort of device that would let the workers at the desk know when someone entered the library by the main door.

Debbie is concerned about public access to the library; Mike mentioned that safety is the paramount concern, and if the situation warranted the library could be open to the public at 2:45, the end of the school day. Ned reiterated that access is not the issues, child safety is. State Police have said that the library is the weakest link in the security of the school facility.

An alternative entrance would be making one in the front of the building by removing windows and creating a door. This, however would cost approximately $30,000.

Todd can have his staff work Saturday afternoon and Sunday as well as the week that the library is closed to expedite this change. Todd would like to have it done before the cleaning occurs. Possible dates would be July 27 ( beginning after the library closes) through August 4th

Todd has proposed metal doors to replace the current glass doors at the library entrance. The doors there will become alarmed once the transition to the new entrance is made.

It is anticipated that the new entrance will begin being used when the school year begins.

This year is a bridge year for changes in the library.

Debbie proposed that library staff work to move and process books from the book cases that are to be moved

Mike Clark indicated that he would pay the school librarian to come in during the transition week to work on the books.